Kudu horn growth

[WY ME]

I thought this study on kudu horn growth -vs- age chart was interesting. The study was done on typical horn growth rates from Kruger Nat'l Park in S. Africa. The bull kudu parallel almost identically to bull elk in aging and maturity. Cow elk live longer than bull elk but apparently the same is not true for cow kudu.

Sorry guys I can't seem to get this stuff to look right when it goes to the post. It looks good before I hit save but then it gets all jumbled.

Mean growth rate for kudu in the eastern Cape

Age Body Mass (kg) Horn Length

Cow Bull (inch) Turns

0 months 13 13 0 0

6 months 50 60 3 ¼

1 year 90 95 2-17 ½

1,5 year 105 120 7-25 1¼

2 year 120 140 19-31 1½

2,5 year 125 160 25-35 2

3 year 130 165 33-39 2¼

4 year 140 180 41-45 2½

5 year 145 205 45-49 3

6 year 138 220 49-51 3¼

7 year 130 240 50-53 3½

8 year 130 250 51-54 3½

9 year 128 260 53-54 3½

10 year 125 265 53-55 3½

11 year 120 270 54-55 3½

12 year — 275 54-55½ 3½

13 year — 280 55-56 3½


Deon Furstenburg

Wildlife Scientist, Agricultural Research Council,

Middelburg, Eastern Cape,

email : Deon Furstenburg

(Available for professional consultancies)

 

[Hilltop]

I'm sorry but I'm not understanding the numbers you have listed. I'm interested but just not getting it. What does each number from left to right represent?

 

[WY ME]

Sorry, I copied and pasted it and I didn't realize it came out like it did in a different format. I can't read it either. I'll try to redo it.

 

[RockChucker30]

It looks ok on tapatalk. A 13 year kudu??? That is old for an antelope I would think! Really puts into perspective that magic 60 inch mark.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Umpqua Hunter]

Sorry guys I can't seem to get this stuff to look right when it goes to the post. It looks good before I hit save but then it gets all jumbled.

WE ME ….. Take a screen shot with the original data, then post it as a photo.

 

[WY ME]

Umpqua,

I'm not sure what a screen shot is. Here's the link to the page I found the kudu horn chart on:

http://gadi.agric.za/articles/Furstenburg_D/kudu.php

There's more info there than what I copy and pasted.

Rockchucker, It sounds like you were able to get the gist of the numbers. Ya it really takes some good genetics and a lot of years to make a big kudu. What surprised me in the article was that cow kudu rarely lived longer than 6-8 years. Bulls live up to 12-16 years and keep growing in body size and horn length until the end.

 

[Musket Man]

I have had that problem when i go to post things too. Its frustrating......

 

[Drhorsepower]

Thanks for posting. I'm going to save this one.

 

[Umpqua Hunter]

Here ya go:

 

[WY ME]

Wow Umpqua, that's what I couldn't do!

 

[Hilltop]

It's interesting to see there isn't any "fall off" in horn size with age. The general idea that animals lose size after reaching peak age doesn't seem to apply to Kudu. The obvious answer is because they never shed but I figured they would wear down after growth stopped or slowed. It would be interesting to see a side by side comaprison to elk antler growth. UH, can you find this?? Also would be interesting to see a chart of western big game growth in comparison to precipitation/ snow pack. Has this study been done?

 

[WY ME]

I would have thought they'd lose some horn length as well. Even more surprising to me was that the bulls kept gaining weight right up until the end. That's why I think I must have been a kudu in my past life. LOL The cows peaked in weight and then went down hill as they got older.