Archive for the ‘Straight Talk’ Category

Posted on June 29, 2011 - by Russell

TLBAA World Show and How we got where we are.

I recently attended the TLBAA World Show in Ft. Worth as one of several judges for the TLBT Gold Merit Contest.  Congratulations to all the winners and participants on a job well done.  I know it takes a lot of time, money and hard work to get to the World Show and the TLBT National Show.

 

I have watched the World Show grow and change since its debut in 1988.  Not all the changes have been for the better, but we’ll get to that a little later on.  I still have fond memories of participating in the first World Show.  I will forever cherish the friendships that have been foraged over my many years of showing and participating in the World Show.  Even though I was in Ft. Worth for only a day and half it was great to visit with old friends and stroll down memory lane.

That first show was actually called the “Texas Longhorn Exposition”.  It was comprised of three separate TLBAA shows: The new World Show, the Texas Gold Heifer Futurity and the TLBT National Youth Show (which was started in 1983).  Coordination of these shows was handled through the TLBAA office and qualifying shows for the World Show and National Youth Shows were organized by TLBAA Affiliate Associations and were held around the country.  In order to compete in the World Show and the TLBT National Show you had to have qualified by winning a 1^st or 2^nd place at a qualifying show.  Qualifying was not an easy thing to do, but when you did it you could be proud of that accomplishment and you would be invited to the show in Ft. Worth.  The cattle in the Texas Gold were nominated by their owners to compete in three classes for what at the time was one of the largest futurity premium pots ($50,000) of any cattle breed in the United States.

The 1988 Texas Longhorn Exposition was a huge success and was run almost entirely with volunteer workers. The Texas Gold had 60 heifers competing in three classes and representing some of the top breeding programs.  The competition was strong at TLBT National Youth Show with 59 exhibitors, 90 heifers competing in 7 classes, 43 bulls competing in 4 classes, 12 steers competing in 3 classes and total youth show entries of 145 head (of which I exhibited 5 head).  In that very first World Show all females were shown non-haltered with the bulls being the only haltered classes.  The competition was amazing. Of the 142 females entered 24 were in class one and no class had less than 19 head.  The mature cow classes 6 and 7 saw some of the legends of the breed like YO Samson Josefine 706 “Favorite” (sold for over $200,000, dam of numerous high-selling offspring), Archer 382 “Pepper” (ET Donor & dam of $24,000 heifer), Wichita Gold 3369 (ET Donor and High-Seller), Anita 75/8 (Donor & 1/10 interest $33,000), Red Lucy (Donor & $75,000), Archer 87 “Tar Baby”( Donor & $28,000 also the dam of JK Sterling), Measles Supreme (Donor), CF Lady Mandy (one of the longest horn WR cows), Miss Dixie 4 (dam of R3 Dylan) and Vice Versa (full sister to the $60,000 Impressive bull) go head-to-head.  In the three bull classes there were 52 entries.  The total entries for the World Show were 194 with 79 exhibitors.  The judges for this first of its kind Exposition were Longhorn Breeders.  A three judge system was used for the TLBT and World Show with a five judge panel for the Texas Gold Futurity.  All judging was based on our breed standards and resulted in champions that represented the standard very well. Several of the Champions from this show went on to have an impact on this breed.  The most noteworthy of these was the Grand Champion Bull, Jet Jockey.

As the World Show continued to grow and develop a female haltered division was added along with additional age divisions.  After a few more successful Longhorn Expositions the association was able to get Texas Longhorns accepted into National Stock Shows like Houston, Dallas, San Antonio and many more.  This did not seem like a bad thing at the time.  With this acceptance into Stock Shows came the introduction of our breed to millions of people and the use of professional all breed judges (Beef Judges) because the Stock Shows hired the judges they felt were qualified to judge several different breeds.  These shows also became qualifying shows for the World Show and the association started using these professional judges at the World Show. Thus the change in our breed began, especially when it came to show cattle.  These judges had little to no concern about the traits or our breed standards that make a Longhorn a Longhorn.  All they were looking for was weight per day of age and making the Longhorn fit the box standard that other breeds use.  At one point all cattle were weighed upon arrival at the World Show before being allowed to compete.  These beef judges have been and continue to be used today.  You may be wondering how these judges are changing our breed.  All of us like to win when we compete in any kind of competition because winning is the ultimate goal.  When exhibitors see that it takes a beefy and in most cases an over-conditioned animal to win then they will naturally start making a change in that direction in order to be more competitive.  It’s just human nature.  After years of this you can see the change which has resulted in a lack of breed characteristics and traits that have helped the breed survive for centuries.  When we do not pay attention to our breed’s traits and characteristics we are opening our breed up to being infused with the blood of other breeds either knowingly or unknowingly.

It’s time for the association to once again require that long time Longhorn breeders judge all the TLBAA shows in order to protect the purity and integrity of our great breed.  

The use of beef judges on the show circuit is not the only issue that has ignited undesirable changes in our breed.  The TLBAA Horn Showcase and the TLMA World Horn Championship must take and share some of the responsibility for some of the negative changes to our breed.  Much like with the creation of the World Show, the creation of a horn measuring contest seemed like a good idea at the time, after all the name of the breed is Longhorn.  Horn length has always been an issue, but with the creation of a measuring contest it has become the main focus of many breeders and they are willing to spare no expense to own the biggest and “the best”. There is nothing wrong with breeding for longer horns as long as you still have a functional Longhorn that exhibits all the other Longhorn traits.  Much like what we have seen happen on the show circuit, the exhibitors at horn measuring contests are slowly changing the breed by focusing on only one Longhorn trait, horn length. They focus on becoming more competitive which means they are going to breed for more horn length and base. But what we must remember is that Longhorns are not the only breed with long horns.  One of the other long-horned breeds is the Watusi.  If we do not keep the other characteristics of the Texas Longhorn in mind we are opening the purity of our breed up to being infused with the genetics of some of these other big-horned cattle. In my opinion this is already happening, because I am seeing more and more big-horned cattle that do not look phenotypically like a Longhorn.  In my opinion I am seeing Longhorns that are showing signs of Watusi influence not only because of their extreme horn and base, but also because of their poll, head shape, eye set, hips and tail head.  This introduction of non-Longhorn blood may or may not have been done intentionally.

If the association is going to continue to host and sponsor their measuring event then it is time that the association starts using modern technology to test for Watusi markers in all cattle entered in the contest.  One of the purposes and objectives of the TLBAA as explained in Article I of the TLBAA handbook is “to promote breeding practices to preserve the purity”.  I believe it is time the association steps up and takes action in order to protect the purity and integrity of our great breed.  Time may be running out and we may be fast approaching a point of no return.

