Two Sides of a Longhorn Program

Over the past three years I have worked tirelessly at building a sustainable Longhorn breeding program at Hidden Springs Ranch. Being new to Longhorns as a breed, and semi new to cattle ranching in general, it has been a learn as you go process. Trial and error as well as countless hours of research and learning from experienced producers. Though I am far from having it all figured out, I have learned many valuable things in a short period of time. Things that work, and things that do not. This may not be new information for most, but perhaps it will be a fresh perspective, from a new Longhorn producer, who is in the thick of it.

“Whether these animals are topping a prestigious sale, bringing beauty to an otherwise dull pasture, or feeding a local family, I truly believe all are noble destinations for the modern Longhorn.” years, by two different bulls. She needed to be culled. I was not willing to sell her and pass that problem on to the next person. Perhaps you don’t have those problems, it’s just that, your calf crop is over 80% bull calves. In even the best of the best programs 20 bull calves can not equal 20 mature bulls, without sacrificing quality. So we steer them.

Now, what do we do with these animals? My suggestion? Beef.

As a new breeder, I am trying to build a successful program, as well as a respectable reputation. In order to do this my goal is that any product I provide be one of quality. That the animals that come from, or come through, the ranch in my care be of top quality. That they will add value to the longhorn registry as a whole, or at the very least, not degrade it. With that in mind, it became obvious to me early on that not every animal is going to make the cut. That there are two sides to Longhorn production. The top end, and the bottom end. Today I want to talk about the “bottom end”.

These are cattle that, for whatever reason, should not “make the cut” for your breeding program. They may have a genetic defect, like malformed testicles. An undesirable trait, like extreme horn base. Maybe its reproductive issues, like a cow that doesn’t breed consistently. Another example of a reproductive problem we encountered this year; we had a cow that produced two bull calves with undescended testicles, back to back

It seems like a no-brainer right? I thought so. The reality is more complicated. However it is a very achievable goal. I believe that a strong beef program is not only beneficial to the individual producer, but it is beneficial to the industry as a whole. We are, after all, in the cattle business. Even if we are dealing in top breeding stock there will always be a “bottom end”. “Bottom end” does not have to have negative connotations. Whether these animals are topping a prestigious sale, bringing beauty to an otherwise dull pasture, or feeding a local family, I truly believe all are noble destinations for the modern Longhorn.

I have more to say on this subject. As I have been running a modestly successful beef program here since the spring of 2022, and as I mentioned at the outset I have learned a lot. Things to do, and things not to do. So God willing and the creek don’t rise, I will be publishing further articles in future issues of Trails Magazine where I will lay out some details on that program. Until then, if you haven’t already, go out into your pasture. Take a good hard look at your cattle, and honestly ask yourself; is everyone here adding value to my breeding program? If not… how can we change that?

By Heather Smith Thomas