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'[[File:Florida Cracker cow and calf.JPG|thumb|250px|Florida Cracker cow nursing her calf]] The '''Florida Cracker''' is a breed of [[cattle]] developed in the state of [[Florida]], and named for the [[Florida Cracker]] culture in which it was kept. Also known as the '''Florida Scrub''' or just as the '''Cracker cow''', these cattle are one of the [[Criollo cattle|criollo]]-type breeds originally brought to the Southern U.S. by the Spanish [[Conquistadors]].<ref name="ekarius">{{cite book |title=Storey's Illustrated Breed Guide to Sheep, Goats, Cattle and Pigs |last=Ekarius |first=Carol |year=2008 |publisher=[[Storey Publishing]] |isbn=978-1-60342-036-5 }}</ref> The breed is very closely related to the [[Pineywoods cattle]] breed, but purebred Crackers have not been crossbred with any English breeds like the Pineywoods has in the past.<ref name="ekarius"/> Other related breeds include the [[Corriente cattle|Corriente]] and [[Texas Longhorn (cattle)|Texas Longhorn]]. Florida Crackers are one of the oldest and rarest breeds of cattle in United States.<ref name="albc">{{cite web |url=http://www.albc-usa.org/cpl/floridacrackercattle.html |title=Florida Cracker Cattle |publisher=[[American Livestock Breeds Conservancy]] }}</ref> Descended from Spanish stock imported to the continent in the 16th century, Florida Crackers are a small, horned breed that quickly adapted to the Florida landscape and have long been prized for their resistance to parasites and other hardy traits.<ref name="ekarius"/> They weigh generally under 900 pounds (400&nbsp;kg), come in many colors, and both males and females are horned.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/breeds/cattle/floridacracker |title=Breeds of Livestock |publisher=Oklahoma State University Dept. of Animal Science }}</ref> They can be dappled-grey/blue, dappled-brown, solid brown, solid white, white with black spots, white with brown spots, all black, or in some cases, a pure golden palomino. They tend to be more docile and easier to manage by humans, making them a popular choice for cattle roping competitions and for recreational cow-raising activities, such as 4-H. After 1949 the combination of new laws about free-roaming livestock and the introduction of larger beef breeds led to the rapid decline of the Florida Cracker.<ref name="ekarius"/> Despite the continued work of the Florida state government and a breed association, the breed is still listed as "critical" by the [[American Livestock Breeds Conservancy]],<ref name="albc"/> and is listed on [[Slow Food USA]]'s [[Ark of Taste]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.slowfoodusa.org/index.php/programs/ark_product_detail/florida_cracker_cattle/ |title=Florida Cracker Cattle |publisher=Slow Food USA |work=Ark of Taste }}</ref> [[File:Florida Cracker Cattle.jpg|thumb|Close-up of Florida Cracker cow in the 1980s]] ==References== <references /> ==External links== {{Commonscat|Florida Cracker cattle}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20110615162142/http://www.crackercattle.org/ Florida Cracker Cattle Association] * [http://carnivoraforum.com/topic/9481868/122/#post10000350 Photos, description, history, literature] {{Cattle breeds of the United States}} {{North American heritage cattle}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Florida Cracker Cattle}} [[Category:Cattle breeds originating in the United States]] [[Category:Cattle breeds]] [[Category:Conservation Priority Breeds of the Livestock Conservancy]] [[Category:Florida cracker culture]] [[Category:Cattle landraces]] {{cattle-stub}}'