Pineywoods (cattle) - History - Origins and Development

Origins and Development

Spanish explorers in the 1490s and 16th century brought to the new world breeding stock of small, hardy cattle which were able to survive the sea crossing. Some were released deliberately, trusting that their survival instincts would allow them to survive and reproduce. Thus months or years later a ready food source would be available. Pineywoods (also called woods cattle and Rakestraw), Florida Crackers, Corriente, and Texas Longhorns all descended from the same original Spanish stock (also called Criollo cattle).

In time, these Spanish cattle acquired different names from the localities where they were concentrated. The name pineywoods was derived from their location in the Pineywoods of southern Mississippi.

The Pineywoods survived and adapted to their new home. For the first 350 years in the new world they lived in the wild. The ones moving west into Texas evolved to a plains habitat and developed wide sets of horns characteristic of the longhorn breeds. Those remaining in Florida, Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi had to survive in thick woods and brushy areas. This environment favored small, nimble animals with slender horns allowing passage through narrow brushy trails. Since the mid-1800s they have live in semi-wild conditions on very large family ranches along the Gulf Coast.

Early settlers and Native Americans used the cattle as oxen, meat, milk, hides, and as a trading commodity. During the early 19th century the Choctaw Indians began migrating west in search of agricultural opportunities and brought livestock, including Pineywoods, with them. History tells us only a limited number of livestock was brought west during the great Indian removal of the 1830s. Many people and livestock were lost due to the harsh traveling conditions before reaching Oklahoma. Presumably therefore the majority of Spanish type livestock were introduced to Oklahoma prior to the 1830s.

Pineywoods numbers began a decline in the late 19th century and early 20th century, displaced by improved English and European cattle in the southeastern United States. As the overall popularity and abundance of Pineywoods declined, only a few families continued to keep purebred herds. During this time the agricultural programs of the land grant universities were promoting highly bred domestic cattle and saw these as inferior “scrub” animals. The effect of these programs was to endanger the Pineywoods existence as a breed. As time passed, these herds became isolated from one another to the point that each herd has become a unique and self-contained strain.