Ranchers Fight Drought With Desert Cows

Imagine a cow that can tolerate the heat and eats relatively little grass - in other words, a cow that can thrive in the desert.

Meet the Criollo, a cattle breed that was brought to America by Columbus and established by the Spanish conquistadors in the late 1500s.

Criollos were hardy and raised for milk, meat and leather, but the British phased them out in the late 1800s when they introduced new breeds.

Now, researchers and ranchers - especially out West where drought continues to plague farms - are looking to bring back these desert-friendly cows.

Here & Now's Peter O'Dowd speaks with Alfredo Gonzalez, a Criollo rancher and animal scientist at the Jornada Experimental Range in Las Cruces, New Mexico.