What to cross with longhorns?

[KANSAS]

I know I asked what most folks cross with longhorns in order to sell their offspring at commercial auction. Most everyone said charolais first and either limousin or angus second.

What if you were going to retain the heifers? Would you still want the same cross for future mothers?

 

[Ryan]

I would probably go with the Angus. They are, in general, known as more maternal than either the chars or limis. I think if you selected the right bull, you could use any of the above breeds though. I think the selection of the actual bull would be more important versus which breed.

 

[Beef11]

PIEDMONTESE of course

 

[houstoncutter]

Try Gelbvieh or Salers, I have seen crosses with both breeds and I would say the Gelvieh would be my first choice Red McCombs who owns the Vikings and a lot of car dealerships her in Texas was going to make his own breed with Longhorns and Gelbvieh. My understanding was that they were having great sucess, but alas he must have gotten bored with it.....We all should have enough money to get bored so quickly...lol...Closer to were I live a long time breeder of Longhorns, Blackie Graves and quite a cattleman, had some of the crosses. I dont know if he bred em or bought em, but they were a fine set of cattle that I drooled over everyday as I went to work. He didnt feed em, they had to hustle. They raised big calves off pastures that my cows would have starved on. Mr Graves passed while I was on vacation one year, and those cows sold at the local auction barn by the pound. Iwas sick, I would have bought every one of those animals.....Good luck.
ps They have a breed called Salorns, and they have a website

 

[trin]

i think murray gray, braunvieh both would cross well with longhorns.

 

[auctionboy]

I have asked it befor but has anyone ever seen a highland brahman cross? Also no one would cross the longhorn with a Hereford as a mother cow?

 

[MountainFarmChar]

I know I asked what most folks cross with longhorns in order to sell their offspring at commercial auction. Most everyone said charolais first and either limousin or angus second.

What if you were going to retain the heifers? Would you still want the same cross for future mothers?

Charolais first, always :nod: .

 

[dun]

Why cross them with anything? You can;t make a silk purse from a sows ear

dun

 

[Brandonm2]

For a maternal cross, I would go with the Hereford. You can come back on that with Angus or a Angus/continental composite with emphasis on muscle.

 

[warpaint]

Why cross them with anything? You can;t make a silk purse from a sows ear

dun

I think by now, we all know where you stand on the longhorn breed. However, there must be something to em, cause the number of breeders is going up.

 

[oscar p]

Anything that would give you a solid colored calf, The meat buyers will dock them if they pick up on the longhorn in them.

 

[dun]

Why cross them with anything? You can;t make a silk purse from a sows ear

dun

I think by now, we all know where you stand on the longhorn breed. However, there must be something to em, cause the number of breeders is going up.

As an ornament they have they're place but why try to turn them into something they aren't. About like planting field corn and eating it as corn on the cob.

dun

 

[warpaint]

Why cross them with anything? You can;t make a silk purse from a sows ear

dun

I think by now, we all know where you stand on the longhorn breed. However, there must be something to em, cause the number of breeders is going up.

As an ornament they have they're place but why try to turn them into something they aren't. About like planting field corn and eating it as corn on the cob.

dun

As I said in another thread, I raise mine for purebred and private sales. But, if someone wants a cross, because of their many virtues, whats the harm?
I like and respect your opinion 99% of the time. But on this issue, I have to differ.

 

[CowpokeJ]

If you were going to keep heifers for whatever floats your boat, I'd use a breed that was known for it's maternals, as opossed to a Charolais. I've seen quite a few good choices previously listed. But, I kinda agree w/Dunn. What's the point?

 

[Running Arrow Bill]

We have observed and had reports from commercial cattle people that Longhorns cross well with Charolais, Angus, Hereford, Black Baldy, etc. The Longhorn bulls we have leased out to commercial breeders in our area have been very well satisfied with Longhorn crosses: Zilch calf losses, no calves having to be pulled, and calves have done well at area sale barns--turned out primarily solid colors.

True--if a LH cross calf turns out "spotted", YES, it will be docked at the sale barn seriously; however, that calf is a good one for your freezer. HOWEVER, getting docked is minor problem compared to dead or sick calves that don't make it (or, a 1st calf heifer that dies or has problems due to having to spit out an 80 to 100# calf).

True--some LH's can have poor tenderness in meat. But, there is nothing like 95 - 98% lean Longhorn ground beef! Flavor and lack of fat in skillet is a big bonus. Very low cholesterol!

JMO ;-)

 

[bullpeddler]

A neighbor rancher picked up a lease a couple of years ago and had to buy the longhorn cows that were on the place as part of the deal. He put a charolois bull on these cow and the calves were pretty good. You can't make silk out of a sows ear but you can make the calves out of longhorn cows bring more at the sale barn by selecting an appropriate bull. Anything that would solid them up color wise, add muscle and take off the horns should work.

 

[Ryan]

I also think that the quality of the Longhorn cows you use is extremely important. there are good cows out there, that happen to be longhorns.... you just have to look. i think starting off with sound animals that are correct in their make up will help out a lot, versus buying some longhorns just because they are longhorns.

 

[boone]

I'm with dun. Cross them with a butcher knife and get some real beef animals. Boone

 

[lilmac]

Why cross them with anything? You can;t make a silk purse from a sows ear

dun

I had a purse made from a sows ear once, it was the best purse I had seen. The sows ear was crossed with a silk worm. The hybred sows ear was awsome

Kansas, don't pay atention the those that dont like (or understand) change. Get out there and experement. You may stumble acrose a new breed that puts all of the rest out to pasture.
Some of those on the boards think they know, some of them do know, and some of them spend to much time on the boards, and not enough time out trying to improve there own herds.This is not jmo it is a fact. You cannot be on the boards 24-7 and have any time for cattle and fence.
That said, I would go with a hom. polled angus. It will knock the hornes off of most, and unless the cow is mostly white, it will blacken the calf. and it will definatly add muscle. The longhorn is maternal enough that it will pass to there heifers, and they will make good mammas.
Good luck, and don't let the smart@$$ remarks discourage you.
Good luck, Mac

 

[lilmac]

Sorry for the double post,
Mac