Large horns and wild, bright colors: these are the things that usually
come to mind when one thinks of longhorn cattle. Tales of the old
west and cattle drives surround the legacy of this breed, yet to most
people it’s as distant as the pages of a history book. It doesn’t
have to be that way.
Longhorns are at least good as, and in many cases
better, than your average Angus or Hereford. Now, don’t think it
could work as a replacement for a Holstein or a Jersey, because if you
think that, you’re in for a surprise similar to what Pa Ingalls faced when
he tried to use one as a milk cow in Little House On the Prairie.
They are, however, exceptional beef cattle for those who prefer more
natural, hardy, and healthy, good-natured cattle that produce a high
quality meat product as well.
In today’s world, most
people don’t even consider longhorns when looking for cattle to raise.
They are simply overlooking the versatility that this breed has to offer
the homesteader; I do believe that the average homesteader would be
pleased with the many advantages that longhorns can bring to a homestead.
Today’s domestic cattle breeds were designed for a
fast and meaty production in order to meet the nation’s beef consumption
rates. This means that these breeds took on a heavier-muscled and
polled (no horns) appearance that was more suited to the grain fed diet
and a feedlot lifestyle. However, most homesteaders are not looking
to run a feedlot or produce large numbers of butcher steers; they just
want a cow or two that will work well on their homestead - a steer or two
to butcher is just a bonus. Longhorn cattle actually fit these
desires better than any other breed.
Longhorns were bred by nature itself right here in
North America. They have a unique ability to utilize and browse
prickly forage material on marginal rangelands in all kinds of harsh
environmental surroundings. In short, they survive without the
pristine pastures and feedlot conditions that more popular breeds need.
They can walk and graze in the roughest of territory,
traversing the sharpest of inclines and hillsides better than mountain
goats. They can make a diet of weeds, cactus and brush while ranging
for days on little water. They have a genetic ability built in by
nature over time that allows them to thrive in arid, tropic or even
freezing temperatures, something most other breeds just can’t offer.
The ability of Longhorns to ingest such a varied and seemingly inedible
diet, instead of simply relying on grass, enables homesteaders to achieve
a higher than normal land-carrying capacity per cow. This trait
alone makes the Longhorn an optimal choice for many homesteads.
