It seems that everything is bigger and better in Texas, including the famous longhorn cattle.  Not doubt about it, Texas is ranching country and known not only for the quantity and quality of its cattle, but also the size.  The cattle grow really big in Texas!

However, in the little ranching community of Buttonwillow, located in the south end of California's great San Joaquin valley, there's a steer so big that he puts any cattle in Texas to shame.  This guy stands 16 feet tall at the top of his head!  Ok, compare that to a Texas-sized steer... Let's see... add the 2, carry the 9, multiply the 3 and this guy adds up to 3.125 times bigger that a Texas steer!  Now you'd think that this guy would need acres and acres of room to graze.  Surprise!  He's confined to a neatly-whitewashed, picket-fenced pen only about 12 by 20 feet.  Furthermore, there's not a blade of grass, nor a handful of alfalfa to be seen.  What this big guy eats, who knows?

He's also been trained to stand perfectly still and hold up a sign advertising the Buttonwillow Land and Cattle Company.  As I photographed him, he didn't blink an eye; he just stood there holding up his sign!

The next time you're traveling on Highway 58, between Interstate 5 and Bakersfield, keep an eye peeled for Buttonwillow's bigger-than-Texas steer.  I bet he'll be standing still, just as in the photo.