cattle introgression

Cattle History in North America

Domestication Bison for Survival Cattalo-Beeffalo  and White Buffalo   Cattle History in North America     I felt it was important to record these events about domesticated cattle, because of the discussions today around introgression. Introgression probably started when cattle were imported, (much more DNA research needs to be done on our older bison bones, at least 400 years ago.)  Early cattle imports to America, Cattle were not like we know them today, behind fences and in a controlled environment. It was a battle in the early days to keep them close and from harm.  Interesting read: (https://genomebiology.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13059-015-0790-2)   Some Indians, … Read more

Domesticating Bison for Survival

Domesticating Bison for Survival   The idea of domesticating bison for survival arrived with the early explorers and later settlers.  Since cattle were imported into North America, crosses have been made with the bison, sometimes out of vicinity and other times more purposeful. Early arrivers saw the bison and wanted to make them more useful to their needs, like the oxen, milk cow, or even the horse. Being wild as they are, it was not so easy, but if they could tame them down by crossing them on their common cattle, they thought they would really have something useful. (Understanding … Read more

Bison Facts – Did you know?

Bison Biology – Facts About Bison   Bison facts you may not know.  Why were bison called buffalo? How the word ‘buffalo’ came into use. To the Spanish explorers the animal was called cibola or cubola. Some Spanish writers called them bisonte. Others called them armenta. Early French called them le boeuf buffe, vache sauvage or Bison d’ Amerique. Canadian voyagers called them boeuf (ox or bullock) The later French called them bufflo and later still buffelo. English colonist were using the term “buffalo” around 1710 and it 1st appeared in print around 1754. Peter Kalm, who traveled through America in 1749, … Read more