Domestic cattle, commonly known as cows, are not indigenous to the American continents. Their widespread presence across North and South America today is a direct result of historical introductions by European explorers and colonists, beginning in the late 15th century. These animals were intentionally brought over as livestock, a deliberate human act.
Domestic Cattle’s Old World Origins
Modern domestic cattle, including humpless taurine cattle (Bos taurus) and humped zebu cattle (Bos indicus), trace their ancestry to the wild aurochs (Bos primigenius). This wild bovine roamed across Europe, Asia, and North Africa for thousands of years before its extinction in 1627. Aurochs domestication occurred independently in different regions of the Old World.
Taurine cattle were first domesticated in the Near East, in areas like the Fertile Crescent, central Anatolia, and the Levant, approximately 10,500 years ago. A separate domestication event for zebu cattle took place in the Indian subcontinent, particularly the Indus Valley, around 9,000 years ago. These timelines significantly predate any European contact with the Americas. Selective breeding over millennia transformed these wild aurochs into the diverse breeds of cattle known today, valued for meat, milk, and labor.
The Arrival of Cattle in the Americas
The arrival of domestic cattle in the Americas began with European exploration and colonization. Christopher Columbus introduced the first cattle to the New World during his second voyage in 1493, bringing them to Hispaniola. These early introductions led to the spread of livestock throughout the Caribbean and subsequently to the mainland. Spanish explorers and colonists continued to transport cattle, recognizing their value as a source of food, milk, and draft power.
Ponce de Leon brought Spanish cattle to Florida in 1521. By 1565, organized ranching began in St. Augustine with additional imports from Spain and Cuba. Herds also spread into Mexico, and by 1690, the first herd of Texas Longhorns, descended from Spanish stock, was driven north into what is now Texas. These animals supported colonial settlements, providing sustenance and aiding agricultural development, shaping the landscape and economies of the Americas.
North America’s True Native Bovids
While domestic cattle are an introduced species, North America is home to its own native bovid: the American bison (Bison bison). Often mistakenly referred to as buffalo, bison are distinct from true buffalo species found in Africa and Asia, possessing a separate evolutionary lineage. The American bison is the largest terrestrial mammal in North America and a native large herbivore.
The ancestors of the American bison migrated to North America from Asia across the Bering land bridge. The Siberian steppe bison (Bison priscus) arrived approximately 195,000 to 135,000 years ago, evolving into species such as the large Bison latifrons and the more common Bison antiquus. Modern American bison are thought to have evolved from Bison antiquus around 10,000 years ago. North America also supported a greater diversity of native bovids in the late Pleistocene, including several extinct species.