Why Arent Texas Longhorns Good for Beef
© David M. Hillis, Double Helix Ranch
Professor of Integrative Biological science
University of Texas at Austin
L Brilliant Mary (a Texas Longhorn cow) with a newborn dogie
I have listed some of the questions that I'm frequently asked virtually Texas Longhorn cattle here, along with my responses. If your question about Texas Longhorn cattle isn't answered here, please transport me an e-mail, and I'll either reply you myself or observe someone who tin can.
You also might want to await on my Links folio for links to other web sites about Texas Longhorns, too to web pages for other Texas Longhorn ranches and cattle sites.
What is the origin of Texas Longhorns?
Different nigh breeds of cattle, no one set out to develop Texas Longhorn cattle every bit a breed. Instead, they evolved in North America from descendants of cattle brought into the Americas by the Spanish in the belatedly 1400s and early 1500s (the first cattle were brought into Hispaniola in 1493). However, the cattle did not descend directly from Castilian stock. Rather, the first cattle to exist imported past the early Spanish explorers were from the Canary Islands. These cattle, in turn, were imported from Portugal, and the closest relatives of Texas Longhorns amidst existing European breeds are Portuguese cattle breeds (such as the Alentejana and Mertolenga). These early imports of Iberian cattle from the Canary Islands soon became feral in northern Mexico (which included lands that became the Republic of Texas in 1836, and part of the U.s. in 1845). These wild herds underwent intense natural selection; the simply cattle that could survive were highly disease resistant, could alive on harsh range atmospheric condition (through droughts, floods, heat, and cold), and could defend themselves and their calves against predators.
In the early on 1800s, wild longhorned cattle were found throughout much of Texas. During the California Gold Rush of the late 1840s and early 1850s, there was great demand for cattle in California, and cattle began to be driven from Texas by the tens of thousands to come across the demand. This practice was interrupted past the U.Southward. Ceremonious War, likewise as the end of the California gold blitz. Texans who returned to Texas later on the Civil War had few sources of income, just there were lots of wild cattle in Texas, and few cattle were left in the eastern United states. Texans began to circular the cattle upwards and drive them upwardly to the rail heads in Kansas, where they were shipped to the e declension cities to satisfy a growing need for beefiness. Many famous cattle trails were established, such as the Chisholm Trail and the Goodnight-Loving Trail, and many millions of cattle (and then called "Texas cattle") were driven upwardly these trails for shipment eastward.
During the late 1800s, large ranches began to be established in Texas. Fences were congenital, cattle were captured and contained, and the days of free-ranging cattle came to an end. Although these ranches originally kept Texas Longhorns, about before long turned to importing "improved" European breeds of cattle. The European breeds produced much more fatty than did Texas Longhorns, and tallow was the primary driving force behind cattle prices at the time. Still, several ranchers kept herds of the original Texas cattle, either for nostalgia or because they appreciated the abilities and qualities of these cattle. Past the 1920s, the longhorned cattle were rare enough that the United States regime paid to assemble a herd of Texas cattle at the Wichita Wildlife Refuge in southwestern Oklahoma, to preserve them from extinction. Most a one-half-dozen private herds were besides maintained through (or started in) the first half of the 1900s, and virtually modern Texas Longhorns can exist traced back to these 7 "families"of longhorns (the Wichita Refuge, Butler, Marks, Peeler, Phillips, Wright, and Yates lines).
In 1964, the Texas Longhorn Breeders Clan of America (TLBAA) was founded, and a registration process was established. Thus, Texas Longhorns became a registered breed. Today, Texas Longhorns are bred and valued for many dissimilar reasons. Their naturally lean meat is now considered an advantage, and the power of Texas Longhorns to thrive on natural range conditions (without the apply of antibiotics, added hormones, or the use of feedlots) makes them a favorite for the lean beef, range-fed beef, and organic beef markets. They are also widely raised for their beautiful colors and horns, and by people who capeesh the history and qualities of the breed. Texas Longhorn bulls are often used as service sires on other breeds of cattle, considering the crosses produce fewer birthing difficulties and calves that grow rapidly and have few health problems. At the Double Helix Ranch, we were attracted to Texas Longhorns because of their high genetic diversity and associated high fitness, in add-on to their historical interest and their beauty. Traits that stand out in Texas Longhorns are their natural disease resistance, dandy longevity, loftier reproductive rate, ease in birthing, ability to thrive nether harsh range conditions, and an ability to defend themselves confronting predators. We have never lost a unmarried Texas Longhorn calf to disease or predation, and they thrive without extensive care or supplemental feeding.
