A Study at Cova de les Pixarelles Reveals Sophisticated Livestock Management Strategies Over 7,000 Years Ago

A Key Discovery in Livestock Archaeology

A recent study published in PLOS ONE sheds light on Neolithic livestock practices in the Iberian Peninsula. The research, focused on Cova de les Pixarelles in Tavertet (Osona, Catalonia), reveals advanced mobility, diet, and cattle management strategies used by Neolithic communities over 7,000 years ago.

Findings indicate that Neolithic herders did not keep their cattle in one place but instead practiced seasonal herding, moving livestock between different altitudes to optimize access to the best resources. Additionally, evidence suggests differentiated cattle diets, indicating deliberate livestock management based on age, sex, and role within the herd.

The Middle Neolithic Context in the Iberian Peninsula

The Middle Neolithic (c. 4500–3500 BCE) was a crucial period in the Iberian Peninsula, marked by the development of sedentary communities reliant on agriculture and livestock. During this time, Neolithic societies established more stable food production systems, enabling population growth and economic diversification.

However, livestock management was not uniform across the region. Studies have shown regional differences in animal husbandry. The discovery at Cova de les Pixarelles provides crucial insights into transhumant herding, a system that appears to have been more common than previously thought.

Study Methodology

To gain detailed insights into livestock management, researchers conducted a multi-disciplinary analysis, including:

• Archaeozoological study – Examined bones found in the cave to determine species, age, and condition of animals.
• Carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis – Assessed cattle diet by studying the chemical composition of bone collagen.
• Strontium analysis – Used to determine animal mobility by analyzing isotopic signatures in teeth.

These analyses helped reconstruct livestock mobility and feeding patterns, providing a detailed view of how Neolithic communities managed their herds.

Key Findings: A Sophisticated Livestock Management System

The results from Cova de les Pixarelles suggest that Neolithic communities had deep environmental knowledge and managed their livestock in a planned and efficient manner. Key findings include:

Seasonal Livestock Mobility

• Cattle were moved between lowland and high-altitude areas depending on the season.
• This transhumance-like system demonstrates an advanced strategy to optimize resources.

Diet Variation Based on Animal Type

• Isotope analyses revealed differences in cattle diets, suggesting that some animals were fed differently based on age, sex, and role within the herd.

Use of High-Quality Pastures

• Nitrogen isotopic composition indicated that cattle had access to nutrient-rich grazing areas, implying a deliberate selection of pasturelands.

Diversified Herd Management

• Evidence suggests that Neolithic herders raised animals for different purposes, including milk, meat, and labor.

These findings challenge the traditional view of static and unorganized Neolithic livestock farming. Instead, they suggest that Neolithic herders had a flexible and sophisticated system, allowing them to adapt to environmental conditions and ensure community survival.

Implications for Archaeology and Livestock History

The discoveries at Cova de les Pixarelles have important implications for both archaeology and the history of livestock farming in Europe. Key takeaways include:

• Early Evidence of Transhumance – While seasonal livestock movement is well-documented in later periods, this study provides one of the earliest direct proofs of transhumance in Middle Neolithic Iberia.
• Advanced Resource Management – The strategic herding practices indicate that Neolithic communities had extensive environmental knowledge, allowing them to optimize livestock production without depleting natural resources.
• Neolithic Community Adaptability – These strategies suggest that early farmers and herders in the Iberian Peninsula developed innovative solutions to climatic and ecological challenges.

These findings offer new perspectives on how early agropastoral societies sustained themselves over time and how their livestock management strategies shaped the Neolithic economy.

Parallels with Modern Livestock Practices

One of the most intriguing aspects of the study is the similarity between Neolithic livestock management strategies and modern herding practices in some mountainous regions of Spain and Europe.

Transhumance, which involves seasonal livestock movement between winter and summer pastures, is still practiced in parts of the Iberian Peninsula, particularly in the Pyrenees and Cantabrian Mountains.

This suggests that fundamental principles of livestock farming have remained unchanged for millennia, adapting to new technologies and socio-economic conditions while preserving core mobility and resource-use strategies.

Conclusions

The research conducted at Cova de les Pixarelles provides a fascinating insight into the sophistication of Neolithic livestock farming in the Iberian Peninsula. Far from being rudimentary, findings indicate that Neolithic communities already employed advanced livestock management strategies, including seasonal mobility, selective grazing, and differentiated feeding practices.

These discoveries enhance our understanding of the past while also highlighting that many traditional herding practices used today have roots dating back over 7,000 years.

The study underscores the importance of archaeology and interdisciplinary research in reconstructing human-animal relationships and understanding how livestock management strategies have evolved over time.

For those interested in a deeper exploration of this topic, the full study is available in PLOS ONE, detailing the analyses and groundbreaking conclusions of this research.

Reference

Alcàntara Fors R, Madgwick R, Viñas-Caron LC, Nederbragt AJ, Saña Seguí M (2025). “Cattle in the Rocks: Understanding Mobility, Diet, and Seasonality of Livestock in the Iberian Peninsula – The Middle Neolithic Site of Cova de les Pixarelles (Tavertet, Osona).” PLOS ONE 20(1): e0317723. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0317723