- Jan 7, 2002
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Lurch, the steer with the world's largest horns, died quietly with friends at his side around 3 p.m. Saturday at Rocky Ridge Refuge near Gassville, Ark.
The 14-year-old Watusi was diagnosed in March 2009 with cancer at the base of one of those record-setting horns, whose circumference of more than 36 inches led to his induction into the 2003 Guinness Book of World Records. The illness caused the bovine to lose weight, shed hair and his head to list to the affected side. Several courses of antibiotics and a daily regimen of enriched food resulted in a nearly 100% recovery, but the year-long rally failed early last week with the appearance of blood flowing from one of Lurch's nostrils.
But Lurch had other business before laying down for the last time.
"Saturday morning he stood up, walked out of the barn and marched right down the hill to the fence and laid down with his buddies," said Janice Wolf caregiver and refuge owner. "All day Friday and last week he was up and down and able to manage just a few steps before going back down. He couldn't even get out of the barn.
"No one who saw him would have believed he could march down that hill. You should have seen him. It was really something to see," Wolf said.
Wolf said the place at the fence was one of Lurch's favorite places to sun.
"About 2 p.m. he started back up the hill. He made it just a little way and started to tremble and went down," Wolf said.
A veterinarian was on another call and unavailable to respond immediately. Wolf said she took a bucket of cold water to Lurch to keep his head cool. The champ rolled over and died just minutes before the doctor arrived.
"He was a class act," Wolf said. "He didn't want me to do it. He wanted to do it himself."
Famous steer
After achieving Guinness fame, Lurch was visited frequently at the refuge by tourists and television producers. Television segments featuring Lurch have appeared repeatedly on the Animal Planet Television Network.
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