Cattle in Vera Cruz ~ © Elisabetta Giacon 2014

Manzo (Italian): Beef (English) or Res (Spanish) or Vaca (Spanish)

Humans raised meat animals and especially bovines as early as 8,000 B.C. “Beef” is the culinary term for a bovine animal of the “Bos” specie. The term Bos meaning Ox in Latin originated during ancient Roman times. Throughout cattle history two major “Bos”species evolved; the “Bos taurus” and the “Bos taurus indicus” also called “Zebu.” “Bos taurus” evolved especially throughout European regions while the “Bos taurus indicus” evolved and thrived throughout the Asian regions especially India.

Cattle in America – © Elisabetta Giacon 2014

LAND ANIMALS IN AMERICA
According to Admiral Christopher Columbus’s Log Book (1492)
[Fernandina Island, Caribbean on October 16, 1492]

“This island is very green, flat, fertile and I have no doubt that they sow and reap Indian corn…I saw no kind of land animal at all except parrots and lizards…I saw no sheep or goats… But I was there only for a very short time; for it is now midday. If there had been any, however, I could have not failed to see some…”

– Excerpted from the Digest of Columbus’s Log Book on his first voyage written by Bartolome de las Casas (1492); Christopher Columbus/Cohen, p. 65)

BRINGING CATTLE FROM SPAIN TO AMERICA
According to Admiral Christopher Columbus’s Log Book (1492)
[Hispaniola, December 31, 1492]

“I would like to see all the land to the east of here [Hispaniola] before departing, and to go all along the coast in order to learn its distance from Castile [Spain], so as to bring cattle and other things here…”

– Excerpted from The Log of Christopher Columbus, translated by Robert H. Fuson; 1987, International Marine Publishing, Camden, Maine, U.S.A; page 159.