Longhorn cattle 'dream' comes true for Huron County, Ont. farmer
Clarence Dekens gazes out fondly on his herd of longhorn cattle near Clinton.
“These are longhorns. They’ve been a dream of mine for many years. I have a passion for cattle, and years ago I seen a herd of longhorn cattle and I thought, they’re pretty intriguing. I’’d like to maybe own a few of them,” he says.
A few has grown to 70 cattle today at Dekens' family farm in Huron County, where he and his family also raise chickens.
But his pride and joy is his longhorn cattle herd, a breed synonymous with old Westerns and Texas, but few and far between in Southern Ontario.
“Just the uniqueness of the them. First of all the horns, they’re amazing. They come in all shapes and sizes. The longevity of the cattle. They’re known to calf up to 20 years, that’s very unique,” says Dekens.
Those horns, first bred as protection from predators on the open plains, and acting as a potential cooling agent from the scorching sun, are intriguing. A wow factor, if you will.
“There are cows in the States that are over 100 inches tip to tip. Our largest is 85 inches. Usually the first year, they’ll grown 35 to 40 inches, 60-65 in the second year, then five to 10 inches a year after that,” says Dekens.
While the horns can make for interesting wall decor, it’s the final product -- the beef -- that’s attractive as well. Known as the 'original' lean beef, longhorn steaks and burgers are flying out Dekens' farm freezers.
“Because it’s lean, you don’t have to worry about some of the fats that are in there and you can really enjoy it as part of a heart-healthy diet,” says Dekens' daughter, Michelle Hol, who lives nearby and handles the farm gate sales.
“You don’t have to feel guilty about enjoying a steak, because it’s so lean,” she says.
You can learn more about Dekens' longhorns here.
“They’re fun to look at, and they’re a real friendly cattle. We get people stopping on the road all the time to take a look. They’re just something you don’t see everyday,” Dekens adds.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
U.S. Senate passes bill forcing TikTok's parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with big bipartisan vote
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.