I know I shouldn't, but I just have to reply to Northern Ranchers post and comment on the Longhorns. Years back we got tired of calving problems in first calf heifers so tried a longhorn. We picked out a stout, well made bull, just like we would for any other breed as we were assured that they would be easy calvers. They were right and the calves sold right along with the other calves. People who cuss small longhorn x calves always seem to buy a scrub bull and then wonder why they have scrub calves. And too many longhorn breeders cull for color or horn size instead of efficiancy.
I believe that this is one of the reasons longhorn x calves lost grace with the feeders, coupled with the fact that longhorns grow at a lower rate of gain, all tho' they use less feed, but take a longer number of days to get to the same weight as english x and continental breeds.
Most of the neighbors have gone to AI, to low birthweight angus bulls on their heifers and have been having good luck calving heifers and I guess they are happy with the weaning weights.
I like my longhorn f1 females and they work for me, but then I don't like to sell cows when they are 10 years old and prefer to sell them when they are 15 to 18 when they fail to calve. And they are not wild, but I don't tag. Just train on my cows! Thats why I have them, to make my horses better! LOL
I did shoot and butcher my last bull as he put me on a fence and wouldn't let me down. It was quite satisfying! And he was delicious! I won't keep any of his heifers either!
I know a guy down south of Edgemont who has old style black angus cows. Very small and feminine and he won't keep a heifer calf out of one untill they are 15 years old. His calves aren't the biggest, but his cows don't have to be replaced as often either. When I commented on the size of the weaning weights of his calves his reply was, "Calves all bring about the same per head. Lighter calves bring more per pound, heavier calves bring less." He doesn't feed any supplement in the winter as long as he has grass. I believe he calves later in the spring also.
