By Shelby Shank
Field Editor

Texas students learned about longhorns through Texas Farm Bureau’s (TFB) Farm From School program this month.

Kindergarten through fifth-grade students across the Lone Star State virtually “meet” with a farmer or rancher once a month through Farm From School on a video conferencing app.

This month, Dr. Will Cradduck, the herd manager for the official state of Texas Longhorn herd, gave students a tour of the ranch and taught them all about the breed.

“Texas students tuned into our November Farm From School visit to learn all about longhorns from Dr. Cradduck,” Jordan Bartels, TFB associate director Organization Division, Educational Outreach, said. “Students were excited to ask Dr. Cradduck questions and learn firsthand about this historic Texas breed.”

During the 30-minute virtual session, Cradduck discussed the history of the Longhorn breed, cattle identification methods and his role on the ranch.

The Texas Longhorn is one of the state’s most iconic symbols and has been hoofing through Texas history for centuries.

The breed originated from cattle brought to the U.S. by Spanish conquistadors in the late 1400s. They were initially brought to the Caribbean and then to Mexico, eventually making their way to Texas.

During the 1800s, Texas Longhorns became a vital part of the cattle drive that supplied beef to northern markets.

The Official State of Texas Longhorn Herd is located at Fort Griffin State Historic Site. The herd has over 100 head of cattle and has been around since 1938.

The breed is known for their impressively long horns that can reach five to six feet in width by the time they are six to eight years old.

“They use their horns for a lot of things,” Cradduck said. “The cattle will use their horns to push through brush, scratch their back or defending against predators.”

Their horns are made of the same material as human fingernails and grow continuously throughout the animal’s lifetime.

Identification is crucial for cattle.

“Most of our cattle outlive the lifespan of most ear tags, so what we use to identify our cattle are fire brands,” Cradduck said.

A hot iron brand is applied to the animal’s right hip, with markings indicating their birth year and order.

“For example, ’16 over 15’ means the 16th calf born in 2015,” he said.

The herd also has a five-point star brand on the other hip signifying ownership of the cattle.

Cradduck has managed the herd since 2009, ensuring daily care of the Longhorns and maintaining detailed records.

“I get to be a rancher on a daily basis and be outside with the cattle,” Cradduck said. “You get to do all the hard things of the job, like feeding cattle and fixing fence. It’s a 365-day job. Even when it’s hot in the summer or cold in the winter, we’re still caring for the cattle.”

More information about Farm From School
The last session for the fall semester will focus on poinsettias.

Sign up for the Spring 2025 program closes Jan. 10, 2025.

Click here for more information about the Farm From School program.

Visit texasfarmbureau.org/aitc for more information and the latest announcements on TFB’s Ag in the Classroom activities.