Anyone had anything to do with this breed?

[alftn]

Hybrid vigor...and the right bull could fill in alot of gaps, and improve their bags....

 

[Keren]

So, following that theory, you believe all straight bred (purebred) cows, are inferior to crossbred cows?

 

[alftn]

No, Everything has it's place.. You need Fullbloods/Purebreed, in order to achieve good crosses, Good crosses in turn, in years of culling and selection can make a breed...Do not think that cross breed cattle as muts, although they could be..

 

[townfarmer]

The more you look at these things the more they grow on you . I can see the appeal.

Andrew

 

[Mare]

My 2 cents. HOLY COW to much cow for me !!!!! Good looking, just to much cow!

 

[andybob]

The English Longhorn was the first breed to have a studbook so has special interest as the oldest registered breed in the world. Today most are bred by enthusiasts who want to protect the remaining genetics, and sell to niche markets at premium prices for the well marbled beef. As a rare breed, they are often found on conservation land where the owners are allowed free grazing to controll the growth of native pastures to benefit the protected wildlife.

 

[Keren]

thanks andybob, they are fascinating

andrew ... when I import my girls, you can come buy some!

 

[Leopold]

Hello there Keren, I have not had anything to do with the breed yet but i am definitely going to as soon as I can get some in Australia. They won The best steak in britain contest as grassfed last year and at the Smithfield expo 3 of the first 4 heifers in the mixed breed beef heifer contest carried at least 50% longhorn blood actually 2 were pure. The breed is also renowned for their calm temerament. Those old cows are allowed to have udders like that with monster calves hanging off them in their mid teens. Oh Check out the undertakers oxen in the movie "Braveheart" as well.. They have a mediaeval magic appearance that makes them worth it just for WOW factor. I am sold, BUT I am horribly biased regarding all 5 true longhorn breeds and wouldn't let a poll animal in my paddock. Stay interested you are right to be fascinated.

 

[alftn]

Well i can understand your bias against polled cattle, most start from pretty small gene pools..Except ANGUS they have been polled for hundreds of years..

Also if my cattle had thousands of ac. to roam, ( with wolves around) I would want Horns also...

But as always ,In my area black angus are the choice of most....

Texas, montana, aussie, new zealand, S. America, S. Africa, in wide open spaces ,,,I can understand why Horned animals might be better......

 

[andybob]

Texas, montana, aussie, new zealand, S. America, S. Africa, in wide open spaces ,,,I can understand why Horned animals might be better......

Which is why some breeds from the harshest African environments, including carnivours (leopards on my Ranch) are polled?

 

[aussie_cowgirl]

Texas, montana, aussie, new zealand, S. America, S. Africa, in wide open spaces ,,,I can understand why Horned animals might be better......

Which is why some breeds from the harshest African environments, including carnivours (leopards on my Ranch) are polled?

Murray greys are polled. And there are no natural predators here. Feral dogs but they're more an issue for lambs and dingos which you never see.

 

[ANAZAZI]

I am sold, BUT I am horribly biased regarding all 5 true longhorn breeds and wouldn't let a poll animal in my paddock. Stay interested you are right to be fascinated.

The five being: watusi, texas longhorn, english longhorn, sanga, ankole, or what?

 

[alftn]

Murry Grays are polled because , They have Black Angus as there base....%

Those polled Africans cattle, I do not know about, but prehaps the people that raise them long ago, selected then that way....

I would bet 100.000 years ago all cattle were HORNED, and those that were not had shorter lives...

HORNS HAVE THERE USE, weapons to fight with....and they will use them...

 

[trevorgreycattleco]

Keep in mind I get strange thoughts! I wonder if the Shorthorn and Longhorn in britain were developed at the same time. Or if the Shorthorn was derived from them to get rid of some of the horn span.

I get your point, I just wondered about using these to get back to the old style shorthorns - I love shorthorns but the ones we have here now are extreme framed, very rangey, long legged, narrow gutted, fine boned, hard keeping types. Of course, thats a generalisation and I'm sure you would find the type I like (moderate frame, deep, easy keeping) if you looked hard enough.

Udders and heavy fronts aside, you've just gotta admire these cows for their depth and sheer capacity. I just wondered if anyone had had anything to do with them personally. Heck I dont even know if I can get any in Australia.

keren, I feel your pain on the shorthorns! I won't even tell you how much money I have waisted on the wrong genetics with this breed. I went from 55 mama cows to 5 because of the problems you described. all the mainstream sires, trump, Rodeo drive, waukaru sires are all huged framed vacum cleaner! I have located some people that raise awesome shorthorns. Rob Sneed in Missouri, Sue McClaughlin in Michigan are two that come to mind. easy keeping, moderate framed cows that flat get the job done. Had to see them with my own eyes to believe it. I now run a bull from Rob sneed. 69 lb birthweight with a 580 ww no creep. Had a rea of 1.25 per 100 lbs body weight. Th and PHA free. He is a heavily linebred bull. Rob has not used any mainstream sires in a long time. He is truly what the shorthorn breed needs if it is ever to make any advances in the commercial sector. I hope this helped a little bit.

 

[dun]

keren, I feel your pain on the shorthorns! I won't even tell you how much money I have waisted on the wrong genetics with this breed. I went from 55 mama cows to 5 because of the problems you described. all the mainstream sires, trump, Rodeo drive, waukaru sires are all huged framed vacum cleaner! I have located some people that raise awesome shorthorns. Rob Sneed in Missouri, Sue McClaughlin in Michigan are two that come to mind. easy keeping, moderate framed cows that flat get the job done. Had to see them with my own eyes to believe it. I now run a bull from Rob sneed. 69 lb birthweight with a 580 ww no creep. Had a rea of 1.25 per 100 lbs body weight. Th and PHA free. He is a heavily linebred bull. Rob has not used any mainstream sires in a long time. He is truly what the shorthorn breed needs if it is ever to make any advances in the commercial sector. I hope this helped a little bit.

We had Shorthorns back in the 70s and they were great cows. When we moved to MO and decided to "unretire" again I looked high and low for some good Shorthorn cows. Went to Shorthorn sales all over the place and found thse giant cows that more resembled Holsteins in frame then the cows we had. Eded up going with Red Angus as our base (this time)

 

[BIZIN]

I was watching Braveheart last night with the girlfriend and saw these English Longhorns pulling William Wallace's dead dad and brother on a cart. Just thought I would share!