{
  "abstract": "Much has been written about the animal economy of medieval England (CE 450–1500) but interpretation of the zooarchaeological record has been held back by reliance on artificial periodisation. This study reduces that reliance via a novel approach to data synthesis. A substantial zooarchaeological dataset compiled for the ‘Feeding Anglo-Saxon England’ project was investigated allowing a more detailed understanding of when change took place and in what form. Key patterns include: a continuation of Roman husbandry practices at some sites throughout the fifth century; an increase in wool production from the early seventh century; the use of dedicated draught cattle from the ninth century, peaking in the eleventh and mid-twelfth centuries, after which the demand for milk, beef and increasing use of horses for arable production caused the use of cattle for draught to decline.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "School of Heritage and Culture, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom",
    "Department of Archaeology, University of York, York, United Kingdom",
    "Institute of Archaeology, Oxford University, Oxford, United Kingdom"
  ],
  "article_type": "Research Article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 4,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Matilda Holmes"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "David Orton"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Helena Hamerow"
    },
    {
      "name": "Richard Thomas"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/bpc0hb5gxe9as.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1371/journal.pone.0355965",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "bpc0hb5gxe9as",
  "issns": [
    "1932-6203"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0355965",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "journal",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "1911|Archaeology and ancient environmental studies"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Agriculture/Animal management/Animal husbandry"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Agriculture/Animal management/Livestock"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Agriculture/Animal products/Meat"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Agriculture/Animal products/Wool"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Anatomy/Body fluids/Milk"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Nutrition/Diet/Beverages/Milk"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Nutrition/Diet/Food/Meat"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Organisms/Eukaryota/Animals/Vertebrates/Amniotes/Mammals/Bovines/Cattle"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Organisms/Eukaryota/Animals/Vertebrates/Amniotes/Mammals/Ruminants/Cattle"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Organisms/Eukaryota/Animals/Vertebrates/Amniotes/Mammals/Ruminants/Sheep"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Physiology/Body fluids/Milk"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Zoology/Animals/Vertebrates/Amniotes/Mammals/Bovines/Cattle"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Zoology/Animals/Vertebrates/Amniotes/Mammals/Ruminants/Cattle"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Zoology/Animals/Vertebrates/Amniotes/Mammals/Ruminants/Sheep"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Anatomy/Body fluids/Milk"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Nutrition/Diet/Beverages/Milk"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Nutrition/Diet/Food/Meat"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Social sciences/Archaeology/Archaeological dating"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7206182326",
  "pdf_url": "https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0355965&type=printable",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-09-02",
  "publisher": "Public Library of Science",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/bpc0hb5gxe9as.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:18:02Z",
      "native_id": "10.1371/journal.pone.0355965",
      "source": "plos",
      "url": "https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0355965"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "plos:zoology",
      "subfield": "zoology-behaviour"
    },
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "plos:nutrition",
      "subfield": "nutrition"
    },
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "plos:anatomy",
      "subfield": "physiology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Meat, milk, wool and grain: The animal economy of medieval England (CE 400 to 1400)",
  "title_text": "Meat, milk, wool and grain: The animal economy of medieval England (CE 400 to 1400)",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:18:02Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/bpc0hb5gxe9as",
  "venue": "PLOS One",
  "versions": []
}