Corriente facts for kids
Corriente cattle are a special type of cow. They came from Spain a long time ago, around 1493, when they were brought to the Americas. Today, people mostly use them for exciting rodeo sports. For example, they are great for events like team roping and steer wrestling. Some farmers also raise Corriente cattle for their meat. This meat is leaner, meaning it has about half the fat of meat from other common beef cows.
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What Makes Corriente Cattle Special?
Corriente cattle are quite small. An adult cow usually weighs less than 1,000 pounds (450 kg). They are strong and athletic, with long horns that curve upwards.
Easy to Care For
Corrientes are known as "easy keepers." This means they don't need a lot of help from people, especially when baby calves are born. They also eat much less food than bigger types of beef cattle.
Built for the Wild
Like other Criollo breeds, Corriente cattle don't need much water. They can live well even in places with not much grass, like wide open spaces called the open range. They are also very good at escaping! They can jump over a regular barbed-wire fence and squeeze through small gaps.
Where Do Corriente Cattle Come From?
The name for this breed can be different depending on where you are. In the United States, the official name is Corriente cattle. This is also the most common name in northern Mexico. In other parts of Mexico, they might be called Criollo or Chinampo cattle.
Corriente cattle are closely related to other cow breeds from the Gulf Coast and Florida. These include Pineywoods cattle and Florida Cracker cattle.
Learn More
- The American Criollo Beef Association
- The North American Corriente Association
