Appendix I

Overview of Ox Breeds

Comparing Ox Breeds

Ayrshire

Color: brownish, red and white

Weight*: 2,000 lbs. (4,400 kg.)

Height**: medium

Tractability***: 7

Temperament: active and alert

Other: attractive long horns

Brown Swiss

Color: light to dark brown

Weight*: 2,400 lbs. (5,280 kg.)

Height**: large

Tractability***: 2

Temperament: docile and slow moving

Other: grows rapidly

Charolais

Color: white

Weight*: 2,300 lbs. (5,060 kg.)

Height**: large

Tractability***: 6

Temperament: moderately alert and active

Other: heavily muscled

Chianina

Color: white

Weight*: 3,000 lbs. (6,600 kg.)

Height**: huge

Tractability***: 10

Temperament: alert and excitable, at times to a fault

Other: grows rapidly

Devon

Color: red

Weight*: 1,600–1,800 lbs. (3,520–3,960 kg.)

Height**: medium

Tractability***: 10

Temperament: quick and alert

Other: easy to color match

Dexter

Color: black, dark red, dun

Weight*: 1,000 lbs. (2,200 kg.)

Height**: small

Tractability***: 9

Temperament: quick and alert, at times to a fault

Other: long horns, heavy muscling

Dutch Belted

Color: white belt around black body

Weight*: 2,000 lbs. (4,400 kg.)

Height**: medium

Tractability***: 3

Temperament: moderately docile

Other: rare breed

Guernsey

Color: brown or fawn with white patches

Weight*: 1,800 lbs. (3,960 kg.)

Height**: medium

Tractability***: 1

Temperament: easy-going

Other: lean and angular

Hereford

Color: dark red with white face

Weight*: 2,200 lbs. (4,840 kg.)

Height**: medium

Tractability***: 3

Temperament: moderately docile

Other: rare breed

Holstein

Color: black and white or red and white

Weight*: 2,500 lbs. (5,500 kg.)

Height**: large

Tractability***: 3

Temperament: docile

Other: grows rapidly

Jersey

Color: any shade of brown

Weight*: 1,600 lbs. (3,520 kg.)

Height**: medium

Tractability***: 8

Temperament: moderately active and excitable

Other: easy to color-match

Lineback

Color: black with white stripe down back and belly

Weight*: 2,000 lbs. (4,400 kg.)

Height**: medium

Tractability***: 7

Temperament: moderately active and alert

Other: rare breed

Milking Shorthorn

Color: red, red and white, roan

Weight*: 2,300 lbs. (5,060 kg.)

Height**: large

Tractability***: 4

Temperament: moderately docile

Other: matures slowly

Scotch Highland

Color: all black, brown, gray, or white

Weight*: 2,000 lbs. (4,400 kg.)

Height**: medium

Tractability***: 9

Temperament: active

Other: long shaggy hair

Zebu (American)

Color: gray or grayish brown

Weight*: 2,000 lbs. (4,400 kg.)

Height**: large

Tractability***: 8

Temperament: active

Other: hump on back

Texas Longhorn

Color: any color or combination

Weight*: 1,800–2,000 lbs. (3,520–4,400 kg.)

Height**: medium

Tractability***: 10

Temperament: active and alert

Other: impressive horns

Chianina × Holstein

Color: black or brownish black

Weight*: 3,000 lbs. (6,600 kg.)

Height**: huge

Tractability***: 7

Temperament: moderately active

Devon × Holstein

Color: solid black

Weight*: 2,000 lbs. (4,400 kg.)

Height**: medium-large

Tractability***: 7

Temperament: moderately quick and alert

Other: easy to color-match

Hereford × Holstein

Color: black and white with white face and head

Weight*: 2,200 lbs. (4,400 kg.)

Height**: large

Tractability***: 2

Temperament: easy-going

Jersey × Holstein

Color: solid black or solid black-dark brown

Weight*: 1,800 lbs. (3,960 kg.)

Height**: medium

Tractability***: 5

Temperament: moderately active

Other: easy to color-match; becoming more common on dairy farms

Shorthorn × Holstein

Color: black, black and white, blue roan

Weight*: 2,300 lbs. (5,060 kg.)

Height**: large

Tractability***: 4

Temperament: moderately docile

Other: fatten easily

* Average weight of a mature ox.
** Comparative height; when taken together with average weight gives you an idea of the breed’s mass
*** On a scale of 1 to 10: 1 being the easiest and 10 the most challenging for an inexperience teamster to train and work in a yoke.