I am not against or opposed to the Horn Showcase or the World Show.  They are good events in a lot of ways and generate a lot of exposure for our breed.  I just think it is time the association focuses on protecting the integrity of the breed at these events.  We need to be aware that unwanted changes to our breed have been quietly taking place right under our noses for many years.  We shouldn’t let these changes continue to happen or go unchecked.  As stewards of this great and historic breed our job is to protect the purity of the Texas Longhorn and to promote the functional traits that make it a viable breed.

Posted on June 17, 2011 - by Russell

Types of Cattle and Their Place in the Market

I have been in the Longhorn business for over 30 yrs. I have seen a lot of ups and downs in that amount time, including the high cattle prices of the oil boom era of the early 1980’s as well as the lows after the oil bust in the late 80’s and early 90’s. The industry went from seeing sale averages of $3,500 and up to watching averages fall to $600-$1,000. Before the fall of the market, the high-selling lots at most sales where in excess of $10,000 with several world record prices set during this time period. There were bull syndications being done on top bulls in the industry at the time in amounts exceeding $2 million.

 

When all this started coming to an end there were several things that help keep the industry going which included a good market for recreational cattle (ropers) and commercial cattlemen’s use of Longhorn cattle. Mainly Longhorn bulls to breed first calf heifers of other breeds. This was in part due to a strong national promotional advertising effort made by the association and breeders to appeal to the commercial cattlemen about the benefits of using Longhorn genetics. A good market ($800-$1,200) for the solid colored Longhorn bulls was one of the results. Bull calves had value not just as ropers, but as a first calf heifer bulls. This added to the bull calf’s value as a roper as well because there were fewer bull calves being sold as ropers. This promotional campaign also resulted in a good market for lower end cattle for use in commercial cow/calf operations. With a solid and realistic market price established for ropers, bulls and the lower end, the market for the better cattle started to slowly recover. As this started to happen more and more people started to get involved in the Longhorn industry because they could see that the Longhorn could be as profitable or more profitable than any other breed or a commercial cattle operation. This increase in interest help increase prices of Longhorn cattle at all levels of quality but it started at the bottom and worked its way up. 

 

In recent years we have seen a dramatic rise in Longhorn cattle prices with high sale averages, but once again, we are seeing the prices start to fall drastically. These recent years have been like a flash back to the 1980’s. Some of the fall in our cattle prices today are out of the control of our industry and are linked to our nation’s economy and the extreme drought that is continuing to affect a large part of the US. We can however work on establishing a base value for our cattle through better marketing of the value of Longhorn genetics to the commercial cattlemen, the benefits of Longhorn Beef to the American Beef Consumer who is becoming even more health conscious. I believe it is once again time to start climbing the ladder. Starting with the bottom end and pushing upward. It worked before and I believe it can again. It will be up to the breeders to help start the climb one step at a time. The commercial cattle market is seeing record high prices for all types of cattle. Some Longhorn cattle actually have more value at a commercial sale than they do at a registered sale. This will make the climb a lot easier now that ALL cattle are selling for higher prices at commercial auction barns. 

Level One - Culls – As breeders it is our responsibility to cull our herds of inferior cattle that should not be in our breed. These are cattle that have genetic defects and are of just overall poor quality. Whether or not we breeders like to admit it we have some calves that need to be culled out of the breed. These cattle have little too no value. They do not have the body frame, volume, weight, milk production or fertility to be of use to the commercial buyer. 

Level Two – Beef Grade – These are the cattle that do not have the pedigree, conformation, or horn that a seed-stock producer would want to use. Maybe they are poor breeders, poor milkers or maybe have a bad udder. They could be of any age or sex so long as they are healthy. At this time it is up to the individual as to how they market or sell Longhorn beef. Those who sell Longhorn beef generally price their hamburger meat for around $4 per pound and up. An 800lb animal will yield about 300lbs of hamburger meat which establishes a value of $1,200 on this type of animal. There are some slaughter houses that will pay you a hanging weight price which in most cases is a better price than you will receive for the live animal at a sale into today’s current market. You can sell your beef this way without having to market your beef yourself. At registered Longhorn sales these types of cattle will currently sell for well under $1,200. In most cases the selling price will be around $400 per head which leaves little profit after paying the sale consignment fees. There are a large number of cattle that fit into this category and the next category, Cow/Calf Producer Grade. By removing these cattle from the industry it will help balance the supply and demand which will help increase the value of the Cow/Calf Producer Grade and the Registered Seed-stock cattle. 

 

Level Three - Cow/Calf Producer Grade – What is a cow/calf producer looking for in a cow? He is looking for a calf raiser, a cow that can wean a fat and healthy calf. These cattle need to have a good body, udder and be sound breeders. The cattle in this group lack good horn or pedigree to be used by most seed-stock producers. These cattle are of value to the cow/calf producer. When these types of cattle are sold in a registered sale they currently will bring about $400 per head. I know of several cases were these types of cattle have sold in a registered sale for $300-$400. The buyer then hauled these cattle straight to the local auction barn and sold the cattle, made a profit of $100-$150 per head. I have seen reports of Longhorn cows with non-longhorn sired calves sell for $550-$750.00 at some sale barns. If the base value of the Beef Grade cattle is established to be about $900-$1,200.00 for an average 800lb cow then the Cow/Calf Producer Grade cattle should be worth at least that same amount or slightly more. If they are not worth that amount on the hoof then they can be sold as beef. There are a large number of cattle that fit into this category and the next category, Registered Seed-stock cattle. By developing a market for these cattle with commercial cattle producers it will help balance the supply and demand by their offspring not being registered. This would also increase the value of the Registered Seed-stock cattle. 

 

Level Four - Registered Seed-stock Cattle – These are quality Longhorn cattle that have all the desirable Longhorn traits with good genetics, conformation and good horn development for their age (55-65”). They are used to produce the next generation of Registered Texas Longhorn Cattle. If we established a market and the value of the cattle on the lower rungs of the ladder at around $1,200 then it stands to reason that the value for Registered seed-stock should be in excess of $1,200. Currently that is not the case with most of the cattle that would fall into this category selling under $1,200. 

 

Level Five - Elite or Top End Registered Seed-stock Cattle – These are top quality Longhorn cattle that excel in all the desirable Longhorn traits for their age. These cattle have outstanding production records that show consistency in producing top quality offspring. These cattle almost always sale for a respectable price and their value is usually set by the buyers who are looking for the best of the breed. There is only a minimal percentage of the breed that would fall into this category. To produce cattle that would fit into this category should be the goal of most breeders.

 

Level Six - Collectable Cattle – These are the cattle that are the extremes in the breed with the main focus being on horn length. The value of the cattle in this category is most often determined by the numbers on a tape measure rather than the overall quality of the animal or their production. Their value is unpredictable and is set by the individual who desires to own one of the longest horn animals in the breed and willingness to pay for that privilege. Their value is not affected by the price of the cattle below them on the ladder and their prices have almost no effect on the cattle on the lower ladder rungs. Only a very small percentage of the cattle in our industry fall into this category. This also means that only a very small percentage of breeders will ever produce a cow that will end up in this category.

