LIVESTOCK IN THE NEW SPAIN: CHARACTERISTICS AND ANIMALS - HISTORY - 2025

The livestock in the New Spain was characterized by breeding cattle, mules and horses, which served food, but especially for help in agriculture. From 1524 on, pig and sheep farming was also introduced.

Before globalization and the information age that determined our cultural exchange, the time of the conquest and the colony meant a confrontation between two societies with very different customs. Latin America changed many customs with the arrival of the Spanish to its territory in the 16th century, starting with the food they consumed and the way they were produced.

The Spanish were not willing to put aside their lifestyle to assume that of the indigenous. Consequently, some authors would affirm that the economy of Mesoamerica underwent a transformation, as new techniques were introduced to exploit the land. This especially happened in the Viceroyalty of New Spain, which was made up of Mexico, Central America and the Viceroyalty of Peru.

According to García Martínez, this region was distinguished by its higher level of development and because its population was denser. As this author says:

"The introduction of cattle in the most developed and populous areas of America had more complex effects than in any others"; for example, the competition among indigenous people for the spaces that were now destined for animals, affecting property rights. (García Martínez, 2019).

In the Mesoamerican period of New Spain, planting was limited only to the cob, grains, peppers, and a little cocoa. After the Spanish conquest, this spectrum was extended to other crops such as sugar cane, rice, wheat and grapes, according to Hernández.

Likewise, the author assures that "the introduction of cattle, mules and horses, helped the plowing of the land to be faster and more efficient". (Hernández, 2017).

The animals they raised in New Spain

With the arrival of the Spanish, cows and horses also came. Horses were used to transport wealthy people and important figures in the government of New Spain. They did very little as pack animals since that job was already done by mules.

The cow was used to produce milk, from which dairy products such as cheese and butter were obtained. Of course, the natives also knew the meat of the cow, although this was only consumed by the Spanish. (Hernández, 2017).

Of those two, the horse came first but the consumption of cows spread rapidly, "which meant a drastic decrease in meat prices in the cities of Mexico and Puebla" according to historian Barrera Bassols.

In 1524, hunting of pigs (pigs) was introduced, raised and marketed almost exclusively by the natives (Barrera Bassols, 1996); Although the pigs were already part of the fauna of the Mexican territory and were found in abundance, that is why the aborigines were the ones who dedicated themselves to them.

Goat farming also played a role in the colony because it was highly consumed by the Spanish. It was easily adapted to the arid lands of Mexico. (Barrera Bassols, 1996).

Livestock at the disposal of Spanish fashion

Sheep was introduced after 1525 (Martínez, 1990). Sheep were used to create fabrics for coats and other European customs. These fashions made “sheep” stand out in the New Spain economy (Barrera Bassols, 1996).

It was not surprising, then, that sheep farming was number one in Spain at the time for the same reason and was even the reason why livestock was the main economic activity in Spain, according to the Catholic Monarchs, since it had very high prices. high and, therefore, favored taxes. (Estevez, 1990).

Of course, it is well known that the American territories sent to Europe mostly minerals such as gold, silver, copper, mercury and even diamonds, which were the cause of the massacre against the Mayans and Aztecs. Although they also sent foods such as sugar and cocoa, but these exclusively because they were non-perishable.

At that time without a refrigeration system it would have been unthinkable to transport meats, in addition to the fact that Europe already produced them; for this reason livestock consumption was not exported.

Administrative reforms related to livestock

In any case, it is considered that livestock was the first economic activity developed on the mainland in the colony. Not only in the Viceroyalty of New Spain, but also in New Granada and in the Captaincy General of Venezuela. This because the production was favored by the conditions of the geographical environment and the fact that they had the indigenous as slaves for harvesting.

Thus "they facilitated the formation of a primitive livestock economy with a pastoral-collecting base", according to Professor Naudy Trujillo. Therefore, new concepts were created and implemented in the Spanish language as a result of this social economic phenomenon.

In the first place, there was La Hacienda, which according to the Dictionary of the Spanish Language is "any agricultural property that constitutes a rural property with a small capital and a reduced market for products that cannot be considered as a large estate." As we mentioned previously, it is fundamentally dedicated to self-sufficiency in the region.

The farm is divided into three sectors:

-The first was an Administrative Center, “comprised of the master's house… the oratory where the religious needs of the peonada were attended to, a conuco, a stable for the horses and mules of the master and his family, a henhouse or sheepfold. for other animal species such as pigs, sheep or goats ”(Trujillo, 2010)

-Also an Operational Center where the slaves worked.

-An exploitation area that were "the portions of land on a farm that, due to its good supply of pastures, could comfortably house and feed the animals" (Trujillo, 2010)

The Farm, the Herd and the Ranch

La Finca was defined during the colonial period (years 1726 and 1739) as "the effect or situation in which someone has the right to collect their rent, or some determined amount."

The Hato was "a herd or herd of many heads of cattle" or a "field farm destined to the breeding of all kinds of cattle, and mainly the largest." And the Estancia were "the lands on which there was only a preferential right to graze cattle there, larger or smaller" (Trujillo, 2010).

conclusion

Livestock not only served to reform the economy and, therefore, the vocabulary. In turn, it was the cause of the establishment of the social framework among the inhabitants of the colonies, who were divided by their skin color and origin, characteristics that gave them a hierarchy in society.

Bibliography

1. Barrera Bassols, C. (1996). The origins of livestock in Mexico. 12.
2. Estevez, JJ (1990). Sheep in the history of Spain. Mexico City.
3. García Martínez, B. (April 14, 2019). The first steps of cattle in Mexico. Obtained from Colmich: colmich.edu.mx
4. Hernández, E. (July 2017). Economic Activities of New Spain. Obtained from History of Mexico: historiademexico.info
5. Martínez, J. (1990). Livestock in New Spain. 2. 3.
6. Trujillo, N. (2010). Some Considerations on the Organization of Livestock Farms in Venezuela from the Colonial Historical Period. Cabudare: Buría Foundation.