Maximum Power of an Ox

[dagney]

Hello everyone, I’m new to the draft animal power concept, and was wondering if anyone knows the maximum power generated by an Ox.

This article says 4 Ox on a sweep generator were able to produce 60 HP.

http://www.chakra.org/living/simpDec11_02.html

That seems unrealistic to me. I am having trouble finding any other sources.

[Tim Harrigan]

I am not aware of many machines that are 100% efficient in transforming power from linear to rotational. Neither do we expect more power out of a machine than we put in. We usually expect losses from friction, heat, etc. It would help to know how the power of their machine was measured. I would expect to see about 1/2 hp to 1 hp per ox on the input side on a continual basis.

[Stable-Man]

I read somewhere a horse could put out 27 horsepower, but I don’t know how a horse compares with an ox. If that’s true 15hp per ox seems low.

[mstacy]

1 horse power = 550 ft * lbf / second = 746 watts

No single equine or bovine is going to put out significantly more than 1hp for any significant duration of time. Any multi animal hitch or mechanism (e.g. sweep) knocks that figure down even further due to mechanical inefficiency.

Furthermore I’ll wager that the origins of the unit of measure (“horse power”) can be traced back to it’s namesake.

Regards,

-Matt

[mathuranatha]

Well my best bullock in his prime ,in a single yolk could pull a loaded wagon up a steep gravel drive that could not be towed up with a 4liter 6cylinder [approximatly 150hp]pannel van

[Tim Harrigan]

Stable-Man;15553 wrote:

I read somewhere a horse could put out 27 horsepower, but I don’t know how a horse compares with an ox. If that’s true 15hp per ox seems low.

There are times when it is best to not believe everything you read. This might be one of those times.

[dlskidmore]

@mathuranatha 16746 wrote:

Well my best bullock in his prime ,in a single yolk could pull a loaded wagon up a steep gravel drive that could not be towed up with a 4liter 6cylinder [approximatly 150hp]pannel van

How heavy was the van? How much of it’s horsepower went to pushing itself up the hill?

[mitchmaine]

developing 20 – 30 horsepower and using that same power efficiently is two separate things, isn’t it? it’s not hard for me to imagine a truck with smooth tires trying to pull something up a steep loose surface, spinning once or twice and fighting it’s own ruts, verses an animal hooked to the same load on the same grade adjusting it’s footing to accomodate the troubles as it went and having an easier time of it.
2″ of frozen ice and snow cripples a tractor where our barefoot horses go fairly easy.

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