importance of bovines in peak oil

[bivol]

d’know, maybe it’s all farfetched, or maybe it will not be so radical or fast, but this is what i’ve had in mind.

so why cows and oxen, and not horses and mules? true, horses and mules are more powerful and faster, but their main dissadvantage is that they are not numerous enough to shift the significant percent of agricultural production fast (within a few years) mainly to animal power, so the gap in animal power will most likely be filled by employing of cattle for work.

different from equids, cattle have been used for milk and meat too, so their numbers didn’t deminish. their second advantage is the nose ring.
this may sound cruel, but under a exordinary situation this can be used to control animals similar like in africa, ghana i think, where two people operate the plowing, one holding the plow and another leading the cattle with nose rings can use poorly trained cattle to plow.
refined methods of animal control can be introduced within years, but for the crucial few years until the animal traction knowledge spreads, this method is not to discard.
then, after equzids become numerous again, noone says they won’t become the chief power source for tilling again. but it is crucial that the time between the oil peak and the reestablishment of animal powered agriculture

[Carl Russell]

Great points Bivol.

It is so amazing to me that many of the folks on this site can imagine the effects of peak oil, and can embrace life with limited petroleum, or even without completely, while so so many others participants in the modern culture are just waiting for the next great fix. Thanks for all you excellent posts about working cattle.

Take care, Carl

[Ira]

The Small Farmers Journal had an interesting article(in 2 parts) about Cuba’s transition back to animal power. Mostly oxen.
What I found most interesting was that they are the only country in the world that has a totally self sufficient food supply. All done with animal powered small farms:)

[CharlyBonifaz]

http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=148929

the way “back” to animal power can be seen in lots of different places; the quickest changes come in the agricultural areas that have only recently turned to modern equipment; they are the first to return to the old ways, being easy for them still knowing the routines …….

true, horses and mules are more powerful and faster,

I doubt the “powerful”:rolleyes:, but what cattle has going for them: much easier to feed, much cheaper to keep, triple purpose and use, easier to train, so much smarter 🙂 ………

hardly anybody considers: oil is not only eminent in transports; just look around you: how much oil in plastics, paints, garments……

[goodcompanion]

Not being an ox-drover myself, I do see the immense advantages to oxen over horses. Yokes are much easier to make than harness, for one thing.

If the chief disadvantage is speed of work, this might not be a huge problem in a new economy in which we humans suddenly have a lot of time to devote to agriculture.

In considering what species will be most crucial in our animal-powered future, we can always take a look at our animal powered past. Is a post-peak world more likely to be like the post-civil war U.S., with a highly productive and competitive agricultural sector, backed by industrial production and national freight systems, or more like a colonial-era U.S., with most agricultural production and manufacture remaining very local? I think about peak oil constantly, and I tend to think that the latter scenario is a more likely place for us to “bottom out.” This suggests oxen instead of horses, pitchforks instead of balers, geese instead of chickens.

None of which is to say that horses, hay balers, chickens are not worthwhile. Even a farm that effectuates a transition to fueling its own machinery with farm-grown biofuel is making a move that can slow our energy descent, even if those farm practices are not sustainable over the long run.

One of the long run litmus tests is that of self replication. For instance, can you build a new oil refinery with the oil you refine and the machinery built and powered with oil? Absolutely, we do it all the time. Can you build a new solar panel factory with energy exclusively from solar panels? The evidence suggests not. Turning the question to animal traction, can we build a new equivalent of the wonderful mccormick number 9 mower without the oil-fired industrial apparatus we now enjoy? I don’t think so, but we might be able to maintain that mower for a good while.

Just some musings.

[Gulo]

I too am very “peak oil aware.” I think transitioning right now back to draft animals would be very smart in some sectors – not a “solution” but part of one, for sure. But I personally think the majority of North Americans will curl up and die before anyone besides us converted seriously entertains the idea of returning to draft animal power. We are far too arrogant right now to “turn back” to such “primitive” ways.

