Source: https://civileats.com/2022/08/08/criollo-cattle-regenerative-grazing-wildfires-solution-megadrought/
This heritage breed has adapted to dry rangelands and may help regenerate the soil while needing less water and feed than other cattle. Ranchers in Southern California are helping them find a niche.
Tucked high in a mountain range in San Diego County, California, ranch managers Rob Paulin and Jeremey Walker rely on “spunky” cows to mitigate wildfire by grazing on the chaparral brush and shrubbery that traditional market cattle won’t seek—let alone eat.
“Spunky,” Paulin said with a smile as he surveyed his herd coming into a valley from mountain foraging. “That’s one way to put it.”
Originally from the Andalucía region of Spain, these Raramuri Criollo cattle are small and trim—weighing about 800 pounds each, compared to a 1,200-plus-pound Angus cattle. After being brought from Spain 500 years ago, they evolved in the mountains of Chihuahua, Mexico, where they learned to survive by searching for food in the far corners of the rough landscape. For centuries, the Tarahumara people have successfully bred Criollos with little husbandry, taking advantage of the cattle’s ability to forage and thrive in arid climates to produce meat, milk, and more.
The cattle travel further and for longer periods than other breeds—even away from water—and will eat brushy shrubs when grasses run low due to drought. These unique grazing habits support native vegetation and reduce fire fuels at a time when California and the U.S. Southwest are facing a megadrought that could last another eight years. California is the driest it has been in 1,200 years, and this year wildfires have already burned more than 53,000 acres in the state.
Some Western ranchers are responding to the crisis, reducing wildfire risk, and conserving water by restoring native grass ecosystems and reducing overgrazing to avoid thinning herds.
Paulin has spent the last 10 years trying to improve the ecological footprint of the 4,500-acre Corte Madera Ranch by reducing biodiversity loss and ground compaction, which makes it difficult to retain water, without downsizing the ranch and jeopardizing his profitability. The profit margin from raising cattle is tight, so ranchers often trim costs by culling their herds during drought.
The Criollo’s foraging patterns helped to manage fire-prone rangeland and restore native vegetation, while providing a cheaper alternative to conventional English beef cattle.
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