TheNorth-WesternMediterraneanwitnessed a rapid expansion of farmers and their livestock during the EarlyNeolithic
period. Depending on the region, cattle played a more or less important role in these communities; however
how these animalswere exploited for theirmilk is not clear. Herewe investigate calfmortality to determine indirectly
whether cattle dairying was practised by Early Neolithic stock herders. Age-at-death (AtD) frequencies for calves
from two sites: Trasano (Italy, Impressa culture: 7–6th millennium BC) and La Draga (Spain, Cardial culture: 6th
millennium BC) were estimated from dental eruption and development stages, and measurements of un-fused
post-cranial material. Adult age classes are well represented in the dental AtD frequencies and were interpreted
as the result of the slaughter of prime beef and retired lactating females. For calves aged less than 12 months,
there was no statistical difference in the AtD frequencies based on dental and post-cranial material indicating that
the data is a good representation of the mortality patterns of calves, either natural or deliberate. At both sites
there was a strong mortality peak at 3–6months in all AtD profiles. At La Draga, this peak was clearly
differentiated from a peak at 0–1month, which can be interpreted neonatal mortality possible a consequence
of the birthing season coinciding with the end of winter during more humid climatic conditions
that at present. The deliberate slaughter peak around 3–6months is discussed, and we propose that
stock herders controlled the mortality of infant classes, possibly in response to variable external environment
pressures while maintaining animal productivity