New to animals

[RICHARD ADAMS]

I was considering purchasing longhorns but wonder if they are unusually hard on fences. My interest in them is based on thier low maintenence. I have zero experience with animals and want to make this a good experience for my kids. Any opinions?

 

[dun]

Find someone close by that will serve as a mentor for you.

dun

I was considering purchasing longhorns but wonder if they are unusually hard on fences. My interest in them is based on thier low maintenence. I have zero experience with animals and want to make this a good experience for my kids. Any opinions?

 

[Anonymous]

Any animals with horns will do extentive damage to your fence! Especially with cattle! They will learn how useful their horns are... Once knew a fellow who had a Longhorn bull get out just about everyday. He would leisurely walk to the fence, lowered his head, lift the fence and walk on through...... The bull didn't stay horned long.....he broke down and cut them off. After that...the bull stay home.

 

[D.R. Cattle]

Oregonian you should find a mentor too. Longhorns aren't any more difficult on fences than other cattle. There are plenty of polled animals that wil walk through a fence like it isn't even there.

 

[TXBobcat]

Will have to agree with D.R. on this. In my opinion, Longhorns are no worse on fences, or anything else for that matter, than most breeds of cattle. You can get a wild Longhorn just as easy as you can any other breed. When that happens, it's time to cull. Don't keep animals that tear up fences, pens, etc.

I have only been involved with Longhorns for about a year now, and from what I have seen they seem to be pretty easy keepers. So far, no problems calving either. The only drawbacks I see are marketing, and the ease in working the cattle. The Longhorn market for the most part is a niche market; however, there is money to be made if you find the right buyers. As far as working the cattle. you will have to consider a different set-up than the avergae chute and headgate for working mature cows, because of the long horns.

 

[Rod]

I have a few longhorns myself and I have to say they are very easy to care for. I aquired mine from the people I bought my place from so they have been there their whole life and that may or may not have anything to do with them not hurting my fences. The thing you do have to watch out for is that they can unlatch gates, my are real crafty at this especially this time of year when new grass is comming up.

 

[Craig-TX]

Cattle use horns to fight with, not to intentionally tear up fences. Fences get torn up when cattle get their heads through them trying to eat grass on the other side, or when bulls are fighting through them. If a cow gets her head through a fence she will use her neck and shoulders to push and lift on the wire, not her horns.

Craig-TX

 

[Running Arrow Bill]

Guess this is one for me to answer too!

ANY cattle that have an attitude problem will cause havoc regardless of the breed. There are honery individuals in every breed...they sure taste good!

Several points of interest with Longhorn management:

• 
  1. When bringing new LH in to your place, put them in a secure pen, such as a corral, for a few days to get them settled in. Then (or at same time) have some of your other animals across the fence (except two bulls or a cycling female with a bull across fence).
  2. Introduce the LH to their pasture in the daytime. The first thing they will do (along with establishing an initial pecking order with the other animals) is to walk your fenceline looking for weak spots. After they get oriented, they'll settle in to grazing, working on pecking order more, etc.
  3. Do not put a newly arrived Longhorn in a pasture with only an electric fence.
  4. They will use their horns to scratch their own itches, rearrange hay, play with gate latches, as well as prompt other animals to respect their space. VERY RARE that they will ever draw blood with their horns, they know exactly how much pressure and where to put that tip--they can scratch a hard to get to itch as little as 1/2" square! Any injuries from horns are essentially accidental.
  5. Don't rush the LH. They herd very nicely and easily. If you rush or push them they will often start bucking, jumping, and cavorting around. A coffee can with cubes rattling in it will lead any Longhorn anywhere (as long as they have previously tasted cubes).
  6. For a round bale feeder, use an open looped horse type heavy duty feeder, such as one made by Applegate Steel or Tartar Gate.
  7. Standard headgates are essentially worthless when their horns are more than 30" tip to tip. Use a "Medina Hinge" device (two 10' gates swung separate at same end)--see "Our Ranch Photos" on our http://www.runningarrowlonghorns.com site.
  8. When working a Longhorn in a narrow alley or standard cattle chute, don't worry about their horns--JUST DON'T RUSH THEM! They will carefully thread their horns past any vertical bars, etc.
  9. Once the LH is used to your being around them a little, start hand-feeding them cubes or bits of grass or hay--will gentle them even more.
  10. Longhorn bulls or bull calves are like young colts--they love to play with things--don't leave any ropes, wire, water hoses, or other dangerous or breakable things in their area. They may get themselves into trouble when they get bored (I once accidentlally left a rope on a fence--a 3 year old cow with 45" of horns wraped about 15' of the rope around her horns, muzzle, and head. Fortunately, she stood perfectly still while I carefully removed the rope).
  
