I have two milking shorthorn steers, 3 years of age, approximately 1500 lbs each, well matched, good natured, willing to work, looking for a good home. They are young and would require a drover with some experience, but with a solid month's work should be an easy handling pair. Willingness and determination is probably more important than experience. They are located in Cloverdale, CA about 90 mile north of SF. Call 707 894 5099 or e-mail reynoso@sonic.net price is negotiable.

-- James Spencer (reynoso@sonic.net), April 16, 2002

Answers

Jim, Did you train the oxen? Do you do this as a matter of course? If so, could you tell me a bit about the steps involved in training? Thanks

-- Judy (JMcFerrin@aol.com), April 16, 2002.

Pardon my ignorancebut I thought steer were casterated male bovine. And I thought an Oxen was just that, a castrated male bovine who was allowed to grow and live, not killed for meat.

How can you have steer/oxen milking? Just curious!

Susan

-- Susan in MN (nanaboo@paulbunyan.net), April 16, 2002.

I think Milking Shorthorn is a breed! James does mention that these are steers.

-- ellie (elnorams@aol.com), April 16, 2002.

A steer is a castrated male bovine. An ox is a draft animal of the bovine species. I've heard of people using heifers and cows as oxen, thought not very common. I just got two shorthorn cross bull calves last week that I will be training.

-- malinda (teneniel_80@yahoo.com), April 17, 2002.

Yep, Milking Shorthorns are a very useful dual-purpose breed, They won't give milk like a Jersey or a Holstein, but a Milking Shorthorn cow will give plenty enough milk for a family, and all her offspring will have a no-questions acceptable beef-type conformation. They'll grow fast, too, because they'll always have more than enough milk available, and the cow tends to wean the calves later. This might vary, but my impression was that they were more tractable than the average beef breed too - probably arising from the fact that there was some selection for a suitable disposition for milking.

-- Don Armstrong (darmst@yahoo.com.au), April 17, 2002.

Please re-read the original post. Drover with some experience, I think was the requirement. Dual breed, yes, but they need a home where oxen are known, utilized and appreciated. These are cattle bred for draft. Not breeders, not pets.

-- Dennis Enyart (westwoodcaprine@yahoo.com), April 18, 2002.

James I might be interested in purchasing your shorthorns. What size yoke are they in? How much are you asking? How much farm work if any have they done? Specifically have they ever plowed/ or done any haying. Are they used to pulling on a chain or a tongue? Have they done much hard pulling? Can they hold a load back on the horns on a slope? How easy do they spook? Ever had them in traffic/public? What kind of condition are they in? What's your feeding schedule like including amount of pasture access (hours per day if any). I know this is a lot of questions but your pretty far away so I want to get a better idea before I get to excited.

-- Tim Springston (springston77@yahoo.com), April 22, 2002.