Good info. I just bought some land and my neighbor has longhorns and I am planning on buying some from him. What is a good commercial breed to breed with a longhorn to get the best hybrid vigor?
It depends on your end goal. Are you wanting to direct market Grassfed beef, or do you plan to sell your calf crop at the county livestock auction? Polled blacks always seem to bring good money at the sale barn. The farther south you are, the more 'ear' zebu influence the commercial guys like. Selecting an Aberdeen-type Angus bull will ensure trouble-free calving. Avoid the monstrous, big breeds. Traditional Herefords are always a good cross, as are Durham Shorthorns. The shorthorn will give you more color, which may not be as popular at the sale barn. Other successful crosses are Gelbvieh, Devon and other English breeds. If you want to market beef, straight Texas Longhorn has the best flavor, but they take longer to reach slaughter weight (approximately 30 months). Crosses with any of the above-mentioned breeds will give you a calf that grows faster than a straight longhorn with good quality beef.
My father's name is Billy Don Day is passed away on Sept 18, 2021. He was cowboy . He rode on hiis own horse, catcus Jack, applossa stallion is passed away.
I’m a non-native Texan who’s married into being a Texan. I’ve been a resident of Texas for 22 years and I can honestly say I have found my home in Texas. I have been to 31 states and nine countries. I have been a preacher, soldier, outlaw, and amateur rodeo cowboy. I love Texas and will probably be buried here. I even wrote a couple of novels about Texas during the Reconstruction Era. I’m facing the possibility of retiring on small acreage and would would like to make it profitable. Would it be possible to make a profit on longhorn cattle on 30 acres I the Austin area? I don’t need a large profit but enough to help pay for the land would be nice.
