Texas Longhorns

[boaz]

Does anyone have experience or advice for a novice that wants to raise Longhorns? I have the space, there is a neighboring farm that raises them, am from Texas and watched a lot of John Wayne westerns as a kid. Could there be much else to it?

Seriously, I like the breed and am looking for anyone that knows much about them. Ruth, my wife, thinks I should learn about cattle with something a bit less lethal looking.

 

[piecemaker]

We had 8 a few years back. I like them better than other breeds of cattle. They are very laid back.We had one momma cow you could milk and ride around the pasture. If you want them for meat cows they have good meat. You don't get much from them though. We crossed a few with an Angus bull I like that cross for meat. Their meat is VERY lean.
Your wife is right they can be a bit hard to be around with those horns. You MUST be careful around them. One flipped head and you can be in alot of pain, I don't know how many times I was hit in the back with them. One hit me just below the eye one time I had the only black eye I ever had. If you just want something to show off the pretty horn get a steer. Thier horns grow bigger than a bull or a cows. The steers do good living with the cows. They also need a high protine diet for better horn growth.
I would start with young ones so you know how they are handled as they grow. By all means if you get one that is the littlest bit mean send it down the road . Don't keep one you would worry about hurting some one.
I'm sure there is some one that knows alot more than me. This is just my two cents.
Have fun with them
piecemaker