Animal traction

Animal traction is the use of animals to pull loads or operate equipment, especially in agriculture. It relies on trained draft animals, harnesses, and suitable implements.

Draft animal: An animal trained and used to pull loads or operate equipment. Draft animals supply the pulling force at the center of animal traction.
Animal-powered agriculture: Farming that uses animals to provide power for fieldwork and transport. Animal traction supplies the motive power for this broader farming system.
Mechanized agriculture: Farming that uses machines and non-animal power to perform agricultural operations. Mechanized equipment can replace animal traction where fuel, machinery, and maintenance are available.
Agricultural labor: Human work involved in producing crops and raising livestock. Animal power changes how much human effort is needed for tasks such as ploughing.
Animal harness: Equipment fitted to an animal to control it or transmit its pulling force to a load. Harness design determines how an animal's force reaches a cart or implement.
Animal-powered transport: The movement of people or goods using animals to pull or carry them. Pulling carts and wagons extends traction beyond work in fields.
Tractor: A motorized vehicle designed to provide high tractive force for agricultural or other work. Tractors offer greater speed and power but require capital, fuel, and maintenance.
Animal welfare: The physical and mental condition of animals and the ethical treatment they receive. Workload, harness fit, feed, and rest affect the welfare of draft animals.
Yoke: A wooden or metal device that couples draft animals to each other or to a load. Yokes connect teams of animals to loads and distribute pulling force.
Ox-drawn cart: A wheeled vehicle pulled by one or more oxen. It is a common transport application of bovine traction.

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