Vin Oxen

Originally native to the Champs de Violet region of Northern Bastique, known for its world-class vineyards, the Vin Oxen are now found all across the continent. A multi-purpose beast, the Oxen are used not just for their meat, but they are also prized for their quality hides, horns and milk. The milk, in particular, is highly sort after as it does not just provide a nutritious drink, but it is also one of the key ingredients in producing the treatment for Pauper's Bloat, a condition which originates in the hide of the Vin Oxen. The horns are used most commonly by peasants for crafting tools and cheap jewellery and decorations. Every so often a noble has been known to take interest in Vin horn fashion and will spend an exorbitant amount of money to indulge in their new “rustic” aesthetic.
Vin Oxen possess four horns. The two upper horns, which jut from the Oxen's temples and curve forward to a point, are believed to be a throwback from a bygone age when the Oxen were much more aggressive creatures. The two lower horns, growing from just behind their lower jaw, curve below the jaw before moving back up to just below their chin. The Oxen use these horns for digging holes into the ground to search for roots and bulbs to eat.
Due to their great size, standing at an average of 7 feet tall at the shoulder, and strength, Vin Oxen are often used as beasts of burden. A Vin Oxen is capable of pulling or carrying something 1000kg in weight with ease. In comparison, the average horse is only capable of carrying approximately 500kg and is also much more expensive to own and care for than the Vin Oxen.
Vin Oxen are herbivores, and as such will happily graze on grass and usually live on a diet of straw and hay. Due to origins, the Vin Oxen have developed a taste for grapes and are often given them as a treat by farmers. This love for grapes is what earned the Oxen their name.
Vin Oxen reproduce quickly and have a higher fertility rate in winter. Once born, a baby Vin Oxen, also known as a stot, will reach maturity in 6 months, at which point it will begin producing milk. It will not reach its full height and strength until it is a year old, however. A Vin Oxen stot will require a great deal of aid if bred in captivity as its horns grow much faster than its neck muscles. The Farmer will need to file them down, cut them off entirely or feed them by hand until their neck muscles are strong enough to handle the weight. In the wild, a Vin Oxen stot's horns would be worn down or broken naturally when dragged across the ground or rubbed on trees and stones. A Vin Oxen's horns will continuously grow for the first year and a half of their lives.