By Umar Nsubuga
Muhammad Kiyemba, a veterinary doctor says harness sores occur in the early days of training bulls before the skin becomes accustomed to the friction caused by the yoke.
He says as the yoke rubs against the body, it erodes the skin and causes sores. It may be difficult to ensure that there are no harness sores at all.
However, there is a lot you can do to reduce the risk, indeed, most cases of harness sores result from poor management (over-loading, overworking, bad yokes).
The following measures can help prevent harness sores;
-Keep skin and harness clean, dirt may create rough surfaces that hurt the skin.
-Keep surface of yoke smooth and comfortable. If there is any rough surface, trim it.
-When animals are working in the rain, apply grease on the yoke to reduce friction.
-You may use cushions and rags to protect the skin from wood.
-If the sores occur anyway, rest the ox while treating it.
About animal rights, bulls do have sufficient energy to plough or pull carts provided you do not exceed the limit. As long as you do not mistreat working oxen, you do not violate their rights.
However, many farmers do violate the rights of their oxen by over-working and under-feeding them, using immature bulls, and subjecting them to unnecessary injuries during work.
If you make an oxen work for more than five hours a day, that violates their right to rest. Likewise, whipping inflicts pain on them and that cruelty is a violation of their rights.
