Texas Longhorn Prices: 5 simple tips to navigate this cattle market effectively.
Texas Longhorn prices are inconsistent. Without a standardized price guideline for Texas Longhorn cattle, it’s often difficult for Texas Longhorn ranchers to add to their herds and stick to a budget. It’s even more confusing for new Longhorn owners to determine a budget.
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It’s not unusual for a longhorn cow with very long horns, to realize a price tag of $100 000.00 while another with similar horns sells for $1000 at the same auction. Texas Longhorn Cattle prices fluctuate and are hard to predict. However, rather than being drawn into situations you may regret later, here are basic considerations to help you effectively manOOver through the Texas Longhorn market.
The thing is that buying a Texas Longhorn is not unlike buying a home. Now, we are not suggesting that you will have to break the bank to purchase a longhorn. Nonetheless, if you want to make an informed decision that puts price and value on an equal footing then these tips may help you.
Believe it or not, there are similarities between purchasing a home and figuring out Texas Longhorn Prices.
In fact, we highlight 5 similarities………
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1. Genetics matter
Location! Location!
First and foremost is location when assessing the value of a property, right? Genetics is the equivalent in the Texas Longhorn industry. Genetics is a critical factor in determining the value of Longhorns.
- A registered Texas Longhorn with papers is more valuable than a longhorn whose pedigree cannot be traced.
- One can never assume how a Texas Longhorn will mature unless it is a clone. However, traceable genetics allow for more accurate predictions and assumptions regarding reproductive ability, overall composition, color, horn growth, and disposition.
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2. Back to the Basic
A house must have a strong foundation to maintain its value over time. Similarly, a longhorn with good genetics should be healthy and have a solid structure to add value to a herd. The beef industry sets a good example, relying heavily on EPDs, or Expected Progeny Differences to improve herds. EPDs are used to predict cattle’s ability to transmit certain genetic characteristics to its progeny. They are calculated by analyzing data on an animal’s pedigree, progeny, and performance.
Thus, assessing an animal’s progeny is part of the process, and an animal’s fertility and reproductive health are critical.
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3. It’s easy to overcapitalize if ‘Genetic value’ is based on perceptions.
Back to the house analogy, we know location influences the value of a property – but to explain this significance based on what people think, here’s an example. ➡️➡️➡️
A beach house right on the beach will have a high value. It will probably be more expensive than a similar house, five blocks down the road. That first house will probably sell without too much effort and for the asking price. However, not everybody wants to be so close to the water. So, even though the most expensive house is beautiful, it is not everybody’s preference.
Similarly, certain Texas Longhorn genetics, may not offer that perceived value to the whole Texas Longhorn Cattle industry. Of course, you will pay whatever it takes to get a longhorn cow you like if money is not an option. However, if your budget is limited to any extent, you will likely want to avoid overcapitalizing your Texas Longhorn Cattle purchases.
Moreover, if value is important relative to price, remember that the Longhorn bull you choose is more influential in your herd than any one cow will be. In addition, if we follow the example of EPDs, examining a longhorn’s progeny helps determine that value. For example, a Longhorn Bull’s weight, stature, and even horn growth are raw measures that are easy to assess. Nevertheless, if you want to be certain that your Longhorn has potential and value, don’t forget to check out the big boy’s calves before putting down the MOOLAH.
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4. What of the bells and whistles
Horns and color are the two characteristics that make Texas Longhorn Cattle unique in the Cattle industry. These two distinctive features vary considerably and can drive up Texas longhorn prices. In fact, so distinctive are these features, that too often a value is placed solely on the length of a Longhorn’s horns or her color without consideration for her udder or progeny. A renovated kitchen or a house with curb appeal will certainly add to the overall value of a property. Nonetheless, the long-term value is ultimately in the whole package. That is why composition, reproductive history, and disposition are essential to us before we look at horn growth and development, even though we are talking – Texas Longhorn Cattle.
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5. Texas Longhorn price Averages are as good as the group of data they represent
Finally, average prices do not always represent the overall Texas Longhorn market. To explain, let’s use the house analogy. If you are looking to buy a two bed, two bath house in Erath County in Texas, then the average price of 2 bed, 2 bath homes in Erath County will give you an idea of how much you will have to spend. This average house price in Erath County will be more accurate as a guide than, say, the average price of a 2 bed, 2 bath house in the whole of Texas. And, the average price of a 2 bed, 2 bath house in the USA is too vague to determine a budget.
Research is imperative in making sound decisions regarding Texas Longhorn prices and how much to pay. That is why when we research the value of longhorns every year, we ‘home’ in on smaller groups.
Our March 2024 article on Texas Longhorn Prices reviews prices across the board. In doing so, the averages we use represent SMALLER categories of Longhorns, namely: Longhorns born in 2018 and Longhorns born in 2021. We break these categories down even further, according to purchase prices, to make the averages more meaningful.
Texas Longhorn Prices: Conclusion
Honestly, we have made our fair share of mistakes. After 2 decades in the Texas Longhorn industry, we still find ourselves scratching our heads at the prices some will pay for their Longhorns. As we head toward the end of 2024, Texas Longhorn Cattle prices are trending downward. However, these ‘up and down’ price swings do not affect us. The reasons are twofold:-
- We add to our longhorn herd based on characteristics we like to look at in our pastures. We love each one of our longhorns and we love to look at them. We tend to steer away from trends in the industry at any one time.
- In addition, we focus on health and productivity. These attributes ensure our Texas Longhorn purchases pay for themselves over again and again.
references:-
https://extension.psu.edu/understanding-epds-and-genomic-testing-in-beef-cattle
to our SALEBARN
Texas longhorn cattle sold at GVRlonghorns
All our Texas longhorn cattle sold are eligible for registration with TLBAA.
Texas longhorn calf prices 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
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Texas Longhorn Prices: 5 simple tips to navigate this cattle market effectively.
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