World Draft Cattle Symposium
World Draft Cattle Symposium
(Lorsch, Germany, March 8-10th 2024)
by Claus Kropp of Germany
First Things First: A Personal Note From the Conference Organizer
When I first came into contact with the world of draft cattle over ten years ago, I would never have believed the importance that this topic would one day have for me. Not only did I gradually become an advocate for the positive impact of draft cattle in agriculture or silviculture, but I also became a draft cattle farmer and trainer myself. It is with great pleasure that I get to teach people about working with draft cattle each year, and I am pleased that the demand for this all-important traditional knowledge continues to grow. Draft cattle can be so much – working companions, community builders, and securers of livelihoods.
Through networking in ALHFAM, AIMA, EXARC, the German and French draft cattle working group, but also through the exchange with colleagues from all over the world, I realized how important it is to bring draft cattle more into the focus of public discussion – not as an echo of the past, but as part of the solution for a better future. The people who still work with draft cattle in so many parts of the world need to be given a loud audible voice of support, there needs to be active advocacy for innovative and animal-friendly harnessing practices, and finally, there needs to be active work on preserving and expanding the traditional knowledge of working with cattle.
Keeping all of this in mind, I would like to state emphatically that the timing for a gathering such as the planned World Draft Cattle Symposium could not be better. It is the right time because there are enough people to create a momentum that can actually bring change. But it is also the right time because in many parts of the world the number of draft cattle is decreasing dramatically, a lot of knowledge is lost every year and therefore there is no time to lose. Let us therefore join forces to face this challenge.
About the Symposium
The aim of the symposium is to provide a comprehensive and interdisciplinary overview of the current state of research and knowledge on the topic of cattle traction (with bulls, oxen as well as cows) in agriculture, transportation, irrigation and crop-processing. At the same time, it will discuss important new concepts regarding the future relevance of draft cattle as working animals in a global context and also as part of a sustainable future.
Providing the Bigger Framework – Our Patrons
One additional measure to counter the marginalisation of draft cattle in the public discourse is to embed the advantages and characteristics of animal traction in a wider social and societal context. We hope to have achieved this by winning four symbolic patrons for the conference, all of whom stand out in their respective fields: Chris Smaje (UK) as the author of “A Small Farm Future” for example, manages to draw the attention of a wider public to the topic of small-scale farming; Right-Livelihood Award winner Helena Norberg-Hodge (Sweden), on the other hand, strives to promote the understanding and importance of local communities and localisation on the big stage. Tanja Busse (Germany), also an author and science journalist, has once again drawn the public’s attention to the consequences of species loss with her book “Das Sterben der Anderen” (The Dying of the Others). Lastly, Wendell Berry (USA), whose numerous socially critical writings have repeatedly prompted people to reflect on industrialised agriculture, the loss of traditional knowledge and the importance of rural society.
Conference Schedule
The conference will be divided into three parts:
MARCH 8: PAPERS / POSTERS
Day 1 of the conference will be dedicated to a broad variety of poster and paper presentations covering the broad range of the conference. Our effort is to bring people from many backgrounds, locations, viewpoints, and strengths together for learning, discussions, and networking on many cattle topics. This first day of the conference will be hybrid: virtual and live. All sessions take place in sequence.
An overview of the sessions:
SESSION 1: A VALUABLE LOOK INTO THE PAST – CREATING RELEVANCE FOR TODAY
Section 1: Archaeology / Osteology
Speakers include:
Phoebe Liu, University of Sheffield, (UK) In Search of Draught cattle: an identification method
Minghao Lin, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, (China) The early history of cattle traction in North China through diverse lines of evidence
Fabienne Pigiere, Royal Holloway University of London, (UK) Investigating pathologies in wild bovids to assess pathological indicators of traction
Audrey Crabbé, University of Groningen, (Netherlands) Ploughing through Pathologies: Traction related bone deformations in cattle as indices of political economies in early empires, Hittite Anatolia as a case study
Claus Kropp, Open-Air Lab Lauresham, (Germany) Connecting the dots: Interdisciplinary Draft Cattle Research and Experimental Archaeology
Section 2: History, Museum Collections and Archives
Speakers include:
William G. Clarence-Smith, SOAS University of London, (UK) Draught Animals in Balkan transport, c1300-1914
Debra Reid, Curator of Agriculture and the Environment, The Henry Ford, (USA) Bovine Yokes and Collars in Museum Collections
Barbara Sosi?, Inja Smerdel, Gregor Kos, Žiga Rehar, Slovene Ethnographic Museum, (Slovenia) Curating and Preserving the Cultural Heritage of Oxen and Yokes in Slovenia
Cozette Griffin-Kremer, Associate Researcher, Centre de recherches bretonne et celtique, UBO Brest, (France) Paths of Transmission: Using Draft Cattle and Recording Skills
Section 3: (Archaeological) Open-Air Museums and Living History Farms
Speakers include:
Pete Watson, Director: Howell Living History Farm, Mercer County Park Commission, (USA) Towards a culture of training and curating skills. The role of Living History Farms
Fokko Bloema, Archaeon, (Netherlands) Draft Cattle and Public Engagement in Open-Air Museums
SESSION 2: FACING REALITIES AND FINDING SOLUTIONS
Section 1: Case Studies
Speakers include:
Boniface Okumu, Oxen Clinic Uganda Survey Northern Uganda
Vlad Dumitrescu, Ioana Baskerville, (Roumania)
Simataa Joseph, Farmer / Conservationist, (Namibia) Survey Namibia
D.K.Sadana, M. Din, S. Das, M. Shrivastava and T. Motilal, ILSI and RRAN/WASSAN (India) Challenges in reinvigorating draft animal power in India, and some opportunities
M. Din, M. Srivastava, S. Das, T. Motilal, Revitalizing Rainfed Agriculture Network / Watershed Support Services & Activity Network (India) Present Status of Draught Animal Power and their Utilisation in Rainfed Regions of India
Kevin Cunningham, Shakefork Community Farm, (USA) Oxen-powered vegetable growing and market gardening
Raymundo Vento Tielves PhD., Félix Ponce Ceballo PhD., Joel Pacheco Escobar MSc., Andrés Loreto Díaz Pita MSc, (Cuba) The use of animal traction in Pinar del Río Province, Cuba
Eamonn Mcdonagh, Vegetable Farmer, (Ireland) Agriculture and market gardening with draft cattle in Ireland.
