How Did Texas Longhorns Decline

Texas Longhorns are descendants of the first cattle brought to the New World in 1943 by Christopher Columbus and Spanish settlers. They brought long horned Iberian cattle to Cuba, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, and Hispaniola. In 1959, settlers took the cattle to Mexico in search of treasures and gold. In Vera Cruz, Mexico, people began to establish ranches, which allowed the Iberian cattle to reach large population numbers. People migrated north along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts, bringing more Iberian cattle with them, and introducing them to the United States.

During the 1700’s, the long horned cattle were first introduced to Texas. Franciscan missionaries brought the cattle to the San Antonio River and into Goliad, TX. These cattle also inhabited California as early as 1769. By 1860, an estimated 4-6 million longhorn cattle roamed freely in Texas. Europeans began to

This occurred because their range was fenced off, and cows with better qualities were imported. People imported cows with fast maturity traits to improve the quality of beef. People began crossbreeding to achieve better, stronger cows. Due to these factors, the Texas Longhorn population declined. In 1927, the U.S. Government decided to preserve the cattle in Oklahoma and Nebraska on wildlife refuges. In 1964, the Texas Longhorns Breeders Association of America was established to help in the effort to preserve these cattle. Other associations include the International Texas Longhorn Association and the Cattlemen’s Texas Longhorn Registry.

People probably associate the Texas Longhorns with the University of Texas. In 1916, the breed gained high recognition because a longhorn steer named Bevo became the mascot for the university. The steer made its first appearance at halftime of the 1916 University of Texas and Texas A&M game. Since then, the Longhorns have been the mascot for the University of