Wagon-Ox

The wagon depot outside the city was packed. Constantine had just banned the presence of oxen in the city proper; all cargoes had to be transferred from ox to power-wagon. Alistair threw his hands up.
"Un-be-lievable! Did nobody think this through?" The wagon of sundries he was escorting to the Guild of Canticles was stuck here; his carriage driver was off feeding his oxen and the queue for a power-wagon hookup was at least an hour long. The depotmaster came over.
"Hey, unless you want to be picking up ox manure in the city streets, I suggest you stop complaining."
"I'm not the one impeding the free flow of trade! Delays like this cost time and money!"
"If you don't like it, hook up your oxen and go right back and out of the city."

Basic Information

Anatomy

Wagon-oxen are distinguished from normal cattle through size - they are larger than cattle bred for the slaughter and significantly more muscular. Most wagon oxen are from related lineages and bear distinctive a distinctive horn curvature.

Growth Rate & Stages

Wagon-oxen grow more quickly than cattle do, reaching a useful size in five and a half seasons.

Ecology and Habitats

Wagon-Oxen are male cattle bred to pull loads, whether pulling wagons on the road or serving as a gear-assembly power source. They're the preferred method of transporting cargo between cities, as power-wagon transport is inefficient with heavy loads. Oxen are found in large numbers in stables outside cities and on pastures and farmsteads.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Working oxen are typically fed hay; most trade routes have stockpiles at regular intervals for trade caravans to resupply and feed their oxen.

Additional Information

Domestication

Oxen are typically larger than other cattle, with more powerful builds for the purpose of pulling loads. The beef is typically not particularly palatable, making oxen much longer lived than their more farmed counterpart.

Uses, Products & Exploitation

Large amounts of oxen are seen on the roads in and between cities on a regular basis, pulling loads for traders. Their manure is a problem in cities, and street cleaners are constantly clearing the roads of oxen waste. Oxen are also occasionally used to turn wheels to manually generate Power, but this does not generate enough power to get a flywheel spinning at a decent rate and is woefully inefficient compared to natural power sources.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Cattle are widespread across Saibh, both domesticated and the occasional feral.

Scientific Name

Bos taurus

Lifespan

20yr

Conservation Status

Oxen are male cattle bred to pull loads, and are common across Saibh.

Average Height

5 feet

Average Weight

1500lb

Average Length

8 feet