In the old days the messenger function was almost always played by an ox, but today the task generally falls to a person. Today's messenger walks around carrying a chunk of meat on the shoulder to draw the connection between himself and the ox that formerly fulfilled the task.
早期，絕大部分廟會活動的報馬仔都是由「牛」來擔任，演變至今，有些廟會已經轉由「人」來負責，並在肩上扛著一塊肉，顯示其與擔任報馬仔的牛有異曲同工之處。