For many passengers rolling past a patchwork of farmland on a Southern road trip, being the first to yell “cows!” or “horses!” is a point of pride. But more often than not, the animals dotting the fields aren’t actually Southern—and many of the ones that are have nearly vanished from our agricultural scene. Below, find some of the quintessentially Southern breeds that were born to take the heat, forage the fields, and thrive in the humidity of the South—and where you can still find them. (Also listed are conservation designations from the Livestock Conservancy, with “critical” meaning breeds most in need of conservation.)
Gulf Coast Native Sheep
Status: Critical
If you saw a sheep in the deep South about two hundred years ago, it would have almost certainly been a Gulf Coast native. These descendants of Spanish flocks are naturally parasite-resistant and dominated the region before anti-parasitics were developed, allowing other breeds to take over. For animals that essentially sport an ever-thickening wool coat, the heat of the South can be rough. But these sheep were born, raised, and naturally selected in the South and have no wool on their faces or bellies, allowing them some respite. Today, the breed is conserved in small flocks across a handful of farms, predominantly in coastal Southern states.
Ossabaw Island Hog
Status: Critical
You’re looking at one of the best representations of the original pigs brought to the U.S. by the Spanish in the 1500s. Isolated for centuries on Georgia’s Ossabaw Island, these descendants of the Canary Islands evolved to handle Ossabaw’s turbulent climate and are well suited to survive across the South. But because it’s against the law to remove them from the island and bring them onto Georgia mainland soil, captive populations may be limited to just a few hundred animals, including herds at Mount Vernon and Colonial Williamsburg. Though relatively small, these hogs have impressive fat stores to last them through periods of food scarcity, which in turn makes their meat prized by chefs. But their unique genetics don’t stop them from enjoying the universal pleasures of pigdom: If you’re lucky enough to visit a farm with some Ossabaws, give them a good scratch behind the ears, and you’ll see.
Pineywoods Cattle
Status: Threatened
Along with other iconic breeds like the Florida cracker and Texas longhorns, the pineywoods are criollo cattle: descendants of European breeds but born in the U.S. In addition to being used for meat, pineywoods historically supported the timber industry of the South by acting as oxen. A little over a hundred years ago, the pineywoods were on the brink of extinction after widespread crossbreeding with other cattle. But the spotted animals have rebounded through efforts on a few small Southeastern farms. Still, the bovines continue to be a conservation priority.
Cotton Patch Geese
Status: Threatened
Meet the renaissance geese of Southern farms. From their knack for weeding cotton fields (hence the name) to their egg production, which helped farmers survive the Great Depression, the birds make a great addition to a farm. They’re also auto-sexing, meaning you can tell the sex of chicks from patterns on their feathers as soon as they hatch. A bit of a double-edged sword, these geese are excellent flyers, so they can clear fences with ease, evading farmers and predators alike. The origins of the breed are murky, although they likely developed from geese brought to the Southeast in the colonial period, and continue to be bred on farms across the region today.
Marsh Tacky Horses
Status: Critical
Although they were once widespread throughout the Lowcountry, only around four hundred of these horses exist today. A breed of Spanish colonial horses endemic to South Carolina, they roamed freely in the marshes of the state before being domesticated by Native Americans, Europeans, and enslaved Africans. They eventually became popular among Gullah families. However, interbreeding with other horse breeds nearly brought them to extinction. The marsh tacky are remarkably gentle but have been used in wars, including World War II, where they helped the U.S. military search for German U-boats.
Red Wattle Hogs
Status: Threatened
No, the wattles hanging off the jowls of these pigs don’t serve any known purpose unless you count added cuteness (which we do). And like the purpose of the wattles, the origins of this breed are unclear. They likely descended from pigs introduced from the Gulf of Mexico and have been in North America for at least one hundred and fifty years. These hardy hogs can weigh upwards of 1,000 pounds and grow at rates comparable to commercial pigs. And although today’s red wattles are descendents of the wattled pig colonies from Texas, they can adapt to a range of climates and are found throughout the U.S.
Tennessee Fainting Goats
Status: Recovering
If you find one of these goats on the ground, don’t worry; it’s probably not dead. And contrary to its name, it hasn’t really fainted either. Also called myotonic goats, these critters have a genetic condition called myotonia congenita, which causes their muscles to stiffen when they’re afraid, and thus they collapse to the ground without ever losing consciousness. Myotonia may appear humorous, but it also has its advantages for farmers. The goats can’t escape without risking collapse, and the condition also makes them particularly tender meat producers. Once small in number, the goats, which started to spread throughout Tennessee in the 1880s, experienced a resurgence a hundred years later thanks to renewed interest in the breed as both a novelty and a hearty meat source.
