Texas Longhorns

[mermill2]

Would like to hear from Texas Longhorn people. Would like to know the pros and cons of Texas Longhorns. Any and all information and feedback would be appreciated. Gary

 

[Hippie Rancher]

I have a few.

Pros: cool old breed, intelligent, pretty colors, big long horns, tough hardy animals.

Cons: cool old breed, intelligent, pretty colors, big long horns, tough hardy animals.


:lol:


They are different than anyother (beef) breed I have been around. More like cats than cows. Lithe, agile, intelligent, independent, can be friendly and affectionate....or NOT.

Did I mention intelligent? This is REALLY both a pro and a con!

 

[Ryan]

Like Hippie Rancher said, they are intelligent.

I have been around Texas Longhorns all of my life and actively involved with them for ~18 years. I have seen many breeders and fads/trends come and go throughout the years. I love 'em.

Pros: Docile, easy keeping, unique, there are so many directions you can go with longhorns (beef, show, ropers, riding steers, pasture ornaments, etc...), hardy, disease resistant, highly adaptable (heat, cold, prairie, desert, mountains....), easy calving, make great crosses in crossbreedng programs, great mothers, vast diversity within the breed, eye catching... i could keep going if you want...

Cons: can be more difficult to work in chutes if you do not have adequate facilities (all cattle are like that though), docked heavily at sale barn, are perceived negatively by the vast majority of the beef industry, and there are probably some more in there, too.

Anything else?

Ryan

 

[Hippie Rancher]

Ours have no problems in the chute - like I said they are like cats - it is fascinating to watch them maneuver those horns. A longhorn with huge horns going into a squeeze, just turns her head and fits them through, while some old idiot non-longhorn cow with 1/4 the amount of horn will go crashing in there and break one off.

 

[Ryan]

Ours have no problems in the chute - like I said they are like cats - it is fascinating to watch them maneuver those horns. A longhorn with huge horns going into a squeeze, just turns her head and fits them through, while some old idiot non-longhorn cow with 1/4 the amount of horn will go crashing in there and break one off.

It is amazing to watch these cattle manuever their horns. I especially love watching the older steers, with the really huge horns. They can go through gates or tight spots or whatever that are much narrower than their spread, and never touch anything. That's where the intelligence comes in as a pro and con. They know exactly where the tips are, and just how to use them in any situation.

 

[Running Arrow Bill]

As others have said, they know EXACTLY where the tips of their horns are. They are very agile in working their way through tight spaces as well as through and around people. They "take their time" and think first, then move. They do not panic unless a human pushes them too hard and/or tries to use a hotshot on them. Some of ours are so calm my wife has literally had to push on their butt to get them moving.

You can easily walk among them and close to them without them hitting the panic button. They will observe, think, and then act or not act. They develop trust easily. They learn their "pasture names" easily and when you call that name they will often turn their head and look at you to see what you want.

Of course, a lot of their behavior has to do with the way they are treated (by humans) and are handled. Yes, if you leave one out in a 1,000 acre pasture all their life with little human contact...yes, they will probably be a touch "wild." But, what else is new when dealing with animals???

;-)

 

[Proverbs 12:10]

I am always amazed by the ones that don't want to be touched. I can reach to touch any part of them from the hip forward and I will catch the tip of a horn on my hand everytime.

 

[Proverbs 12:10]

Funny story: one particular longhorn yearling bull calve I own only wants to breed(mount) my female donkeys(Jennets)! Have any of you guys seen this before?

 

[LonghornRanch]

"tough hardy animals"..... I have seen longhorns pastured in cedar breaks gain weight. Longhorns are like billy goats.... can and will eat anything. Poison lvy, poison oak, sticker bushes.... trim all the trees. Other breeds would stave to death before eating some of the things longhorns like to eat. I have seen Longhorns eat catus!

 

[andybob]

"tough hardy animals"..... I have seen longhorns pastured in cedar breaks gain weight. Longhorns are like billy goats.... can and will eat anything. Poison lvy, poison oak, sticker bushes.... trim all the trees. Other breeds would stave to death before eating some of the things longhorns like to eat. I have seen Longhorns eat catus!

Next you'll be telling me my Tulis are just plain coloured, polled Longhorns ;-)

 

[TxStateCowboy]

"tough hardy animals"..... I have seen longhorns pastured in cedar breaks gain weight. Longhorns are like billy goats.... can and will eat anything. Poison lvy, poison oak, sticker bushes.... trim all the trees. Other breeds would stave to death before eating some of the things longhorns like to eat. I have seen Longhorns eat catus!

during bad drought years in south texas nearly every third cactus has a semi-circle bitten out of it and the longhorns never fail to have a smile on their face. (healthiest lookin' breed of cattle during rough, bad times)

 

[Hippie Rancher]

(healthiest lookin' breed of cattle during rough, bad times)

'course, they don't look much different during good times... :lol: ;-)

 

[Rustler9]

Pros-lean beef, easy to maintain, easy calvers-get to sleep more at night. Beautiful to look at, they have horns, great foragers.

Cons-they have horns, they're not all black. :cboy:

 

[VanC]

Cons- they're not all black. :cboy:

Many would consider that a plus. ;-)

 

[Rustler9]

Why?