C3 Longhorn Ranch

The first cattle to set foot in North America and the only breed of cattle to evolve without human management, the Texas Longhorn can thrive in country where no other breed can live; subsist on weeds, cactus and brush; range days away from water; and stay fit and fertile whether it’s living in the scorching, parasite-infested tropics or in the arid, subzero winters of Montana.

The leaner longhorn beef was not as attractive in an era where tallow was highly prized, and the longhorn's ability to survive on often poor vegetation of the open range was no longer as much of an issue. Other breeds demonstrated traits more highly valued by the modern rancher, such as the ability to put on weight quickly. The Texas longhorn stock slowly dwindled, until in 1927 the breed was saved from almost certain extinction by enthusiasts from the United States Forest Service, who collected a small herd of stock to breed on a refuge in Oklahoma. A few years later, J. Frank Dobie and others gathered small herds to keep in Texas state parks. They were cared for largely as curiosities, but the stock's longevity, resistance to disease and ability to thrive on marginal pastures quickly revived the breed as beef stock. Today, the breed is still used as a beef stock, though many Texas ranchers keep herds purely because of their link to Texas history.

In other parts of North America this breed is used for much more. Longhorn cattle have a strong survival instinct and can find food and shelter during times of rough weather. Longhorn calves are very tough and can stand up sooner after birth than other breeds. Longhorn cattle can breed for a long time, well into their teens. There have been cows that have bred for up to thirty years. Some Ranchers keep Longhorns for their easy calving. A Longhorn cow will often go off on her own to a safe place to have the calf then bring it home. They are also known to hide their calves in safe places to avoid predation, sometimes causing difficulty for ranchers, who may need to work on the animal.

For more information on the history of this breed, http://www.tlbaa.org/Resources/lhhistory.html provides an excellent resource.

Most breeds of cattle fall into either beef or dairy. The Texas longhorn is a beef animal and is known for its lean beef, which is lower in fat, cholesterol and calories than most beef. The Texas Longhorn is also utilized for their many excellent qualities adding hybrid vigor and easy calving abilities when crossed with other breeds. However, they continue to represent the romance of the Old West and are often retained for their beauty and intelligence. Some ranchers also breed Longhorns for their horn characteristics.

Longhorn meat is very lean, and bright red in color with very little marbling which means you get more red meat vs fat per ounce. Studies at major universities have shown that it has less cholesterol than skinless chicken. Under a microscope meat looks like a finely woven fabric with long strands and fibers and small round globs of fat in between. When the fat globules explode, this cstretches the meat to make it more tender, and heat is expelled in the form of steam. Fatty or highly marbled meat takes longer to cook than lean red meat, and may be more tender than longhorn meat.

Like any lean meat, Longhorn beef does not take as long to cook as it's fattier cousins on the meat shelf. Once you learn to cook it, you will find Texas Longhorn beef has a very good steak flavor and it holds its flavor longer. If you have left over steak cooked from meat that you bought at the super market, after a couple days in your refrigerator it begins to develop that refrigerated taste. Texas Longhorn steak will hold its flavor for 5-7 days.

In terms of a heart healthy diet, Longhorn beef compares with skinless chicken, turkey, and flounder. See the below chart for comparisons.

	Fat (grams)	Saturated Fat (grams)	Cholesterol (milligrams)	Calories (kilocalories)	Protien (grams)
Longhorn Beef	3.36	1.31	48	114	19.87
Other Beef (Lean Cut)	9.28	3.54	86	211	29.88
Chicken, skinless, roasted	7.41	2.04	89	190	28.93
Fish (Trout)	7.2	2.10	68	169	24.27
Turkey	4.9	1.62	76	170	29.32

-    Texas Longhorn beef cooks quickly due to its low fat content. Fat acts as an insulator so the heat must penetrate the fat before
     it begins to cook the meat. Therefore, the less fat, the quicker the cooking time. Be careful not to overcook it.

-    There is not much shrinkage in Longhorn beef. The cooked size is close to the same size you started with.

-    It is never necessary to cook Longhorn beef in additional fat. It contains just enough natural fat to allow it to cook to perfection.

-    To broil, position the meat 3-4 inches from the heat. Watch it closely while cooking to achieve desired doneness. Broiling
     slightly frozen steaks keeps them juicier.

-    A medium-hot fire works best in grilling. Add damp mesquite or cherry wood chips to the fire for an extra flavor. Remember, the
     meat cooks quickly so watch it carefully.

-    Longhorn beef roasts should be cooked at 275 degrees F.

-    A meat thermometer is recommended to monitor desired doneness. Ground beef should have an internal temperature of 160
     degrees F.

There are at least two common ways to measure horns. The tip-to-tip measurement is the easiest to reproduce: it is simply the straight-line measure from one horn tip to the other. The "total horn" or poll measurement attempts to measure the horns along their curve, to get a measure of the total length of the horns. This measurement is much harder to replicate accurately, but it is a better reflection of the total horn length. The tip-to-tip measurement assigns longer values to straight, lateral horns than to upwardly curving horns of the same total length.

Here are some highlights from the 2007 Texas Longhorn Breeders Association Fall Horn Showcase. (http://www.tlbaa.org/)

1. The Texas Longhorn cow with the widest horns (tip-to-tip measurement) was DAY'S FIESTY FANNIE at 82 7/8"

2. The Texas Longhorn cow with the widest horns (total horn measurement) was SILVER CHOICE at 100 1/2"

3. The Texas Longhorn bull with the widest horns (tip-to-tip measurement) was TOP CALIBER at 80 1/4"

4. The Texas Longhorn bull with the widest horns (total horn measurement) was WYOMING WARPAINT at 100 5/8"

5. The Texas Longhorn steer with the widest horns (tip-to-tip measurement) was WATSON 101 at 102 5/8"

6. The Texas Longhorn steer with the widest horns (total horn measurement) was ROLLING O BIG RED at 123 7/8"