Are Texas Longhorn Cattle profitable? PART ONE
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Have you heard of those enthooosiasts who enter the Texas Longhorn Cattle industry in true rodeo style? Motivated to make a quick buck, and own the most beautiful Texas Longhorn herd doing so, it’s not unusual to see them invest more than is necessary only to sell off their entire Texas Longhorn herd within a few years. We all anticipate the ups and downs in life. After all, life is rarely smooth ‘riding’. The question remains: how to increase one’s chances of success, smooth the bumps, and avoid being bucked off and out of the market before the bell rings and the money comes in?
GVR Longhorns is registered with the TLBAA – to our SALEBARN
We certainly do not have all the answers. Essentially, all we can do is share our experiences with Texas Longhorn Cattle for over 20 years. How we steered to the highs and straddled the lows, and still find endless joy in our Texas Longhorn Cattle herd.
It’s true, everyone’s story is unique. Yet it is sometimes possible to see similarities in others’ circumstances without necessarily seeking them out. Our story is based on a long-term strategy. Yes, we plan everything. If that’s not you, that’s ok. This article is probably not for you.
1. Our Introduction to the Texas longhorn cattle industry, no ‘profit’ expectations! – the first few years
the short version,
- In the good ol’ days… our primary objective was to maintain AGRICULTURAL EXEMPTIONS and improve our land.
- At the same time, we loved the idea of Texas Longhorn Cattle in Texas and still do.
THE ‘ARM JERKER‘ for us:- we did not live on our property. Actually, at that time, we did not live in Texas.
- In other words, we needed a resilient breed of cattle that could look after themselves, and produce to provide some income towards our Ag Exemptions.
- I want to say, “we” did our research but that would be Paul. In those days, information was not as readily available as it is today. He read what he could and learned from our friends. He also found out as much as he could about the Texas Longhorn Breeders in Texas at the time and he watched the sales. After all, this was not Paul’s first rodeo with cattle ranching or with heritage breeds, having raised indigenous sheep and cattle before. Paul was born on a farm, and his family has agricultural ties dating back for generations.
- Paul matched his preferred attributes in Texas Longhorns with a handful of Texas Longhorn Breeder programs.
- We purchased just enough Texas Longhorn Cattle to fulfill our Ag Exemption requirements, even though our carrying capacity would have allowed us considerably more. Our focus was on quality rather than quantity. Specifically, Paul looked for Texas Longhorn cows with depth in conformation, strong backlines, strong legs, horns that would twist, and proven producers.
It’s crazy to think, but Paul and I have always planned things with our retirement in mind – even in our twenties. In other words, our initial ranching strategy was based on a long-term plan. Therefore, we particularly like that Texas Longhorns have longevity. and that Longhorn cows are generally known to remain productive and produce a healthy longhorn calf every year throughout their lives.
- With help from local neighbors, it was relatively easy to manage our longhorn herd from a distance. The herd was kept small as most of our calves were sold at the Livestock Sale for ropers. Stephenville, TX. is 13 miles away and considered the Cowboy Capital of the World. Fortunately, the demand for ropers in these parts is always high.
- For a brief period, we returned to Texas. During this time our son joined the Longhorn Show Circuit. We learned about training, grooming, and handling Texas Longhorn Cattle for the Show Circuit. We were lucky enough to join a friend’s program rather than own a specific show cow. Our son put in many hours, and it paid off.
2. The last decade
…. back in Texas for the long haul, we finally built our Ranch House and increased our Texas Longhorn Cattle herd.
- We increased our herd based on the strength of our foundation herd.
- Our customer base expanded.
- Our improved pastures began producing for a bigger herd.
3. THE BOTTOM LINE: Are Texas Longhorn Cattle profitable?
Undoubtedly, our Texas ‘longhorn Cattle have been profitable for us. here’s why:-
- First and foremost, Ag Exemption is a huge saving, not to be underestimated.
- In addition, our initial cash outlay was amortized over time, or should we say ‘amootized’.
