A yoke is a piece of equipment that is used to join together two animals, usually oxen, so that they can pull a plough or other heavy load. There are three main types of yoke: the neck yoke, the shoulder yoke and the body yoke.
The neck yoke is the most common type of yoke and consists of a wooden beam that is placed across the necks of the animals. A metal chain or strap is then used to secure the beam in place. This type of yoke allows the animals to share the weight of the load evenly and prevents them from moving their heads too much.
The shoulder yoke is similar to the neck yoke but it rests on the animals' shoulders instead of their necks. This type of yoke is often used for smaller animals such as goats as it gives them more freedom to move their heads.
The body yoke is very different from the other two types as it encircles the whole bodies of the animals and joins them together at their sides. This type of yoke is only really suitable for very large animals such as elephants or horses.