Have you trained oxen?

[HomesteaderWife]

One of our main goals in our homestead life is to raise and train one or two oxen for farming and hauling purposes. I have begun researching into the best breeds to use, and how to train them properly, but I would prefer to hear from those of you who may have experience in training them personally. It will be awhile before we ever come to get one or two young castrated males to start the process of training them, so I am taking my time in learning more about it.

Have any of you ever trained oxen for farming or hauling purposes? I fear that the art of man and animal working together to provide for their homestead is a dying art, so I hope that maybe at least one person here has had experience with this. If not, could anyone at least direct me to some good articles or books that could help me learn more?

Thank you so much for your time!

 

[raeleigh26]

I haven't trained any oxen for work, I have trained horses. .. and I happen to have a dexter bull that I raised from birth that just happens to be a big teddy bear, and I have ridden him, and had him pull logs and pipes for me, but I think it's more the bond we have than efficient training techniques in this case.
He is halter broke, doesn't have a nose ring or any other method of control, but he always does as I ask without throwing a fit, as is the case with most horses, he doesn't get spooked. just goes along at a nice easy pace even when you can tell he doesn't know why I'm asking him to do this. Lol. Maybe it's entertainment for him? A break from just laying around the pasture? Maybe he just likes the attention and treats.
I will say that when i need something moved, it's a lot easier to ask him than it is to pull a horse off the pasture, work them to get their mind in the game, get them tacked up, and hope they don't feel feisty that day.

 

[CLSranch]

I just read this post. Sorry for the late reply but I'm new to the site and just started training my Zebu (in Avatar) for pulling and riding. I've been looking for some research and wanted to know how you have progressed

 

[Baymule]

I am by no means informed on oxen, but have read several articles about using Holstein steers for oxen. They are tall, big and gentle. The articles I have read seem to favor them. Holstein bottle calves are pretty easy to get too! I would castrate early and use a nose ring. Maybe google Holstein oxen?

 

[Bossroo]

Have you looked into the costs of how much feed and / or pasture that an ox / oxen would be required for them to perform your desired work ? As well as the required time for you to drive the oxen to perform the work ? A mule would be better if you can stand the braying. A horse would be even better . A tractor would be just fine as most farmers found out. Way back in the 1950's , one of my uncles had a small dairy using milking Short Horn cows and used a team of oxen ( he raised his own ) to do some plowing and hauling hay from his hay fields. He then bought a team of Cleaveland Bay mares to do the work and sold the oxen. Four years later , he sold the horses and purchased a tractor. Eficientcy of labor and time is money !

 

[farmerjan]

First off, I have never trained any oxen for draft work, but there was a group in Ct where I grew up that used to go to the county fairs and compete in the pulling contests so have a little experience since my son was best friends with one of the kids in school that had a couple of pairs with his dad.
That said, holsteins were quite popular as the bull calves are very easy to obtain. Shorthorns were also popular up there and Chianina's. The chi's are very tempermental so I would not suggest them for a beginner.
You can in essence train any animal as a draft animal, cow or steer. Bulls I would not even attempt as they can be too unpredictable, and the testosterone that they have makes their necks too big to put a yoke on anyway.
There is a magazine called Rural Heritage that is sold at most Tractor Supply stores; it is out of Iowa I think and is devoted to people doing stuff with draft animals; horses, mules,and oxen. I would go there for some in depth info on them. Also, find out if there are any old tyme events like threshing bees and such where there will always be some people that have some draft animals; and usually some one who knows someone who has some "pullin" animals.
I do know that there are some groups in New England that get together as clubs to promote the pulling contests and even if you were not interested in competition, these people know alot about how to train these animals.

 

[NH homesteader]

Every big fair in New England has pulling competitions. Tractor, horse, oxen... All of it. Apparently we are into pulling things. I know a few people who do horse pulls but other than watching them at fairs, don't know much about oxen.

 

[micah wotring]

My sister and I got this book (https://www.amazon.com/Oxen-Teamsters-Raising-Training-Driving/dp/1580176925) for Christmas a few years back. We had two bottle calves that we were raising to butcher and decided to try training them. We only got them to where they would walk and kinda(ish(heavy on the "ish")) turn before we ate them. Anyway, I'm not really much help here. Good book though! It had lot's of helpful info in it.

~MW

 

[CLSranch]

Thanks Micah I'll look that up.

Have you looked into the costs of how much feed and / or pasture that an ox / oxen would be required for them to perform your desired work ? As well as the required time for you to drive the oxen to perform the work ? A mule would be better if you can stand the braying. A horse would be even better . A tractor would be just fine as most farmers found out. Way back in the 1950's , one of my uncles had a small dairy using milking Short Horn cows and used a team of oxen ( he raised his own ) to do some plowing and hauling hay from his hay fields. He then bought a team of Cleaveland Bay mares to do the work and sold the oxen. Four years later , he sold the horses and purchased a tractor. Eficientcy of labor and time is money !

My sister and I got this book (https://www.amazon.com/Oxen-Teamsters-Raising-Training-Driving/dp/1580176925) for Christmas a few years back. We had two bottle calves that we were raising to butcher and decided to try training them. We only got them to where they would walk and kinda(ish(heavy on the "ish")) turn before we ate them. Anyway, I'm not really much help here. Good book though! It had lot's of helpful info in it.



I have 2 horses and 2 tractors (neither running right now. I wanted them (the Zebu) for the nostalgic look. I go camping for days and do the chuckwagon racing with mules and pony's. I just use my AQHA to Outride on. If I had a zebu and a wagon my horses wouldn't be wore out from riding late the night before. And always someone who walks wants to take my horse and Run back to their camp for something.

 

[CLSranch]

Boss Roo. I'm used to the expense. And I have 2 horses and 2 tractors (neither running). I got them for the nostalgic look while pulling a wagon. I go camping and/or go to the chuckwagon races for days at a time. While racing my horses Outriding. I could save them for the race instead of riding them around the night before going to the barn dance or another camp, then ALWAYS a kid wants to take my horse back to their camp for something. Having a wagon to pull and throw some firewood in on the way back to camp ice chest out and horses fit to race would be nice.