The fact their fertility and calving rates are higher
is made even better when added to the fact that they also are more
resistant to disease and parasites than other cattle breeds.
Longhorns have an excellent immune system, bred over time by their natural
adaptation to the North American environment. Their ears have extra
wax and hair
inside
that helps to naturally repel flies, lice and gnats. The added hair
on their udders aids them in the same way. They are also known to
have resistance to blowflies and screwworms. Studies have been done
that have proven the longhorn to be highly resilient to diseases such as
pinkeye, shipping fever, and foot-rot. These cattle are so resistant
to disease that very rarely will you even see a case of bloat in Longhorn
cattle. It is also important to note that if longhorns contract some
type of illness it is most often milder and easier to treat than the same
problem in more common breeds of cattle.
In the three years that we have raised Longhorns, the only problem we have
encountered was an abscess that developed where a horse kicked our bull in
the jaw and even that drained on its own without any human assistance.
All of our cows have had a healthy calf each year that they were bred and
never once required assistance in giving birth. When you compare
this information with our past personal experience of Herefords and
Simmentals often having pinkeye and other commonly known problems, it is
no wonder that we personally prefer the hardiness of Longhorns.
The docile nature of
Longhorns is also unmatched in most other breeds of cattle.
Longhorns are typically very calm natured, perhaps this could be due to
the fact they come naturally armed with a complete arsenal of weapons.
After all, if a quick kick won’t do the job, then, as anyone can see, they
are very capable of using their immense horns for protection.
However, except under conditions such as wildlife attacks, a Longhorn is
not likely to use his horns as a weapon.
In most situations these cattle are curious and kind
with little signs of ill temperament. Around our property you would
more likely be hurt on accident than on purpose. We can walk amongst
our cattle with little problem; they do, however, show some excitement
over a bag of range cubes. That excitement has never been in any
form of aggression, it is more demonstrated in forms of anticipation.
The desire for us to “hurry up and dump that bag” does not require any
vocalization for humans to understand the importance of the act.
The demonstration of the docile behavior of Longhorns is often seen in the
steers that people have broken to saddle and ridden in rodeos and parades.
My son has often contemplated this idea for the future of one of our
calves, but the idea of good steaks has overruled that plan so far.
He does however have a respectful relationship with our bull; he can walk
up to the bull anywhere in the pasture and pat him between his horns (for
safety’s sake, however, please keep in mind that my son is 25 years old
and not a child).
The
behavior of this breed of cattle is so mild we can walk among the herd any
time, even when the calves are new. They simply accept our presence
as an everyday occurrence. This also makes it easy if we need to
call the cattle towards the barn. We just yell and they will come in
from the far corners of the property, usually at a run and demanding an
extra bit of feed, with that “hurry up and dump that bag” attitude.
