ANIMAL TRACTION
From page 31
contribute to the improvement of the soil through their
manure. (The manure can
also be used to make a seedfree manure “tea”).
Tractors also contribute to air
pollution (although to be fair,
animals, through their rearend emissions, also contribute to greenhouse gases).
Some small scale farmers
actually use both tractors and
animal traction in a complementary way. The tractors are
used for the heavy work that
would normally take a long
time with draught animals,
while the animals are used
for activities which they can
complete in a relatively short
time at a considerably
reduced operating cost.
Animals kept for draught
purposes can be easily
trained if the correct procedures are followed. Animals
to be trained should be
properly selected and should
not be younger than two
years.
The ancient skill of driving oxen is being preserved by certain heritageconscious farms in South Africa
In many countries, notably in the Far East, but also Egypt, buffalo are
favoured over oxen for cultivation.
There are some challenges
when it comes to using
draught animals, however.
Not many people know how
to go about using animals for
these purposes and there is
no doubt that the traditional
knowledge of using draught
animals and driving is being
lost.
There is a lack of training in
animal traction skills, both of
potential agriculturalists and
extension officers, and very
little current research seems
to be taking place. Much
more emphasis was placed
on the development of
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animal traction in the
decades leading up to the
present century than is
currently happening and
many speculate that the idea
of animal traction has fallen
out of favour politically, being
seen as “backward”.
This is particularly true
among young people, and
needs to be overcome for the
benefits to be recognised.
To keep draught animals,
smallholders need to have
sufficient grazing, or they
must be prepared to buy in
fodder and concentrates, or
Continued on page 34