While there is a small but steady interest in the use of draft animal power for farming, one of the limiting factors is that draft animals do not come with the PTO (power take-off) needed to operate many modern implements.
What to do? Consider the PTO forecart.
When it comes to PTO forecarts, there are two basic options:
- Ground-driven carts. These convert the team’s forward movement into power. Ground-driven forecarts can power implements made to operate with tractors up to 24 horsepower (HP).
- Motorized carts. These rely on a motor to provide the power, ranging from 20 HP motors to 118 HP diesel engines. Motorized carts are more expensive than ground-driven carts
Both ground-driven and motorized forecarts can be equipped with battery-operated hydraulics.
A PTO forecart can be used to power a variety of equipment, ranging from no-till drills to mowers and everything in between. With the right forecart and enough animals, the small farmer can operate nearly any of the implements designed for smaller and mid-sized tractors.
The versatility of the forecart is increased even further if it is built to allow the farmer to use either a pole or shafts to hitch the team. This permits using teams of any size, shafts being for a single horse and a pole being for a team. Of course, if you have only one draft horse, this feature may not be necessary, but it does allow for scaling up.
One thing to keep in mind is that a certain amount of speed may be required to operate some implements, such as no-till drills. For this reason, oxen may be too slow in some cases. Horses are best for your PTO needs, as they have a fast working pace. A mannerly mule team is also suitable for this purpose.
Another caution is that forecarts typically do not have the braking power needed to stop a runaway team. PTO forecarts should only be used with well-trained, even-tempered animals.
As draft animals have acquired a steady, if small, following, manufacturers of draft equipment have stepped up to the plate, making a forecart surprisingly easy to find. New models may be a little expensive for the bootstrapping startup, but the price is still considerably less than that of a new tractor. Furthermore, many farmers find a forecart to be money well spent, as it is versatile enough to be in use most of the year.
When shopping for a forecart, keep in mind that not all types are suitable for use with PTO equipment. Some are simply designed to allow a team of animals to be hitched to an implement that would normally be pulled from the drawbar of a tractor. If PTO is what you want, be sure to find a PTO forecart.
For those who are serious about farming with draft animals, the PTO forecart may very well prove to be an essential piece of equipment.
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