A Cow's Life: the Surprising History of Cattle and How the Black Angus Came to Be Home on the Range.

A COW'S LIFE: The Surprising History of Cattle and How the Black Angus Came to Be Home on the Range

M.R. MONTGOMERY

The cow is a relatively new creature. It didn't even exist just 10,000 years ago. It descended from fierce aurochs weighing some 6,000 to 8,000 pounds and standing nearly 7 feet tall. While there are no known intermediaries between the massive auroch and the modern cow, some paleobiologists speculate that either ancient people domesticated a few miniature aurochs or the animal diminished in size during the last ice age. As Montgomery tells his tale of the modern cow, he concentrates on the Aberdeen Angus. Known simply as the Black Angus in the United States, this cow has its origins in Scotland, where the idea of fattening animals for market started. Because it is adaptable to almost any climate and calm and obedient when raised in the care of people, Black Anguses stand among the most successful domesticated animals. The breed thus cultivated a culture of people who could sustain themselves on the flesh, milk, and labor of the cow. Montgomery tells fascinating stories of ranchers and farmers as he charts this animal's history. Walker, 2004, 264 p., hardcover, $25.00.