| The
Texas Longhorn has followed a long trail to the 21st
century. Its ancestors came from shores of 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, mingling with cattle lost by eastern settlers,
propagated as they escaped, were scattered by Indians or
abandoned. Left on their own without benefit of man, these
animals survived by their own ingenuity - developing through the
years the traits of hardiness, disease resistance, longevity,
fertility, and browse utilization.
During the dark days following the
Civil War, the Texas Longhorn became the financial salvation of
the Southwest. Men returning home found that their only
source of income was the thousands of Texas Longhorns wandering
freely - worth next to nothing in Texas, buy hungered for by the
residents of the North. An estimated 10 million Texas
cattle were trailed to northern markets between 1866 and 1895
bringing in the staggering sum of $200,000,000.
However, in the late 1800s, the hardy
Texas Longhorn met with an enemy his natural instincts couldn't
fight - the fencing of the open ranges and the importation of
other beef breeds. The number of Texas Longhorns dwindled
until the true Texas Longhorn approached extinction. As
national concern grew, the U.S. government appropriated $3,000
in 1927 to acquire a herd of the old-time cattle. After a
5,000 mile trip through South Texas and Old Mexico, Forest
Service employees located 23 herd that became the foundation
stock for 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. Through the
efforts of those breeders, over a quarter million head of Texas
Longhorn cattle have been registered.
Although recognized for its rich
history and long horns, which average four feet and sometimes
more from tip to tip, the Texas Longhorn is making a major
contribution to 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 21st
century - calving ease, fertility, disease resistance, and
longevity.
It is not unusual for Texas Longhorn
cows to calve well into their teens, and more calves mean more
dollars to today's cowman. The breed is adaptable to any
climate, doing as well in the hot steamy climate of the Florida
coast as in the cold winters of the northern United States and
Canada. It also forages on minimum pasture and works
extremely well in crossbreeding programs.
Despite the movie director's love of
good stampedes, the Texas Longhorn is a very docile bovine and
easy to work with as witnessed by the number of men and women
who work with cattle on foot and by the number of youngsters who
exhibit these long horned cattle in the show ring.
Another reason the Texas Longhorn
genetics are in demand in today's beef market is the lean beef
they provide. With the public's concern today about fat,
it is a relief to know that there is a breed of cattle that can
provide naturally lean beef. Research from Texas A&M
University has shown that Texas Longhorn steaks have 30% less
muscle fat and 15% less saturated fat than steaks from a British
beef breed. However, the marbling, quality grade and
flavor are similar. Shouldn't you ask for Longhorn Lean
the next time you are in a restaurant?
Truly the Texas
Longhorn has come from "Extinction to Distinction".
Taken from a leaflet provided by the Texas
Longhorn Breeders Association of America
2315 N Main ~ Ste 402 ~ Fort Worth, Texas 76016
817-625-6241 www.tlbaa.org |
