When we think of the equipment used in modern farming, many of us likely think of mechanical equipment like tractors, combines, sprayers, rippers, and the list goes on. Modern equipment can be used without the need for some source of strength to pull them. Historically, this was not the case. Before we had farm equipment powered by engines, farmers had to rely on animals to assist with their daily tasks. Horses and oxen were a necessity for many aspects of farming, from clearing land to plowing the fields and harvesting, these heavyweight animals were used to pull and sometimes help with operating equipment, and with the transportation of the goods that were a product of farming. Without the assistance of these animals, crop farming at a large scale was not very feasible.

Along with crops, animal products are of course another form of sustenance for humans, from milk to eggs and animal meat, humans rely on animals for a lot of our food. We also obtain other useful and essential products from animals, such as wool from sheep used in clothing. Oxford County is known for one specific type of animal product: dairy. Oxford County is famously the “dairy capital of Ontario”, surpassing all other regions of Ontario in dairy production. This has also led to cheese production becoming an essential industry in Oxford County, and playing an important role in local tourism and the economy.