Draught Animal Transport

  Freight in most regions of the developing  countries is often 
  small  in  weight, if not in  volume, and the  produce in the 
  rural areas rarely exceed 750 kg (an average discerned from a 
  survey of Indian cart operations).  Animal drawn vehicles are 
  economical  for  loads  ranging  from half to two tonnes over 
  distances up to  40 km in the  course of a single day. Trucks 
  require at least five tonne loads over distances of 100 km or 
  more for  250 to 300 days of the  year, if  operations are to 
  break even. In contrast, animals work only for 50 to 100 days 
  in  conjunction  with  carts. In the  carrying of  sugar-cane, 
  cotton,  tobacco,  wood  for  fuel,  hay,  bran  for dry feed, 
  fertiliser,  and  manure  in  the  rural  areas, animal drawn 
  vehicles  enjoy  a  distinct  advantage over trucks. They are 
  thus  extensively  used  for  intra-village and inter-village 
  transport.  The  animals  are  used  for  ploughing,  tillage, 
  carting  and  a variety of farm operations so that the farmer 
  is able to  spread the  cost of  maintenance over a number of 
  operations. Cart designs are highly commodity-specific. Large-
  volume  and  low-density  loads  call for a different kind of 
  platform  structure  than   concentrated   commodities   like 
  firewood,  coal,  brick,  etc.  In  order  to  improve on the 
  efficiency of animal  drawn vehicles for rural transportation, 
  following measures should be taken:
  -   improvement of  vehicle design (pneumatic tyres, bearings, 
      axles, etc.),
  -   improvement of  harnessing of animals (in present designs 
      the animal not only hauls the combined weight of cart and 
      freight, but also  carries  an  appreciable weight of its 
      own body), 
  -   improvement of  animal  breeding (this measure eventually 
      will lead to increased and more efficient motive power).

  The proper  audit of existing  energy sources and the pattern 
  of energy end use by  different  activity sectors of regional 
  economy is  essential for framing the  future plan for energy 
  strategy for alternative resources.