One of twin calves born April 26, 2002

Kingshire mother "Morning Glory"

What:
SEATTLE - Last Thursday evening, one of Woodland Park Zoo’s Kingshires gave birth to not one, but twins, a surprise for the zoo! This marks the first-ever twin birth of this particular breed. The cows represent the first birth for 2-year-old Morning Glory. A second Kingshire heifer is due to give birth within a few days to a week.

Professor Richard Gradwohl of Covington, Washington developed the Kingshire breed, a triple crossbreed of miniature hereford, miniature Angus and mid-sized highland. He artificially inseminated the zoo’s two heifers last summer, using a bull of Dexter and miniature belted Galloway cross. Solid and compact, Kingshire are bred from some of the smallest cattle breeds in the world. Miniature cattle, when measured at the hip, may reach a maximum height of 42 inches compared to full size cattle, which may exceed 48 inches.

Where:
Woodland Park Zoo’s Family Farm. Inside the South Gate Plaza, enter the farm to your left. The yard is in the northwest section of the farm.

Other Info:
The twins’ birth brings the total number of Kingshires in the world to only 14.
INFO: Currently, there are 24 breed categories in the Miniature Cattle Breeds Registry. Miniature cattle are either selected reproductions of older breeds or are results of several crossbreeding programs. The miniature breeds continue to gain in popularity as farm size continues to shrink.

Zoo visitors may see cattle and a variety of domestic animals, such as goats, sheep, chickens and pigs, in the Family Farm. One of several interactive exhibits within the zoo’s Temperate Forest, the farm teaches visitors about working farms and natural forests of the Pacific Northwest.

Woodland Park Zoo opens daily at 9:30 a.m. The zoo closes at 5:00 p.m. until April 30 and 6:00 p.m. from May 1 through September 30. Zoo admission ranges from free for toddlers to $9.50 for adults; King County residents receive an admission discount. Zoo members receive free admission year-round.