Welcome to The Bovine Buff! In each blog post I'll teach about a new cattle breed and its importance in our world today. In honor of my first post, I would like to start with the very first true cattle species: the Auroch.
Aurochsen were native to the moderate climate zones of Eurasia and thought to have originated in areas of present-day Iran. Cows and calves lived in large herds while bulls were solitary, only interacting with other aurochsen during the fall rut. They were long-horned cattle with large frames. Mature males were dark brown to black in color while females stayed a medium brown, similar to the coloration of modern Jerseys. Calves are born pale yellow, and their color deepens with age. Like many wild mammals, the bulls were much larger than the cows at about 78 inches tall at the shoulder and weighing 2,200 pounds. Cows weighed in at about 1,500 pounds and averaged 65 inches tall at the shoulder.
There are two distinct species of Auroch: Bos primigenius and Bos namadicus. Aurochsen were a valuable source of nutrition for early humans and wild herds were hunted to extinction by the year 1627. However, they had long since been domesticated into what is now known as the Neolithic Longhorn (B. primigenius) and the Hamitic Longhorn (B. namadicus). Supposedly, the lineage of cattle in the Iberian Peninsula can be traced all the way back to these early breeds. By the Medieval Age, Neolithic Longhorns in Europe had shrunk into the short-horned taurine cattle we know today, Bos taurus. Simultaneously, Hamitic Longhorns of the Indian subcontinent began to evolve into modern indicine, humped, cattle, Bos indicus. Later a North African subspecies of Bos primigenius (opisthonomus), would develop into several species of long-horned and giant-horned cattle.
From mini highlands in Scotland to the giant zebu in Central India, aurochsen were the foundation for ALL cattle. As we continue to explore cattle breeds from around the world, remember that every breed had the same starting point. The many different breeds are a tribute to the unique people and environments that molded them into the highly specialized animals we see today
Source:
Felius, M. (2007). Cattle breeds: An Encyclopedia. Trafalgar Square Books.
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