My unfinished posts are piling up. So let me get these Thai cattle pictures from the Petchabun trip up to celebrate the Chinese Year of the Ox. But are cows oxen? Does it matter?
The Prairie Ox Drovers says:
- What is an ox?
Oxen are steers of any breed of cattle, that are at least four years old, and taught to work. Steers, in this catagory, that are younger than four years old, are called "Working Steers".
- What is a steer?
A steer is a castrated bull.
- How are oxen different than cattle?
There is no difference. Oxen are just cattle that have been taught to work.
Wikipedia says:Oxen (singular ox) are large and heavyset breeds of Bos taurus cattle trained as draft animals. Often they are adult, castrated males. Usually an ox is over four years old due to the need for training and to allow it to grow to full size. Oxen are used for plowing, transport, hauling cargo, grain-grinding by trampling or by powering machines, irrigation by powering pumps, and wagon drawing. Oxen were commonly used to skid logs in forests, and sometimes still are, in low-impact select-cut logging. Oxen are most often used in teams of two, paired, for light work such as carting. In the past, teams might have been larger, with some teams exceeding twenty animals when used for logging.
An ox is nothing more than a mature bovine with an "education."
Various other sites include cows and other bovine as the stars of this Chinese Year:
Chinese zodiac sign - Ox (Cow)
Chinese New Year 2009 - The Year of Ox - The Year of Brown Cow
Year of the Ox, Cow, Buffalo or Bull
www.Chinese-Zodiac says:
2009 Year of the Ox 2009 -the Year of the Bull! The Chinese New Year's Day is Jan. 26, 2009.
Happy ox chinese zodiac symbols (Niu) Year! Gong Xi Fa Cai (May You be Happy, May You be Wealthy)!
Chinese Calendar began in 2697 BC when the Yellow King became king.
This year is the 4706th Chinese Year beginning from January 26, 2009, the Year of the Bull, Cow or Ox. The birth year of President Barack Obama (1961) was a Bull Year.
Chinese astrology is not like western astrology.The Feng Shui Shop gives predictions for the year for all the animal signs of the Chinese astrology. And he lets us know we have some control over how things turn out:
Chinese astrology is not like western astrology. The whole idea of it is to be informed of what may come and how you can apply cures and enhancers to avoid potential problems and having the information in advance you can avoid many of the problems that are forecast. The information will also assist you to be prepared and to make informed decisions that may affect your wellbeing and endeavors. It is important that you know when and how to avoid the bad influences during the year.
The message I am trying to convey is even if you are a Sheep and you read below or somewhere else advising that 2009 will not be a good year for you and all misfortunes will befall on you, adopt a positive attitude and follow the advice given below and in the 2009 Flying Star (Xuan Kong) recommendations, you will be able avoid any bad luck that is forecast. Knowing how to avoid negative Flying Stars can help alter your year's luck in a good way. I know you will come across websites or other Practitioners who will predict all sorts of doom and gloom for a certain animal in any year, please take this with a pinch of salt and enjoy a great 2009.
What do Thai cows/oxen say? I can't go past a herd of cows without saying, "Moo." Do Thai's do this, too, or have I been surrounded by little persons for too many years? :) (One cannot be surrounded by them enough!)
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