 

As we look at these categories of cattle within our industry a couple of very important things must be noted. One is no matter how good the breeding or breeding program is there are going to be cull cattle, but with good breeding practices and strict culling by breeders the numbers can be limited. The second is that the majority of breeders are producing cattle that end up in the middle categories of Beef Grade, Cow/Calf Producer Grade and Registered Seed-stock. The problem with this is that the supply of these types of cattle is high and the current market demand is low. In order to change this we need to decrease the number of cattle. This can be done by processing more cattle for beef and/or selling more cattle for use in a cow/calf operation, basically removing these cattle from the registered herd inventory. In recent months there has been a steady rise in beef cattle prices and a shortage of slaughter ready cattle. The increase in beef cattle prices has resulted in an increase in price for Longhorns at local auction barns. Now is the time for our associations and breeders to take advantage of these higher prices and to also increase awareness of the benefits of using Longhorn genetics by using a national promotional campaign with the goal being to increase the demand for Longhorn genetics which would increase the interest for Registered Longhorn Seed-Stock Cattle. If most of the members of our association produce cattle at are in these middle categories then one would think that the associations would be focused on helping to promote these types of cattle that make up the largest percentage of the cattle in the Association. However, as most of us know, this is not the case because the associations’ promotional focus seems to be more on the Elite or Collectable cattle. For the needed change to take place, the Longhorn industry most stop emphasizing the single trait of long horns and start focusing on the historical traits that have made this breed viable for hundreds of years.

Posted on May 15, 2011 - by Russell

Buying Cattle at Auction vs. Private Treaty

Is it better to purchase cattle at an auction sale or private treaty?

We are going to take a look at the pros and cons of these methods when purchasing cattle for your breeding program. Let’s talk about auction sales first. What is the definition of an auction? An Auction is an occasion for selling things to the highest bidder. It is a public occasion when things are sold to the people who offer the most money for them. It seems that in today’s Longhorn industry most cattle are bought and sold at auctions. In the spring there seems to be an auction every weekend. Auctions are a simple and fast way for a seller to sell cattle.

What are some of the positive reasons for purchasing at an auction?

1)      With consignment sales there is usually a larger variety of genetics or pedigrees available at an auction.

2)      These different genetics from numerous breeding programs are available in one location.

3)      At ethically run sales, you know what the true market value of the cattle are on that particular day by what the buying public is willing to pay for those cattle.

a.       There have been sales where this is not always the case. At some sales a floor or minimum has been set by the sale promoter to keep the sale average higher. They do not let the buyers set the market price for the sale.

b.      There have been other sales where the crowd attendance has not been good and bidding has been low which has allowed buyers to purchase cattle at below market prices.

4)      Making purchases at a sale where the buyer’s name is called out can be good publicity for your breeding program. You might even get your photo published in one of the breed magazines.

5)      Attending a sale is also a social event and a good way to meet other breeders.

6)      Most sales require that all cattle have health papers, so you can be somewhat assured that the cattle are healthy. 

What are some of the reasons for not buying or for being cautious when buying at an auction?

1)      Always remember that the animal is being offered for a reason.

a.       Ask yourself “why is this animal being sold?” Is this animal in the sale because it has a defect such as poor fertility, bad udder, poor quality offspring or bad habits. Have you seen this animal in several different sales within the last year? Repeat sale appearances could mean there is a problem with the animal.

b.      The animal could be in the sale simply because the seller is overstocked, is short on pasture/hay or has kept offspring out of this animal.

But how do you know which of these is the case. You must be observant when looking at the animal, ask questions of the seller if they are available and check production records.

2)      You have to make a buying decision in a matter of a few seconds before the auctioneer slams the gavel and says “sold”.

3)      You can get caught up in the bidding and end up over spending.

4)      The consignor will need a higher sale price for the animal due to their added expenses, high consignment fees and commissions that are charged by most sales.

5)      You should always be aware of who you are bidding against.  In some cases it might be a friend or someone who has been instructed to run the bidding up to the price the seller wants for that animal.

6)      At some sales a floor or minimum has been set by the sale promoter to keep the sale average higher. Sales have the right to do this, but the floor prices should be announced before the sale. This is not always done and it creates a problem for you as a buyer, because you won’t know the true market value of the cattle. Market Value: the amount that a seller could expect to obtain for property or goods sold on the open market.

7)      Sometimes you can end up traveling to a sale only to have all the cattle you are interested in sell for prices that are out of your price range. You still have the travel expense, but no cattle to show for it.

Now let’s take a look at some of the aspects, both positive and negative, of purchasing cattle by “private treaty”. Private Treaty is the sale of property according to terms negotiated between the buyer and seller. This method of selling and purchasing cattle generally only involves the seller and the buyer. There is no auctioneer, ringmen, multiple buyers or sale management company involved in this type of sale. It is more of a one-on-one approach.

What are some of the negative reasons for purchasing cattle by Private Treaty?

1)      May require a great deal of traveling in order to acquire different genetics that you are interested in adding to your program.

2)      As a prospective buyer you may feel pressured by some sellers to make a purchase. Most breeders will be happy to show you their cattle and program without pressuring you to make a purchase.

3)      The price is set by the seller and it may or may not reflect the market value of the animal. In other words, if you plan on reselling the animal shortly after you have purchased it, you may or may not get your money back out of the animal. When you consider the price, you need to decide if you are willing to pay that amount to have the animal in your herd. Is the animal worth it to you? It’s that simple.

4)      You will probably receive little to no public recognition of your purchases unless the seller places a “thank you” ad in a breed magazine. This could be considered a pro or a con depending on the buyer’s perspective.  

What are some of the positive reasons for purchasing cattle by Private Treaty?

1)      This is a more personal way of buying cattle. The buyer and the seller are able to develop a personal relationship.

2)      Buyers are able to view cattle in their natural state, in the pasture.

3)      Sellers do not always offer their best cattle at auctions, but will price them and offer them at private treaty.

4)      The buyer is able to get an overview of the seller’s breeding program and their management practices.

5)      You are able to ask questions of the seller.

6)      In most cases you will be able to view animals that are related to the animal you are looking at purchasing such as offspring, sire, dam and siblings.

7)      You do not have to make a buying decision in only a few seconds, you can take your time.

8 )      Most breeders will be happy to show you their cattle without pressuring you to buy cattle. They just enjoy showing their cattle to folks who have an interest in the breed.

9)      Some breeders offer discounts or package deals on multiple purchases.

10)  When you contact a breeder about coming to view their cattle you can also ask about their prices. This will let you know if the trip could result in you making a purchase before you spend the money to travel to the breeder’s ranch.

