Special Issue: Heritage Cattle Genetics as a Potential Climate Adaptation Strategy for Producers in Arid Regions

Can heritage Criollo cattle promote sustainability in a changing world? Sheri Spiegal, Rick E. Estell, Andres F. Cibils, Eileen Armstrong, Lisandro J. Blanco, Brandon T. Bestelmeyer. September 2023.

Abstract: Viewpoints about the suitability of ruminant livestock in drylands vary, but most agree that strategies that maximize both land health and pastoral welfare are needed, especially as climate change intensifies. We produced a special issue in the Journal of Arid Environments, “Heritage cattle genetics as a potential climate adaptation strategy for producers in arid regions”, to explore the use of heritage Criollo cattle as one such strategy for ranching in arid lands of the Americas. Authors report on fifteen years of research about Criollo cattle landscape distribution, heat tolerance, and diet selection. Many connect those behaviors and traits to the potential for ranching adaptive capacity, resilience, and sustainability. In the introduction to the special issue, we describe how we use an indicator system to systematically document that potential. Based on existing research and anecdotal evidence, we hypothesize that the use of Criollo cattle brings forth desirable outcomes for nine indicators, ordered from strong to weak certainty: biotic integrity, total factor productivity, water use efficiency, soil health, commodity quality, greenhouse gas mitigation, stability of profits, rancher self-determination, and rancher communion. Ongoing and new indicator measurements will be conducted at ranches in arid lands across the Americas. With this special issue and ongoing research, we aim to improve understanding of the benefits and inadvertent drawbacks of adopting Criollo cattle, to inform decisions that promote sustainable agriculture in a changing world.

The genesis of the Jornada criollo cattle program. Rick Estell. October 2021.

Abstract: Many rangelands in the southwestern United States have experienced increased shrub cover and lower and more variable forage resources during the past 100 years. Criollo cattle are descendants of cattle brought to the Americas by European explorers that spread throughout North and South America. These cattle were displaced in many areas as British breeds became popular, but isolated populations remained that had undergone natural selection for nearly 500 years. Scientists at the Jornada Experimental Range in Las Cruces, New Mexico introduced Raramuri criollo genetics from the Tarahumara region of Chihuahua, Mexico to the research herd about 15 years ago in an effort to capitalize on their ability to thrive in harsh landscapes of the Chihuahuan Desert. They hypothesized that this smaller framed animal might be more suited to extensive shrubby landscapes and exert a lower environmental footprint than cattle of European descent. Preliminary observations during the early years of this project suggested that behavioral characteristics of this could potentially be used to improve utilization of extensive rangelands with restricted water distribution. Raramuri criollo generally traveled farther per day and farther from water than Angus x Hereford crossbreds typically raised on these rangelands. Approximately five years ago, the Jornada expanded this program by joining forces with scientists from New Mexico State University, Mexico, and South America. Several studies were initiated that encompassed aspects of behavior, distribution, habitat and ecological site use, maternal behavior, diet selection, heat tolerance, and performance of Raramuri criollo cattle. Many of the results from these collaborations are reported in this special issue.

Genetic and productive background of Criollo cattle in Argentina, Mexico, Uruguay and the United States. Eileen Armstrong, Felipe A. Rodriguez Almeida, Matthew M. McIntosh, Mario Poli, Andres F. Cibils, Jose A. Martínez-Quintana, Monserrath Félix-Portillo, Rick E. Estell. May 2022.

