Spotlight on Students: Origins of Agriculture

This post highlights the work required of my SA 202: Introduction to Anthropology students. Students were given the opportunity to research and identify the origins of agricultural products (be it plants or animals) from one of their favorite meals. Several students were given the opportunity to have their exemplary work featured on the blog, and the students who provided permission have their work featured here in this and the following blog posts. Please show your appreciation for their work through the comments.

Domesticated cattle, which are prime ingredients in oxtail and beef stew.

By: Addison Bernskoetter

My favorite food is oxtail with rice. Oxtail is made from the tails of cattle and is commonly found in stews. It is a small piece of meat surrounding a bone where the cattle's tail was. Oxtail is commonly made into a stew with spices, vegetables, and beef broth. The cattle that oxtail are made from are normally beef or veal cattle. These cattle originated from North Africa, Europe, and Asia. They were domesticated in the Fertile Crescent, which is in the Middle East. This was nearly 10,000 years ago. While there are many breeds of cattle, two stand out among the rest. Bos taurus and Bos indicus are now the most common domesticated cattle we see today. Bos taurus, or taurine cattle, were domesticated in colder climates and through evolution, developed large bodies and thick coats to protect them from the cold. Bos indicus, or indicine cattle, have looser skin to protect them from heat, as they were domesticated in Africa. 

Cattle have been a very important part of history. They provide many different cuts and resources of meat, including the chuck, rib, loin, sirloin, round, brisket, plate, and the flank. Cattle can also be used for their pelts, which is used to make leather. Cattle stool is also used in many places as fertilizer for crops. It makes the soil richer and has other benefits to crops. Cattle also help encourage plant growth by spreading seeds through their stool and helping the plants spread from one place to another.

 References

Cow Meat Diagram explained. Redefine Meat. (2025, March 12). https://www.redefinemeat.com/blogs/cow-meat-diagram-explained-redefine-meat/

Filippone, P. T. (2024, August 16). How to cook the best fork tender oxtail. The Spruce Eats. https://www.thespruceeats.com/oxtail-cooking-tips-1805846

Origins of domesticated cattle: The untold story of their evolution and impact. cattlepedia.com. (2025, January 8). https://cattlepedia.com/origins-of-domesticated-cattle/

  

By: Jeneail Henry

My favorite food is Beef Stew. According to (Britannica, 2019), the term cattle refer to domesticated bovine farm animals that are raised for their meat, milk, or hides or for draft purposes. Cattles were first domesticated from wild aurochs around 10, 000 years ago in the Near East and Indian subcontinent (Walden). Aurochs were large, wild oxen that once inhabited Europe, Asia and North Africa. The process of domestication began with selective breeding, which eventually led to the evolution of modern domesticated cattle breeds.

While early domestication began around 10, 000-8,000 BCE, cattle herding became a more prominent food source by 2,000 BCE which then spread to regions such as the Indus Valley. As humans continued to breed cattle, they selected desirable traits such as growth rate, maternal ability and reproductive performance Kutz (n.d.). Over time, these animals became tamer, much calmer and more productive, which eased food production and farming efficiency. Modern day cattle, known as Bos taurus, originated in the Near East (Walden). Some other well-known cattle breeds include, Angus, Hereford, Brahman, Charolais and Santa Gertrudis.

Some specific cultigens or meat products that were created from cattle include beef, veal and dairy products such as milk, cheese and butter. Agnus and Hereford cattle were bred to produce their well-marbled beef, known for its balance of tenderness and robust beef flavor, Mike (2024), while the Holstein breed was bred for its superiority in milk production. Today, the products derived from these animals like the beef used to make Beef Stew are because of a long history of domestication and selective breeding. 

Sources

Britannica. (2019). cattle | Description, Breeds, & Facts. In Encyclopædia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/animal/cattle-livestock

Kutz, B. (n.d.). Breeding & Genetic Selection. Breeding & Genetic Selection. https://www.uaex.uada.edu/farm-ranch/animals-forages/beef-cattle/breeding-genetic-selection.aspx

Meaty knowledge served fresh daily. (2025, June 4). TATNUCK MEAT and SEAFOOD.

https://tatnuckmeatandsea.com/fresh-meat/beef/where-did-beef-originate/

Links to an external site.

‌ Mike. (2024, January 21). Hereford vs. Angus Beef - Comparison - The Thin Kitchen. The Thin Kitchen. https://thethinkitchen.com/hereford-vs-angus-beef-comparison/

 

Ingredients present in Chicken Alfredo: chicken, pasta, and dairy products.

By: London Taylor  

A pasta dish made with chicken, noodles, butter, cream, and cheese, and my personal favorite, is known as Chicken Alfredo.  Originating in Rome, Italy, during the early 1900s, some credit Alfredo di Lelio with inventing a version of fettuccine, al burro e Parmigiano. Esposito says this is more than likely true. This recipe spread worldwide and changed as it went; cream was added instead of just butter, while chefs experimented with different meats, such as chicken, for an altogether new taste sensation we call today's creamy Chicken Alfredo (Esposito).  

Our curriculum book, Domestication, declares that the red junglefowl used to breed chickens (Gallus gallus) was native to Southeast Asia, specifically Thailand and India. This domestication seems to have begun about 8,000 years ago, though initially intended for cockfighting rather than food. Early humans took chickens displaying calmer behavior, larger size, and early maturity, thereby increasing their productivity not only for meat but also eggs. Today's meat breeds, such as Cornish Cross, have resulted from thousands upon tens-of-thousands-years in this way and are much larger and more docile than their wild ancestors (Wiener).

 

Derived from wild grasses like einkorn and emmer in the Fertile Crescent, the wheat in Chicken Alfredo has a long history. From about 10,000 years ago onward, over time, farmers selected seeds that were larger and non-shattering heads, making harvesting easier. These criteria almost certainly led to the appearance in modern days of red winter wheat, now used for bread and pastas' main varieties, of which are Triticum aestivum.  

 

The dairy products in the Alfredo sauce,  milk, butter, and cheese, all originally come from domesticated cattle (Bos taurus), which are descended from the wild aurochs of Eurasia. This domestication occurred around 10,000 years ago in areas that included the Fertile Crescent and Indus Valley. Humans selected cows that produced more milk and were easier to manage, leading to specialized breeds of dairy cattle, such as Holsteins or Jerseys.  

 

Established sources of foods that are Italian-American and grew out together from literally roots, both common and different during those several thousand years in history. Culturally, Alfredo La Fonte is not simply a comfort food; it is also a representation of our human race's shared agricultural history and ingenuity.

References 

Cesari, Luca. “The Invention of Fettuccine Alfredo: A Love Story, A Brief History of a Beloved Pasta Dish”, January 26, 2023, https://lithub.com/the-invention-of-fettuccine-alfredo-a-love-story/

Wiener, Florence. “The Domestication and Global Spread of the Chicken.” Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Sept. 2022, https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-a-volcanic-eruption-caught-seismologists-by-surprise-180980704/

“Wheat Domestication: Lessons for the Future.” ScienceDirect, Elsevier, 2011, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1631069110003021

“History of Cattle Domestication.” World History Encyclopedia, 2022, https://www.worldhistory.org/article/1446/interview-the-mysterious-bronze-age-collapse-with/