Source: https://livestockconservancy.org/index.php/heritage/internal/texas-longhorn
The have been a fixture of life in Texas beginning with the earliest missions established by the Spanish when they first arrived. These early settlers brought with them their tough and resistant cattle, whose roots went back to the south of Spain. Cattle were used for oxen, hides, meat, and milk. In the 1830s, political control of Texas switched to Anglos, and during the Civil War cattle management essentially ceased so that cattle ran totally free. After the war, vast herds became the source of Texan wealth and recovery as cattle were trailed north to satisfy the demand for beef that came with industrialization and a growing nation.
In the 1900s, “improved” British, European, and Indian breeds of cattle were imported to the region to boost beef production, and the Texas Longhorn breed declined in popularity. This influx of new breeds has very nearly caused the extinction of many of today’s heritage breeds. Fortunately this breed has always been connected with Texan identity, so that some ranchers always kept herds going. In the 1960s this effort was organized and expanded, but unfortunately the name “Longhorn” drove selection so much that purity became diluted, as selection favored horn growth at the expense of other traits as well as breed purity. As a reaction to the perilous situation facing the traditional breed, a few breeders organized the Cattlemen’s Texas Longhorn Registry and began a quest for the old, traditional pure Texas Longhorn cattle.
The traditional purely Iberian (Spanish) Texas Longhorn shares traits and appearances with many Criollo breeds from throughout the Americas that descend from the same roots. The cattle are rangey, and cows and steers have long, twisty horns. They are valued for their reproductive ability (cows routinely calve at 11 month intervals if given the chance) and longevity (cows in their late teens are not unusual). Colors vary, with attractively speckled hides occurring as often as solid colors. The breed’s origin in southern Spanish cattle makes their genetic relationship to other British, European, and Indian breeds in North America distant, so crossbreeding with these breeds results in great hybrid vigor in the offspring. Often, credit for this vigor has been given only to the “improved” breeds, while heritage breeds like the Texas Longhorn are seen as a relic of older times. The Texas Longhorn’s combination of no-nonsense traits, however, can work to its advantage for sustainable beef production.
Click here to read The Livestock Conservancy’s Case Statement for the Texas Longhorn.
Videos
We woke Thursday a 5 am had all our vaccinations individually pulled up…round up the cattle from 2 pastures -SR Clout’s and heifer pasture at 8 am to 10 am started running them thru the chute 10am to 1pm took a 30 min lunch break then continued till 7pm. Friday stared vaccinating at 7:30am till 10:30pm. Rounded up 007’s pasture by 12pm took a 30min lunch break then continued until 4pm then cleaned up till 7pm It took -15 people.. We had 4 continually staging cattle next to enter the chute, 3 people vaccinating, 5 positioning the Longhorn horns in the chute and helping with the measurements , 1 doing hip height & delousing with cylence, 1 dosing Eprinex, and me recording all measurements.
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Rancho Cielito Lindo
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Breeds of Livestock – Texas Longhorn Cattle
Our Animals – Texas Longhorn Cattle
15 AWESOME REASONS WHY RANCHERS RAISE TEXAS LONGHORN CATTLE
Frequently Asked Questions about Texas Longhorn Cattle
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Blog
https://gvrlonghorns.com/farm-blog/f/confessions-from-lovers-of-longhorns
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English Longhorns
Nine longhorn heifers joined us here at Cranley Barn Farms in Autumn 2019, we chose them because they are a fantastic hardy native breed, small in frame and and grow slowly compared to commercial breeds of cattle. They are suited to being outside all year and are effective grazers growing throughout the winter on grass, clover and wildflower which makes them a perfect match for our plans to change our grazing methods to a mob grazing approach.
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