Abstract: Cattle were first introduced to the Western Hemisphere in 1493 and by subsequent introductions from the Iberian Peninsula, providing the genetic background of the American Criollo cattle, with influences from Spanish, Portuguese and African breeds. Criollo’s high adaptive capacity enabled them to spread and colonize a wide variety of environments. Their ancestry combined with local adaptations created the wide spectrum of American Criollo breeds that we see today, many currently at risk of extinction. We review the existing genetic and production data on the Argentinian, Mexican, Uruguayan and US Creole cattle that form the basis of the current and future research described in this special issue. In these countries, Criollo cattle became the basis of the livestock industry for the supply of meat, hides and animal work, until they were displaced by more specialized European and cebuine type cattle breeds at the end of the 19th century. Since then, Criollo herds remained mostly in marginal regions unsuitable for commercial breeds. Efforts by local producers and research institutions helped to preserve Criollo populations. Several studies have demonstrated that these animals can produce high quality meat and are more resistant to diseases, and emphasize their high fertility, calving ease, longevity and ability to adapt to harsh environments. Mexican Criollos have high genetic diversity but lack strong conservation programs. More detailed genetic characterization within each regional Criollo population is needed to establish appropriate conservation strategies. In US, Texas Longhorn cattle are closely related to Mexican Criollos, while Pineywoods show a stronger relationship with Iberian breeds. Variable levels of genetic diversity were found among all North American Criollos, probably due to crossbreeding. Criollos from Argentina and Uruguay showed clear divergence due to genetic isolation but clustered together, representing the southernmost expansion of bovine cattle in the Americas.

Foraging behavior and body temperature of heritage vs. commercial beef cows in relation to desert ambient heat. Shelemia Nyamuryekung’e, Andres F. Cibils, Richard E. Estell, Matthew McIntosh, Dawn VanLeeuwen, Caitriana Steele, Alfredo L. Gonzalez, Sheri Spiegal, Leonle Avendano Reyes, Felipe A Rodriguez Almeida, Martha Anderson. October 2021.

Abstract: We studied foraging patterns of Raramuri Criollo (heritage breed, “RC”) and Angus x Hereford (commercial beef breed, “AH”) cows in relation to ambient heat and body temperature during summer (2016 and 2017) and winter (2017 and 2018) in the Chihuahuan Desert. Cows of each breed grazed separately in two adjacent pastures (~1100 ha) in a crossover design for four weeks in each season/year. Animals were fitted with temperature loggers attached to blank CIDRs (Controlled Internal Drug Release device) devoid of hormones that recorded body temperature (BodyT), and GPS collars that recorded position and ambient temperature (CollarT). All sensor data were logged at 10 min intervals. A landscape thermal map (LandT) was developed from Landsat satellite imagery for habitat analysis using GPS locations chosen by individual collared cows, and air temperature (AirT) was recorded by a nearby weather station. Data were analyzed within four daytime segments: dawn (sunrise – 9AM); pre-noon (9AM – noon); post-noon (noon – 3PM); and dusk (3PM – sunset). ANOVA was used to determine whether BodyT, CollarT, LandT selection, or animal movement variables within each of the four daily segments differed (P < 0.05) for RC vs. AH cows. BodyT and CollarT increased as day progressed in both seasons. During summer, RC had lower BodyT and higher CollarT than AH (P < 0.05) during the hottest hours of the day. Increasing AirT throughout the day was associated with selection of cooler LandT in RC but not AH during summer. In winter, both breeds selected warmer landscape locations as the day progressed. Compared to AH, RC cows traveled farther, at higher velocities, and spent more time grazing and traveling and less time resting, with largest breed differences observed during the hottest hours of summer days. These results suggest that Raramuri Criollo cows exhibited higher thermotolerance than did AH. Elevated ambient summer temperatures in the Chihuahuan Desert appear to impose fewer constraints on heritage RC movement patterns compared to mainstream commercial AH cows.

Foraging behavior of Argentine Criollo and Angus cows grazing semi-desert rangelands in the Arid Gran Chaco region of Argentina. Oscar A. Herrera Conegliano, Lisandro J. Blanco, Santiago A. Utsumi, Andres F. Cibils, Maria G. Cendoya, Florencia Jaimes, Andres F. Moltoni, Patricia Ricci. November 2022.