For more detailed data on the history of Texas Longhorn cattle, I recommend T. J. Barragy's first-class book, Gathering Texas Gold, in addition to J. Frank Dobie'south classic book, The Longhorns. Meet also Alan Hoyt's eleven-part series on the History of the Texas Longhorns (originally published in the Texas Longhorn Journal).
Are Texas Longhorns difficult to control, and can they be dangerous?
Most modern Texas Longhorns are gentle cattle and are amid the easiest of breeds to handle and control. Their gentle disposition and hit looks make them favorites as riding steers, and their full general health and adaptability make them ideal for weekend ranchers. Texas Longhorns that interact regularly with people are easy to handle; as with any breed, however, cattle that rarely see humans can grow wild and wary.
Of course, circumspection is required among Texas Longhorns because of the long horns. Although our cattle take never attacked or harmed a human on purpose, they can and do use their horns to manipulate objects and to scratch their bodies, then reasonable care should be exercised around the cattle to avert adventitious contact with the horns. Texas Longhorns volition likewise defend their calves confronting dogs, so we are careful to keep our dogs at a rubber distance from the herd.
What kind of fences practice I need to go on Texas Longhorns?
Whatsoever fence that will concord other breeds of cattle is sufficient for Texas Longhorns. We prefer to use barbed wire fences, because they have proven to exist the almost dependable for the states, and the maintenance costs are low. Even so, many breeders use simple one or two-strand electric fences with great success, and of course plank, pipe, and wire mesh fences are more than adequate. We avoid electric fences considering they tin can be difficult to maintain over long distances and considering they are field of study to grounding problems (ordinarily created by deer crossing) and loss from lightning strikes in our function of the country. However, if they tin can exist closely monitored and maintained, electrical fences are effective at controlling Texas Longhorns. If y'all accept fences that are keeping other cattle or stock in or out of your belongings, then they should be adequate to contain near Texas Longhorns.
As with whatsoever breed of cattle, a few individual bulls will non respect fences, and will either spring over or go through them. We take had more problem keeping our neighbors' bulls (of other breeds) out of our pastures, however, than we have had keeping our Texas Longhorn bulls in. Nosotros once had a bull that was a fence jumper, and and so we culled him. We at present select bulls in part for their disposition, and we rarely have any problem with our bulls crossing our fences.
Do Texas Longhorns require much veterinarian care?
No. Texas Longhorns take minimal health problems. You should follow the standard vaccination program for cattle in your part of the country; provide reasonably expert pasture or hay, acceptable minerals as needed for your area, and a source of clean drinking h2o; and follow a regular program of parasite control as recommended past your vet. If hay or pasture quality is poor, you may need to supplement their nutrition on a seasonal basis. If Longhorns are getting sufficient nutrition (including minerals), and have been vaccinated as recommended past your vet, wellness bug are quite rare.
Do Texas Longhorns have many birthing problems?
No. We have never had birthing problems with any Texas Longhorn calf, and birthing bug are virtually nonexistent in the breed. This is one reason why many commercial cattlemen use Texas Longhorn bulls as service sires with cows of many of the European breeds. The resultant calves are born without difficulty, and crossbred cattle typically gain weight very rapidly.
What are the markets for Texas Longhorns?
1. Convenance stock (private treaty sales and defended auctions)
2. Bulls for service sires
3. Steers for riding and western nostalgia
four. Stock for rodeos (ropers)
5. Cattle for organic meat, lean beef, and range-fed beef sales (every bit appropriate for the individual breeding programme)
6. Cattle for the mainstream beefiness market (piece of cake to sell at local sales barns, but typically the everyman toll)
How quickly do the horns of Texas Longhorns grow? How do they abound?
In an article published in Texas Longhorn Journal in Dec 1999, Malcolm Goodman suggested that Texas Longhorn bulls achieve about 50% of their eventual tip-to-tip horn measurement at most one twelvemonth of historic period (on average). By four years of historic period, they have reached approximately 95% of their maximum length. The horns of the average Texas Longhorn moo-cow accomplish 50% of their eventual tip-to-tip measurement a little later, at about 15 months of age, and they accomplish 95% betwixt five and half dozen years of age. They keep to grow, but usually dull downwardly considerably with age. These are only averages, of class, and in that location is a nifty bargain of variation depending on the shape of the horns. The horns of steers continue to grow at a reasonable charge per unit throughout life, because the low levels of testosterone in steers allow the growth plate of the inner bony core to remain unossified.
