Sunday, October 26, 2008

Watusi


Page #9 of travel album I am making documenting our trips to the safari this summer.

Watusi, or Red Ankoli Cattle, are from Africa, and are named for their coat, which combines white patches with various shades of red.Ankoli-Watusi cattle are a breed of cattle native to Africa. They have very large, distinctive horns similar to a Texas Longhorn. They are sometimes known as Ankole or Watusi. Like many cattle, they are the descendents of the Aurochs who became extinct in the 17th century. Watusi are native to Africa and, for over 6000 years, have played a pivotal role in the lives of various African tribes - Tutsi, Ankole, Bahima, Bashi, Kigezi, and the Kivu - although the Tutsi are most often associated with the breed. The cattle provided food, currency, and tribal status. In Rwanda, where the Tutsi ruled, Watusi were known as "Insanga" or "the ones which were found" and "Inyambo" or "the cows with long, long horns." Those with the largest and longest horns belonged to the King and were considered sacred, with some individuals having horns that measure twelve feet from tip to tip. The breed is often referred to as the 'Cattle of Kings'.Their digestive systems have the ability to utilize poor quality and limited quantities of food and water. These survival abilities have allowed them as a breed to not only survive the centuries in Africa but to become established on the continents of Europe, South America, Australia and North America.The animals' large horns are honeycombed with blood vessels, and are used to thermo-regulate in hot temperatures. Blood moving through the horns is cooled by moving air, and then flows back into the body and lowers the animal's body temperature.

It's About Time and Flying Disk Alpha by Lorie Davison @ SBG
Rough to the Touch with Everything In It by Lorie Davison @ SBG
Font: Antique Type
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