Longhorn cross questions

[Galloway2]

No breed living will dehorn all the calves in a herd of longhorn cows.

I sold a Black Galloway bull to a guy with 50 Lonnghorn cows. All F1 calves were polled. The F1 calves all came out solid colored, except the ones that had a white stripe on their back, the calves did too.

I'm not familiar with the Galloway breed, but I do see some people say they cross them with angus and get a really good calf. What are the pros to using the Galloway bulls?

Galloway cattle are an extremely hardy, feed efficient, maternal breed. They have structural soundness, and outstanding longevity. They feed out well, and produce a highly marbled carcass with very little backfat. They are very good grazers, will cover miles to find feed, and will eat just about anything. They have shown resistance to "high altitude disease", as well as many external parasites. They are a true outcross to all breeds. They have many positive qualities that can benefit most cattle operations.

[jedstivers]

For the F1 mothers the char, Herf, limo or gerts or beefmasters or simm would be good. Don't know any thing about the Galloway so can't say. As far as the terminal bull on them char or limo.
Back when longhorns were cheep I wish I had bought up a passle of them. Don't let the LH basher's get on you either. Net money is what counts , plenty of people running the "in" breeds that are loosing there azz.

[heath]

I have several LHxLimi and LHxAngus cows and breed them to Angus or brangus bulls, the brangus seem to grow better. I have one old full LH I paid $275 for, she's made me money every year. I keep thinking she wont make it to wean another calf, but i keep her since she's not worth anything at the stockyards.

[bigrob]

For the F1 mothers the char, Herf, limo or gerts or beefmasters or simm would be good. Don't know any thing about the Galloway so can't say. As far as the terminal bull on them char or limo.
Back when longhorns were cheep I wish I had bought up a passle of them. Don't let the LH basher's get on you either. Net money is what counts , plenty of people running the "in" breeds that are loosing there azz.

I have a tendency to do what I wanna do anyway lol. I'm thinking about just AI'ing with several of those and just go from there starting out anyway. That way I could have first hand experience with each. Thanks for the suggestions

[bigrob]

I have several LHxLimi and LHxAngus cows and breed them to Angus or brangus bulls, the brangus seem to grow better. I have one old full LH I paid $275 for, she's made me money every year. I keep thinking she wont make it to wean another calf, but i keep her since she's not worth anything at the stockyards.

I've heard that longhorns can live about 30 years or so. That's a lot of calves over the years. I'm starting to think its got something to do with the brahma influence making the better cows

[bigrob]

Thanks for the information Galloway2. That seems like alot of the right things in one package

[Rustler9]

BigRob,
I would use a Charolais bull on the LonghornxBeefmaster brood cows for a terminal cross calf. They will grow like tanks and I think some of those heifers would be good mama cows as well. You've already got great mothering ability from your Longhorn and Beefmaster in them. I really don't know why more people don't have 1/4 to 1/2 Longhorn blood in their commercial mamas. It just makes sense to me.

[bigrob]

BigRob,
I would use a Charolais bull on the LonghornxBeefmaster brood cows for a terminal cross calf. They will grow like tanks and I think some of those heifers would be good mama cows as well. You've already got great mothering ability from your Longhorn and Beefmaster in them. I really don't know why more people don't have 1/4 to 1/2 Longhorn blood in their commercial mamas. It just makes sense to me.

That sounds like a good combination to me. I don't know where or why the longhorns got the bad reputation from. Everyone I've ever been around has been fairly calm and easy to work with.

[Massey135]

lack of cutability and growth. poor converters.

[Lon]

lack of cutability and growth. poor converters.

Do you mean how many lbs of feed per lb of gain? cause most of what i read has stated them to be efficient in that area it was lbs of gain per day where they lacked cause you couldnt get a longhorn steer to pack down as much food in a day as other breeds. just asking not trying to argue.

[bigrob]

lack of cutability and growth. poor converters.

I understand that. I mean as a crossing option for the most part. Like using the bulls on heifers you are just about guaranteed calving ease with them. They're also the only naturally adapted cattle to America, they can survive just about anywhere. I'm not trying to say everyone should breed them, I'm just trying to understand why everyone hates them

[dun]

lack of cutability and growth. poor converters.

I understand that. I mean as a crossing option for the most part. Like using the bulls on heifers you are just about guaranteed calving ease with them. They're also the only naturally adapted cattle to America, they can survive just about anywhere. I'm not trying to say everyone should breed them, I'm just trying to understand why everyone hates them

Around here they sell for about half of what a dairy calf brings and dairycalves don;t bring squat. Although about 50 miles from here is a guy that has acouple of hundred lhorn cows in his pasture and what looks like some Holstein bulls but they may be steers.

[Rustler9]

I think most people are afraid of their horns. Maybe I'm wrong but they seem to be.

[ALACOWMAN]

I have several LHxLimi and LHxAngus cows and breed them to Angus or brangus bulls, the brangus seem to grow better. I have one old full LH I paid $275 for, she's made me money every year. I keep thinking she wont make it to wean another calf, but i keep her since she's not worth anything at the stockyards.

I've heard that longhorns can live about 30 years or so. That's a lot of calves over the years. I'm starting to think its got something to do with the brahma influence making the better cows

long horn and brahman can have long life spans, just slower maturing im sure a cross bred can add a few more years to it,, though i dont like the idea of the cross... not in my country,, where grass is avalible

[Melba0320]

I have sold several Charolais bull to longhorn owners. I always ask them why?

Their reply is pretty much the same...

Charolais will knock the horns off ( if polled bull is used) and will know the spots off...

I have been raising registered Longhorns for 30 years....... longhorn cross cattle only retain 30% of the longhorn traits.