Texas Longhorn History

Over 500 years ago, the Texas Longhorn became the foundation of the American cattle industry. Since the time when Christopher Columbus brought Spanish cattle to Santo Domingo in 1493, and later on as their descendants grazed the ranges of Mexico, the Texas Longhorn breed has claimed a heritage unmatched by any other. In 1690, the first herd of 200 head were driven northward from Mexico to a mission near the Sabine River in an area later to be known as the State of Texas. That was only the beginning of a breed that would someday help preserve and become synonymous with the "Old West". Nearly 300 years after setting foot in America, millions of Texas Longhorns ranged from the mesquite-dotted sandy banks of the Rio Bravo to the sandbeds of the Sabine. Most of the Texas Longhorn cattle at that time were unbranded survivors of the Indian raids, scattered by stampedes and weather, escaped from missions or abandoned from ranch failures. In the next quarter century, 10 million head were trailed northward to the Midwestern grasslands, while still more were shipped eastward. Texas Longhorns were noted for their endurance and resistance to disease and hardship. They were durable and able to withstand long trail drives, and could survive incredible distances without water, fend for themselves for food and shelter, swim the rivers and survive the hot desert sun and the cold winter snow. But, by the turn of the century, demand for the Texas Longhorn breed began to fade. It took less than 40 years of fenced-in land, plows and the demand for imported English breeds to drive the Texas Longhorn closer to extinction than the buffalo. In 1927, the Federal government came to the rescue of the Texas Longhorn breed to help preserve its heritage and insure its survival. Congress appropriated $3,000 and appointed two forest service rangers, Will C. Barnes and John H. Hatton, to aid in the task. These two men put together the first herd for the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma. Others followed suit and gradually, more breeders began to produce private stock, recognizing the true value of the Texas Longhorn and the need to combine their efforts in supporting the breed and its standards progressively towards the future. 

Today, American Prairie Partners is utilizing this distinct breed in the efforts of restoring the Tallgrass Prairie region.  The Longhorn is very similar to the bison with it’s herd behaviors, durability to the environment and their excellent source of products from the meat, hide, horns, etc.  The Longhorn is a very important partner with the American Prairie Partners.