Did humans create cows?

[mtngirl79]

There are actually wild cattle. Bring an invasive species into an area with no predators and bingo, you can hunt cows in Hawaii.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaiian_wild_cattle

Feral cattle.

[iceman]

Feral cattle.

Hey that's my old band's name.

[Dexter Rutecki]

Wow. Free steak.

[leroy jenkins]

All I know is 'hunting cattle' sounds like it should be a euphemism for something.

[Tippster]

There are still some sub-genuses of wild cattle - the Gaur and the Wild Yak, eg. Bison are also members of the Bos genus. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bos

[iceman]

oh wait, that's not right

[stuckathuntermtn]

To the OP, yes humans did create cows by selective breeding and domestication. Likely from a wild auroch like bovid. as they have done with sheep, goats
, pigeons, pigs and a host of other species.

While the current hypothesis on dog domestication is as Leroy discribes, it is mostly speculation, and probably only partly true. Humans managed to domesticate dozens of species with the "hanging around humans" effect. It is just as likely dogs were domesticated as a food source, but found to have other useful purposes.

Animals that don't taste good get names and cute little sweaters.

[Tippster]

oh wait, that's not right

Bwaaaaaa.....

[leroy jenkins]

Oh, and while humans did eat early dogs, and use them as pack animals, remember, there were things like 9 foot tall (at the shoulder, on all fours) bears running around at sustained speeds of 40+mph, as well as all sorts of other nightmarish creatures. All of human civilization has flourished in the brief geologic blink of an eye after these creatures went extinct, and we did not really flourish until they did.

There is every reason to think that the combination of the alert nature of a wolf/primitive dog, and human's ability to use projectiles such as spears or even rocks, and both species ability to work as a pack for common goals, was THE thing that kept humans safe from the monsters that roamed free only a moment ago. That, and living together in numbers. Also, human populations seem to have taken off a bit while these megafaunal creatures were still running around, food was plentiful of course, but humans didn't start developing technology and really advancing until after most of these creatures died out naturally. It was cooperation with canines that gave us the edge and safety needed to start the larger tribes and settlements that were the genesis for civilization.

[mtngirl79]

Wonder how they selected who would milk the first wild ox/cow?
"See that big critter over there? Go over and squeeze those long things back by her butt."

This must have happened around the time that the mutation that allowed adult humans to digest milk... this mutation was then obviously selected for as milk drinkers were healthier and stronger and better suited to survive famine and drought with the additional source of nutrition/hydration. No matter what vegans want you to believe, the milk drinkers then had more sex/babies than the non milk drinkers... so maybe cows made humans?

[Arno]

The reality is that some smart wolves decided that hunting big animals and getting trampled and gored and whatnot basically sucked, so they looked around for an alternative food source and decided on us. Then they set about domesticating us, gradually improving us to the point where we will feed them daily, give them shelter, take them to the doctor when necessary and even knit them little sweaters for when its chilly, all without having to do shit except sometimes run around in fields chasing sheep (which they wanted to do anyways) or barking at people or other animals that threaten their food source, i.e. us. It's been a long process but those early dog scientists have succeeded beyond their wildest imagination.

And walk behind them picking up their poop for them

[GeezerSteve]

There are still some sub-genuses of wild cattle - the Gaur and the Wild Yak, eg. Bison are also members of the Bos genus. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bos

Yes, but only when the term "cattle" is used to describe the genus that includes wild ox, gaur, wild yak, etc., But the term "cow" in common everyday usage -- which is the subject of this thread -- refers a single species: cattle aka Bos taurus. That is, when OP asks "did humans create cows?," OP refers to a single species, cattle aka Bos taurus, and not to all species in the Bos genus. Kinda like talking about jaguars, pumas, bobcat, tigers, lions, etc. -- all of which are of the genus Felis and are called "cats" -- in a thread re what cat food to feed your house cat.

[Adolf Allerbush]

Oh, and while humans did eat early dogs...

