Draft animals cut the costs of farming a lot, The question is can the draft farmer put in the time to plow as many acres as the tractor guy? That is up to the work ethic of the farmer and the price of fuel/weed killer.
can the draft farmer put in the time to plow as many acres as the tractor guy?
No. No way, no how, never. Oxen plowing an acre a day in a 130 day growing season would be plowing, disking, and maybe harrowing the last few acres and ready to plant that particular plot some time in early September. Fourleggers, bovine or equine, little more than an acre or two a day. With four wheel drive diesel tractors pulling fancy chisel plows, they measure acres per hour, not acres per day.