  All of special tips I can think of at moment...
  

 

[Anonymous]

I seen a few polled cattle get out just by using thier nose, lift their head and off exploring they go! A few of mine has done it.......and they were polled..
My point is you have a greater risks around horned cattle. Not with fences, but your and other (animals) safety. Cattle learn real quick how to use their "daggers" no matter how docile they are! Tehy can use it to bully other cattle from the feeders, or simply bully them. I seen/heard too many calves get injured by horned bulls during breeding season (unless the hrons are curled downward then the risk isn't so severe). I know most of you LH breeders are pretty bias and unwilling to know the facts about LH. Unless you have thousands of acres, I wouldn't be so trusty around your horned cattle by yourself or around other cattle. ANY animals can be dangerous, even your pet dog or cat. Horned animals is a greater risks to be around with...thank God dogs or cats do n't have horns.

 

[Campground Cattle]

If you want a mentor from this board on longhorns Running Arrow Bill is your man take anything Oregonian post with a grain of salt.

 

[lazyhill]

I seen a few polled cattle get out just by using thier nose, lift their head and off exploring they go! A few of mine has done it.......and they were polled..
My point is you have a greater risks around horned cattle. Not with fences, but your and other (animals) safety. Cattle learn real quick how to use their "daggers" no matter how docile they are! Tehy can use it to bully other cattle from the feeders, or simply bully them. I seen/heard too many calves get injured by horned bulls during breeding season (unless the hrons are curled downward then the risk isn't so severe). I know most of you LH breeders are pretty bias and unwilling to know the facts about LH. Unless you have thousands of acres, I wouldn't be so trusty around your horned cattle by yourself or around other cattle. ANY animals can be dangerous, even your pet dog or cat. Horned animals is a greater risks to be around with...thank God dogs or cats do n't have horns.

I've raised longhorns for years and have never had problems with them. Once again, you are speaking about things that you know nothing about.

My advice is to purchase cattle that are gentle, regardless of the breed. Any breed has its wild ones. Just avoid them. Also remember, that most cattle are not domesticated and should be treated as such. It is safe to be around them, just be careful.

I've never had problem with longhorns and fences. For that matter, I've never had problem with my brangus cows and fences either.

 

[BLACKPOWER]

I seen a few polled cattle get out just by using thier nose, lift their head and off exploring they go! A few of mine has done it.......and they were polled..
My point is you have a greater risks around horned cattle. Not with fences, but your and other (animals) safety. Cattle learn real quick how to use their "daggers" no matter how docile they are! Tehy can use it to bully other cattle from the feeders, or simply bully them. I seen/heard too many calves get injured by horned bulls during breeding season (unless the hrons are curled downward then the risk isn't so severe). I know most of you LH breeders are pretty bias and unwilling to know the facts about LH. Unless you have thousands of acres, I wouldn't be so trusty around your horned cattle by yourself or around other cattle. ANY animals can be dangerous, even your pet dog or cat. Horned animals is a greater risks to be around with...thank God dogs or cats do n't have horns.

I agree with you about horned animals, not only are they dangerous to you but they are harder to work in the alley and chute and harder to load in a trailer. They also limit the feed intake of other cows. Oregon you should ally with them however with your preference of lean, undermarbled tough as boot leather meat.

 

[jcarkie]

cattle with horns are not anymore dangerous than cattle without, both can be gentle and easy to handle and both can be ornery.most of mine are polled i have one cow with horns and i have a braford bull with horns, i load him by myself in the trailer, i handle him and he is not mean at all. i would rather he didn't have horns because at the feed trough he takes up more room and i have to dehorn his calves. he has good calves and a good diposition. i handled a polled cow that belong to someone else and she would try to kill you when she had a calf, she needed to be hamburger.

 

[Craig-TX]

cattle with horns are not anymore dangerous than cattle without...

A cow's disposition does not (necessarily) depend on whether she has horns or not. But cattle with horns are definitely more dangerous. If I'm going to have one after me I'd just as soon take a polled one.

Craig-TX