- In terms of our planning, these early costs were:-
- the purchase of our foundation Texas Longhorn Cows
- the building of a corral with a tub system
- internal pasture fencing
- As the years passed, we made additional purchases. A couple of these are listed below:-
- Equipment to manage hay and our pastures
- a Texas Longhorn Chute (we did not buy a Longhorn chute in the first number of years)
- Any ranchers will agree that ranching expenses are ongoing, especially in years of drought or inclement weather conditions. Nonetheless, the Return on Investment of our foundation Texas Longhorn Cattle herd continues to yield positive results, as follows:-
- Disease and Parasite resistance, together with the hardy nature of our Texas Longhorns have kept the medical costs and vet fees at a minimum.
- The longevity of our Longhorn cows, as well as their productivity, and calving ease, have furnished up to 5 generations of productive cows within our herd.
- Managing Stocking Rates and Carrying capacity by keeping our herd compact, enabled us to keep forage costs in check.
- Selling the majority of our calves annually adds to the bottom line.
- Lastly, raising Longhorns for beef and selling hides and horns are not part of our story. That’s not to say they cannot be part of yours.
4. In Conclusion: The positive assessment of the profitability of Texas Longhorn Cattle includes a few cautionary considerations.
- Our experience of raising Texas Longhorn Cattle illustrates that our expectations were ‘covered‘ and then some but it did take time. Profits are generally gained over several years. Now and then a Texas Longhorn will realize a huge price tag. These events are the exception rather than the rule.
- So, like any business, a reasonable goal, and a working strategy are key to sticking to the course.
- Ranching is in our blood. Nonetheless, it is not our primary income. As such, we aimed to keep our initial costs as low as possible. We did not over-capitalize and we spent according to our budget. We built on what we had year by year, reassessing our progress. For us, ranching with a business plan and measurable objectives makes sense.
- The highest annual cost when raising Texas Longhorns is most often forage. Underestimating Carrying Capacity and Stocking Rates will literally cost you! It’s important to remember that it takes a lot of effort to improve pastures and even more so to improve damage caused by overgrazing. These factors are so important, they are both listed as TIPS 1 & 2 and discussed in more detail in our article, 16 Tips for Texas Longhorn Cattle Ranchers in Texas
- A Texas Longhorn Cattle herd that will go the distance and produce for years is based on a strong foundation of Longhorn cows. As such, understanding the Texas Longhorn Cattle industry is important.
- Texas Longhorn Cattle look different from each other. They are also not equal in their genetic foundation. Some genetics promote strength in attributes over others.
- To help you with your research, here is a list of subject matter and articles.
Additional Reading:
Are Texas Longhorn Cattle profitable? PART TWO
Texas Longhorn Cattle Attributes
Texas Longhorn Cattle Benefits: 19 Attributes
The Secret Behind the Popularity of Texas Longhorn Cattle
On Color
On Horns
Texas Longhorn HORN – evolution revolution!!
Texas Longhorn Cattle Horns – a simple tip to avoid a common mistake
on Beef
Can you eat the Texas Longhorn Cattle that you raise?
Why Longhorns/ Objectives for raising Texas Longhorn Cattle
15 Awesome Reasons Why Ranchers Raise Texas Longhorns in Texas
Why Longhorns: Discover the 2 top reasons savvy buyers choose them
Objectives ( scroll down the page)
How do Texas Longhorns compare with other Cattle Breeds: 9 Factors
Where is the value in Texas Longhorn Cattle: 5 Considerations
On raising Texas Longhorns
16 Tips for Texas Longhorn Cattle Ranchers in Texas
Safety with Texas Longhorn Cattle: 7 Essential Saftey Handling Tips
The History of Texas Longhorn Cattle
17 Fun Facts: The Texas Longhorn Cattle Breed and Its History
100 Years of Texas History with Texas Longhorn Cattle
If you would like to become a member of our Cowmoonity, please consider subscribing to our blog at GVRlonghorns.com and/or visit our SALEBARN for a chance to own Texas longhorn cattle from our GVR longhorns herd.
to our SALEBARN
Texas longhorn cattle sold at GVRlonghorns
All our Texas longhorn cattle sold are eligible for registration with TLBAA.
All our calves are quoted with prices that include vaccinations, deworming, registration with TLBAA, transfer of registration, and castration(where applicable)
As a side note, our calves are usually weaned around 6 months of age. They spend anywhere from a week to three weeks in our corral
Finally, please let us know how you feel about this post in the comments below or email us directly and if you enjoyed reading this article, please consider sharing it.
Thank you for spending time with us,
Cathy