Breeds of The Llanos
The flooded and sun-dried plains of the Orinoco basin, cattle country since Jesuit missions brought herds in the seventeenth century.
Breeds of this place
Best time: December to March, the dry season.
The Llanos are vast tropical grasslands shared by Colombia and Venezuela, in the basin of the Orinoco. In the wet season much of the land floods, and in the dry season it bakes. Cattle came with Jesuit missions and Spanish settlers, and the llaneros, the plainsmen, became known for their horsemanship, their songs and their long cattle drives.
Cattle of the plains
The first cattle here were criollo, descended from Spanish stock and adapted over centuries to flood and drought. Local types such as the Sanmartinero of Meta developed on the plains. Since the mid twentieth century, zebu breeds, especially Brahman, have largely replaced them, though research herds keep the criollo types alive.
Work songs of the plains
Llaneros sing to their cattle as they herd, milk and drive them, songs that calm the animals and keep the work going. These Colombian and Venezuelan Llano work songs were added to UNESCO's list of intangible heritage in need of urgent safeguarding in 2017. Joropo, the music and dance of the plains, is played with harp, cuatro and maracas.
A trail idea for The Llanos
- Villavicencio The city at the foot of the Andes, known as the gateway to the Llanos.
- Open plains Grassland and gallery forest along the rivers, with herds and herons.
- A cattle drive In the dry season, herds are moved to water and fresh grazing.
Written by the EveryCow desk with AI assistance. Background: "Llanos" on Wikipedia. Fair dates, markets and visiting rules change; check locally before travelling, and keep a respectful distance from working animals. If something is wrong, tell us.
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