This post isn’t about the Texas Longhorn College Mascot, this is about the real cattle from Texas.
The past several shows, people have asked me to draw Longhorn Cattle.
Since I have a soft spot for cattle, that didn’t seem like such a difficult task.
In researching the Longhorn breed, it is quite fascinating. Genetic analysis shows the Longhorn originated from two ancient cattle lineages originating from the Middle East and India.
The Texas Longhorns are direct descendants of the first cattle brought to the New World by Christopher Columbus in 1493, when he landed in the Carribbean Islands. Over the next two centuries, the Spanish moved the cattle north, arriving in the area that would become Texas near the end of the 17th century. The cattle were allowed to roam for the next two centuries. Over several generations, descendants of these cattle evolved into the high feed- and drought-stress tolerance and other “hardy” characteristics that Longhorns have become known for.
Today, the Texas Longhorn is known for its color variation ranging from bluish-grey, various yellowish hues, to browns, black, ruddy and white, both cleanly bright and dirty-speckled. The Longhorn is known for its lean beef, which is lower in fat, cholesterol and calories than most beef. Most importantly, the Texas Longhorn continues to represent the romance of the American Old West.
Defining the West 