Does Texas still have more cows than people? (Hereford, West: home, living in)

[dorpus]

Before moving to Texas, I often heard Texans claim that their state has more cows than people. Is this still true, and are Texans still proud of it? To my city-slicker sensibilities anyway, it sounds shameful if anything.

When I drove from Alabama to Texas, I did not see huge numbers of cows. If anything, I saw more cows while driving through California.

[TexasHorseLady]

Why shameful? We have so much land that even though the state has 25,674,681 people (2011 estimate) and growing hand over fist, we can graze that many cattle (and feed all those people, too, remember).

Unless your "city sensibilities" mean that you think that meat comes from a styrofoam tray.

[TexasHorseLady]

I just checked and it's 4.36 million head that we're down to after the 2011 drought.

[ChristieP]

So, no, not even close to more cattle than people.
Wyoming has more sheep than people.

[KathrynAragon]

Why on earth would anyone be ashamed of the number of cows in their state?

[FalconheadWest]

Fun fact: The largest cattle ranch is in Florida, not Texas.

[TX75007]

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

I just checked and it's 4.36 million head that we're down to after the 2011 drought.

2006 was the year that really reduced the cow herd. Then we had 2011 and 2012.

The cow herd is down to what it was at the end of the 50s drought.

Originally Posted by FalconheadWest

Fun fact: The largest cattle ranch is in Florida, not Texas.

The Deseret has 40K head and is 300,000 acres.

There are several operations in TX that are larger in terms of acreage and several that have that many head. They just don't go around talking about it. I know of operations in OK, KS, NE, SD that approach this size - either acres or herd size - as well. Ranching is a very diverse business.

There are also some sheep operators in the Northern Tier of states that have as many sheep and who cover hundreds of miles in the summer. Just a couple of men and a handful of dogs.

Originally Posted by dorpus

Before moving to Texas, I often heard Texans claim that their state has more cows than people. Is this still true, and are Texans still proud of it? To my city-slicker sensibilities anyway, it sounds shameful if anything.

When I drove from Alabama to Texas, I did not see huge numbers of cows. If anything, I saw more cows while driving through California.

Most of what you saw in CA were dairy operations. If you had driven around Hereford in TX you would have seen more cows than you will see in your lifetime.

As far as shameful goes, someone who runs a profitable large cow operation (>200 head) is someone to be admired. These men and a few women compete with nature, the bank, the cows, machines, and their neighbors to keep things together. It is very, very hard to do. Each one of them at their low point is smarter, cleverer, and tougher than you are on your best day.

What is shameful is how you come to a forum on TX to disparage your betters.

[High_Plains_Retired]

Although I'm sure there are more cows than people in many west Texas counties but I'm sure many Texans prefer mad cows over angry people.

[David6767]

Originally Posted by dorpus

Before moving to Texas, I often heard Texans claim that their state has more cows than people. Is this still true, and are Texans still proud of it? To my city-slicker sensibilities anyway, it sounds shameful if anything.

As a whole, I doubt that Texas has more cattle than horses but individual counties certainly can. Some of our counties are very lightly populated as some counties are like one huge ranch.

Loving County for example, only has 60 people living in the county so it wouldn't be difficult to have more cattle than people there.

I don't know if King County has more cattle than people but they do have thousands of horses but only 287 people live within the 912 beautiful unspoiled square miles that comprise King County. It is home to ranches that were formed in the 1880s and 1890s--the Four Sixes, the Pitchfork, the Matador, and the SMS ranches.

[TexasReb]

Moderator cut: orphaned

LOL And you know what? If there ARE more cows in Texas Moderator cut: orphaned than people, then I guess it means people in Texas will always have meat to eat. Is that right or not? And how about cotton production per bale more than people per capita?

Moderator cut: orphaned

Do me a favor? PLEEEEEZE rejoin on this topic, as in engaging in debate. Nothing more -- other than a chicken-fried steak -- that would give me more pure pleasure than for the two of us to go at it one-on-one, on this thread you started.

God Bless Texas.