So I got a Mini Zebu Bull......>>>>>> New Bull & Heifer Update..

chickenzoo

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I got a young, just around a Year old Zebu Bull - with horns (not big though- yet). My friend got the one I wanted (Grey Polly) :he , Anyhow, he has not been handled much but allows me to touch his face, put my fingers in his mouth, touch him all over with a crop. He does shake and pee from being frightened. He will head butt things when he gets scared. I dragged him out of the trailer by myself with my paint pony in between us as a blocker. He just tried to avoid me. In the small muddy pen they had him and the other in, he would continuously butt the other one while we got them in the trailer, from what looked like stress. He is skinny, but hair coat looks shiny. His eyes look bright. His hooves have probably never been done. I nipped the tips of his horns off, called the vet to schedule a "gelding" and to look him over and then I gave him some Safe Guard. - Now What? Can you have a Bulls horns taken down? Will gelding him help his attitude? What can I give him to gain weight? What can I do to tame him? He is now in a pen, with two goats , a sheep and a potbelly to keep him company. He does not try to butt me yet, unless you put something like a feed scoop etc. in front of his face, then he aims at it. :idunno What can I do to make him a pet, is there any hope for him?
 

Farmer Kitty

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In cattle "gelding" him would be steering him. ;) Will it change his attitude, it's hard to say. I think his attitude is due to not being handled much more than being a bull at this stage. Steering him, as long as you're not going to use him for breeding, is a good thing to do for future attitude though. :)

Yes, he can be dehorned yet.

It sounds like you are going to give him grain, before you give it in their feeder, give some to him in the palm of your hand. It's good that he lets you rub him down, keep doing it. Let him know your a friend and not a foe. Be gentle and patient and he will come around. Other treats hand fed will help too. Things like chunks of apples or hay cubes. There is a thread (should be in feeding) here about treats.

Grain and good hay will help put weight on him. Just watch the grain you feed due to the other animals you have him with. As I'm sure you are aware, sheep can't have copper. Regular cattle grain has it in.

Here's the link to the treat thread: http://www.backyardherds.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=735
 

Imissmygirls

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A year old bovine species male is just coming into his testosterone. This animal sounds dangerous. He isn't tame, you admit he is scared of his surroundings and his hormones are about to rage, PLUS he has horns. How large are those horns-- in inches?

The dilemma here in my eyes is that it is scared and therefor inclined to fear fight ( very dangerous), yet you need to castrate and dehorn him to make it safer to tame him down. Neither of those operations will endear you to him.

If you are totally determined to make him a pet, I would send him somewhere else to be dehorned and castrated so he doesn't associate you with either operation. Then with unending kindness, food bribery and firm but gentle discipline, you might make a pet of him, but I would never trust him totally.
A pasture companion seems more likely.

edited: after rereading your post three times, I think I could make a case that you are describing a dominant bull: butting the other animal, marking, and shaking his head in a dominant manner. Are you sure this one is scared? Plus, shiny coat and bright eyes don't match undernourished. Thin is not necessarily bad, depending upon the animal. Perhaps he is dominant and getting all the food from the other one? What did his cellmate look like? Got a pic?
 

jhm47

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June is not the most ideal time to be dehorning cattle. I was breeding some heifers today, and found one that had been dehorned a couple weeks ago. She had a bad infestation of maggots in the holes in her head where the horns had been. We treated her with screwworm spray, and killed the maggots, but it was still gross to see. Be on the lookout for this.
 

chickenzoo

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He is very scared. He shook and peed in the trailer, every time we came near. Not the pawing, peeing side to side snorting thing of dominate, but shaking in my boots peeing all over myself scared. When I walk out he shoves his but in a corner of the pen, stands and shakes, but if I rope him and ask him to walk towards me, he will with some encouragement, he does not try to go after me, but I can tell he's afraid. I'll get a pic of him. He just started to lay down in his pen, which I think is a good thing, and start eating some.
 

MReit

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Take note that the zebu breed is generally thinner then most just from nature, living in the warm climates. It's going to take a long time to tame him, my charlois heifers that I got as yearlings still are ornry and don't like to be messed with. Good luck, he's going to be a handfull!
 

chickenzoo

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Here he is........
195_uno_bull.jpg
 

laughingllama75

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Sorry, I can't offer any great words of wisdom.......but just wanted to say he is cute! Congrats on the purchase, and good luck with figuring his "problems" out. And keep up the pics. :love
 

wynedot55

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a bull is no pet.you just want him calm enough not tobe jumping fences.he is a nice looking bull to boot.
 

Farmer Kitty

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wynedot55 said:
a bull is no pet.you just want him calm enough not tobe jumping fences.he is a nice looking bull to boot.
He already has a date with the vet.

From the Zebu's I've seen in zoos, etc. he doesn't look to skinny. A few more pounds won't hurt him but, don't get carried away. They are a naturally thinner breed.
 

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