Ohio Steer Claims Horn Record

Ohio Steer Claims Horn Record AG WORLD 28-3-23 A Longhorn steer from Ohio has a set of horns that surpass horns ever grown in Texas. Twelve-year-old "Gibralter" boasts an official total horn measurement of 124.75-in. (10 ft., 4 3/4 in.). This "total horn" measurement is obtained by measuring along the top side of one horn, across the head, and up to the tip of the other horn. The tip-to-tip spread is also impressive at 7 1/2 ft. In October, Gibralter won the International "Call of the Horns" championship in Louisville, Kentucky. His was the largest "total horn record" from any Call of the Horns event. Despite his amazing rack, the 2,100-lb. animal still fits comfortably in stock trailers, as long as they are the newer 8-ft. wide models, so transporting Gibralter around the country isn't an issue. Joint owners, Dickinson Cattle Co. Inc. of Barnesville, Ohio and Robert Snyder of Columbus, Ohio recently sold the prized animal to Wayne Forister of St. Augustine, Florida. Longhorn breeders vying for the total horn record also select for maximum corkscrew effect in their cattle's horns. This adds to their total horn measurement and makes the animal more valuable. "We expect a 4 to 5 year-old steer's horns to measure 6-ft., tip to tip, and go on to 7 or 8 ft. by the time they're mature, but keep growing as long as the animal is alive," Darol Dickinson says. Dickinson Cattle Co., Inc., has one of the biggest Texas Longhorn herds in the world, with a 650-cow breeding herd and up to 1,400 total head in the summer. According to Dickinson, the family operation's feedlot currently contains 75 steers of various ages that they've saved because of genetic potential for growthy horns. By measuring the horns regularly and calculating a daily growth record for each animal, they are able to cull slow horn-growing animals by the age of two. "If their ætotal horn' hasn't reached six feet by four years of age, we slaughter those animals and sell halves of beef to the public," he says. "We're confident that we have some younger steers than Gibralter that will grow longer horns than him, so we hope to win the International Championship again in the future." Also, each year, the Dickinsons halter break as many as 20 "exhibition" steers and teach some of them to accept riders. They are selected for color and especially long horn growth. Some are entered in shows, and the family sells others to people as pets and for parade entries. Prices generally range from $3,500 to $10,000. At their on-site "Head to Tail Store," they sell all kinds of products made from various bovine body parts. These things include steer shoulder mounts, mounted steer tails, tanned hides, bull walking canes, bull golf clubs, hoof lamps, and healthy, all natural lean beef. Cleaned and polished skulls often sell for more money than a normal commercial living cow would bring at auction. The family sells 50 to 80 skulls per year at prices that begin at $130 and go to $950. According to Dickinson, the Texas Longhorn breed is very feed efficient and hardy. These cattle eat almost anything and have the best longevity of any breed - cows commonly calve up to the age of 18 to 22 and on rare occasions, have been known to do so at age 32. The Dickinsons sell quality Texas Longhorn breeding stock and also produce Watusi and BueLingo cattle. You can visit the Head to Tail Store's website at www.head2tail.com. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Dickinson Cattle Co., Inc., c/o Darol Dickinson, 35000 Muskrat Rd., Barnesville, Ohio 43713 (ph 740 758-5050; email: darol@texaslonghorn.com; website: www.texaslonghorn.com).

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