Sophisticated cattle dairy husbandry at Borduşani-Popină (Romania, fifth millennium BC): the evidence from complementary analysis of mortality profiles and stable isotopes created by Rosalind Gillis, Stéphanie Bréhard, Adrian Bălăşescu, Joël Ughetto-Monfrin, Dragomir Popovici, Jean-Denis Vigne and Marie Balasse

Borduşani-Popină is a Gumelniţa tell site in south-eastern Romania. The cattle mortality profile suggests a husbandry oriented towards prime meat exploitation and dairy production highlighted by the keeping of cattle to advanced age. Besides, the culling strategy also targeted young calves. A stable isotope ratio study was undertaken on dental rows. Bone and dentine collagen δ¹⁵N values show that the calves within the slaughtering peak were well-advanced in the weaning process, suggesting that the slaughter was delayed until the end of the cows' lactation. A consequence would be the sharing of milk production between herders and calves. High inter-and intra-individual variability in bone collagen and enamel bioapatite δ¹³C values indicated variations in the seasonal ratio of C₄ and C₃ plants in fodder and between age groups. Overall, the complementary study of mortality profiles and stable isotopes provide evidence of sophisticated husbandry during the fifth millennium cal. BC.