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CW Journal
: Spring 08 : Smart as an Ox
Beasts of Burden Bright, Gentle, and Strong
by Ed Crews
Photos by Dave Doody
An oxcart driver at Colonial
Williamsburg for five years, Darin Tschopp doesn't get the expression "dumb as
an ox" anymore. The longer he works with these cattle, the less sense the cliché
makes to him.
Of course, Tschopp
may be prejudiced. He likes and understands these gentle giants. He knows their
personalities, preferences, and capabilities. He talks about them by name,
often pairing them in conversation, as he does at work, in two-animal teams,
like Red and Rusty, and Timer and Tuck. Working together, Tschopp, the oxen,
and fellow driver Eric Hunter have pulled loads of brick and wood in the
Historic Area and plowed fields and moved downed trees at Great Hopes
Plantation. Tschopp's experience has taught him that these "dumb beasts" can
outsmart a human.
"Whoever came up with
'dumb as an ox' never worked with them. These are bright animals," Tschopp
said. "In a way, they're just like kids. They'll see what they can or can't get
away with. They'll test you. They'll look for ways to get out of work. They
need to know you're the boss, or they'll take advantage of you."
Despite their size,
oxen don't need tough handling, he said. They follow commands given in a
whisper. Yet they do need handlers to give clear instructions and to set firm
boundaries. If you can do that, Tschopp said, it's amazing how much the animals
can accomplish.
Like Williamsburg's
modern oxen, their colonial counterparts had the size and strength for heavy
tasks. It's what made these animals valuable in the European settlement of
North America.
"During the colonial
period, oxen were critical," Tschopp said. "They provided the power for big,
heavy jobs. They were the trucks, tractors, and bulldozers of their time."
Oxen were commonplace
in British colonies starting in the 1600s. Plantation owners and small farmers
relied on them for all sorts of tasks as well as for milk, meat, hides, and
fat. During the Revolutionary War, oxen hauled supplies; they were links in the
Continental Army's logistical network. In September 1781, Williamsburg citizens
saw what was probably the largest assemblage of cattle in the town's history
when George Washington's supply column passed through on its way to the Battle
of Yorktown.
Oxen remained the
main beasts of burden until late in the nineteenth century, when horses and
mules replaced them.
Colonial Williamsburg has used
oxen in historic interpretation for more than four decades. Holsteins came
first in 1963 for "Life on the Street" programs. Over time, the Holsteins were
replaced by two rare breeds.
The Coach and
Livestock Department has eight oxen—Milking Shorthorns. It has also used
Randalls. The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy recognizes the breeds as
endangered. By caring for and using these animals in educational programs,
Colonial Williamsburg is helping to preserve their bloodlines.
The Milking
Shorthorns are one of the oldest recognized breeds in the world. They came to
the United States, Virginia specifically, in 1783. Their forerunners apparently
existed during the 1500s in northeastern England.
Milking Shorthorns
spread rapidly across the United States. Farmers in the North and Midwest
readily accepted them, and the first herd was established on the west side of
the Mississippi River in 1839. During the nineteenth century, American farmers
admired the animals for their strength, the quality of their meat, and, most
important, their milk. But by the early 1980s, Milking Shorthorns were in dire
straits. Thanks to a concentrated twenty-year rescue effort, about 10,000 of
these red and white cattle now exist worldwide.
Darin Tschopp with a team of Randall oxen. Their numbers have grown to about 200 from a low of twenty in the 1980s.
Click image to enlarge |
Much is known about
Milking Shorthorns, but relatively little information is available on the
Randall breed's history. These black and white cattle originated in New
England, and are named for the Randall family of Vermont, which had a herd of
them throughout the twentieth century. The breed's lineage is unclear, but
experts believe it may include cattle from Holland, Britain, and France.
By the early 1980s,
the Randall breed had dwindled to a handful of animals. Cynthia Creech of
Jefferson, Tennessee, heard about the situation and brought Randalls to her
farm—the start of the breed's rescue. Progress has been slow, and the
breed remains in a critical situation. About 200 of them now exist, up from the
twenty or so animals alive two decades ago.
The Milking
Shorthorns and the Randalls are a perfect fit for Colonial Williamsburg.
They're docile, undisturbed by crowds, strong, and easily trained. Their
education begins early. Youngsters involved in 4-H projects begin working with
the oxen when they are calves, getting them used to being handled and guided by
humans. Then, they move on to commands. The animals can learn about twenty.
They begin with the simplest.
"You start by
teaching them 'forward' and 'stop.' Once they have these commands down, you go
on to 'gee'—right—and 'haw'—left. Eventually, you teach them
to back up, but it's tough because it isn't natural for cattle to walk
backwards. They don't like it because they can't see what's behind them,"
Tschopp said.
After oxen have
learned commands, they can work with light loads until they reach maturity
around age four, when they can handle heavy jobs. An ox typically can work with
loads two to three times its weight. A two-animal team usually can manage
several tons.
Thanks to their size
and strength, the oxen are the stars of the show whenever they appear in the
Historic Area. Guests cannot resist seeing them up close.
"Everybody loves
them," Tschopp said. "When we go down the street, people actually run out of
buildings to look at them. Guests never have seen an animal this large up
close."
Tschopp
believes—and hopes—this fascination will help preserve the Milking
Shorthorn and Randall breeds.
"It's really
important that we use the oxen because it keeps them in the public eye, and
that helps preserve the breed," Tschopp said. "It's really satisfying for me to
get people interested in these animals. I'm always hoping that a child will see
the oxen, become intrigued, and help preserve them by getting involved in a 4-H
program with them."
Ed Crews, a Richmond-based writer, contributed to the winter 2008 journal story about Colonial Williamsburg's Canadian horses.
Suggestions for further reading:
Listen to a Behind the Scenes Interview:
Smart as an Ox
Bovine behemoths boast brains and brawn. Oxman Darin Tschopp describes these
beasts of burden.
 (MP3,
3.7Mb) || View transcript
This interview is part of an ongoing series of podcasts available on the Colonial Williamsburg site.
Learn more.
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