We hypothesize...

The aurochs that survived the Last Glacial period in warmer regions left signatures in the genetic composition of aurochs from North/Central Europe, i.e. the diversity retained in Iberia influenced populations of cattle in other regions by means of post­Glacial recolonisation.

Domestication and introgression from local aurochs played a role in the origin of Iberian cattle. We postulate that local domestication and admixture between wild and domestic cattle occurred in Iberia and/or North Africa.

Inheritable traits were modified in various ways at different times by diverse cultures. We hypothesize that morphologic changes indicate improvement. In Iberia, major improvements of cattle happened after the Reconquista.