Iberian Herders Managed Their Cattle Efficiently 6000 Years Ago 'With Little Direct Intervention'

Recent research unveiled that Neolithic communities from the Iberian Peninsula had already become proficient in managing cattle herds six millenniums ago. Experts made this assertion based on their findings from fossils found at the Cove de les Pixarelles (Tavertet, Osona), stated Phys.org. These fossils date back to 3942 and 3632 BCE, as per examinations. Researchers pinpointed two ways the communities managed to improve the conditions of their cattle and gain better produce for themselves. The methodologies were explained in detail within a study published in PLOS.One.

The Cove de les Pixarelles site where these remains were collected from, is known for hosting several well-conserved animal fossils. 80% of the remains found at the site were of Bos taurus, meaning cattle. This indicated the prevalence of this group of animals in the region. Researchers employed biomolecular studies on the cattle remains in the cave to understand the being's mobility, reproduction, and feeding patterns in Tavertet 6,000 years ago, during the Neolithic Period. The results showcased that the communities were moving the animals from low-pasture areas to mid-mountain regions and also controlling their reproductive cycle.

Researchers believe the movement was seasonal and was done to ensure that there was a steady food supply for the group. The study also claimed that amidst the mobility, there was also an ecological division. Some animals were kept close to the Cove de les Pixarelles for reproduction and milk access, while others were sent to high pasture lands. Analysis unveiled that these cattle mainly fed on C3 plants, available in open lands and mountain meadows. This implies that humans did not indulge in any kind of intrusion in terms of planting a particular crop. Experts think this aspect showcases that cattle can be managed without complex intervention techniques. "This fact reinforces the hypothesis of efficient management with little direct intervention," stated Roger Alcàntara Fors, researcher of the UAB Archaeological Research Group on the Mediterranean and Middle East (GRAMPO), who handled the study.

The outcomes also indicated that humans planned the Neolithic cattle's reproduction cycle. The cycle was arranged in such a manner that births happened with the arrival of summer pastures. This ensured that there was fresh pasture for new arrivals, and also eliminated the need to add on to the winter feed, which was already limited in quantity. This plan also provided humans with milk production in crucial times. The application of such thought-out plans, implied to experts that cattle were well-integrated in the economic and social transformation that happened in the time frame. 

Researchers believe the strategies showcase the complexities associated with livestock management in the Middle Neolithic period. The findings also highlighted the expertise of these communities, as they adapted their cattle to the diverse habitat environment. Researchers were elated by the findings and believed the project was the first of its kind. The study is "the only data currently available on cattle herd management for Middle Neolithic chronologies in the Iberian Peninsula," claimed Fors. Experts hope to use this study as a basis for further examination of human resilience to mountain landscapes, during the Neolithic period.