Abstract: We monitored grazing behavior and habitat selection of Argentine Criollo (AC), South American heritage cattle breed, and Angus (AA) cows during summer and winter of 2016 (wetter year) and 2017 (drier year) at a site in La Rioja, Argentina. In each year and season, five AC and five AA cows were fitted with GPS collars configured to log animal position at 10-min intervals for 40 days. Movement, activity, and vegetation use patterns of each breed were derived from the GPS data. In summer, AC cows traveled similar daily distances, explored smaller (wetter year) or slightly larger (drier year) areas of the pasture, tended to move along more sinuous path trajectories, and showed stronger selection of the vegetation unit with higher forage quality and lowest woody cover compared to AA counterparts. AC cows allocated similar (wetter year) or more time to graze (drier year), allocated roughly the same amount of time to travel, and spent similar (wetter year) or less time resting (drier year) than AA cows. In winter, foraging behavior differences between breeds were only observed in the drier year. AC cows traveled farther and spent less time resting than AA counterparts that year. When comparing summer vs. winter movement patterns of each breed, AC cows showed an apparent greater ability to adapt to changing forage conditions (foraging plasticity) compared to AA counterparts which appeared to exhibit more rigid foraging patterns. Criollo cattle could be a tool to increase the resilience of Arid Chaco beef systems in the face of climate change. The rangeland conservation implications of raising Criollo vs. British beef cattle require further investigation.

Foraging behavior of Raramuri Criollo vs. Angus cattle grazing California Chaparral and Colorado Plateau shrublands. Danielle M. Duni, Matthew M. McIntosh, Shelemia Nyamuryekung’e, Andres F. Cibils, Michael C. Duniway, Richard E. Estell, Sheri A. Spiegal, Alfredo L. Gonzalez, Melakeneh G. Gedefaw, Matthew Redd, Robert Paulin, Caitriana M. Steele, Santiago A. Utsumi, Andres R. Perea. June 2023.

Abstract: Selecting livestock genetics adapted to arid environments, such as Criollo cattle, is one of several strategies recommended for decreasing the vulnerability to climate change of ranching in the southwestern USA. Our objective was to determine whether desirable foraging traits of Criollo cattle previously documented in the Chihuahuan Desert, held true in two of the most climate-vulnerable ecosystems of the Southwest. We conducted a study at Rancho Corta Madera (RCM) in southern California and Dugout Ranch (DR) in southeast Utah. Twenty mature cows, 10 Raramuri Criollo and 10 Red or Black Angus, were monitored with GPS collars during multiple seasons between 2018 and 2021. Geolocation data were used to compute daily distance traveled (km*d−1), movement velocity (m*min−1), path sinuosity (SI), time spent grazing, resting, or traveling (h*d−1), and area of the pasture explored (ha*d−1) as well as to calculate selection of vegetation cover types (E, Ivlev’s Electivity Index) by cows of each breed. The effects of breed, season, year, and pasture on each of these metrics were modeled with repeated measures analyses of variance. At both ranches, statistically detectable differences (P ≤ 0.05) between breeds were observed for most behavior metrics during the dormant season. Conversely, few breed differences were observed during the growing season. Criollo cattle exhibited greater relative preference for a number of shrub dominated vegetation types at both ranches, and similar relative selection of grassland dominated sites compared to Angus counterparts. At both ranches, Criollo cattle exhibited similar or less relative preference for riparian areas vs. Angus counterparts. Breed divergence vs. convergence of foraging behaviors during the dormant vs. growing seasons, previously observed in the Chihuahuan Desert, was documented at both sites. Positive system outcomes associated with foraging traits of Criollo cattle could be expected to occur more broadly across the Southwest.

Foraging behavior of Raramuri Criollo vs. commercial crossbred cows on rangelands of the southwestern United States and Northern Mexico. Octavio Roacho Estrada, Felipe A. Rodríguez Almeida, Santiago A. Utsumi, Ed L. Fredrickson, Gerardo A. Bezanilla Enriquez, Andres F. Cibils, Rick E. Estell, Alfredo L. Gonzalez. May 2023.