In the thirty years that I have been involved in the Longhorn industry I have purchased cattle at auctions and by private treaty. I have found that in most cases I have been happier and more profitable with the cattle I purchased by private treaty. I have also developed long lasting relationships with the breeders I have purchased cattle from by private treaty.  I’m not saying that all my purchases at auctions have been unprofitable or that I was unhappy with all of them. I just feel I came out a little better on my private treaty purchases. If you are building a Longhorn herd I would recommend that you give some serious thought to not only purchasing cattle at auctions but also taking advantage of the private treaty method of purchasing cattle. You do have options.  

Posted on September 23, 2010 - by Russell

Do We Want F1 Certification?

By Jack Johnson

 

            Until now our association has not been ready for an F1 program, and I’m still not sure it is ready to embrace such a concept.  We are talking about publicizing one of the best-kept secrets in the beef business today.  We, as an association, have done little to make known the merits of the F1 Texas Longhorn cow.  If the economic values of Longhorn cross cows were generally known, there would be no need for an F1 certification program, because these cows can and will sell themselves.
            Had the use of genetics and the advantages of heterosis been known and understood in 1884, the near demise of the Texas Longhorn would never have happened.  One hundred years ago, cattlemen were importing the best of the exotic bulls of the times to mate with native Texas Longhorns.  From this mating with massive numbers of Texas Longhorn cows, they selected the best for replacement range cows.
            Now we are marketing great numbers of our lowest quality Texas Longhorn bulls to be used on replacement heifers without recognizing that the progeny of these matings which do become range cows and carry our genetic banner to the beef business will not be nearly as efficient as they would if we were regarding the beef business as our primary source of income rather than a dumping ground for our cull bulls.
            An F1 certification program is, after all, nothing more than a marketing tool to introduce our breed’s genetics to the beef business.  If association members will accept and implement breeding practices that will preserve, protect and promote the genetic traits of reproductive efficiency that have made this breed different from others, an F1 certification program is feasible and will keep our breed healthy far into the future.  Otherwise, it is futile.
            I have been accused, probably with justification, of being radical and controversial for saying too often and too emphatically that our breed is being damaged by our strong emphasis, as an association, on the length and shape of horns rather than on the strong capabilities of Texas Longhorns to reproduce themselves systematically under almost any conditions.  Horns are the hallmark of the Texas Longhorn breed, and I like big-horned cattle.
            However, reproductive efficiency has been severely damaged in other breeds by doing exactly what we are doing today in our breed, but for different reasons.  While we are reducing our fertility today by emphasizing horn length above all else, other beef breeds have been directing their attention to the production of a superior feedlot steer.  They have paid strict attention to birth weights, weaning weights, daily gain, feed conversion and carcass desirability.  In doing this, they ignored fertility, longevity and hardiness.  Consequently, the female counterparts to the improved feedlot steer are not economically efficient as range cows.  The reproductive abilities of the females in other breeds have been reduced by emphasizing, in their breeding programs, the male traits of gainability and feed conversion.
            We, as Texas Longhorn breeders, have the answer to their dilemma.  With the F1 we can sell back to the beef business the reproductive efficiency they have squandered in their quest for efficient feeder cattle.  We need to begin to be very careful not to squander too much of our breeding efficiency in trying to produce longer and longer horns.  I mention this because all of us have seen many times cows of questionable fertility sell at higher figures because of superior horn growth.  Many of these sub-fertile cows have been treated by all known artificial means, super-ovulated with drugs and placed in embryo transfer programs to produce highly promoted herd sires whose semen will then be scattered throughout the breed, carrying with it the damaging sub-fertility of a dam with little to offer besides tremendous horn growth.  Every time this happens, it decreases those valuable traits our breed has had in abundance.  If we are serious about an F1 certification program to promote the use of our genetics in the beef business, we must also promote within our breed the preservation of the traits we wish to sell.
            The primary advantage of an F1 certification program is to increase the sales of registered Texas Longhorns at respectable prices.  If we are to accomplish this goal, we must all be equally involved.  Research must be done to provide acceptable proof of the claims we make with regard to functional efficiency or breeding values.
            Advertising and promotion must constantly be directed toward the beef industry to establish in the minds of beef-oriented people that we have the genetics they need to improve their production.  Acceptable means must be developed by A.I. and E.T. rules committees to protect our inherent fertility, longevity and mothering capabilities.  It will have to become evident throughout our association that we consider ourselves a beef breed rather than a historic relic.
            We need within our breed a system to recognize and emphasize those 18- to 24-year-old cows with unbroken production records, and those bulls that have consistently produced daughters with these capabilities.  These are the animals whose progeny should be in embryo transfer and artificial insemination and bringing superior prices in our sales.
            A serious F1 certification represents a new direction for our association and presents many difficult questions to be resolved:
            Cost of Certification.  What will it cost the TLBAA and how can we recover these expenses?
            Quality Control.  Should F1 certified cows be from registered dams of another breed?  What breeds are acceptable?  Should we place minimum standards on Texas Longhorn bulls that are used as sires of certified F1 females?  Should the dams of certified F1s be inspected to assure quality in the progeny?
            Management.  How much work load will this program place on our staff?  How soon can we expect increased sales of registered bulls to justify the expense?  Will our computer capabilities be sufficient to handle the program?
            Timing.  How soon can we be ready to start certification?  Will our breeders understand and accept such a program?  How may we avoid such certification being confused with an up-breeding program such as other breeds accept?
            These and many other questions must be answered if an F1 certification program is to be successful.  It is simply a marketing tool that, if done properly, will provide us with a healthy future in the beef industry.  Halfway measures probably will not be notably beneficial to anyone.
           
Editor’s note:  The F1 certification program was discussed at the October 23, 1984 meeting of the TLBAA Steering Committee and approved for presentation to the Board of Directors, which can adopt or reject the proposal.

What is your opinion of the F1 certification proposal?  We welcome your response to this and other issues.

 

Source: The Longhorn Scene, December 1984 issue, Opinion Corner, pages 40 & 67.

*The TLBAA did adopt an F1 (commercial crossbreeding) certification program.  Information on registering F1 Texas Longhorns can be found in the TLBAA Official Handbook, Rules and Regulations, Section 1. – Required Information for Registration, subsection (m).

Posted on September 3, 2010 - by Russell

First Time Buyers Checklist

The following is a checklist of some basic things to keep in mind when evaluating cattle that you are thinking about purchasing. These may seem like simple and obvious things that would not be easily over looked. But they are when a buyer is not focused on the overall quality of the animal but rather on one trait. First time buyers and sometimes even experienced buyers will lose focus of the overall quality of an animal. In most cases it is the amount of horn that overwhelms the buyer and makes them lose focus. In some instances I have seen a buyer overlook a major genetic defect because the animal was young and had 80” inches tip-to-tip. If you want to be taken seriously and be involved in this breed for a long period of time you will not want to overlook genetic defects just because the animal has a lot of horn. Horns alone are for the “collector”….the total package animal is for the serious Longhorn breeder. An educated buyer is one that will be happier and more profitable with his purchases.      

