19th Annual Student Research Conference
Interdisciplinary
The Herders’ Food: A Cross-Cultural Study of Pastoral Diet
Corey M. Hudson
Dr. Amber Johnson, Faculty Mentor
Unlike hunter-gatherers, whose mode of subsistence and means of economy are most often one and the same, pastoralists often practice a subsistence pattern with little connection to the direct products of their economy. This research is an analysis of 31 pastoral cases, which seeks to illustrate that it is not only possible to evaluate and project the contribution of pastoral products in the diets of these groups, but also to project herd demographics, which can be used to assess the different types of pastoral contribution to diet. Three major arguments are made from this analysis. First, the contribution of pastoral products to diet is directly related to the dependability of plant resources. Second, low primary productivity is one of the major factors leading to herds composed of mostly small bodied stock. Third, herd demographics directly affect the percentage of meat, as opposed to milk as a contribution to pastoral diet.
Keywords: pastoralism, projection, diet, herder, demographic, ecology, subsistence, economy
Topic(s):Sigma-Xi
Presentation Type: Poster
Session: 60-78
Location: OP Lobby and Atrium
Time: 4:15