The fate of neonate calves : a discussion of the bovine infant health implications of dairying in antiquity, using archaeozoological studies of six Orcadian contexts
A methodology for ageing foetal and neonatal cattle is developed, involving radiographic examination of infant mandibles for early developmental stages in molariform teeth; tooth-wear methodologies are imprecise at this stage before wear commences. Known-age modern bovine foetal and neonate material are collected as a control assemblage for method development (n=73); six Neolithic to Norse era assemblages from Orkney are examined using the modified technique together with standard tooth-wear analysis and other methodologies. Foetal and died-at-birth material is diagnosed at most sites using the new technique, together with a range of other peri-natal age-groups. Ageing at this early stage is highly relevant in the diagnosis of milking as a palaeoeconomy: the accepted view is that unwanted (male) calves were slaughtered to maximise milk for human consumption, hence a surfeit of neonate calf remains, as at the study sites. The diagnosis of foetal and died-at-birth material challenges this view, suggesting that attritional causes may have contributed to deaths at this stage. Although milking was probably carried out at most of the study sites, this may have been combined with slaughter of cattle for meat in a
Davis, Geoffrey W.
Cattle ; Milking ; Abortion ; Neonates ; Age diagnosis ; Tooth development analysis ; Neolithic ; Iron Age ; Viking and Norse Era ; Orkney ; Colostrum ; Lactation ; Mastitis ; Cattle health issues
The fate of neonate calves : a discussion of the bovine infant health implications of dairying in antiquity, using archaeozoological studies of six Orcadian contexts. A methodology for ageing foetal and neonatal cattle is developed, involving radiographic examination of infant mandibles for early developmental stages in molariform teeth; tooth-wear methodologies are imprecise at this stage before wear commences. Known-age modern bovine foetal and neonate material are collected as a control assemblage for method development (n=73); six Neolithic to Norse era assemblages from Orkney are examined using the modified technique together with standard tooth-wear analysis and other methodologies. Foetal and died-at-birth material is diagnosed at most sites using the new technique, together with a range of other peri-natal age-groups. Ageing at this early stage is highly relevant in the diagnosis of milking as a palaeoeconomy: the accepted view is that unwanted (male) calves were slaughtered to maximise milk for human consumption, hence a surfeit of neonate calf remains, as at the study sites. The diagnosis of foetal and died-at-birth material challenges this view, suggesting that attritional causes may have contributed to deaths at this stage. Although milking was probably carried out at most of the study sites, this may have been combined with slaughter of cattle for meat in a
fate calf discussion infant health implication dairying antiquity use archaeozoological study orcadian context age cattle develop involve examination infant early developmental_stage teeth tooth_wear methodology imprecise stage wear commences known age modern material_collect control assemblage method development neolithic norse era assemblages orkney examine use modify technique together standard tooth_wear analysis methodology birth material diagnose site use new_technique together range age groups ageing early_stage highly relevant diagnosis milk accepted view unwanted male maximise milk human consumption hence calf remain study site diagnosis birth material challenge_view suggest cause may_contribute death stage although probably carry study site may combine slaughter cattle meat