Abstract: Matching livestock genetics to climatically variable and nutritionally challenging environments is critical to the success of livestock ranching in the Southwest US, Northern Mexico, and arid rangelands elsewhere. We compared foraging behavior patterns of Raramuri Criollo (a heritage breed) and British beef cows at the Jornada Experimental Range (JER) in southern New Mexico, USA, and Rancho Experimental Teseachi (RET) in central Chihuahua, Mexico, during spring and fall of 2005. The study design comprised four animal monitoring weeks per site and season and each animal monitoring period consisted of four replicates, each of which included a set of six mature cows per breed equipped with a GPS tracking collar. GPS-derived movement, activity, and vegetation use variables were analyzed by sets of mixed models considering the fixed effects of breed, site, season, and all interactions (significance; P < 0.05). Compared to the British cows, Raramuri Criollo counterparts traveled further and grazed across larger areas of flat desert rangeland at JER and explored and grazed higher elevation rangelands with steeper slopes at RET. Breed differences were greatest when forages were dormant or scarce. Similarly, habitat use differed by vegetation class and breed with British cows spending more time in open grassland areas dominated by palatable herbaceous plants at JER and RET. Breed differences observed in this study likely reflected the outcomes of natural (Criollo) vs. artificial (British) selection pressure through time. Foraging behavior traits observed in Raramuri Criollo cows could be critical for adaptation of cow-calf production systems of the region to increasingly variable foraging environments caused by climate change.

Movement, activity, and landscape use patterns of heritage and commercial beef cows grazing Chihuahuan Desert rangeland. Shelemia Nyamuryekung’e, Andres F. Cibils, Richard E. Estell, Dawn VanLeeuwen, Sheri Spiegal, Caitriana Steele, Alfredo L. Gonzalez, Matthew M. McIntosh, Qixu Gong, Huiping Cao. April 2022.

Abstract: The objective of this study was to compare foraging behavior of mature Raramuri Criollo (RC, heritage breed) and Angus Hereford crossbred (AH, commercial breed) cows grazing Chihuahuan Desert rangeland during summer and winter in three consecutive years. Movement, activity, and spatial distribution variables were calculated from 10-min interval GPS positions of 5–11 randomly selected cows of each breed. Thirteen pasture pixel attributes were used to analyze grazing utilization and selection patterns of both breeds. Statistical mixed models were used to determine the effects of breed and season on all foraging response variables. Spatial regression analysis was used to examine resource utilization. Compared to AH, RC cows traveled farther at higher velocity rates, spent less time resting, more time grazing and traveling, explored larger areas as individuals, and exhibited lower herd cohesion. The RC herd explored more grazing patches (30-m pixel) overall and exhibited lower patch residence times in winter, a foraging strategy linked with lighter environmental footprint. During summer, similar pixel variables explained re-visitation rates of cows of both breeds. Both breeds avoided areas far from water, but RC cows showed higher avoidance of pixels farther out from a drinker during the dormant season. RC cows appeared to exhibit a keener ability to select patches with differing surface temperature, and greenness compared to AH counterparts. RC cows showed higher preference for pixels with high shrub density than AH counterparts in summer. During the dormant season, AH cows exhibited a strong preference for black grama patches, a species with high ecological value, and higher avoidance of patches with high density of other grasses. Differences in foraging behavior documented in this study support the hypothesis that RC cattle could impose a lighter footprint on desert rangeland relative to commonly raised commercial beef cattle.

Diet selection of Raramuri Criollo and Angus x Hereford crossbred cattle in the Chihuahuan Desert. Rick E. Estell, Shelemia Nyamuryekung’e, Darren K. James, Sheri Spiegal, Andres F. Cibils, Alfredo L. Gonzalez, Matthew M. McIntosh, Kirsten Romig. October 2022.