 

ü  Functionality of an Animal

o   Does it have a correct bovine structure?anatomy-of-a-texas-longhorn-cow , anatomy-of-a-texas-longhorn-bull

o   Good top line? Easy movement in hips and shoulders?

o   Is it sound on its feet, legs and joints? No swelling in the joints? Can the animal move and travel well and easily?

o   Mouth and jaw – Is the mouth and jaw set straight and correct? A crooked nose, mouth and/or jaw will make it more difficult for the animal to forage. 

These are important to the overall health and well-being of the animal. If the animal is structurally unsound it will have problems making good use of forage and pasture. Bulls with structural problems will have difficulty in keeping up with the cow herd, thus they will not be able to service the cows.

ü  Reproduction

o   Bulls – Does he have two evenly developed testicles, hanging straight without any signs of a twist? Does he have a normal size sheath and penis opening? Swelling around the opening could indicate an injury or infection.

o   Females – Does her reproductive area look normal for her age? Does she have a calf at side? Is she palpated bred or just exposed for a long period of time? Under development (looking like a virgin heifer) on an older female that should have had a calf or two could indicate a possible breeding problem.  

o   Ask the seller about production history. Most will be more than willing to provide that information.

ü  Udder – Is the udder functional? This is a must! If she can’t raise a fat and healthy calf, she is useless! If she has a calf at side it will give you some idea as to the quality of her udder.

ü  Body Condition – Is the animal overly fat? Is the animal extremely thin? Each one of these body conditions could indicate possible problems. An overly fat animal could be a poor or non-breeder. An extremely thin animal could just be a hard keeper or it could indicate several possible problems, some of which are correctable. A couple of these would be coming from poor range or pasture with poor nutrition or the animal needs treatment for parasites.  Numerous medical reasons could be the cause of poor body condition and some could be severe.

ü  Pedigree – Is the pedigree of proven genetics? In order to know the quality of the pedigree…Do Your Homework. Study pedigrees in sale catalogs, attend sales as a spectator, visit websites and ask questions. Often the cattle that an individual likes or is drawn to will have similar bloodlines. While studying pedigrees and bloodlines keep in mind that the most advertised (bulls and cows) pedigrees are not always the best or most proven. They just happen to be owned by someone who can afford to advertise.

ü  Horn – Are they of good length and shape? Horn is a must–after all this breed is the Texas Longhorn. Horn is not the most important trait and the reason why it is lower on the list. You can have the longest horn cow in the breed but if she has defects then you don’t have much in my opinion except a shoulder mount to hang on your wall. 

Posted on August 30, 2010 - by Russell

Why Own Texas Longhorns?

Thinking about getting involved in the cattle industry?

 

Needing to add to or restock your cattle operation?

 

You should consider Texas Longhorn cattle.

 

If you are a first time cattle owner or an absentee owner then the Texas Longhorn breed is the breed for you. Longhorn cattle are the no hassle breed which makes them ideal for the first time cattle owner or the owner who has little time to spend with his cattle. Longhorns, under most circumstances are more than capable of taking care of themselves. Longhorns are not only a breed that can be profitable to raise but enjoyable as well, they are each unique with no two alike. They are all different in their color patterns, size, horn length and personality making them a joy to be around. When you own Longhorns, you own a living breathing piece of history. The Texas Longhorn is the living symbol of the Old West.

Take advantage of these profit making genetics by adding Texas Longhorns to you cattle operation today.

v  Fertility – Breed at a young age, breed back quickly after calving and calve into their teenage years.

v  Longevity – Texas Longhorns breed and calve well into their teen years. More live calves over the years means more dollars in the rancher’s pocket.

v  Browse Utilization – Less supplemental feed is needed because the cattle take advantage of the forage available. Most Longhorn cows weight 1000lbs or less which means less cost to maintain the cows. This allows the rancher to possibly increase his carrying capacity, which increases the number calves produced thus increasing the potential profits. A good Longhorn cow will generally wean a calf that weights at least 40-50% of cow’s weight at weaning.

v  Disease/Parasite Resistance – A natural immunity developed over the centuries means fewer veterinarian bills and less maintenance for today’s cattlemen.

v  Reproductive Efficiency – Larger pelvic openings and low birth weights results in lives calves. Busy cattlemen can say “goodbye” to sleepless nights.

v  Adaptability – The breed thrives in climates from the hot, damp coastal regions to the harsh winters in Canada.

v  Hybrid Vigor – Heritable qualities enhances your present breed and gives you a new genetic pool. Commercial cattle producers are utilizing these inherited genetics of the Texas Longhorn female with their breed of bull to produce live, vigorous, profitable calves for the market place.  

 

 

 

 

 

Posted on August 28, 2010 - by Russell

Selecting Sires For Horn and More

 

By Russell Hooks

 

In an earlier article we discussed selecting for more than just horn in Longhorn females. Now let’s talk about Longhorn bulls. Some breeders think the tape measure is the answer to selecting the best bull. Once again that is not the case. There are numerous bulls in the industry that are in the 70” horn club; they are the “hot sires” of the day.  These young bulls have tons of horn and you cannot open up a Longhorn magazine without seeing an ad about one of these “great sires”.  But what actually makes a great sire?  PRODUCTION!  CONSISTENCY!  PREDICTABLE GENETICS!  Most of these hot ticket sires are so young that their only offspring are still babies.  Before I load my program (and the programs I consult for) down with these “popular and highly promoted genetics” I want to see some mature offspring.  Will some of these “hot sires” of today make a lasting positive mark on the industry?  Yes they will, but history has shown us that the percentage is very small.  I have seen too many “fad bulls” come and go in this industry during my thirty years in Longhorns.  As breeders, we need to develop a breeding plan that utilizes proven genetics instead of chasing fads.  If you chase the fads you will more than likely always find yourself one step behind.  Think about it, bull X is the bull of the moment – the one everyone is talking about. You AI your cows to him, it takes about 1-2 months to AI the cows, then nine months for the calves to hit the ground and they turn out pretty nice.  Now six to seven months later the calves are weaning age; you could sell some of them now but we all know that weanlings do not sell as well as two year olds.  So you hold these calves until they are twenty four months old.  The time frame is a total of approximately 35 months and the chances are good that by now there is another “hot ticket” bull. You have missed that small window of market opportunity.  I have observed that most of the “fad” bulls are only able to ride that popularity trailer for about 3-4 years and then they start to lose traction.  This is usually about the time their offspring are reaching maturity and they can now be fully evaluated on traits such as long term horn growth, fertility and milking ability.  I have seen “super sires” that have put offspring on the ground that show rapid early horn growth, but when they reach three to four years of age it slows dramatically and other sires’ calves that where showing less horn growth at a young age have caught up with the “super” sires’ calves.  In some cases the “super” sire is inconsistent in his offspring, some have great horn and some are average or even below average.  Now the “super” sire’s offspring are no different than any other good sire. When you are searching for a sire always ask yourself “how will his genetics benefit my herd, is it just his popularity I am interested in or can he help improve the overall quality of my herd in the long term”.    

