Westhaven Longhorns
Registered Texas Longhorns in Ione, California: gentle bulls, show cattle,
cow calf pairs, pasture ornaments, breeding stock and beef.
Call us: 209-274-9917
Pasture Wildfire Prevention: An Informal Case Study
Some rancher friends of ours raising Angus were worried about a parcel that their cattle weren’t grazing well. Many varieties of nuisance thistles were winning, choking any grass that tried to come up. The cows would lose their calves in the tall, thick brush, creating extra work for the ranch hands trying to reunite them. When the summer heat came, the thistles dried out, becoming a true wildfire hazard. Can all wildfires in California be prevented? No, not entirely, as we know from centuries-old fire scars on our giant redwoods but we can take some preventative actions. Our firefighters tell us that removing as much dry brush as possible - fuel for wildfires - helps.
Back to the case study: That December, Westhaven placed a small herd of Longhorns to graze the parcel. Within one month, all of the dry brush, even the big ones towering 7-10 feet tall, were knocked down and consumed. The cattle fared well, and needed less hay than normal that month. The owners decided not to seed that pasture, just to see what would happen. To our delight, in the Spring, the pasture yielded beautiful, lush new grass. The brush overgrowth was gone, so the new grass was able to get plenty of water and sunlight. Needless to say, the owners were thrilled!
Below are pictures to show the pasture left - before Longhorns and right - a picture taken just three months later, after Longhorn grazing. It was amazing to watch these wonderful animals go after the thistles like candy!
WESTHAVEN TEXAS LONGHORNS FOR FIRE PREVENTION
It makes sense to have cattle that mix well with your herd but forage for brush the others won’t eat. Longhorns are easier to handle than goats - one classic way to use Longhorns is to call your lead steer, bull or cow to help bring the herd to you.
At Westhaven, in Northern California, we have solid colors for cross breeding as well as traffic stopping patterns for pasture art. Discover how Longhorns are once again a great beef choice for both ranchers and consumers. Westhaven Longhorns are registered, vaccinated, wormed, socialized, calm, and are taught to respect fences and people. They also come to call, are fun to raise, show, sell or just to look at to enhance the tranquility in your life. We have cow/calf pairs, heifers, gentle bulls and a special sale now on pasture ornament steers. Give us a call today to see how this amazing and important breed can help protect your operation.
