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Stalwart and powerful, oxen are employed as working cattle in nearly
every country and on six continents. Stronger, steadier, less
expensive, and easier to keep than draft horses, oxen can plow fields,
haul stones, assist in logging, improve roads, and showcase traditional
farming techniques. Oxen can help smallscale farmers keep costs down
and productivity up without expensive machinery. Not surprisingly,
these utilitarian animals are growing in appeal. Oxen: A Teamster's Guide
is the definitive resource for selecting, training, feeding, and caring
for the mighty ox. Written by Drew Conroy, a professor of dairy science
with more than two decades of experience as a trainer and teamster, the
book shows readers how to select an ideal team, properly feed and house
oxen, train calves and mature cattle, fit a yoke and bows, address
common challenges, and maintain a team's overall health. He also
explains how to use oxen safely for a variety of farming and logging
tasks, and how to train a team for public demonstrations and
competitions. Filled with dozens of photographs and
illustrations, including a 16-page color insert, useful reference
charts, and a glossary of terms, the book provides all the details a
novice needs to select, train, and care for a working team.
About the Author Drew Conroy, Ph.D. is a
professor at the University of New Hampshire. He has been teaching
applied animal science since 1990, and has produced six educational
videos on training oxen and making yokes. Drew and his family also
raise rare American Milking Devon cattle and train oxen in Maine. He
and his teams have been featured in numerous movies and magazines, and
they compete at various ox events. Format: Softcover Pages: 256
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