Reference Library

Feeding Texas Longhorn
Cross Calves
by George Perry, GM Feedlot, Inc.

Tradition in the cattle feeding industry has it that Texas Longhorn cattle will not feed efficiently, nor will they grade when the packer hangs the carcass on the rail. Texas Longhorns are viewed by many feeders as a curiosity breed or at best, an alter-native for breeding first calf heifers. Like any other breed, there are some strains of Texas Longhorns that are not structurally sound and do not have the genetic capability to produce a meaty carcass. For those types of cattle, I would have to agree with feeding tradition. However, our experience has proven that there is another side to the Texas Longhorn breed.

Manlon B. Wallace, III, owner of Spring Creek Farm, whose headquarters is in Rolla, MO, has fed three test pens of Texas Longhorn cross cattle in our lot All three pens of these cattle were from good Texas Longhorn cows crossed with bulls from several different breeds. Wallace has been searching for some crosses that will retain the thrifty, disease resistant, easy calving traits of his Texas Longhorns, add hybrid vigor, and produce a meaty, high quality carcass. As with any experiment, some crosses have been more successful than others. Overall, however, the Texas Longhorn cross cattle have fed very successfully.

FEEDLOT PERFORMANCE

The only disappointing result was in rate of gain. The average daily gain was around 2.75 pounds per day while the lot average is around 3.1 pounds per day. I would attribute this to lower than normal feed consumption (around 19 pounds of dry matter per day). These cattle are not big eaters.

The impressive statistics about these cattle have been feed conversion and health. 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. 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.

 

CARCASS TRAITS

These 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. The high percentage of lean meat should be an asset in today's marketplace.

Following are some of the conclusions we have reached concerning this program:

1. Start with a Texas Longhorn cow that has some meat on it.

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. I am not sure that backgrounding past 700 pounds is profitable with these cattle.

These results of these tests have convinced this cattle feeder that Texas Longhorn cross cattle definitely have a place in the feeding industry. I

Texas Longhorn Trails - November 1991

Texas Longhorns Grade Choice!

When Jim Kreider, Kreider Longhorns, Bonner Springs, KS, loaded up his Texas Longhorns to take to Iowa Beef in Finporia, KS, he didn't know what to expect. The results were a pleasant surprise.

Kreider took six steers to the packers on September 20. The average live weight of the two and one half year old steers was 1161 lbs. All graded choice to high choice with a #1 carcass, dressing Out at 62.24%.

Kreider and his son, Jim Kreider 11, were so tickled, they took back another six, five steers and a bull, on October28. Three of these five graded choice with a #1 carcass while 2 graded good with a #2 carcass.

Fat around the ribeye lowers the grade of a carcass. There is less than 1/4" fat on a #1 carcass. A #4 has about 1" of fat.

Kreider says that he fed his steers about 200 days and ended up finishing them at 20 lbs. of corn a day in the lot. "We were really pleased with the results at Iowa Beef," says Kreider. "Just wish we had some more since the difference between choice and good is about $8.00 cwt.'

This step by the Kansas rancher may just be what it takes to make packers look under the hide instead of at it.

Texas Longhorn" Trails December 1991