English Longhorn
The Longhorn or British Longhorn is a British breed of beef cattle characterised by long curving horns. It originated in northern England, in the counties of Lancashire, Westmorland and Yorkshire, and later spread to the English Midlands and to Ireland. It was originally a slow heavy draught animal; cows gave a little milk, although high in fat. In the eighteenth century Robert Bakewell applied his methods of selective breeding to these cattle, which for a short time became the predominant British breed. Both the numbers and the quality of the breed declined throughout the nineteenth century and for much of the twentieth. A breed society was formed in 1878, and a herd-book published in that year. The Longhorn was formerly listed as "priority" on the watchlist of the Rare Breeds Survival Trust, but in 2021 was listed among the "UK native breeds". The cattle are variable in colour, but are always finched – with a heavy line of white along the spine, tail and underside of the belly.
| Life Span | 18-22 years |
| Weight | 450-900 kg |
What to Know Before Buying an English Longhorn
Finding a responsible English Longhorn breeder requires more than browsing classified ads or responding to social media posts. The USDA requires any breeder who sells cattles commercially — especially those selling online or through third-party dealers — to hold a federal license and submit to regular inspections. A legitimate breeder should be willing to provide their USDA license number, invite you to visit their facility, and show you where the animals are housed and socialized.
Before committing to a purchase, ask the breeder for veterinary health records, vaccination documentation, and any genetic testing results relevant to the English Longhorn. Reputable breeders will also ask you questions in return — about your living situation, experience with animals, and ability to provide long-term care. A breeder who asks no questions and is eager to ship an animal immediately is a significant red flag.
Use the search tool below to check whether any USDA-licensed facilities breeding English Longhorns appear in our database. If they do, review their inspection history carefully. Look for patterns of violations, pay attention to severity levels, and compare their compliance grade with other breeders in the same state. This due diligence takes minutes and can save you from supporting a facility with documented animal welfare problems.
Looking for an English Longhorn breeder?
Search our database of USDA-licensed facilities to find inspected breeders and check their compliance history.
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