 

 When you are selecting a sire for AI or natural service there are several things to keep in mind. The first thing I look at is a sire’s overall conformation, frame size and breed characteristics. Then I want to see what his dam and maternal grand dam look like. Years ago legendary Longhorn breeder J.W. Isaacs told me that “you better like the dam and grand dam of your herd sire because more than likely that is what his heifers are going to look like”.I have found this to be the case more often than not.  Not only are his daughters going to look similar to the females in his pedigree, but they will inherit a lot of their traits such as udder and teat size, fertility and femininity. While checking these female lines of a sire’s pedigree, I will study the pedigree several generations back looking for as many great females as possible in the sire’s pedigree.  Next I look at what other good animals, both males and females have come from these genetics or similar genetics. After I have studied the prospective sire’s pedigree I will then compare it with the pedigrees of the females that he will be mated to in order to check to see if there will be too much line breeding or inbreeding in the resulting offspring.  I also look to see if the genetics of the prospective sire have been used with the female genetics that I am planning to mate him with.  In other words, have these genetics worked together successfully or unsuccessfully in past matings for other breeders.  It is more productive and less costly to learn from what has or has not worked in the past.  One last important step is to visually inspect the females and note their faults…poor frame score, poor conformation, poor horn growth, etc.  This is done so that you can select a sire that will help improve these weaknesses in your cow herd.  

The selection of a herd sire is a very important part of a seed stock breeding program. It is correctly said that the sire has a genetic impact on 50% of every calf he sires. So basically, he is 50% of your herd. However, if you think a little more about it, the impact of a sire is even greater than 50%.  He only has a 50% effect on your herd through each calf crop.  If you don’t retain any of his offspring then his effect ends there.  If you retain his heifers he is 50% of them and 25% of their offspring; so if you retain these calves he is now 75% of your herd.  The effect goes on and on if you are keeping heifers and bulls from your own herd as replacements.  As you can see, the selection of a herd sire can have a major long term impact, good or bad, on your herd.  Take the time and effort to study all prospective sires before adding their genetics to your herd.  It will save you time and money in the long run.

I have often wondered why breeders in our industry will purchase a cow for a large sum of money, but when it comes to purchasing a bull the philosophy seems to be the cheaper the better. This is the opposite of what it should be and of what happens in other cattle breeds.  As I stated earlier the females are important and especially the dams of your herd sires, but it is the sires that have a larger impact on your herd and at a faster rate.  A breeder should consider spending the largest portion of his purchasing budget on his herd sire.  It takes only a short time for that investment to payoff.  The late Gene Day used this example when I was looking at purchasing a top notch two year old herd sire prospect from him that he had priced at $10,000.  He said “you are going to take this young bull and breed him to 30-40 head this first year.  If he produces only ropers and you sell 40 ropers for $250 to $300 each…that’s $10,000 to $12,000…the bull is paid for.  Now let’s say he turns out to be as good of a herd sire as you thought so you only have 20 ropers to sell ($6,000) and you’re going to have 20 heifers that should be worth $800 to $1,200 at weaning.  Some of these you’re not going to want to sell, but keep as replacements.  Now he is not only paying for himself, he’s making you money.”  I have never forgotten these words of wisdom and I think about them every time I look at purchasing a bull regardless of whether the price is $1,000 or $100,000.  The money invested in a good herd sire is money well spent and will pay off in the long term.  

 

 The point behind all this is, it is best to stick with proven genetics from bloodlines that have passed the test of time and invest wisely in your herd sires.  If you are going to use an unproven bull make sure he comes from predictable and proven genetics.  Do your homework and do not take sire selection lightly. Work towards producing offspring that are a total package of proven genetics: good horns (55-70”) with shape and style, correct and functional conformation, milking ability, adequate body size and eye appeal. It will make you more money in the long run.

 Most of the 65-80” horn cattle in our industry are sired by bulls with 50-60” horns and most of these bulls have done this more than once or twice. Phenomenon measured a little over 60” and is one of the leading sires and grandsires of 65-80” horn animals.  His sire Superior measured 50” and shows up as sire or grandsire of numerous animals that are in that 70-80” Club.  Proven genetics are one of the keys to long term success in this industry.            

 

 

.            

Posted on August 28, 2010 - by Russell

Selecting Cows for Horns and More

        In today’s Longhorn market it is not always easy to judge the true value or quality of the cattle. There are cattle selling for prices ranging from $400 dollars all the way up to $170,000.  What is the difference between the bottom and top prices?  The answer is HORNS… not necessarily overall quality.  We have come a long way when it comes to horn growth in this industry.  When I got involved with these cattle in the 1980’s we were celebrating 40” of tip-to-tip horn, which would be laughed at today.  But back then it was not all about horn, it was about saving the breed, fertility, longevity, mothering ability…just to mention a few of the other traits that were valued by breeders those many years ago.  Today some breeders seem to believe that there is only one sure fire way to determine the value of top Texas Longhorn cattle…the tape measure…the bigger the horn the higher the price.  However, like in the 1980’s I believe this is only one of many things that must be considered when determining the value of our cattle.  Breeders who use the tape measure as their only way of placing value on Longhorn cattle are overlooking many very important attributes of the Longhorn.
        Judging the quality of a Texas Longhorn is simply not made by measuring the horns.  There are numerous cattle in this industry that measure 75-80” tip-to-tip, but are these actually the best of the breed?  Without a doubt some of these are good animals.  However, many of them have sold for record prices, been flushed in ET (embryo transfer) and cloned only because of their record setting horn length.  In some cases these cattle have poor conformation, genetic defects such as wry noses, jaw and mouth defects and bad udders with large teats and they can’t even raise a calf.  
        If you were to check the production records (which I have) of several of these cattle you would find that in some instances they have produced mostly roper calves.  At prices of $50,000 to $100,000 it takes more ropers at $350 each than she can produce in a lifetime to pay for this “great” cow.  That is without figuring in her annual upkeep and care.  Several of the cows in the 75-80” club cannot even nurse their own calves; some are raised by a nurse cow or produced by ET because the cow cannot carry and raise her own calf.  I always check the production records of any animal that I am considering purchasing unless it is a heifer - in that case I check her mother’s production history. 
        Many of the 75-80” horned animals in today’s industry are truly one of a kind; some have full siblings that do not come close to having the same horn measurements as they do.  There is a cow in our industry that measures over 75 inches, yet her full sister only measures in the mid-50’s tip-to-tip.  Their dam was an average cow with good horn and their sire never produced another animal that has reached 75-80” (most are in the 60’s).  Therefore in my opinion these are not proven, predictable genetics.  I was at a recent Longhorn sale where a four year old cow with almost 70 inches sold for $10,000.  She was unexposed and by the looks of her udder, teats, shoulders and vulva she had never calved.  She looked “steery”.  In my opinion someone bought themselves a costly lesson.  You can have the longest horned cow in the breed but if she is not producing then all you have is a “glorified steer”.  Sometimes it is hard to look passed the horns but when selecting females for your program you also need to look at their udders, teats, feet, legs, general conformation and pedigree. You should also inquire about the animals production record. Production is one of the keys to selecting a top quality Longhorn female. 

