"Salorn" is a recently developed composite breed consisting of 5/8 French Salers and 3/8 Texas Longhorn blood. This combination of genetics utilizes the most adaptable breed of cattle in America - the Texas Longhorn - with the most proven carcass quality breed - the Salers.

 

The late professor Jan C. Bonsma, world renowned animal scientist of Pretoria, South Africa, and consultant to the International Salorn Association, stated, "It is my considered opinion that if the breed creation work on the Salorn is judiciously done, the Salorn breed will, in the long run, be a far superior breed to any of the synthetic breeds of America."

 

For over fifty years, Prof. Bonsma conducted seminars all over the world, visiting the United States 39 times to share his knowledge. His research in all breeds of cattle worldwide, observing their weaknesses and virtues, encouraged him to participate in the development of the Salorn.

 

At one of his seminars held in Wichita Falls, Texas in 1964, Prof. Bonsma advised cattlemen that it was very important to have some Texas Longhorn blood in their commercial herds in the United States. In numerous seminars, he cited extensive research indicating that the Texas Longhorn's conformational and adaptability traits are essential to maximizing profits in the commercial cattle industry. Dr. Bonsma emphasized that 80 percent of the cattle producing areas of the world are tropical. One-fifth have climatic conditions similar to the northern half of the United States. In most of the world, Brahman synthetic breeds dominate the basic genetics, however, that breed does not begin to compare with the Texas Longhorn and/or Salers in either quality or absence of genetic defects.

 

Dr. Bonsma believed that adaptability is the key to functional efficiency in all breeds of cattle. The Texas Longhorn is by far the most adapted breed in the southern United States, having been in North America nearly 500 years, under a survival-of-the-fittest production system. A number of attributes have evolved as a result of natural selection over these hundreds of years, producing tremendous strengths in comparison to other breeds. Their tropical adaptability, parasite resistance, longevity, calving ease, mothering ability, browse utilization, fertility and disease resistance are unquestionably superior to any other breed. Salers and Longhorns originated in almost the same areas of the world, prior to coming to America, and they share many important traits. In addition, Salers have a tremendous growth ability combined with calving ease and superior carcass quality.

 

The Salorn creation program began with registered Texas Longhorn females carrying the genetic traits of adaptability. Superior fullblood, smooth-coated, muscular Salers sires, selected for gentle disposition, have been mated to these cows. The resulting F1’s (1/2 Salers - 1/2 Longhorn) are bred to 3/4 Salers - 1/4 Longhorn to produce a 5/8 - 3/8 result, which is the First Generation Salorn. Successive generations of the 5/8 - 3/8 Salorn will insure breeding consistency.

 

A major consideration in the pioneering opportunity available with the Salorn is the fact that Texas Longhorn and Salers blood will be totally new in 4/5th of the cattle producing areas of the world. The potential for this breed, as an outcrossing breed improver, is unlimited on a global scale. Throughout each step of the breed creation program, Dr. Bonsma's program of visual appraisal for functional efficiency has been followed. Performance records are the second component of the selection process to produce superior Salorn genetics.