Horns grow from the base, not the tips, and "growth rings" tin be seen near the base of operations of the horns of older cows. Cows produce a new ring in association with each calf they produce, although these growth rings can go quite close together on older animals. Horns consist of a bony cadre, surrounded by mankind and blood, and and then an outer layer of keratin. On many animals (especially animals with light-colored, rapidly growing horns) ane can see the carmine color from the blood supply beneath the keratin layer, particularly near the growing base.
What are the widest horns of Texas Longhorn cows, bulls, and steers on tape?
This is a difficult question to reply, because many claims have been made over the years that are difficult to verify. In addition, there are at least ii mutual ways to measure horns. The tip-to-tip measurement is the easiest to reproduce: information technology is only the straight-line measure out from one horn tip to the other. The "full horn" or poll measurement attempts to measure the horns forth their bend, to get a measure of the total length of the horns. This measurement is much harder to replicate accurately, just it is a better reflection of the full horn length. The tip-to-tip measurement assigns longer values to directly, lateral horns than to upwardly curving horns of the same full length.
Given the difficulties of comparing measurements made by dissimilar people, the best answer I tin requite to this question is to point to the annual Horn Showcase competition conducted past the Texas Longhorn Breeders Association of America. This competition plain does not include all the living Texas Longhorns, simply owners of the longest-horned animals tend to exist very proud of their cattle, and then the winners are at least amongst the longest-horned Texas Longhorns. Although there are some anecdotes of even longer-horned steers in the afar past, recent selection for very long horns means that the Texas Longhorns that are alive today are probably among the longest-horned animals that take e'er been a part of the breed.
At the 2006 Horn Showcase:
one. The Texas Longhorn moo-cow with the widest horns (tip-to-tip measurement) was Day's Feisty Fannie, at 82"
2. The Texas Longhorn cow with the widest horns (total horn measurement) was Sunrise Hope, at 97 3/8"
3. The Texas Longhorn bull with the widest horns (tip-to-tip measurement) was Superbowl, at 76"
4. The Texas Longhorn balderdash with the widest horns (total horn measurement) was Wyoming Warpaint, at 96 ane/4"
v. The Texas Longhorn steer with the widest horns (tip-to-tip measurement) was Watson 101, at 101"
6. The Texas Longhorn steer with the widest horns (total horn measurement) was Gilbralter at 126 ane/2"
Click here to download the complete 2006 Horn Showcase results.
What are the branding requirements for registered Texas Longhorns?
Registered Texas Longhorns must be branded with a belongings brand (the brand of the private ranch or owner) too as past a unique individual herd number. Branding can be done with either fire brands or freeze brands. Brand designs should exist registered with both the brood association and your state, county, or province of residence (according to local brand registration regulations). In Texas, cattle brands must be registered in each county where a ranch has operations. Registration is made at the County Courthouse (and renewed once a decade).
Where tin can Texas Longhorns be raised? Do they require a hot, dry out climate?
Texas Longhorns are raised throughout North America, likewise equally in a few European countries and in Australia. They thrive in both hot and common cold climates, and everything in between. There are highly successful Texas Longhorn breeders all over N America, in every identify where cattle are raised. They thrive where other breeds have difficulty living, but they don't require a hot, dry climate. They as well thrive in Canada, in the Pacific northwest, on the northern Plains, in the northeast, and in the southeastern states.
What do Texas Longhorns eat?
Like all cattle, Texas Longhorns eat mostly grass and forbes. However, Texas Longhorns graze (and browse) on a wider multifariousness of plants than do most cattle. Past utilizing a wider diversity of plants, they do less damage to rangeland (since they don't just target a few favorite species), and they can thrive nether a wider diversity of conditions.
Can Texas Longhorns be kept safely with horses?
We proceed our horses in a pasture with Texas Longhorns, as do many other breeders, and accept non experienced whatever problems. Pasturing cattle and horses together is frequently recommended to maintain pasture quality and reduce parasite loads of both cattle and horses (since the internal parasites of cattle cannot survive in horses, and vice versa).
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Source: http://doublehelixranch.com/FAQ.html
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