I have tried a little to spread the idea of animal power to the mainstream and been surprised at how alien the idea is now on this continent. Most surprisingly to me, I have contacted a number of ecovillages – a context I think would be perfect for draft animal power – inquiring as to whether or not they have considered powering their economies in part with draft animals. I’ve gone to some lengths to stimulate discussion on this. To date, I have not gotten one single response from any of these people/places. Not a good sign. I actually think there is a great deal of fear of large animals born of alienation amongst people today, a fear to get involved with anything other than some mechanical technology.

That said, i think there will be those few out there who lead the way and wholeheartedly embrace the draft animal as an option. My partner and I are moving to a BC homestead where we intend to rely on animals for much of our survival, including draft animals. We would welcome some live-in help getting the place going, joining us in this enterprise, but we are not optimistic that there will be much response. Everyone’s too steeped in the myth of independence yet.

I think if things get really tough it will be oxen over horses. I would miss my clydesdales, though, and tend to do what i can to hang on to them! Oh yeah, and I have a #9 mower, but wonder many days if it will be back to the scythe.

[J-L]

When it gets to that point, it won’t matter if there’s a cow or a Clydesdale pulling your plow. Whatever is at hand will work.
Living in a small community like I do, and seldom leaving it for more populated areas, I tend to forget just how many people there are. I went to Salt Lake City last spring and was just amazed how huge it’s grown. My point being, how can the mass of humanity survive in a situation like we’re discussing here? Maybe more importantly, how can we survive them? I’m guessing it would matter how fast we ran out of coal, petroleum, etc.
I’m fairly certain I can feed myself and my family. I also feel I can produce enough goods/services to barter for things I may need besides. I worry about the other 299,000,000 or so people who can’t.

[Carl Russell]

Yesterday I listened to a post-peak oil radio talk show interview of a woman who has written a book about her work to live with her family in a way that reduces their consumption. It is titled Depletion and Abundance. Many of her points are excellent, and her methods applaudable, but everything she’s doing is in the context of the modern lifestyle….no mention about animal power.

I too have found glazing of the eyes to be the most common response when I suggest animal power. It is indicative of the entrenched paradigm. There are so many assumptions that direct our modern experience that generations have grown up under.

For me, it comes down to the difference between “Reality”, and “Perception”. Petroleum has given us such an amazing source of energy that we have been able to separate ourselves from the realities of life on
Earth, and created a perceived level of success and security. It’s like magic!! And it works so well that it is hard not to become attracted to.

It will be a drastic, and brutal awakening for so many people that I doubt that there will be enough awareness to actually undertake any level of education or change, and most will struggle to hold onto the only thing that they know. It will only add to their fear when it’s proven to be a smoke-screen, or veil, mirage, with no substance.

With over twenty years of experience using animals to make my livelihood, I feel well prepared for many of these challenges, personally, but as J-L says, my biggest worry is what to do about the frightened masses.

It used to be “Where am I going, and why am I in this hand-basket?”. Now it’s, “and why am I in here with all of them?”

Carl

[Gulo]

J-L – i agree with you about “what’s on hand”. I sometimes wonder if i can provide without oil input for two teams of clydes, is all. But as my old neighbor said, “you can still work ’em just feeding em pasture/grass. They don’t have to have grain if you can’t get it. Just don’t work ’em as hard or as long. You do what you can with what you’ve got.” Your other point I hear, too – i lived mostly rural. Whenever i see a big city, or especially an aerial view or photo – my immediate gut response is “that’s impossible – won’t be sustained.” And i don’t think it will be. I find the sight of a huge modern metropolis shocking to my core.

You know Carl, i think some of the old teamsters have done draft power a disservice on two counts. One, they insist on portraying it in the context of quaint “yesteryear” settings, perpetuating the idea that it is passe. Second, they spend a lot of time (in my experience) dwelling on and glorifying the wrecks and the dissasters that have occured. Listen to these people for long and you come away with the impression that relying on draft animals is about the most dangerous thing a person could possibly do on this earth.

[Author]

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