How Extensively Did Early Farmers Utilize Europe’s Rich Forests For Raising Their Livestock?

Conny Waters - AncientPages.com - In the sixth millennium BC, early farmers in Central Europe swiftly spread across diverse forested landscapes.

A model of LBK cattle herding and diet with reference to stable isotopes. Credit: Nature Ecology & Evolution (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41559-024-02553-y

These environments provided essential resources, such as mineral-rich animal feed and shelter. This raises an important question: how extensively did these early agricultural communities utilize forests for raising their livestock?

A study published in Nature Ecology and Evolution compellingly highlights the groundbreaking practices of Central Europe's early cheese makers.

This research provides fascinating insights into their innovative techniques, demonstrating how these pioneers laid the foundation for modern cheese-making methods.

Researchers from the German Archaeological Institute in Berlin, the University of Bristol, the Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle in Paris, and Kiel University have conducted an extensive study involving over 2,000 stable isotopic measurements of cattle teeth, bones, and pottery fats.

Their findings shed light on how early farmers adapted their cattle herding techniques to thrive within the lush forested landscapes of Central Europe.

The study, conducted by Dr. Rosalind Gillis from the German Archaeological Institute in Berlin, sheds light on an interesting early agricultural practice.

This practice involved feeding cattle with leaves gathered from trees during the summer months to nourish them throughout the winter. This method not only improved the health of female cows but also notably boosted milk production and increased calf births outside of the typical late spring birthing season.

As a result, pioneer communities were able to access milk even during the winter months.

This approach not only enhanced the health of female cows but also significantly increased milk production and allowed for calf births beyond the usual late spring season. Consequently, pioneer communities benefited from a steady supply of milk even during the colder months, reflecting a thoughtful adaptation to environmental challenges and resource availability.

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Written by Conny Waters - AncientPages.com Staff Writer