Longhorns at Public Auction

[warpaint]

Saturday, my wife attended an auction in a small community just south of our home. There were some registered LH's there along with a few non-registered. The bad news was all but one cow had their horns cut. While this has no effect on the calves they may raise, its hard to get an idea of their length and base. On the good side, the prices ranged from 800 for the low and 2500 for the high. According to my wife all were only average, and older. The youngest being 6 or 7 yrs. old.

 

[Running Arrow Bill]

IMO I wouldn't buy a Longhorn (registered or not) that the owner had "de-horned" it. Horns sell in todays market. If you buy a de-horned Longhorn (taking a chance on her offspring), I wouldn't give more than 1/2 of asking price. Then, if her calves don't "horn out", you got a pretty good female to put in your freezer as ground beef. Can't imagine that anyone would even try to sell a LH for up to $2500 that had been de-horned: accidents of nature are another thing--if you had her full 4-6 generation pedigree to see what she might be able to produce.

 

[warpaint]

I didn't have any intention on buying, we were just curios what LHs were bringing on open market. Some as high as 2.85 per pound.

 

[Ryan]

was this at a longhorn sale or at a local salebarn? those are average prices at a LH sale or really good at a salebarn

 

[warpaint]

Local sale barn. There is a guy aruond there that sometimes puts LHs in. We know the owners of the barn and had asked to be notified when they came in.

 

[Ryan]

thanks for the info. those are good prices for LH at a salebarn.

 

[warpaint]

Yep. I hope that the trend continues. I'll have some steers before long.

 

[Ryan]

good luck with 'em

 

[TxStateCowboy]

wow, i got .75 and 1.00 per lb. on a couple of steers I got rid of last week at the local auction. they were decent animals, too. should have waited for the best at west sale
longhorns arent to popular with the buyers around here, not enough ropers and the "LH blood shunners" obviously don't mind a few head dying each winter. (our winter isn't cold, as it was high 80 something degrees this week, but rain hasn't touched the ground in months).

 

[Running Arrow Bill]

About the same around here. This spring we're starting our 4th year in the Panhandle. To date, we've sold longhorns to 9 or 10 area ranchers...these ranchers are slowing "coming out of the closet" and actually admitting that Longhorn bulls (and females) make excellent crosses to their commercial herds. Even had a few commercial ranchers tell us they've stopped pulling calves and sick calves after introducing longhorn blood.

Using LH blood is like a "well kept secret" among some ranchers...don't want to publically admit (joke) that they have any of them on their property...lol.

Guess they like the looks of our stock and their body conformation...we're working on it! "Git Er Done"

 

[TxStateCowboy]

You raise some very nice longhorns Bill.

I don't know of anyone who used longhorn blood in their commercial herd and had anything bad to say about them.


I respect the way you handle the LH bashers and foolish so-called "cattlemen" who come on here and act like @$$holes and say other peoples' programs are wrong.

I perceive the word "cattleman" as a lifestyle, one admired by most but lived by few, but i feel it carries responsibilities such as respect towards others (especially other cattlemen) with it.

 

[txag]

the "LH blood shunners" obviously don't mind a few head dying each winter.

:?: :?: :?:

 

[Craig-TX]

I don't know of anyone who used longhorn blood in their commercial herd and had anything bad to say about them.

No offense to Bill et al but I don't know of anyone who uses longhorn blood in their commercial herd. I've heard the sales pitch, I just don't know of anybody who does it. The longhorn folks on this board, to my knowledge, are catering to a niche market and don't claim to be raising commercial cattle.

 

[TxStateCowboy]

These are 3 two-year-olds and a one-year old.
The two light ones came straight out of a 19 year old dun pure longhorn bred to a [pretty junky] limousin bull

The reds are 1/4 longhorn, from limo/LH cows bred to that junky limo bull.

The cows, bought years ago at dirt cheap price ($300-350), produce calves like this every year, no exception.

When done right, using longhorn blood in a commercial herd saves money and makes money, and will produce twice as long, faster, and healthier. Of course this is our way of running cattle, it works for us.

We're in a draught right now, the longhorn bloods fare much better than the herfs, limos, and brangus that we have. Longhorn, or some percentage longhorn blood, makes sense to me, economically.

 

[la4angus]

The reds are 1/4 longhorn, from limo/LH cows bred to that junky limo bull.

The cows, bought years ago at dirt cheap price ($300-350), produce calves like this every year, no exception.

That Limo bull sure didn't improve the calves very much from the longhorn cows did he.

 

[stocky]

Txstcowboy, I agree with you 100 percent on making money on buying cheap longhorns and raising calves on them. However, I believe you could make alot more money on your calves by using a good charlois bull on those longhorns. Get a good yellow calf and it will top the market until it gets 7 or 8 months old---I buy longhorns at sale barns for 400-550 and cut off the horns and freshen them out, they do real well.

 

[TxStateCowboy]

You're right that's what i read on these boards and it makes sense, and i am currently looking for a young char bull for my longhorns, i took the limo off of them middle of last year (then we sold him as he was old and sick)...a big-muscle, young beefmaster from the larger (in size and number) herd will have to be with them 'till i can find a charly for sale in my area.

 

[LonghornRanch]

Ryan, you have great genetics going on at your ranch.

 

[Ryan]

Ryan, you have great genetics going on at your ranch.

THank you very much. We are workin hard, and doin the best we can.