The Texas Longhorn, an iconic image of the American west, inspires thoughts of cowboys and cattle drives. A hearty breed that developed over a century of natural selection, to then be mixed with cattle of early American settlers. The Texas Longhorn was known for its immunity to tick fever, ability graze in rocky pasture, high fertility, but above all, known for it’s impressive horns that were used to fight off predators such as wolves, coyotes, and mountain lions. 

 

These feral bovine survived the period following the civil war, where ranches and ranges were dispatched and cattle dispersed into the wild. The breed continued and traits of survivability became prevalent making them an attractive commodity to drive north to the market in Abilene, some even making the trip all the way to Kansas or beyond. 

 

Following the boom of imported beef cattle in the 1920’s, the Texas Longhorn faced extinction. Just like in every aspect of Texas tradition, Texans wouldn’t give up and a few old ranchers held onto the breed. The pedigree of today’s current Texas Longhorns can be traced back to those few herds that were saved from extinction. 

 

Hawthorne Ranch and Cattle is proud to be a member of the Texas Longhorn Breeders Association of America and follow in the footsteps of these great stewards. We look forward to preserving the longevity of the original beef cattle with the goal of establishing a corner of the beef market.