[Sca-cooks] Cow harness

[Stefan li Rous]

I hadn't realized we had discussed this subject before, but we  
apparently did. As I was saving a few messages on this, I found this  
message, not yet in the Florilegium. I'm posting it again since it  
clarifies some of the recent messages posted on the subject of steers,  
oxen, cows, bulls.

Besides, there is actually a food connection to these comments after  
all. :-)  This also explains why an ox tail might end up in a soup.

Stefan
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Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2008 15:50:59 -0500
From: "Saint Phlip" <phlip at 99main.com>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] Basting spit roasted meat
To: "Cooks within the SCA" <sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org>

On Jan 31, 2008 3:33 PM, Phil Troy / G. Tacitus Adamantius
<adamantius1 at verizon.net> wrote:
 > Isn't an ox a castrated adult male, a bullock any castrated male
 > bovine, and a steer castrated before reaching sexual maturity?
 >
 > Adamantius

Actually, more properly, an ox is an educated bovine ;-) Can be male
or female, but a male is usually castrated, since it usually makes him
easier to handle. A bullock can be castrated or not- if not, he's a
young bull, under 4 years. After that, he's a bull. A steer is usually
as you defined, but can also be an ox less than 4 years old.

Oxen are simply cattle trained (usually from an early age) as beasts
of burden. If, however, you refer to eating an ox, that would imply at
the end of its working life- thus tougher (and more intensely
flavorful).
--
Saint Phlip

--------
THLord Stefan li Rous    Barony of Bryn Gwlad    Kingdom of Ansteorra
    Mark S. Harris           Austin, Texas          StefanliRous at austin.rr.com
**** See Stefan's Florilegium files at:  http://www.florilegium.org ****