Florida Cracker cattle
Encyclopedia
The Florida Cracker is a breed of cattle
developed in the state of Florida
, and named for the Florida Cracker
culture in which it was kept. Also known as the Florida Scrub or just as the Cracker cow, these cattle are one of the criollo
-type breeds originally brought to the Southern U.S. by the Spanish Conquistadors. The breed is very closely related to the Pineywoods cattle breed, but purebred Crackers have not been crossbred with any English breeds like the Pineywoods has in the past. Other related breeds include the Corriente
and Texas Longhorn
.
Florida Crackers are one of the oldest and rarest breeds of cattle in United States. Descended from Spanish stock imported to the continent in the 16th century, Florida Crackers are a small, horned breed that quickly adapted to the Florida landscape and have long been prized for their resistance to parasites and other hardy traits. They weigh generally under 900 pounds (400 kg), come in many colors, and are horned in both cows and bulls.
After 1949 the combination of new laws about free-roaming livestock and the introduction of larger beef breeds led to the rapid decline of the Florida Cracker. Despite the continued work of the Florida state government and a breed association, the breed is still listed as critically endangered by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy
, and is listed on Slow Food USA's Ark of Taste
.
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
developed in the state of Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, and named for the Florida Cracker
Florida cracker
Florida cracker refers to original colonial-era English and American pioneer settlers of what is now the U.S. state of Florida, and their descendants. The first Florida crackers arrived in 1763 when Spain traded Florida to Great Britain...
culture in which it was kept. Also known as the Florida Scrub or just as the Cracker cow, these cattle are one of the criollo
Criollo cattle
Criollo is a group of cattle breeds descended from Spanish stock imported to the Americas, including:* the Argentine Criollo* the Corriente cattle* the Florida cracker cattle* the Pineywoods cattle* the Romosinuano cattle* the Texas Longhorn cattle...
-type breeds originally brought to the Southern U.S. by the Spanish Conquistadors. The breed is very closely related to the Pineywoods cattle breed, but purebred Crackers have not been crossbred with any English breeds like the Pineywoods has in the past. Other related breeds include the Corriente
Corriente cattle
Corriente cattle are a breed of cattle descended from Spanish animals brought to the Americas in the late 15th century. They are primarily used today as sport cattle for rodeo events such as team roping and bulldogging...
and Texas Longhorn
Texas longhorn (cattle)
The Texas Longhorn is a breed of cattle known for its characteristic horns, which can extend to tip to tip for steers and exceptional cows, and tip to tip for bulls. Horns can have a slight upward turn at their tips or even triple twist. Texas Longhorns are known for their diverse coloring...
.
Florida Crackers are one of the oldest and rarest breeds of cattle in United States. Descended from Spanish stock imported to the continent in the 16th century, Florida Crackers are a small, horned breed that quickly adapted to the Florida landscape and have long been prized for their resistance to parasites and other hardy traits. They weigh generally under 900 pounds (400 kg), come in many colors, and are horned in both cows and bulls.
After 1949 the combination of new laws about free-roaming livestock and the introduction of larger beef breeds led to the rapid decline of the Florida Cracker. Despite the continued work of the Florida state government and a breed association, the breed is still listed as critically endangered by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy
American Livestock Breeds Conservancy
The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy is a nonprofit organization focused on preserving and promoting genetic diversity among rare breeds of livestock...
, and is listed on Slow Food USA's Ark of Taste
Ark of Taste
The Ark of Taste is an international catalogue of heritage foods in danger of extinction which is maintained by the global Slow Food movement. The Ark is designed to preserve at-risk foods that are sustainably produced, unique in taste, and part of a distinct ecoregion...
.