Texas Longhorns are renowned the world over for their remarkably long horns and lean meat, which has less saturated fat compared to other breeds. AnimalSake lists out some interesting facts about the Texas Longhorn cattle.
A Money Machine
The Texas Longhorn is profitable even after it has outlived its usefulness as a beef producer. Being a symbol of the Old West, Longhorn skulls, horns, and hide are in high demand and widely used to decorate businesses and homes.
In 1493, Christopher Columbus brought this ancestral cattle to the Caribbean island of Hispaniola. Researchers state that this breed originates from two ancient cattle namely: Taurine and Indicine. In the 16th century, the Spanish moved the cattle to the north, which is present day Texas. For the next 300 years, Longhorns not only thrived but spread far and wide across the Midwestern grasslands. Due to their adaptability and disease resistant characteristics, they came to be valued not only by the breeders and ranchers but also by beef eaters in the East. Subsequently, within half a century, the Longhorns were pushed to the verge of extinction.
In the 1920s, the Federal government stepped in and set up refuges to restore them. Gradually, breeders began realizing the value of the Longhorns and started raising and maintaining their own private stock. In 1964, the Texas Longhorn Breeders Association of America was formulated in Lawton, Oklahoma. The main aim of this association was to notice the Texas Longhorn and its connection with American history, to share knowledge about this breed and motivate owners to develop and maintain herds. Their lifespan is more than 20 years if they are well-cared for and have enough room to roam around. After this brief overview of the history of the Longhorn, let’s learn some more about this magnificent beast.
Appearance
They have short hair, and don’t develop much hair even during the winter season. They have tiny ears, that’s because their horns are the prominent part of their head. Their head should portray masculinity or femininity, cows are believed to have a feminine neck with smooth shoulders and small angular body. They are long-legged as compared to the other breeds, this gives them the advantage to travel long distances. They don’t possess loose skin which gets caught up in the bushes no wonder they have lean meat!
Color
Texas Longhorns possess many traits, and apparently, color is the most noticeable one. They can be any of any color, but the most common ones are dark red and white color mixes. Sometimes, it’s hard to distinguish a calf from its mother, because a calf may possess a different color than its mother.
Some tend to get darker with age, or may develop small spots as they age. Colors may range from black, blue, brown, brindle with white lineback, dark yellow, mulberry, Parker brown, red and white spotted.
Horns
Their most notable feature though are their insanely long and large horns that can measures up to 8 feet wide. The size of the horns depends on the age of the animal. A young calf may not have large horns, they curve out and away from the head. Top dollars are paid for their horns, many people use their horns as a home décor.
Weight
They are a relatively middle-sized breed, Bulls generally weigh between 1500-2200 lbs, cows around 850-1300 lbs. They are not muscular or huge in size; however breeders lay more emphasis on their size, and make them more muscular and beefy.
Health
They are a relatively middle-sized breed, Bulls generally weigh between 1500-2200 lbs, cows around 850-1300 lbs. They are not muscular or huge in size; however breeders lay more emphasis on their size, and make them more muscular and beefy.
Reproduction
Heifers are known to conceive quickly, even while they are nursing their mother, they have the ability to produce a living calf without anybody’s help before they are 16 months old. They continue calving yearly until they reach 16 or maybe beyond that. This makes longhorns a lucrative option for breeders. Cows are known to be excellent mothers, and their reproduction rate is double than other breeds.
Nature
They are fairly docile in nature, easy to handle and work with, they are known to be intelligent animals. They can be easily trained to exhibit in the show ring, pull wagons and to ride. Of course, if handled right, they are very easy to raise and breed.
Uses
Every cow is bred only for two reasons, either to produce milk or for meat purposes. Apparently, this breed is pretty useful for meat. They produce very lean meat which contains less cholesterol and fat. Subsequently, their meat can be expensive, because it is palatable, red in color, and contains less fat. Many ranchers use them for riding purpose, so next time don’t be surprised if you spot anybody riding a cattle.
Diet
Owners don’t require any special meal or fertilizers for this breed, as they feed mostly on wider range of plants, grasses, and, weeds.
Texas Longhorns tend to get emotionally attached to their caretaker, no two cattle are alike, they all differ in personality, horn length, color pattern, and size. So hold on to your cattle, and show off their perky horns to the world.