Here is a picture of a nice solid cow that had good horn (48-50”) for her day yet she produced many daughters that had 55-60” horns.  One of them was one of the industry’s first 60” horned cows Delta Diamond, who did eventually reach 70”.  Today some breeders would not even glance at this cow in a sale or in the pasture because she is not loaded with horn, yet she produced great horns.  The term is ‘she out produced herself’.  Most of the 65-80” horn cattle in our industry are sired by bulls with 50-60” horns and most of these bulls have done this more than once or twice.  Phenomenon measured a little over 60” and is one of the leading sires and grandsires of 65-80” horn animals.  His sire Superior measured  a little over 50” and shows up as sire or grandsire of numerous animals that are in that 70-80” Club.  Proven Genetics are one of the keys to long term success in this industry.
        In summary if you are going to breed for horns remember to keep all the Longhorn traits in mind when making your cattle selections.  Also, if you are just getting started in the Longhorn business or you do not have a budget that will allow you to purchase the longest horn animals, do not get discouraged.  There are animals out there that may not have the longest horns, but they have the genetics for producing horn.  If you study the pedigrees you can make a wise and affordable purchase that someday just might produce you a 70-80” horn animal that you can sell for a top price.

Posted on June 15, 2010 - by Russell

. . . for Horns and Color

By Jim Warren 

            Let me tell you about a nightmare I had the other night.  I found myself at a big Texas Longhorn cattle sale.  This in itself is not strange, but I bought a heifer for $20,000 – now you know I was dreaming!  Well, I bought her because she had enormous horns (46 inches as a yearling) and flashy color – she was a three-color paint with a gruella head and roan tail.
            Well, I loaded her up and l took her home, jumped her out in her own special padded trap and went to my bull pasture to bring over the $10,000 bull I had bought last year.  (He had enormous horns and flashy color.)  I jumped him out in the trap with her and sat back to wait.  Well, that was the longest thirteen months I have ever spent – usually I had to wait only nine months, but for some reason it took thirteen this time.  (I figured it was just my nerves.)
            Anyway, one morning I drove up to the trap fully expecting to see a bright new calf and there was my new heifer lying on her side looking like a grounded blimp.  Well, you can imagine – I thought she was dead!  I ran across the trap and just before I got to her she raised up her head and looked at me as much to say, “You sure took your time, where have you been?”  Boy was I relieved to see her move!  So I got a hold of her horns and tried to neck her up – but she wouldn’t budge.  About the time I stepped back to wipe the sweat out of my eyes I noticed her straining and it finally dawned on me that she must be fixing to have her calf.  Well, I waited and the heifer strained, and I waited and she strained and this went on for about half an hour with no results.  (By this time I was about to have a calf.)

Call the Vet!

          Finally it dawned on me that something was happening to my twenty thousand dollar heifer that I wasn’t used to – she was having trouble calving!  So needless to say I tripped over my ace cow dog who was asleep behind me, leaped the wire gap in a single bound, nearly tore the door handle off my pickup to get to the mobile phone and do something else I wasn’t use to – call the vet!  I didn’t even know the number.  I just got the operator and she seemed to be used to vet emergencies so she got him right away.  Well, I told him to get out to my padded pens as quick as he could – one of my cows was sick (I didn’t want to tell him what she was sick of, but I knew he always carried his calf-puller with him.)
            Then I whizzed back to my heifer to see if there had been any further developments – and there hadn’t.  I started waiting again – I couldn’t sit down though – I was pacing up and down wearing out the grass when the Doc roared up in a cloud of dust.  I didn’t know if I could tell him what was wrong, but I finally kind of hung my head and mumbled in a low voice.  “She’s having little trouble calving.” 

            The Doc went over and rolled back her eyelids and looked in her eye.  I said, “No, Doc that’s not where the trouble is.”  What he said was unintelligible – I was glad of that.  Then he squatted down at the other end and went to feeling around and saying “Uhhuh, ah hah,” and other professional words while I wrung my hands and got back in the groove I had worn earlier pacing up and down.  Finally I couldn’t stand it any longer so I ran over to his truck and said, “Doc, can I bring you this uh – this uh calf puller?”  He had gotten up about that time and came over to wash his hands (and arm).  He said, “No, Jim, we won’t need that.”  The tone of his voice told me more than the words and all I could say was, “What is it, Doc?”    
            “Well,” he said, “that calf is too big for your heifer to have naturally.  She’d never make it – puller or no puller.” 
            “Then do something Doc!  That’s an expensive heifer.”  I didn’t want to tell him how expensive.
            He said, “We can take it with a C-section and should have good results.”  I said, “Well then let’s get on with the program Doc, I can’t take much more of this waiting.”

One-Hundred Pounder

     So to make a long story somewhat shorter the operation was a great success.  Doc pulled out the best looking one-hundred pound, three-colored heifer calf I had ever seen. 
      The next day the cow was up grazing around the trap and the calf was nursing away when I got there to check on them.  I still watched them pretty close for three or four days though and everything looked fine for a couple of weeks.  Then I began to notice that the calf spent a lot of time laying around and didn’t look like it was keeping up with the size of my calves in the pasture right next door.  I made all kinds of excuses for this occurrence – young cow, first calf, hard delivery, full moon on the tenth, wind out of the west – you know, all those things which usually cause calves to do poorly.
      After a couple more days I couldn’t stand it any longer – that was my prize calf from my $20,000 cow sired by a $10,000 bull.  I had to see what was the matter.  So I called Ol’ Doc again (I had his number on the sun visor of my pickup now) and he came right out.  First, he checked the calf over real good, said “uh huh and ah hah” again and went to look at the cow.  After he followed her around the pen a couple of times he went over and sat down.
      “Well Doc,” I said, “should I sit down too or what?”
      “No,” he said, “it’s not that bad.  I run into it all the time in other herds.  Let’s analyze this thing and you’ll see it clear.  What is that between that cow’s hind legs?”
      “Doc, you’re not teaching Anatomy 101 – that’s her udder, that’s what it is.”
      “Alright,” he said, “but look at those heifers right next to her in that pasture.”
      Well, it finally hit me.  Those heifers had bags that looked like basketballs compared to this one.  Doc saw me sorta leaning over the fence sobbing and said, “Don’t take is so hard.  You won’t have any trouble finding a nurse cow.  All your neighbors have been using them for years.”  Needless to say I got a nurse cow and raised that calf because I had too much invested in her and besides she had the potential to have bigger horns than her mama.
      So, time rocked long, like it does, and I bred the cow to a $20,000 bull this time – on the third try.  (He had tremendous horns and great color.)  I figured the trouble must have been that the first bull wasn’t her equal.  The next summer, she had another heifer calf with me and Doc just pulling this one.  The nurse cow didn’t seem to mind raising her own calf and somebody else’s at the same time, so I didn’t feel too bad about the whole deal.  After all I had managed to raise two heifer calves out of my $20,000 cow in just short of three years.  They both had tremendous horn and great color and should bring a fortune at the sales; and Wade and T.E. didn’t mind (too much) learning to use a calf-puller to help with future problems – and just think, in a few more years I’d have a whole herd of cows with tremendous horns and great color plus another herd of great nurse cows.  I could open up a Holstein dairy to make a little money to help pay the feed bill.

