[Vicki]

You might try to contact Turner Farm in Indian Hill.  She uses draft horses and operates an organic CSA and market.  A lovely place.  You may be able to intern/work/volunteer there.

[Vicki]

That is a way-cool cattle social dynamics anecdote!

[Vicki]

Hi Tim.  I have been away from the computer and forums for awhile.   It’s great you worked in Uganda. Where were you in Uganda?  Did you work with Acholi people, besides Boniface and Obali being Acholi, or were you farther south or west?

I have some observations and experiences about gender roles and working oxen, in the north, formerly war zone.   It was fantastic to be there working as a woman, with women as well as men.  The primary value I think our Tillers/PeaceHarvest work did was to introduce low-stress training and handling, and improved yoke design.  I saw a  victims of local ox “training” that would bring tears to one’s eyes. 

In the north, fetching water seemed to be child’s work even more than women’s.  Collecting firewood is women’s domain, and oxen–even calves–can really help in that.  Interesting that traditionally in the north, the heavy tillage is traditionally done by the men, with oxen plowing; though afterwards the cultivation, harvesting, and collecting is done by women.   We hope to see greater adoption of ox power by women for cultivation and harvest, and for water and firewood collection.   A couple widows we know developed their own  entreprenuerships just after the war, using carts with oxen and donkeys, and it greatly improved their fortunes for their families.  Very wonderful stuff!

[Vicki]

Goldens are prone to have bad knees (stifle joints.) Tear the ACS. Mine does; I limit his running and walking–no long hiking trips anymore.

[Vicki]

Good stuff in the link!

About covering: I’ve found that large round bales don’t get eaten quickly enough by the oxen to avoid getting soaked and yucky or frozen in our winters. So a simple roof is worth it, in my experience. They will eat more when it it stays dry, and I can fork up fallen dry waste to use as bedding in the sheds.

[Vicki]

Great video! Trying to download with no luck. Thanks for the link.

[Vicki]

Working your new ox for leveling the pig paddock is a great job for you both, but I’m not sure how you are planning to hitch the spruce log for leveling. Countymouse made some good suggestions. I’ve used sturdy wooden pallets loaded with rocks for weight, to level disced up pastures; also a cattle panel loaded with some cinder blocks tied on (this is good for seeding pastures too.) If you plan to need this frequently, you might consider building a leveler of boards for the purpose. There is a plan for a simple drag and harrow that would do the job on page 256 of “Handy Farm Devices and How to Make Them.”

[Vicki]

That is a great gift and i think you should take advantage of it. A single ox can be so handy! Ideal would be if you had another bovine or goat or sheep or pony, but with plenty of other critters and people around, the ox will probably be fine.

[Vicki]

Welcome to the region, jbpiii. You can’t get much better mentors than the VanOrds, and they are in western PA. Countymouse is there, too. I’m in eastern Ohio closeby.

As Andy said, ask lots of questions when shopping for a team (of which there are several for sale and probably will be more in the fall.) Get driving lessons, and maybe even videotape the owner driving them for your future reference. That is normal in the ox world.

Milking Shorthorns generally are excellent for oxen (though they usually get too tall for my preference.) Tillers in MI has a herd of the older good genetics specifically chosen for temperament and conformation as oxen; and I think they have some hiefers for sale. Don’t discount cross-breeds either. Glad you’re considering heritage breeds. Training heifers is a great idea; they can work, as Andy will tell you. Even if you later train steers, it’s great to have your brood cows trained.

[Vicki]

A horse collar will rub the points of the shoulders of oxen, bruising them. Oxen’s shoulders rotate forward as they walk. When a bow yoke fits properly, the bow is snug against the neck allowing the points of shoulder to move forward. Most of the forward push is against the neck seat of the yoke with some spreading to the bows. You can see this in photos of pulling oxen in competitions at various websites; I believe the Hine Family webpage has some pics showing this.

[Vicki]

Good ideas, Droverone. Bendube: those are nice looking oxen.

[Vicki]

Oh boy–new calves!!

[Vicki]

Our Amish commercial growers have equipment that forms the beds and lays plastic mulch in one pass. Some are rigged to lay the drip lines at the same time too. I’ll find out who manufactures it. Check the Horse Progress Days vendors because that kind of equipment is displayed and demo-ed there.

[Vicki]

I’m glad to hear you are considering ox power for your farm! There’s no right answer about starting steers or getting trained ones, but consider the pros and cons of each.

Countymouse is doing it probably the most ideal way, but not everyone can do that. My opinion: train your own from young calves and learn together. They will bond with you and read you like a book, and you will read their every nuance. They will learn to do the jobs you want done, how you do them, in the place you are, under your leadership. They will be YOURS. Find mentors either in person, and/or by email and forums like this.

A trained team may be trained for something other than what you want them to do. It just depends. They may be champions at scoot competitions, but can’t work for hours in the woods or in the field with various equipment. They may pull like carzy, but don’t know how to hitch to a tongue. So find out what the team you are considering actually does. If you’re a capable trainer/driver, they can certainly learn new tasks and routines from you, but you will encounter ingrained habits which can be frustrating and mysterious. It will take time for them to read your cues also, and they will test your leadership qualifications.

There are advantages and disadvantages to each option. My preference is to have my own oxen for whom I am the primary driver/trainer. An experienced team can be good education, too, especially after you get some experience yourself, but I think it’s easier to learn to lead working cattle by training them.

[Vicki]

My Dexters also from same bull, coats are very different. One sheds all by himself, the other I have to body clip. I’ve known several shorthorns that don’t shed out well on their own.

I have heard that poor coat shed can be a sign of some mineral deficiencies. Selenium and copper are two that you may want to look at. If concerned, you can get blood or urine tests to find out about your steers’ levels. Most areas are selenium deficient. Also, sulfur and molybdenum are antagonist to copper. If you’re feeding molasses or corn gluten, those have sulfur that might interfere with copper absorption. Even environmental sulfur (near coal-burning power plants?) may interfere with adequate copper levels in feed.

[Author]

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