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DOMESTICATION OF CATTLE
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Background of the study
Domestication of cattle began in the 9th millennium BC in Asia, South West in particular. The practice was later on introduced in Europe at some point in the Neolithic revolution. Conversely, the shortage of information from the initial domesticated cattle continues to hinder the accurate renovation of their demography earlier on. The co-evolutionary process is, however, ongoing, and domestication is more of a procedure than an invention. A variety of recent animal genetics as well as zoo-archaeology, have made prompts of adequate revision of humans’ perspectives in relation to the history of domesticated animals, especially in the African continent. According to the genetic analyses of species in domestic animals, household donkeys originate from African ancestors. This revealed the possibility of the origin of domestic cat and dogs as exogenous. The mapping of unique traits in association with genetic diversity studies in African cattle, pigs, chicken, and goats, reveal adjustment to regional environmental confrontations and offer suggestions to complex interactions among Africans and other regions.
Introduction
A frequent question asked for zoo archeologists by laypersons is the reason as to why African people never domesticated any of the wild animals. In relation to this, however, a response can be given that genetic evidence shows implicit assumptions which repay additional attention.

To begin with, it gives an implication that the process is a milestone of human development that perhaps Africans never passed through. Contrary to Africans, other groups that dealt with both or either animal and crop domestication may have done so earlier on. The 19th-century claims may win support from few archeologists, which has to it that the intellectual progress accrued to people can be further diagnosed from the technology they rely on. The privileges of oldest incidences continue as a leitmotif in the research on archeology, coincides with the rhetoric that thrives in financing both mass media and agencies in occurrences where ‘advancement’ is still distinguished by inventors. In consideration of the fact that domestication is viewed as more of an invention than a continuous process, it is presumed that each animal is an equally domestic able ‘raw material’. This is in line with not only their behavioral but also physiological diversity and the interaction with human exploitation. In an attempt to increase human control in terms of behavioral and corporeal traits, taming of animals individually may be a crucial and initial step. Nevertheless, this alone cannot necessarily generate lasting evolutionary effects. In Ancient Egypt for example, art portrays apes picking fruits for their supervisors, and gazelles disciplined enough to follow instructions from a halter. Despite this though, none of the animals left any progeny divergent in behavior from their wild nature. Other than demands of mutuality relationship between human beings and animals, some other domestication demands may have arisen from the friendly nature of certain animals. In all cases of domestication, the operation is usually carried out at the level of the animal-human population engaged behaviorally. The species that endured human proximity not only prospered but also bred under the management of human care and finally became domesticated.
Domestication as a co-evolutionary practice
In terms of reproductive success, humans and the cattle, they keep living in a symbiotic connection of mutualism because they benefit from each other especially on the reproductive success. A co-evolution domestication form occurs from both selections operating in the environment which is to a large extent structured by people, and intentional human intervention in the species reproduction. Alterations in behavior occur between animals and human beings in relation to each other. In some instances, the frequency of human genes changes according to the mutation for lactase persistence which enhances digestion of milk into adulthood. The highest occurrences of the Eurasian transmutation for lactase perseverance geographically coincide with peaks in alleles that favor raise in the production of milk protein among cows. This gives a clear reflection of a selection of beneficial mutations in both species in terms of dairying. Other genetic mutations have recently been defined in various populations parallel to the European case.
In view of ‘unconscious selection’, the idea of domestication is taken to be a singular act that exposes animals to predators and mate choices which go hand in hand with environmental situations. A variety of cattle is domesticated for beneficial reasons, such as milk, horns, skin, and meat amongst many other reasons. The man has a role to play in the creation of habitats for cattle because as changes occur in terms of the environment, they may opt to migrate to better places or regions in case wherever they reside does not favor them.
Domestication criteria
It is not possible that all animals can be domesticated and still not in the same conditions or habitats. Therefore, it is clear that certain measures should be put into consideration before the process is carried out. It is sufficient, however, to say that human beings must have a need or desire that is recognized in the sense that often theorizing on shifts in subsistence activities, assumes that everyone will adapt to cultural traits. Certain criteria should, therefore, be used for domestication to be effective;
• Man must manage the number of cattle to meet his or her desires or needs as it is a core factor in cattle domestication
• To a greater or lesser extent, man must be involved in the selection of breeding persons from the population he is in control of.
• Human beings must have a recognized desire that can be met by not only breeding and controlling but also protecting animals.
• The person in control must have a devotion to a clear extent to nurture and protect the animals or cattle he or she chooses to adopt.
Types of cattle domesticated
1. Herd Animals
The earliest evidence showing domestication is established in the Near East and offers a suggestion to a complex number of cattle. At approximately the same time, a good number of animals happened to appear in a domestic relationship with human beings. Amongst the earliest of the animals include sheep, goat, swine, thereafter the Onager joined the list and was later followed by gazelles. Additionally, by the beginning of the second millennium the water buffalo, horse, camel and elephant were as well domesticated.
Advantages of herd cattle
The first group of cattle which includes swine, cow, goat, and sheep provides food and milk, very crucial essentials in human’s body. The cattle also provide man with hair and hides, in addition to wool and fiber which are used in the manufacture of clothing.
The second group that consists of elephants, horses, camels, and asses is basically a power source. Additionally, this group of cattle provides milk as a secondary usage in some places as well as meat in others. It is vital therefore to note that cattle brought under domestication for desires motivated by the original rearing of animals, will include all other secondary herds.
2. Pack Scavengers
It is factual that the dog seems to have been the first animal to form a relationship with a man despite it being a herd animal. In addition to that, the swine also appears to be the in a similar category as the dog. The ability of these two animals to utilize man’s waste occupation areas renders them omnivores. They enhance security and assists in cleaning up of the environment by feeding on waste products.
3. Symbiotic carnivores
This category of domesticated cattle comprises of cat and ferret, whereby their relationship with mankind seems to have existed under various conditions. The cat, for instance, existed in some sort of luxuries such as food, breeding conditions, and health properly controlled. To add on to it, cats appear to reside in areas that are often haughty therefore defy any attempts to train them. Both the ferret and cat are widely used by human beings to manage rat population.
4. Secondary pets and Exotics
A number of cattle kept in the recent period of time as pets such as fox, rhesus monkey, mink and alligator and some exotic cattle bred in zoos. Some of the domestications based on long tradition of usage in many societies include the lion and whales. The rabbit is also included in this list, as it used in some regions as a pet and for meat provision.
Conclusion
It is important to note that domestication of cattle is a very crucial practices that begun in the olden times with man making effective use of friendly animals for his own benefits. Nevertheless, the reared cattle also benefited from the process as it was a correlation between them and human beings as they also acquired protection and food from a man in return. To date, cattle domestication still exists and comes along with many benefits which often differ from society to society as well as cultural beliefs.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Diamond, Jared. “Evolution, consequences and future of plant and animal domestication.” Nature 418, no. 6898 (2002): 700.
Goddard, Michael E., and Ben J. Hayes. “Mapping genes for complex traits in domestic animals and their use in breeding programmes.” Nature Reviews Genetics 10, no. 6 (2009): 381.
Goudie, Andrew S. The human impact on the natural environment: past, present, and future. John Wiley & Sons, 2013.
Scheu, Amelie, Sönke Hartz, Ulrich Schmölcke, Anne Tresset, Joachim Burger, and Ruth Bollongino. “Ancient DNA provides no evidence for independent domestication of cattle in Mesolithic Rosenhof, Northern Germany.” Journal of Archaeological Science 35, no. 5 (2008): 1257-1264.