“Tongue in Cheek”

 

      Well, I hope this hasn’t offended anyone because I never intentionally offend anyone.  You all know that this is written sort of tongue-in-cheek, but at the same time it is a story that has a few points in it that I don’t want to lose sight of.  I hope you can see them too.

 

Editor’s note: This short story was written back in 1982 but the point it is making is still an issue today…Single Trait Selection. When we as breeders focus on breeding for one or two traits we are in danger of losing other traits that are in many cases more important than the traits we are breeding. For every action (increase in a trait) there is a reaction (decrease in another trait) there fore we need to find a balance. As true Texas Longhorn Cattle Breeders we should be focused on breeding and producing cattle that are a ”total package” of ALL the great traits that have allowed the Longhorn to survive the test of time.   

 

Source:  Texas Longhorn Journal, July/August 1982, Guest Editorial, page 20.

Posted on May 22, 2010 - by Russell

A Matter of Marketing

If the commercial man is your target, you’re aiming for a bulls-eye hit.

By Richard D. Carlson

            It would be easy to say the world knows how great our Texas Longhorn cattle are, but that is simply not true.  Many of the world’s greatest inventions are only successful business ventures because of the talents of two men, the inventor and the marketer.     
            The inventor, normally a purist at heart, constantly felt the marketer was degrading his product.  He couldn’t understand anyone having to promote his gadget because he believed it was so great an invention the public would beat down his door to buy it.
            So, Mr. Inventor said to himself, “Why pay the promoter so much money when he isn’t needed at all?”  Mr. Inventor made 5,000 gadgets and said, “Here they are world!”
            One year passed and Mr. Inventor had 4,999 gadgets on the shelf – his wife bought one.  What Mr. Inventor didn’t know was everyone would love his gadgets if they knew the product and how useful it was.
            This story has certainly been put in its simplest form without consideration to the many avenues and methods of marketing, but it merely illustrates a point.
            Texas Longhorn cattle are outstanding, but we must properly and constantly present them to the world.  Marketing our cattle is not the problem.  I believe every one of our 3,234 members feel we must promote the Longhorn to be ultimately successful.
            How to market and who to market them to becomes our target range.  If we simply scatter our firing across the field, we will hit very little; if we zero in on specific targets with a definite goal in mind, then we will begin seeing results.
            Who uses our product?  The commercial cattleman?  You bet.  He is the basis of our total cattle structure.  No purebred cattle breeders of any breed will have a constant demand for his cows and bulls unless “Mr. Commercial Cattleman” believes in his own mind that the purebred market will help improve his profitability.
            If your “specialty breed” will make the commercial cattleman money, he will accept the breed.  It may take him time to accept you, but if your “specialty breed” lives up to its promises, his acceptance will come in time.
            It is generally at this point in time the investors become interested in the “specialty breed.”  The investor will then stay with the specialty breed until the commercial cattleman finds something better and then he will leave this “specialty breed” as quickly as he came in.
            The investor is needed in the operation to bring constant attention to the cattle.  When an animal sells for $100,000, this is news and the magazines will run the articles free because people want to read about it.
            It is at this point we must not lose sight of the maker of the specialty breed, the commercial cowman.  No matter how successful we as breeders of Texas Longhorn cattle become, we can’t forget where we came from and who will ultimately pass judgment on us. 
            The genetic base of the Texas Longhorn is, as Dr. Stewart Fowler puts it, a gold mine.  The commercial cowman doesn’t really care if our cattle are colorful or big horned.
            Horns and color may be important to us, the purebred cattle raisers, because they are readable yardsticks with which we can measure successes in breeding within our specialty breed.
            However, you and I know that the cattleman doesn’t care if his Angus is black or his Longhorn is colorful.  His interest is in whether or not the specialty breed will make him money.  This sounds simple, but he must be convinced that the Longhorn will make him more money than any of the other specialty breeds.
            Mr. Brinkman, a well known and successful Brangus breeder, recently stated in an article (I am paraphrasing), “So goes the bull market, so goes the breed.”  I will not accept the concept that our small horned but good conformation cow should sell for $600.  They will sell for $1,200 when the purebred breeder knows the marketplace demands his bull calves.
            Even if every breeder steers the lower half of his bulls, which he should in order to weed out inferior bulls, and demands $850 for yearling bulls and $1,200 for 2-year-olds, then the mother cow is still worth at least $1,200.  Three calf crops of one heifer and one steer and one bull will more than pay for the mother cow.
            The demand for the mother cow will be there for many years to come, when we convince the total cattle industry that our product works and works every time.
            Over the past seven years or so, commercial cowmen have been becoming more aware of the benefits of using Longhorn bulls on their first-calf heifers.  When they try it, they know it works.
            The general focus of the Texas Longhorn Breeders Association of America (TLBAA) marketing today still needs to put out to the industry that Longhorn bulls work.  Calving ease is a reality in Longhorns, although many other breeds claim it.
            When 30,000,000 heifers in the cattle industry have crossbred Longhorn calves, then we will know our marketing job has been well done.  We know our product works for calving ease and we have the research to back it up – we just need to keep telling the world!
            Once that crossbred calf hits the ground, our marketing becomes even more difficult.  We need to gather feedlot data.  Our crossbred Longhorns are doing the job in the feedlot and we must market it to the cowman.  If the cowman knows he’ll have the market for Longhorn cross calves in the feedlot, then he will need more Longhorn bulls to keep production going, so the cycle continues.
            Calving ease data, feedlot data, disease resistance data, fertility data – we must gather it, condense it, and use it!  The F1 Longhorn cross mother cow is fast becoming reality.  She has the ability to contribute to the cattle industry all of the above genetic qualities the cowman is looking for.  If we build her foundation well with the commercial cowman, she will become known as the cow that gave profit back to the cattle industry.
            Mr. Commercial Cowman, buy a Longhorn bull for your heifers and give the “touch of life.”  Texas Longhorn cattle are giving life back to the cattle industry once again.

Source:  The Longhorn Scene, August 1985 issue, Opinion Corner, pages 63-64

Russell Hooks: This article was printed 25 years ago but the content still rings true in today’s Longhorn industry. That is why I felt like it should be made available to the public.