Domestication of Oxen

Domestication of oxen
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Domestication of Oxen
According to Anderson (2010), the ox is a typical name given to a popular species of ruminating animals that are found in almost all parts of the world. He explains that oxen endure harsh environmental conditions characterized by the rigor of heat and freezing temperatures. In the contemporary society, they are known to many as bovine animals that are domesticated to provide meat and execute draught work. Oxen exist in the family of aurochs, and they have been trained to work in the fields. Anderson (2010), also affirms that any breed of cattle can be trained to be an ox, and more often, it is the bigger and healthier ones that are selected for the purpose. This piece will delve into the history of domestication of oxen, how they were perfected, and most importantly, the overall impact that they had on man.
The domestication of oxen can be traced back to around 4000 BC When a few herds of them were in the Far East of Asia. First and for most, several studies have been put forward to demonstrate and prove their domestication. Professor Mark Thomas contends that the archeological remains of aurochs were commonly discovered through Asia and Europe. He adds that the discovery implied that there were plenty of chances to tame and domesticate this “beasts of burden.” Further explanations show that the oxen were much bigger than the modern cattle and hence they wouldn’t have had the domestic characteristics that we observe today.

Therefore, even if some people managed to capture them alive, their domestication might have posed very significant challenges to man.
In the process of domesticating oxen, people also devoted a significant amount time to perfect them for their benefit. For instance, in the Middle East and Europe, man harnessed the oxen to pull sledges and then consistently enhanced them to plough and wheel wagons. In fact, another ox species that was well adapted to very harsh condition was harnessed in Asia. Its domestication happened near the tropical regions of Asia where they were enhanced to drag ploughs through the flooded farms, which were ideally suitable for rice production. Despite that they were physically powerful to work in the field, they were claimed to be too slow and stiff for the plough. Many referred to them as the water buffaloes.
Oxen were also trained to respond to signals that were conveyed through verbal commands and a whip. This was commonly practiced in the Northern American region where they were used for ploughing. Also, they were favorite beasts for the ancient road builders who perfected their operations to transport construction materials. A relevant scenario occurred in Ohio, where one York of oxen was tested to pull 800 tones of timber in Massachusetts. The oxen were also trained for transport in the great Westward migration that extended to Oregon and California. The journey involved long distances over the American plains and mountains. According to Martin (2015), people grew much interest in these animals that they had to exercise them, train them on drags and pay keen attention to their diet for maximum service delivery. Noteworthy, their domestication was also perfected through breeding. They were bred with other Aurochs species to produce other breeds that were easily domesticated to serve other purposes such as milk production.
Following the short-lived Napoleonic Wars, it was assumed that most oxen had gone into extinction. However, that was in contrast with the reality as some of their genes are still used in Asia. Oxen impacted on man and ministered to his wants and comfort in many ways. First, they improved the means of transport that was used by man in the old times. As indicated by Anderson (2010), women, children and old people from poor social classes in India rode on them for speed, time and comfort. It majorly happened in Mumbai where the Zebu oxen are allegedly used in pulling carts today. Also, the domesticated oxen contributed significantly in Agriculture. They were used in pulling ploughs in the American sugar cane plantation during the second Agricultural revolution. In India, the domesticated oxen equally improved the production of rice as they were used in harrowing the oxidized heavy soil. They were equally employed in the sugar plantations for deep ploughing in Picardy, France.
In the ancient days, man predominantly survived on wild fruits and vegetables. The use of oxen as a source of food, therefore, satisfactorily supplemented the human diet. As a result, people lived healthy lives that were improved through balanced diets. Oxen were also reputably considered to be free from blemish among the Hebrews. Owing to that assertion, they used them in offering sacrifices in their shrines.
From the discussions above, the domestication of oxen is noted to be traced back to around 4000BC. They were discovered in a herd of 80 aurochs in the Far East of Asia. After some years, people decided to perfect these animals through breeding, training, and proper feeding. In turn, they provided man with food, adequate farm labor and a reliable means of transport.

References
Anderson, V. D. J. (2010). Creatures of empire: How domestic animals transformed early
America. New York: Oxford University Press.
Considine, G. D., & Kulik, P. H. (2010). Van Nostrand’s scientific encyclopedia. S.l.: Wiley
Interscience.
Martin, G. J. (2015). American geography and geographers: Toward geographical science.