Abstract: Strategies to help producers cope with unpredictable forage production associated with low and variable precipitation patterns on arid rangelands are needed, particularly if global warming trends continue as projected. One option is to identify cattle biotypes compatible with less productive shrubby landscapes. One such biotype is the Raramuri Criollo (RC) from the Copper Canyon of northern Mexico. This small-framed animal exhibits travelling behaviors that allow it to exploit vegetation at a greater distance from water, although it is unknown whether RC have dietary preferences that differ from European breeds typically raised in the southwestern U.S.A. We examined diet selection of RC vs. desert adapted Angus x Hereford (AH) crossbreds typical of the region using DNA metabarcoding to determine the proportion of plant species in fecal samples. Fecal samples were collected from 10 cows of each breed in two adjacent pastures during two seasons (growing and dormancy; four weeks per season) for three consecutive years. Dominant plant species in fecal samples of both cattle breeds were Atriplex canescens (four-wing saltbush), Hoffmannseggia glauca (hog potato), Hopia obtusa (vine mesquite), Setaria leucopila (plains bristlegrass), Sporobolus spp. (S. contractus, S. flexuosus, and S. giganteus), Pleuraphis mutica (tobosa), and Bouteloua eriopoda (black grama), which is consistent with previous studies in the region using different techniques for assessing dietary plant composition of other breeds of cattle. Only a few differences were detected between breeds. Compared to AH, fecal samples from RC tended to contain a higher proportion of mesquite and Yucca spp. (P < 0.07) and less Ephedra spp. (P < 0.06). The only grass species that differed between breeds was black grama (P < 0.05), with AH fecal samples containing about twice as much as RC cows (∼8% vs. 4%). This finding could have important implications for conservation of black grama in the Chihuahuan Desert.

Economics of Raramuri Criollo and British crossbred cattle production in the Chihuahuan desert: Effects of foraging distribution and finishing strategy. Gregory L. Torell, L. Allen Torell, Joy Enyinnaya, Sheri Spiegal, Rick E. Estell, Andres F. Cibils, Dean M Anderson, Alfredo L. Gonzalez. April 2023.

Abstract: Significant challenges for raising beef cattle exist in the arid and semi-arid regions of the United States. Limited forage availability and small profit margins are among the greatest concerns in Western U.S. ranching operations. One potential option for ranchers in these regions is using alternative cattle genetics, such as Raramuri Criollo (RC), a Mexican heritage biotype of cattle brought to the Americas by Spanish Conquistadors. Previous research has shown that compared to commercial beef breeds, RC cattle exhibit behavior traits that result in foraging patterns that could reduce the environmental footprint of rangeland animal agriculture. We investigated the profitability of raising this biotype in an alternative production system (grass finishing) in the Chihuahuan Desert by producing enterprise budgets for a herd of RC cattle on the Jornada Experimental Range. Results show that RC cattle have lower operating and overhead costs when compared to Angus x Hereford (AxH) crossbred cattle. This reduction in costs allowed the RC cattle operation to have greater net returns to land and risk when compared to an AxH cattle operation in the same location. Raising RC cattle could be a means of strengthening the economic sustainability of desert beef cattle ranching in the United States.

Adapting to climate change on desert rangelands: A multi-site comparison of grazing behavior plasticity of heritage and improved beef cattle. Andres F. Cibils, Rick E. Estell, Sheri Spiegal, Shelemia Nyamuryekung’e, Matthew M. McIntosh, Danielle M. Duni, Oscar A. Herrera Conegliano, Felipe A. Rodriguez Almeida, Octavio Roacho Estrada, Lisandro J. Blanco, Michael C. Duniway, Santiago A. Utsumi, Alfredo L. Gonzalez. February 2023.

