www.draughtanimalnews.org

DRAUGHT ANIMAL NEWS   A new beginning

Draught Animal News was published between 1989 and 2009 by Dr Anne Pearson of Edinburgh University and was published twice a year as a printed volume. The journal contained studies, reports and practical tips concerning the management and use of working animals – cattle, buffalo, equines, camels etc. plus notices of events, presentation of new publications, bibliographical references as well as questions and comments from readers. It was valued worldwide as a platform for the exchange of information and ideas. Publication ceased in 2009 on financial grounds.

With the willing agreement of the previous publisher, FECTU takes over and continues the project. FECTU is an umbrella organization of some 18 associations from 15 European countries which are committed to the responsible use of working horses and other draught animals.

The new Draught Animal News will appear as an online journal and will endeavour to take account of the linguistic variety of its readers.

The publishers hold the underlying belief that the advantages of working animals receive little consideration or are even willfully ignored. The use of working animals is possible almost everywhere, affordable even for the poor and achievable with locally grown renewable energy sources. It frees untold numbers of women, children and men from time-consuming heavy labour, promotes small-scale farming and food sovereignty, facilitates local transport and trade connections, guarantees sustainable use of soils, forests and sensitive sites, while also maintaining biodiversity.

Draught Animal News will take as its themes all matters which relate to the above-mentioned advantages of working animals: their keeping, feeding and welfare, technical questions relating to implements, vehicles and harness, techniques of training and harnessing animals, the initial and further education of people in the use of animal power in the areas of transport, farming, forestry etc. Of great importance is the exchange between theory and daily practice as well as networking between the associations and individuals concerned.