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One of the biggest (as a business) suppliers of Longhorns is actually over in Belmont Co. Ohio, hard by West Wirginia, of all places. Look 'em up. Longhorns actually make pretty good, if lean, meat. Depends a lot on what they've got to graze on and how much grazin' room, near as I can tell. I know of some folks out in SW New Mexico raise 'em. Between their own land and what they lease from BLM, they've got 36,000 acres, fenced off into six pieces. In dry times, they allow 500 acres per critter. In average times they can do two-and-a-half or three times that. Water is a tributary at the bottom that runs into the Gila River. Will always remember the story, though, of them drivin' one section of cows down to the pens at the river bottom. Their foreman (Preston) was ridin' a paint stud horse (Rocky -- he deserves a name in this story, too) that belonged to the boss. The Boss was on a four-wheeler that day. The bull had never been particularly surly, but that day he acted up, and went after Rocky with his horns. Got one of 'em in under the breastplate and into Rocky's shoulder and lifted him. Might have dumped him, but he got in deep enough and was far enough under the breastplate that everybody got a ride out of it. Preston hung on and got the horse off the horn. The boss ran like a bandit on the 4-wheeler back to HQ for supplies. By the time the boss was back, they'd had two other horses push the bull down to the pens. They got Rocky's wound powdered down and stitched up. The rest of the crew took care of checkin', taggin, and medicatin' the cows in that piece. Preston, on the other hand, spent the whole night walkin' Rocky home. Took care of the mornin' feedin' befoe he hit the rack. Don't know that Longhorn bulls are any uglier than any other variety, but 'spect they're a lot harder to get away from if they do break bad.
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