[central_va]

But seriously, we're all going to starve if very many farmers start using oxen instead of tractors.

Not really. Actually crops may cost less. Farmers will have to work harder.. It is more work taking care of large draft animals than a tractor.

[SuzyQue]

I find that hard to believe. A team of ox simply can’t do the same amount of work per time unit, that a tractor can. Plus, oxen down time (sleep, eat, rest, sick) is, of necessity, considerably longer than a tractor downtime (refuel).

Oxen-farming, while nostalgically attractive, will raise costs and create shortages.

[dynoman]

You really need to take a tour of a modern big grain farm in the midwest, there are operations with 80 quarters of land under cultivation, there's no way on earth to do that with animals.

How could this be duplicated with animals;

[arkady_renko]

Not really. Actually crops may cost less. Farmers will have to work harder.. It is more work taking care of large draft animals than a tractor.

Really? You are going to feed the world by using oxen to plow millions upon millions of acres? What fantasy world do you inhabit?

[moehoward]

"It is more work taking care of large draft animals than a tractor."

That's what Illegals are for you big silly!

And I doubt anyone would starve from smaller yields, in THIS country anyway.