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Pineywoods cow (Diamondlady) with calf at
side
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Pineywoods Cattle History & Breed Classification:
The Spanish first brought this small, but hardy breed of cattle
to the New World during the 1500's. In time, these Spanish cattle
acquired different names from the localities where they were concentrated,
such as Mississippi, Florida, and Texas. One breed is called Pineywoods
due to their location, the Pineywoods of southern Mississippi. The
Pineywoods cattle resemble the related Texas Longhorn and Florida
Cracker cattle in color.
Early settlers and Native Americans used the cattle for oxen, meat,
milk, hides, and a trading commodity. Pineywoods cattle numbers
started to decline in the late 1800's and early 1900's as improved
English and European cattle were brought into the southeastern United
States. During the early 1800's 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 1830's. Many people and livestock were lost due to the harsh
traveling conditions and therefore never set foot on what is now
known as Oklahoma. So, the majority of Spanish type livestock were
introduced to Oklahoma prior to the 1830's.
As the overall popularity and abundance of Pineywoods declined,
only a few families continued to keep purebred herds. As time passed,
these herds became isolated from one another to the point that each
herd has become a unique and self-contained strain. The strains
are named after the families that preserved them such as the Holt
in Georgia, Barnes in Alabama, and Conway, Bayliss and Carter in
Mississippi. Some of the family strains have been selected for specific
colors or patterns. For example, Conway cattle are red/white in
various patterns; Holt cattle are nearly all black/white spotted
to roans; while the Griffin strain tend to be yellow.
Pineywoods cattle (Carter strain):
The cattle on the Overstreet-Kerr Historical Farm are of the Carter
strain. These Pineywoods are purebred descendants of the Spanish
cattle of the 1500's, preserved by the Carter family of Mississippi.
The Carter strain began to be developed in 1850, by William Carter
of Perry County, MS. No outside genetics have been introduced to
the herd since 1895.
Charles Carter of Petal, MS, obtained his first strain of Pineywoods
cattle from his grandfather, Print (son of William), in 1934 at
two years of age. The Carter family owned a dairy and selected their
cattle for milk production. After 1942, which marked the end of
their dairy business, using the same strain of cattle, they began
selecting stock for beef quality.
Overstreet-Kerr Historical Farm has 20 mature cows, 6 yearlings
heifers, 17 calves, and 1 herd sire of the Carter strain, for a
total of 44 head. The nearly extinct Pineywoods cattle are listed
on the "critical" list by the American
Livestock Breeds Conservancy (ALBC). The conservancy’s
definition of critical is fewer than 200 North American annual registrations
and an estimate of fewer than 2,000 global population. Less than
1000 head of pure stock, but not necessarily registered, have been
located by the Pineywoods cattle registry.
Description: The Pineywoods cattle have been developed
largely through natural selection. They are generally red, brown,
or occasionally black and white, spotted, or speckled. Compared
to the Texas Longhorn, the horns of the Pineywoods cattle are small
to medium in length and tend to curve inward or upward. Mature weight
ranges from 600-1000 pounds, occasionally larger depending on the
environment. The smaller structure and horn size has been retained
to meet the needs of farmers and loggers of southern Mississippi.
The Pineywoods cattle are noted for their ability to survive and
reproduce under the often-harsh conditions of the South, withstanding
internal and external parasites, high temperatures, high humidity,
and low quality forage. They are very self-sufficient due to their
varied foraging habits, low birth weights, gentle disposition and
hardiness. The Carter strain is noted for its excellent mammary
system, reproduction, longevity, docility, self-sufficiency and
calving ease.
For more information on Pineywoods cattle at the Kerr Center,
see:
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| Rhode Island Red rooster. |
Rhode Island Red Chickens
Appearance
The rich, reddish-black plumage and
red comb, either single or rose of the “Old-Type” Rhode
Island Red chicken is an iconic symbol of American agriculture.
Their eyes are red-orange and they have yellow feet, with redish-brown
beaks. Chicks are a light red to tan color with two dark brown
bars running down their backs. They are generally good pets to
keep and safe around children. They can happily be kept in a run.
History
The bird was originally developed in both Massachusetts and Rhode
Island in the 1880s and 1890s, respectively, and its ancestors
include the Malay, Shanghai, Java, and Brown Leghorn chickens.
The single combed variety was admitted to the American Poultry
Association's Standard of Perfection in 1904 and the rose-combed
birds were accepted a year later in 1905.
Characteristics
Rhode Island Reds are tough birds,
resistant to illness, good at foraging and free ranging, and are
typically docile, quiet and friendly, though males can be considerably
aggressive. They are widely known as good layers through cold periods,
but if the coop temperature drops below freezing their output drops
considerably and the tips of their combs become very susceptible
to frostbite. The
comb of the Rare Rose Comb Rhode Island Red is less susceptible
to frostbite.
Eggs
Rhode Island Reds are excellent egg layers. Although they
can sometimes be stubborn, they can end up producing up to 250
to 300 large, light brown eggs per year. When free ranged, their
first-year eggs can be too large to fit comfortably in a standard
egg carton.
Rhode Island Reds are also bred for meat, with roosters weighing
in at 8-1/2 pounds, the hens slightly less, at 6-1/2 pounds, cockerels
at 7-1/2 pounds, and pullets at 5-1/2 pounds.
 Choctaw
Pony (Spanish Mustang)
The Spanish Mustang was brought to America by the Spanish Conquistadors
in the 15th and 16th century. By the 18th century, this tough, intelligent,
beautiful horse had been acquired by the Indians and was being used
to improve their daily lives.
The horse transformed the buffalo-hunting culture of the Plains
Indians in particular, but even tribes such as the Choctaw, who
were agriculturists, put the animals to good use. The Choctaw Indians
whose homeland was centered in Mississippi used a small strain of
the Spanish horse that became known as the Choctaw Pony, which measures
between 13.2 to 14.2 hands. Obtaining food became easier and transportation
was greatly assisted since these horses make great pack animals.
Among the Choctaws, these ponies determined wealth, prestige, glory,
and honor. They were also used like money to barter for other goods.
Many members of the Choctaw Indian tribes were forcibly removed
from Mississippi in the early 1800's. Before their removal, many
Choctaws had already gathered their livestock and left Mississippi
for the new promised land, known today as Oklahoma.
In the 1970's, the distinct breed of Choctaw ponies began to face
extinction. Many ponies had been sold or crossbred with other breeds.
With thanks to the late Gilbert Jones, and Bryant and Darlene Rickman
of southeastern Oklahoma, several small pure herds are being preserved
for their size, stamina, and disposition.
The Overstreet-Kerr Historical Farm entered into a program to help
preserve the Choctaw pony in December of 2002. Dr. Phillip Sponenberg,
DVM, PhD, of Blacksburg, Virginia, The American
Livestock Breeds Conservancy, of Pittsboro, North Carolina,
and Bryant and Darlene Rickman of Soper, Oklahoma have assisted
us with the selection of brood stock to meet the needs of our educational
and preservation program.
For more information on the Overstreet-Kerr Historical Farm's
Choctaw ponies, see the spring 2009 issue of Field
Notes.
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