Abstract: Climate change is amplifying the spatiotemporal heterogeneity of desert rangeland forages through its impact on precipitation variability. Foraging behavior plasticity (an animal’s ability to alter its behavior to cope with environmental variation) could be a key trait for climate adaptation of beef cattle in arid environments. We analyzed GPS-derived movement and activity data of Criollo and commercial beef cattle from eight studies conducted at sites in North and South America to determine whether seasonal and year-to-year behavior plasticity varied significantly between breeds. We calculated dormant/brown season or driest year percent change in foraging behavior relative to growing/green season or wettest year. Compared to commercial beef breeds, Criollo cattle exhibited significantly greater seasonal adjustment in daily distance traveled (20% increase vs. 2% decrease, P ≤ 0.02) and daily grazing effort (25% vs. 1.5% increase, P = 0.01) during the dormant/brown vs. growing/green season. Increase in daily area explored during the dormant/brown season was almost three times greater in Criollo vs. commercial beef cattle (P = 0.09). Seasonal adjustment in daily time spent grazing was similar for Criollo and commercial beef breeds. Increase in daily area explored during the dormant/brown season of dry vs. wet years was three times greater for Criollo vs. commercial beef breeds (P = 0.03). Criollo cattle tended (P = 0.09) to exhibit greater behavior adjustment than commercial beef counterparts in daily distance traveled during the dormant/brown season of dry vs. wet years (22% vs. 4% increase, respectively). No breed differences in adjustment of time spent grazing (P = 0.36) or grazing effort (P = 0.20) during dormant/brown season of dry vs. wet years were observed. Dry vs. wet year grazing behavior adjustments during the growing/green season were similar for both breeds. Grazing behavior plasticity observed in Criollo cows could be a critical trait for desert beef herds in the face of increasingly variable rainfall patterns occurring as a result of climate change.

Matching beef cattle breeds to the environment for desired outcomes in a changing climate: A systematic review. Matthew M. McIntosh, Sheri A. Spiegal, Stacia Z. McIntosh, José Castaño Sanchez, Richard E. Estell, Caitriana M. Steele, Emile H. Elias, Derek W. Bailey, Joel R. Brown, Andrés F. Cibils. April 2023.

Abstract: Cattle graze approximately 30% of global land, making their interactions with Earth’s social and ecological systems of critical importance. Cattle have experienced a long process of evolution and domestication. Certain breeds are more adapted to specific environments, differentially affecting those breeds’ impact on the environment, their interaction with ecosystems experiencing climate change impacts, and their capacity to provide goods and landscape management services. Emerging evidence suggests that, compared to more artificially selected conventional breeds, some less specialized, or ‘heritage’ beef cattle breeds exhibit unique foraging behaviors that could support desired outcomes such as biodiversity or climate change adaptation. We provide a novel, systematic characterization of breed-based behavioral differences to assist researchers and beef producers in selecting breed-based management strategies for achieving adaptation goals. We conducted a systematic search of studies that compared beef cattle breeds for behavioral trends, and found 54 studies conducted between 1966 and present day, located in 9 of the 14 major terrestrial world biomes, with 60 beef or dual-purpose breeds represented. We created a typology of the studies with respect to decade, continent, breed provenance (Continental, Criollo, Hybrid, B. indicus, Mediterranean, Sanga, British Isles), breed selection intensity (heritage, conventional, hybrid), biome, study intent, and whether breeds met desired outcomes described by the study authors. Most studies (69%) were conducted in arid rangeland settings in developed nations where researchers sought to minimize the environmental impacts of beef production. In comparisons of grazing behavior of heritage versus conventional types (n = 25 studies), and hybrid versus conventional types (n = 18 studies), heritage and hybrid displayed more adapted traits (e.g., better grazing distribution) in 88% and 78% of the studies, respectively. No differences were found in grazing behaviors among most studies wherein heritage breeds were compared to other heritage breeds or conventional with conventional (n = 6 and 15 studies, respectively). In the subset of studies coded with the intent of “foraging behavior,” heritage types traveled faster across a range of pasture sizes, suggesting a lighter environmental footprint and adaptive capacity to heat impacts. Overall, our review suggests that locally derived breeds display grazing behaviors that demonstrate adaptation to their respective native environments and may help producers meet production goals in similar environments. We conclude that breeds with more natural selection tend to exhibit less rigid grazing behaviors, which is a necessary coping strategy in variable climates and locales with heterogeneous forage availability, both of which are increasingly common scenarios caused by climate change.