DOI article:
Mingote Calderón, José Luis: Yokes for three cows: a vanished technique for breaking in cattle in La Sierra Norte of Madrid
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.49004#0028
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J. L. MINGOTE CALDERON
means of taming cattle (Ed. Forster &
Heffner 1968: 126-136) he mentions the use of
the yoke: “The method which we are pre-
scribing should be followed only if no ox is
available which has already done service; oth-
erwise the system of training which we fol-
low on our own farm is more expeditious and
safer. For when we are accustoming the
young bullock to the wagon or plough, we
yoke with the untrained animal the strongest
and at the same time quietest of the trained
oxen, which both keeps it back if it rushes
forward and makes it advance if it lags be-
hind. Indeed, if we have no objection to con-
structing a yoke to which three animals can
be fastened, we shall by this device achieve
the result that even obstinate oxen do not re-
fuse the heaviest tasks. For when an idle bull-
ock is yoked between two veteran oxen and
forced to till the ground with the plough
which is put upon them, he has no opportu-
nity of refusing to obey the order which has
been given him; or, if he has become savage
and rushes forward, he is checked by the con-
trolling power of the other two; or, if he
stands still when the other two pace along, he
also follows even against his will; or, if he
tries to lie down, he is upheld and dragged
along by his more powerful companions.
Hence he is forced from all sides to lay aside
his obstinacy, and it takes very few blows to
induce him to submit to hard work” (Forster
& Heffner 1968: 131 and 133).
The totality of Columella’s text shows
great similarities with Sierra Norte of Madrid.
Particularly striking is the way bullocks are
forced to pull first a branch and then the ard.
The way steers are yoked with trained oxen,
“which we follow in our own farm,”28 is also
interesting as is the use of a yoke destined for
stubborn animals. By contrast we find some
differences regarding its use. Whereas in
Sierra Norte this type of yoke was used in
forcing the animal to walk, in Columella’s
text it was also used while the animals were
already working. However, it is still unclear
whether it was used during taming periods or
after.
There are some flaws in this argument since
it would seem strange to use a bullock not yet
accustomed to the yoke even though it was
controlled by two trained oxen. Neverthe-
less, the attachment of a plough to the yoke
Fig. 19. Situation of yokes for three cows in
France. 1, Lot Department. 2, Hautes-Pyrenees
Department. □ Verbreitung der Joche fur drei
Kiihe in Frankreich. 1. Departement Lot; 2. De-
partement Hautes-Pyrenees.
cannot yet be assured and it is perhaps the
reason why in some places ploughing had
been carried out with three animals fastened
to a triple yoke.
The following sentence should be borne in
mind: “if we have no objection to construct-
ing a yoke.” Is that referring to a technical or
to an economic problem? He probably refers
to the second though it is not a tenable posi-
tion.
Arabic agrarian treatises do not pay much
J. L. MINGOTE CALDERON
means of taming cattle (Ed. Forster &
Heffner 1968: 126-136) he mentions the use of
the yoke: “The method which we are pre-
scribing should be followed only if no ox is
available which has already done service; oth-
erwise the system of training which we fol-
low on our own farm is more expeditious and
safer. For when we are accustoming the
young bullock to the wagon or plough, we
yoke with the untrained animal the strongest
and at the same time quietest of the trained
oxen, which both keeps it back if it rushes
forward and makes it advance if it lags be-
hind. Indeed, if we have no objection to con-
structing a yoke to which three animals can
be fastened, we shall by this device achieve
the result that even obstinate oxen do not re-
fuse the heaviest tasks. For when an idle bull-
ock is yoked between two veteran oxen and
forced to till the ground with the plough
which is put upon them, he has no opportu-
nity of refusing to obey the order which has
been given him; or, if he has become savage
and rushes forward, he is checked by the con-
trolling power of the other two; or, if he
stands still when the other two pace along, he
also follows even against his will; or, if he
tries to lie down, he is upheld and dragged
along by his more powerful companions.
Hence he is forced from all sides to lay aside
his obstinacy, and it takes very few blows to
induce him to submit to hard work” (Forster
& Heffner 1968: 131 and 133).
The totality of Columella’s text shows
great similarities with Sierra Norte of Madrid.
Particularly striking is the way bullocks are
forced to pull first a branch and then the ard.
The way steers are yoked with trained oxen,
“which we follow in our own farm,”28 is also
interesting as is the use of a yoke destined for
stubborn animals. By contrast we find some
differences regarding its use. Whereas in
Sierra Norte this type of yoke was used in
forcing the animal to walk, in Columella’s
text it was also used while the animals were
already working. However, it is still unclear
whether it was used during taming periods or
after.
There are some flaws in this argument since
it would seem strange to use a bullock not yet
accustomed to the yoke even though it was
controlled by two trained oxen. Neverthe-
less, the attachment of a plough to the yoke
Fig. 19. Situation of yokes for three cows in
France. 1, Lot Department. 2, Hautes-Pyrenees
Department. □ Verbreitung der Joche fur drei
Kiihe in Frankreich. 1. Departement Lot; 2. De-
partement Hautes-Pyrenees.
cannot yet be assured and it is perhaps the
reason why in some places ploughing had
been carried out with three animals fastened
to a triple yoke.
The following sentence should be borne in
mind: “if we have no objection to construct-
ing a yoke.” Is that referring to a technical or
to an economic problem? He probably refers
to the second though it is not a tenable posi-
tion.
Arabic agrarian treatises do not pay much