It's my understanding that the early vaqueros had a hand in breeding the
first longhorns.  When the first eastern cow folk tried to bring traditional
"beef" stock, the arid conditions, coyote predation of calves, and other
factors took their toll.  As I understand it, the meat is nothing to write
home about, compared to, say, Angus.  I read somewhere that another
advantage was that the longhorn herds were much easier to drive to/from
summer range lands in MT and WY.

I didn't know that they had been brought close to extinction.  What was the
problem?  Overgrazing and subsequent starvation?

-Kyle

-----Original Message-----
From: BG Greer, PhD [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Thursday, December 26, 2002 4:32 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: You bro's horns


>Man, they are they scraggliest looking cattle I've
>ever seen!  I understand they are bred to withstand some pretty harsh
>conditions, eh?

Kyle,

    I don't know if they are bred for that. I do know they were near
extinction one time, except for one old lady's herd. The guvm'nt came in and
paid her handsomely for two or three cows and a bull. We even had some in
Memphis grazing on county property.

Bobby