This just in, humans still eat dogs. See China and Korea for examples.

[neckdeep]

There are already attempts underway to bring back the auroch.

http://www.salon.com/2015/05/24/how_...ate_an_auroch/

[bodywhomper]

re: hunting cows in HI, do hunters use dog and knife tech like they do for boar?

This must have happened around the time that the mutation that allowed adult humans to digest milk...

was it believed that the ability to digest milk "left" humans as they aged? how do people know this?

[PNWbrit]

The Googling in this thread is reaching new levels of manic.

[iceman]

Yeah Wiki central for sure.

[iceman]

And walk behind them picking up their poop for them

Personally I think our doggie overlords have gone a bit too far with that one, but at least they're not rubbing our noses in it so far.

[PNWbrit]

But it's good that Dex is keeping Profane's random brain fart of the day thread shtick ticking along while he's getting some much needed R&R in Italy though.

[mtngirl79]

re: hunting cows in HI, do hunters use dog and knife tech like they do for boar?


was it believed that the ability to digest milk "left" humans as they aged? how do people know this?

Didn't you take biology 101? Most mammals lose the ability to digest milk as an adult. Their tummies stop producing the enzyme required.

There us a gene in humans (a mutation) that makes people continue to have the enzyme through adulthood. This is why lactose intolerant people can take a pill and eat dairy. And why lactose intolerant is different from allergic.

I thought this was common knowledge. It's basic evolution.

[I've seen black diamonds!]

How'd that work out for them?

Hey, they invented writing and the wheel. Two out of three ain't bad.

[bodywhomper]

Didn't you take biology 101? Most mammals lose the ability to digest milk as an adult. Their tummies stop producing the enzyme required.

There us a gene in humans (a mutation) that makes people continue to have the enzyme through adulthood. This is why lactose intolerant people can take a pill and eat dairy. And why lactose intolerant is different from allergic.

I thought this was common knowledge. It's basic evolution.

i understand the concepts of evolution and selection. I also understand that the ability to digest milk in humans in more complex than the extent that a human gene is expressed. Perhaps this was not clearly discussed in biology 101. (my school education included bio 101)

The "basic evolution" becomes more complex when considering co-evolution of the human genome (or the genome of any mammal) and the microbial genome found in humans (and other mammals). Science-based understanding of the interplay between human (and other mammal) and mammalian microbe gene expressions and enzyme productions is in its infancy. Milk digestion of humans is one good example of where the science-based understanding is young. Also, throw into the mix, the microbial and lack of microbial found in milk and things become even less clear.

[I've seen black diamonds!]

I digest the fuck out of milk and, especially, cheese. So does my dog. Take that science!

[riser4]

Neither one of you is going to shit for a whole week.

[Conundrum]

No, not quite. See above. Wolves and dogs are the same species.

Those are feral cattle aka Bos taurus, the same species as domestic cattle, i.e., it's a feral population of a domestic species, but not a wild species.

Cattle aka Bos taurus

No shit. The wolves that hung around humans were, well, wolves aka Canus lupus. Dogs and wolves are still the same species, Canus lupus. By contrast, cattle are a species distinct from any wild species. The current theory is that all cattle are descendants of a small group of wild ox that were domesticated by humans 10,000+ years ago.

Feral cattle.

So wolves were hanging out with humans and we get dogs (same canus lupus) and we still have wolves living in the wild so they are considered wild. We have ox apparently hanging out with humans and they evolve into cows that some are released on an island and live in the wild and are considered feral (considered same species of bos taurus).

http://www.blm.gov/id/st/en/prog/wild_horses_.html

We have wild horses (equus caballus) that are feral (lives in the wild but descended from a domesticated animal) and are considered wild. There are also what are known as wild burros (equus asinus) which are called wild but probably are feral.

http://modernfarmer.com/2014/09/dang...cattle-hawaii/

The wild cows behave differently than domesticated cattle but are feral. Why do the horses and burros get to be wild? Why all the cow bigotry?