Cattle are not native to the United States, Christopher Columbus brought cattle to the New World on his second voyage in 1493. Texas longhorn can be traced back when Christopher Columbus landed in Santo Domingo with Spanish cattle.
Cattle were essential to the survival of the Spaniards in Mexico; the animals furnished meat, leather, and tallow. Descendents of these cattle were brought to the United States from Mexico in 1521.
More cattle were brought by Portuguese traders in 1553. The English were the first to bring large numbers of cattle to the United States with the founding of the Jamestown colony in Virginia in 1611.
The first cattle imported into New England form England were those brought over in 1620 for the Massachusetts Bay Company.
About the same time the Danes imported cattle from Denmark into New Hampshire and the Swedes made importations from Sweden, in Delaware as early as 1630.
In 1821, Mexico gained independence, homesteaders and ranchers from the United States poured into Texas, bringing their cattle with them. When Texas won its independence from Mexico 15 years later, thousands more American began moving south.
In 1900 the vast majority of beef cattle in the United States of America were Shorthorn, Hereford or Angus.
The first meat packing plant in America was founded by William Pynchon in 1640 near Springfield.
History of cattle in United States
