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Breeding for Lean Beef?
Use Texas Longhorns - The Quick Fix
By Carolyn Hunter

The beef industry has not gained much ground in its so-called "war on fat" according to the "National Beef Quality Audit - 1991" conducted by the NCA and funded by the Beef Promotion & Research Board.

Despite the introduction of new breeds and other efforts to reduce excess fat, things have changed little since the USDA conducted a carcass audit in 1974.

The 1991 quality problems cost the beef industry $279.82 for every steer and heifer slaughtered, and "waste" was the biggest cause of losses with excessive external fat being the top money loser within the waste category.

Strategy workshop members listed a number of avenues for attacking these quality problems including a requisite that the industry should concentrate on trimming external fat to one-quarter inch.

Concerned cattlemen have been working at reducing excess fat through their breeding programs, but this is seen as a long and costly process. However, some progressive breeders have found a way to breed for the desired low-fat carcass using Texas Longhorns.

A study at Texas A&M University showed that Texas Longhorn steaks had about 30 percent less muscle fat and 15 percent less saturated fat than steaks from a traditional British breed. The level of unsaturated fat in Texas Longhorn steaks approaches that found in pork and skinless poultry, according to Dr. Floyd Byers, one of the scientists who conducted
the study.

Yet the marbling, quality grade and flavor of the steaks were similar to the Hereford and Hereford/Longhorn crosses that were studied.

"In general, the study found that Texas Longhorn and Texas Longhorn/British crosses reached an average Select quality grade with less outside trim fat and more desirable yield grades than British cattle," Byers said.

The quality grade of Texas Longhorn carcasses was similar to the British cattle, he said, but actual back fat was about half as much. Study results showed that Texas Longhorn cattle distribute fat differently than British breeds. More of the fat is deposited internally -in kidney, pelvic and heart regions, while other breeds place a greater priority on depositing subcutaneous and intramuscular seam fat, which is very wasteful and must be trimmed by the packer, grocer or consumer.

Commercial breeders have learned that using Texas Longhorns makes lots of dollars and "sense." Jim Kreider, Bonner Springs, KS, fed 12 Texas Longhorn steers for 200 days and finished them with 20 lbs. of corn a day in the lot. He took the load straight to IBP in Emporia. The average live weight of the steers was 1161 lbs. Ten of the steers graded choice to high choice with a #1 carcass, dressing out at 62.24%. The other two graded good with a #2 carcass. (There is less than +" fat on a #1 carcass.)

Dick Robbins, Belvidere, KS, found similar results with Texas Longhorn crosses. For the past five years, he has participated in the Pratt Area Extension Futurity at Pratt Feeders, Inc. in Pratt, KS. This futurity provides area cattle producers with data concerning live animal performance and carcass traits of steers, helping the producer evaluate his livestock program.

This year Robbins placed three groups of Texas Longhorn cross steers on test. The first group (sired by Simmental bulls and out of Fl Longhorn cross cows) had an average daily gain of 3.39 with a hot carcass weight of 740 lbs., dressing out at 64.13%. All quality graded choice or select. Most yield graded 1 or 2. Cost/cwt. gain was $45.71.

The other two groups were Fl Longhorn-cross steers. Together they had a final ADG of 2.72, dressing at 62.49. All 23 quality graded choice or select, again with yield grades of 1 or 2.

Mahlon B. Wallace, III, Spring Creek Farm, Rolla, MO, fed three test pens of Texas Longhorn cross cattle at GM Feedlot, Inc., in Appleton City, MO. The results of these test pens have convinced George Perry, GM President, that Texas Longhorn cross cattle definitely have a place in the cattle feeding industry.

Perry noted that the Texas Longhorn crosses had a lower ADG than the lot average, but attributed it to lower than normal feed consumption (around 19 pounds of dry matter per day) as Texas Longhorns are not big eaters.

Feed conversion and health were the impressive statistics to Perry. "The cattle have been excellent converters of feed so, even though the gains have been below average, the cost of gain has been average or better. The cattle converted just over six pounds of dry matter per pound of gain, which is better than average," said Perry.

"In addition, the cattle posed absolutely no health problems of any kind so the disease resistant traits of the Texas Longhorn apparently carried through to these crossbreds," he continued.

The crossbred cattle hung a very desirable carcass. They graded over 80% choice, with a lean carcass and very little waste. The packers were very pleased with the carcass cutability and quality.

Perry reached several conclusions concerning the program: (1) Start with a Texas Longhorn cow that has some meat on her. (2) Use good quality bulls, but not necessarily the large-frame exotic bulls. Medium frame, meaty bulls seem to work best. (3) Backgrounding the cattle up to between 650-700 pounds before coming to the feedlot seems to work well. (4) Texas Longhorn cross cattle definitely have a place in the cattle feeding industry.