Section 2: New Concepts
Speakers Include:
Tim Harrigan, (USA) The Role of Draft Animals in an Agroecological Approach to Appropriate Scale Mechanization
Antonio Perrone, (Italy) Draft Animal Power versus Photovoltaic: a Technical and Economic Comparison
Paul Schmit, Schaff mat Päerd, (Luxembourg) New animal-drawn machine concepts for future-oriented agriculture
Wolfgang Ehmeier, Farmer, (Austria) The use of animal traction in an operational context
Section 3: Changing the Public Perception
Speakers include:
Ruth Burke, Assistant Professor of Art, (USA) Domestic Rewilding (A Living Land Acknowledgement)
Lynn Miller, Editor: Small Farmers Journal, (USA) A Prayer for Oxen. Working cattle held both as revered and essential.
The overarching topics will be provided by the keynotes speakers:
Barbara Corson, Retired Animal Pathologist (USA) Cattle and Community: why we need both
Paul Starkey, Senior Research Fellow, MERL (UK) Appreciating working cattle worldwide, their cultural heritage and their future importance
Jim Slining, Director of Historic Collections and Exhibits, Tillers International Forcing Resilient Models of Agriculture through Draft Animal Power
MARCH 9: PRACTICAL WORKSHOPS / DEMONSTRATIONS
On Day 2 of the conference, the aim is to give all conference participants a comprehensive and practical insight into the various areas of cattle traction, including cattle behavior, training, traction systems and machinery. All sessions take place in sequence.
An overview of the sessions:
SESSION 1: STARTING THE CONNECTION: CATTLE BEHAVIOUR AND TRAINING
Section 1: Observation of natural behaviour as the basis for the ongoing process of training and relationship
Main Speaker: Astrid Masson (Germany)
Section 2: Options for Transfer in communication between people and cattle. Developing trust and respect
Main Speaker: Anne Wiltafsky (Germany)
Section 3: Sharing one language: use of body language, visual signs, whip and voice commands
Main Speaker: Drew Conroy (USA)
SESSION 2: FINDING THE RIGHT SOLUTIONS
Section 1: Yoke, Collar, Harness, Shoe. Expert panel with practical presentations, including yoke-making and blacksmithing of ox shoes
Speakers/Presenters include:
Philippe Kuhlmann, Farmer and Forester (France) • Claus Kropp, Manager: Lauresham Open-Air Lab (Germany) • Rolf Minhorst, Animal Scientist and Ox-Collar expert (Germany) • Frank Trommer, Blacksmith Master (Germany) • Boniface Okumu, Oxen Clinic Uganda (Uganda) • Elke Treitinger, Veterinarian (Germany)
Section 2: Implements Expert panel with practical demonstrations of various implements for agriculture, transport and forestry
Speakers/Presenters include:
Paul Schmit, Schaff mat Päerd (Luxembourg) • Peter Herold, Agricultural Engineer (Germany) • Pascal Durand, farmer trainer (Prommata International)
SESSION 3: BIOGRAPHIES WRITTEN IN BONE: HOW THE WORKING LIVES OF DRAFT CATTLE AFFECT THE SKELETON
Main speakers:
Matilda Holmes, Archaeozoologist (England) • Barbara Corson, ret. Veterinary Pathologist (USA) • Claus Kropp, Manager: Open-Air Lab Lauresham (Germany)
SESSION 4: CURATING COLLECTIONS: PAST AND PRESENT IMPLEMENTS
Main Speakers:
Deb Reid, The Henry Ford (USA) • Barbara Sosi?, SEM (Slovenia) • Pete Watson, Howell Living History Farm (USA
The conference day will end with an opening ceremony of an international exhibition called “Joch-Joug-Ayoko. A cultural history of the yoke through the millennia”.
MARCH 10: FIELD DAY
An optional workshop day is being offered as part of a large-scale public field day that will provide additional hands-on opportunities. Conference attendees will also have the opportunity to view a variety of draft animal demonstrations, including equine, bovine and caprine.
As readers can see, this conference connects an international field of interrelated yet diverse speakers, training, philosophy, and anatomy topics, as well as the grand opening of the new exhibition: “Joch-Joug-Ayoko. A cultural history of the yoke through the millennia” featuring yokes from around the world and through time, as well at the yoke’s significance in human history.