Australian-based Texas Longhorn breeders believe their hardy cattle could play a key role in the country's impending herd rebuild when widespread dry conditions finally break.
Breeders from North Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria attended the first Australian Texas Longhorn Rendesvous on the weekend held at the property of Australian foundation breeders Patrick and Linda Holt, Romsey, Vic, of Longhorn Enterprises.
The event saw breeders and interested parties brainstorm ideas for marketing, breed advancement and future events.
Mr Holt imported the first Texas Longhorn live cattle and genetics to Australia in 1986 from his family ranch in Montana, USA, after travelling to the country to ride in rodeos.
He wanted to offer Australia the breed's distinct traits of lean beef, calving ease, disease resistance and hardiness.
It's those same traits that Mr Holt believes will offer a real opportunity for the breed's future relevance as a cross breeding option particularly for first-calf heifers.
"One of the traits (Texas Longhorns) have that works in their favor is they are very hardy and they actually survive better than many other breeds because they are not just grazing animals like cattle; they will go out and browse, they'll eat shrubs, they'll eat other things than just grass," Mr Holt said.
"Texas Longhorns aren't going to replace any other breed, I don't think anyone lives under that illusion, but I think they have a lot to offer from a crossbreeding stand point because they have very small calves so for first calf heifers they are an excellent cross.
"You get the hybrid vigour, you get the hardiness, you get really robust calves that get up to sucking early, grow quickly and they do fine in harsh environment. I think there are a lot of producers who will be faced with that in the near term."
He said the breeds' genetic disease resistance also provided opportunities for the commercial cattleman.
"I think they've got a unique opportunity to develop a strain of Texas Longhorn that is evolving and influenced by the environment," he said.
"They can build a significant bloodline here that has its own unique traits to Australia and I think that's exciting.
"A lot of the feedback (when I first brought them over) was somewhat skeptical because they thought obviously big longhorn cattle they would have trouble with them but they were also interested in a new strain of genetics, that's what fueled the interest.
"We got them over here and once people learnt about the cattle and realised they are not wild scrub cattle trying to pin you up against a tree every opportunity, they are actually a breed of cattle that are very docile."
Meat and Livestock Australia recently revised its national herd forecast for the end of June 2020 to a record low 25.5 million head.
With female cattle making up 54 per cent of the adult slaughter this year, retaining maternal breeding genetics in the industry's rebuild phase is set to be one of the biggest challenges.
It is estimated there are about 100 Texas Longhorn breeders across the country, a number the group hope to grow in the coming three to five years with full blood, pure bred and cross bred herds.
Breed leaders intend to hold more Texas Longhorn Rendesvous events across the country, establish a website with factual information and news about the breed and offer a periodic newsletter.
They will also offer consultancy services to new members to establish a smoother profitable business venture.
Australian breeders are already establishing themselves as some of the best in the world including North Queensland breeders Michael and Lynda Bethel, Horseshoe B Longhorns, Charters Towers.
The couple entered the International Texas Longhorn Association 'International Photo Competition' for breeders outside of the United States with animals evaluated by ITLA approved judges.
The pair received grand and reserve champion female with HBL Julee Jane and HBL Magnolia and also claimed a second and third place with HBL Audrey and HBL Loretta ahead of fellow international entrants, some from as far as Germany and Austria.
Running about 100 Texas Longhorns on their 1100 acre property, the Bethels established their herd 20 years ago with US genetics and continue to artificially inseminate their herd today with the breed's best.
One of those American bulls was Drag Iron who sired their grand champion cow, HBL Julee Jane.
The photography competition is unlike traditional shows, instead of being prepared on a show ration entrants are often in paddock working condition and showing their true potential.
"She is a nice cow, got a nice set of horns, beautiful colour and got a good temperament, she is structurally pretty correct and she presents really well in photos," Mr Bethel said.
"We run the Texas Longhorn tours and we have lot of people through here in a year and you can tell the ones that stand out, and have that wow factor about them."
He thanked the ITLA for acknowledging the breeding of those outside of the US.
"We have been breeding them for over 20 years and I guess we have always known we have had good cattle, not that we do it for our ego, but it's really good to be recognised," he said.
Lucy Kinbacher
Raised on a cattle property at Biggenden, Lucy Kinbacher has spent 10 years working across metropolitan, regional and rural publications in both Queensland and NSW. Lucy has been the editor of the Queensland Country Life and North Queensland Register since 2021.
Raised on a cattle property at Biggenden, Lucy Kinbacher has spent 10 years working across metropolitan, regional and rural publications in both Queensland and NSW. Lucy has been the editor of the Queensland Country Life and North Queensland Register since 2021.
