The Texas Longhorns' ancestors came
to the Americas from Spain, arriving with Columbus in 1493 at Santa Domingo. In 1521, Gregorio de Villalobos brought the first cattle from Santa Domingo to Mexico. Explorers, settlers and expeditions to establish missions then brought cattle into Texas. These
cattle mingled with cattle lost
or abandoned by settlers, or
scattered by Indians, and propagated on their own without benefit of
man. These animals survived by their own ingenuity - developing through the years the traits of hardiness,
endurance, disease resistance, longevity, fertility and
the ability to utilize
whatever browse was available.
After the Civil War, the Texas Longhorn became the financial salvation
of the Southwest. Men returning home
from the war found that a
ready source of income was the thousands of Texas Longhorns wandering
freely. The cattle
were worth next to nothing in Texas, but
in good demand by the residents in the North.
Between 1866 and 1895, an estimated 10 million Texas cattle were trailed to northern markets
in the famed cattle
drives, bringing in the staggering sum of
200 million dollars.
In the late 1800s, the hardy Texas Longhorn met with an
influence his natural instincts couldn't
fight. The open ranges
were fenced and other beef
breeds were imported from
Europe. The number of Texas Longhorns dwindled until they approached extinction.
The U.S. government appropriated $3,000 in 1927 to acquire a herd of the old-time cattle.
U.S. Forest Service
employees made a 5,000 mile trip through South Texas and Old Mexico,
and located 23 head for foundation stock
to establish the federal herd at the Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge in Cache, Oklahoma.
Through the years, interest in the Texas Longhorns increased, and in 1964, concerned breeders organized the Texas Longhorn Breeders Association of America, now headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. Today through the efforts of those breeders, nearly 250,000 head of Texas Longhorn cattle have been registered.
The Texas Longhorn is making a major
come back in today's beef industry. The same characteristics that the Texas Longhorn developed through the years of neglect are in demand by the cattleman of the twentieth
century. Longhorns are
valued for their calving ease, fertility, disease resistance, and longevity.
Texas Longhorn cows
can calve well into their teens, and more calves mean more
profit to today's livestock
industry. The breed is adaptable to any climate, doing well in the hot
humid climate of the Florida coast to the cold winters of the northern United States and Canada. It also forages on minimum pasture.
Longhorns
work extremely well in crossbreeding programs.
Crossbreeds are being
developed to take full
advantage of the breed's
best characteristics.
Longhorns are being crossed
with Mexican corrientes for
roping cattle. The Texas Longhorn genetics are in demand in today's beef market
for the lean
meat they provide. With the public's concern today about
fat in the diet, this breed of cattle
can provide naturally lean
beef. Research from Texas A&M University has shown that Texas longhorn steaks
( Longhorn Lean) have about 30% less muscle fat
Contrary
to the wild stampedes seen
on television, the Texas Longhorn is a very docile
and easy to work with.
Men and women can work the cattle on foot
as well as horseback, and show long horned cattle in the show ring.
Once the animals become accustomed
to being driven or worked,
they are very
tractable.
The
longhorn has proven itself
to be beautiful, rugged, and
useful in the modern day
western world. |
