Golden Ox

Native to the Golden Plateau area of The Kingdom of Vallanna, the Golden Ox is a large, placid beast of burden, or draft animal, employed by the farmers of that region for transport, such as cart-pulling and ploughing; trampling grain for threshing, and powering farming machinery such as mills.
Valued for their calm temperament and excellent stamina, the species has been traded amongst the farming community for several thousand years.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Similar in physical form and size to a more common domesticated cow, the Golden Ox is notable for its long, prominent horns, which curve back from the head along the spine. The skull of the Golden Ox is wider than that of a cow, perhaps to provide additional support for the horns. The coat of a Golden Ox is uniformly a light golden, or blonde shade, although this is not the etymology of the name of the species - they are instead named for the Golden Plateau region, from which they originate.

Additional Information

Domestication

The species has been domesticated for several thousand years, since before the turning of the age, from the Age of Arcane Might into the Age of Unification. Due to the chaos of the chaos of the Age of Arcane Might, an exact date is hard to establish, but scholars believe that ancient documents of at least 4000 years of age, found within ancient ruins, depict oxen being used in a domestic setting.

Uses, Products & Exploitation

Golden Oxen are primarily used as working animals, rather than being kept for their meat or milk, as farmers tend to keep the larger, and more common domesticated cow for this purpose. As such, Golden Oxen are a common sight on farms, especially in the Golden Plateau region, being used to pull carts (usually in pairs), and drag other farm machinery and implements, such as plows.

Lifespan

18-22 years

Average Height

131 cm, (4 ft, 3.6 in )

Average Weight

600kg