http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uYRr0vmcc0
For many Americans, the ox is a symbol of the pioneer era—an animal that became unnecessary with the invention of mechanical farm equipment. But oxen are still being used today, especially in developing countries where tractors are too expensive for most farmers.
This weekend, the Mid West Ox Drovers Association will be having their annual gathering—with activities like oxen obstacle courses and hay-making demonstrations. Rob Collins is president of the association, he also teaches at Centreville High School.
"A lot of the work that Tillers does in Africa is training people to just work a little more efficiently with their oxen," says Collins.
"Because a tractor is just not an option in a place where most farmers are living on one to two dollars a day. A $20,000 tractor that burns a fuel that you couldn’t afford is just not a practical option."
Five Facts About Oxen:
Cattle and oxen are the same species. Collins says oxen are just cattle that have been trained.
Oxen are smart. Collins says the expression ‘dumb as an ox’ couldn’t be further from the truth. He says oxen are as least as smart as dogs. They can remember individual people and places.
They're heavy. Milking Shorthorns - the breed of most oxen at Tillers International - can weigh as much as one ton, Collins says.
They’re easy to train. Collins says you can start training oxen as young as a few days old.
They’re cheap…for livestock. Collins says to hitch up oxen to a cart, most of what you need is just a chain and a yoke—a wooden harness for the oxen. He says at Tillers you can make a yoke yourself. Horse equipment on the other hand—harnesses, saddles, and bridles—can really add up.
- Healthier than a horse. Collins says horses are a lot more susceptible to tropical diseases than oxen are—that’s why they work better in places like Africa.
