[Howie]

Just because you do not like a certain plant (weed) does not mean you should kill all of it’s neighbors.
Just because you dont like a certain bug does not mean you should kill them all.
I do use a weed killer on the driveway only. I use a fly repelent on my steers. The other weeds I mow the other bugs I feed to the birds and bats.
We have a lot of bird houses and bat houses, we also make the barn handy for the barn swallows.

[Howie]

My only problem with it is I can’t understand how they carry the pole.
Cattle have their power in the forehead, just watch them when they fight.

[Howie]

Just so you know I drive mine from behind by voice, except to back the spreader into the barn, the door is pretty tight. I get off my butt and drive them from along side.

If the ring is allowed to heal in the nose properly it will not hurt near as much as a rope.

Just because a 3 year old kid can reach the steering wheel does not mean he can drive a truck.

Mine back the load with their horns not their ears, That is what they have horns for. A collar is no more comfortable than a yoke. If you like a britchen that is OK, I prefer one when I am working a single ox.

[Howie]

It is easyer to work a single witha bitchen so they have no need for their horns.
P.S. All cattle should have horns. God would not have given them if it were not so.

[Howie]

If you do not need the extra power then you would be foolish not to just train a single. A single is much better than a pair in a lot of ways. If you give a heifer or a steer a chance to be your best buddy they will do anything for you that they are capable of. Both of my Devons are trained single so when in a team they are both listening to me.

[Howie]

An ox yoke does not break, it splits, so any wood that is hard to split will make a good yoke. Pepperidge is number one, but it is heavy. Norway Maple is next but it too is very heavy. All around I prefer Sassafrass or Cucumber.

[Howie]

Over the many years I have been doing this I have used a lot of different kinds of wood. The only reason that I can see to laminate one is for the looks you would get with different colors.

[Howie]

I don’t believe that Chris had ever been hiched in a team before. There was no reason to teach him to stand over or to put in.

[Howie]

So far as damage by use of their horns I have had more damage by the deer than from my cattle.

[Howie]

I think you would be a fool if you were to buy a Peterbuilt if all you had use for was an S-10. If you don’t have work for 2 why have 2. I have worked a lot of singles, Pat or Willie both will do great as singles because I think every ox should be trained to work that way.
They work female horses so why not cattle.
A cow does not have the surge power of a steer but over a period of time she will do just as much work.

[Howie]

There is no more need for the horns to be a danger than the feet. You just train the animal to have respect for you.
The horns can be trained to look just about any way you want with some patience. You can scrape them or just put a strain on them the way you want them to go.
Most people train them without even realizing it. Put her feed box on the side wall and that horn will turn in.
Before people decided to make cattle look ugly most of the people that showed cattle used hlorn trainers. I have a set that hang in the living room.
PS The horns on my steers are 40+ inches across.

[Howie]

Shafts to the yoke will work.
A shorter shaft to a belly band to control the up and down, with a short tug to the yoke and a short hold back to the britchen will work a lot better.

[Howie]

If you can ask the question I am sure some one here can answer it.

[Howie]

I use a 6 foot lash whip and voice. Mostly just voice, but I am a believer in “Out of reach out of control.” So I carry the whip.

[Howie]

I guess I am the old man here and am crippled up so I can’t walk much. My Devon oxen will turn 7 in a couple months. For most of their work I use a fore cart with a seat on it and I drive them from the seat. When I have to walk they just have to wait for me.

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