Factors influencing the work done by draught oxen: a study in the eastern hills of Nepal
1989; Cambridge University Press; Volume: 49; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1017/s0003356100032566
ISSN1748-748X
AutoresR. Anne Pearson, P. R. Lawrence, Chandra Kant Ghimire,
Tópico(s)Animal Behavior and Welfare Studies
ResumoABSTRACT The work done, distance travelled and body temperature of five teams of oxen ploughing land for winter crops was measured continuously over a 5-h working day. On terraces in East Nepal the cattle worked at slow speeds (about 0·3 m/s). Daily work output was variable and depended on ground and soil conditions and on the man working the team. Estimated daily energy expenditure on working days in October and November was 1·25 to 1·46 × maintenance. Differences between teams were small. No noticeable change in performance occurred over the 5-h work, with the exception of one team which usually worked erratically over the last 2 h. Only one animal showed signs of heat stress during work, when its body temperature increased by 1·8 to 2°C, otherwise body temperature varied little (< 1°C) during work.
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