The use of heritage cattle breed as an adaptation stratgey to solving new challenges imposed by climate change

Authors: NYAMURYEKUNG'E, SHELEMIA - New Mexico State University; CIBILS, ANDRES - New Mexico State University; Estell, Richard - Rick; UTSUMI, S - New Mexico State University; MCINTOSH, MATT - New Mexico State University; Spiegal, Sheri

Submitted to: Meeting Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/11/2022
Publication Date: 6/15/2023
Citation: Nyamuryekung'E, S., Cibils, A.F., Estell, R.E., Utsumi, S.A., McIntosh, M.M., Spiegal, S.A. 2022. The use of heritage cattle breed as an adaptation stratgey to solving new challenges imposed by climate change. Meeting Proceedings. Proceedings.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The study’s objective involves a compilation of four publications comparing conventional (Angus X Hereford; AH) vs. heritage (Raramuri Criollo; RC) breeds foraging habits, heat tolerance, and cow-calf interactions using telemetry devices under the context of a future mitigation strategy of climate change. AH and RC cows grazed separately in two adjacent pastures in a crossover design during summer and winter for three consecutive years. Rectal fecal samples were collected twice in each cow’s deployment to analyze diet composition. A subgroup of individuals in each herd was fitted with sensors to track their location (GPS collars), body temperature (iButton loggers), and cow-calf contact events (Proximity loggers). RC cows traveled farther, spent less time resting, more time grazing, and explored larger areas than their AH counterparts. RC cows showed a higher preference for patches with high shrub density and avoided areas with a high density of black grama during winter, consistent with the fDNA analysis on diet composition. During summer, RC cows maintained a lower body temperature than their AH counterparts, providing additional evidence for the differences observed in foraging patterns. RC calves appeared to impose fewer constraints on their dams’ movement and activity patterns. Nursing RC dams covered a daily grazing area almost three times larger than their AH counterparts. Differences in foraging strategies documented in this study provide support for the hypothesis that Raramuri Criollo (heritage breed) cattle are better equipped to cope with hotter and drier climates and better able to use forage resources that are becoming increasingly variable in space and time.