Everyone has experienced driving by some farmland and seeing cows grazing in the field. But being up close and personal with a bull is a totally different experience. Bulls come in all different shapes and sizes, so bigger than others.
However, there are certain breeds of bulls that are so impressive in size, they will have you thinking twice before you decide to stand next to one. It’s time to put your “Toreador” costume on as we countdown the 15 biggest bulls in the world.
ANKOLE-WATUSI Number 15 on our list is the Ankole-Watusi. Ankole-Watusi cattle are the show-stoppers of the bovine kingdom.
Medium-sized animals, with long, large-diameter horns, they attract attention wherever they appear.
These regal animals can easily trace their ancestry back more than 6,000 years and have often been referred to as “cattle of kings.” Because of their striking appearance, and the resulting ability to attract paying customers, Ankole cattle were imported from Africa by European zoos during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
The cattle were called Ankole, or Ankole-Watusi, and they were treated as a single breed. The Ankole-Watusi is medium in size, with cows weighing 900 1200 pounds and bulls weighing 1000 1600 pounds. Newborn calves weigh 30 – 50 pounds.
This small birth-weight makes Ankole Watusi bulls useful for breeding to first-calf-heifers of other breeds. During the day, calves sleep together, with an “auntie” cow for protection.
At night, the herd-members sleep together, with the calves in the center of the group for protection. The horns of the adults serve as formidable weapons against any intruders.