Sometimes I like to take the station vehicle out and just go see what I see. Wednesday morning, I decided it would be a good idea to make a trip to Renner, South Dakota. Most of the time when I make a trip through Renner, I simply cut through the 4 way stop sign on the way north Cliff Avenue and cut across to the interstate.

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Most people are familiar with the cut across. You go by the Renner Corner Meats and the Safari Bar and Grill, a good spot for a bite to eat or to take a deer or beef for the butcher. Many also think of the ballpark where the world-famous Renner Monarchs have dominated the sport of baseball for years. Or the local steakhouse. But how about the other way. To the north.

I was coming in from the north and spotted some wide-racked cattle. I would imagine that you would put them in the Longhorn category. I stopped the truck, walked across the busy highway, and snapped a couple of pictures.

These two were so busy grazing stubby green grass that has just peeked its green blades out of the dirt that they barely noticed that I was there.

Longhorn cattle are not the norm here in South Dakota. I read the other day that over 60% of the state's cattle are Angus. For those not familiar with Angus, they are the black ones, with no horns. According to Wikipedia;

Longhorns are descendants of the first cattle introduced in the New World, brought by explorer Christopher Columbus and the Spanish colonists.

 

The breed's ability to survive on the poor vegetation of the open range was not as important as the range was enclosed.

Ok, they might not gain weight for consumption as fast as Angus or other popular breeds, but I have to give them a high grade in Head Turning. Those, are some impressive horns!

JD Collins
JD Collins
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