Bill > HB493

This bill aims to designate pineywoods cattle as the official Georgia heritage cattle breed, recognizing their significant historical and cultural importance to the state. The bill provides extensive context about pineywoods cattle, highlighting their presence in the Southeast since the 1500s and their use by both European settlers and Native American tribes including the Cherokee, Creek, and Seminole. The cattle are noted for their remarkable adaptability, being heat-tolerant, disease-resistant, and able to survive on marginal vegetation, and were historically used for multiple purposes including timber hauling, field plowing, and transportation of goods, in addition to beef and dairy production. The bill emphasizes that since the 1950s, these unique cattle have been increasingly rare, with only a few families maintaining purebred herds and distinct Georgia strains like Holt, Purvis, Albany, and Popple. The Livestock Conservancy currently lists the breed as threatened, with fewer than 1,000 annual registrations in the United States. By establishing pineywoods cattle as an official state heritage breed, the legislation seeks to preserve and recognize the breed's historical significance and contribute to ongoing conservation efforts, particularly in holistic grazing initiatives aimed at recovering native species in the Southeast.

Government Affairs

https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70417