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

[haviris]

I think most were just worried about your safety, I have a steer that was a bull for 4 years, and he is a pet! Now I was very careful when handling him. And even now he will walk all over someone when he thinks he can get away w/ it, he does not do that to me! I didn't comment before now because I haven't been to good at breaking them to lead, I can easily put a halter on Mickey, but he just plants his feet and stands there. I recently watched a video on halter training (for show) and I'm looking for it now, found it!
http://www.24-7agtv.com/Joomla/index.php?option=com_seyret&catid=16&Itemid=1
I like the way it's done in this video, what he does after he has the halter on it's very similar to how I halter break other animals (horses, goats, even dogs), I've only attempted two cows (I'm calling Mickey a cow) and haven't done so good!

Personally I think as long as you get him castrated you can make a pet out of him, I don't recommend anyone keeps a bull as a pet! Good luck!

 

[Imissmygirls]

OK, I did some research on this critter. Kitty, a zebu is waist high-- think 6 month old Holstein. No wonder they show bulls!

 

[Imissmygirls]

It seems mature weight is only about 500 lbs, and your yearling is likely around 200?
I am breathing a lot easier because even an angry bull of that size you should be able to knock off balance and handle with relative ease if you know what you are doing. A tame bull should be no trouble. All of us here are seeing a yearling bull at close to 1000 lbs and that's a whole different animal.
At 200 lbs, put a halter on it and just gently talk to him and coax him into leading. Where the nose goes, he will go. Just make sure the halter fits correctly and you never forget he can panic and yank you around because he has 4 feet on the ground and you only have 2.
Other than that, talk to him, pet him and get him used to you.
You may have more luck with a leather show halter with the chin chain than a rope halter. The leather halter gives more control with instant contraction/release that the rope one doesn't.
I'm thinking you need a calf/heifer size for a zebu, possibly even a large sheep size? ( I don't know how big sheep get?)

 

[WildRoseBeef]

IMMG, that totally makes no sense at all!

I think you were looking into the mini Zebus, not the larger "traditional" sized Zebu cattle. Zebu is synonymous with Brahman, which is what the humped cattle are commonly called in the U.S. The search I did revealed that there are seven breeds of Zebu, all from different coutries including Africa and India. Plus, the search I came up with under "zebu cattle" revealed more mini sites than just plain average-sized Brahmans.

THE Brahman bulls weigh up to 2200 lbs. BUT, I'd like to know the estimated hip/shoulder height of CZ's zebu bull to REALLY see if this guy is a mini or an average Brahman yearling.

 

[haviris]

I was also thinking we were talking about a miniature! I was thinking that already, but seeing the pic I was still thinking that, does the pic not look like one of the minis?

 

[Farmer Kitty]

I took it to be a mini. Take another look at the pic posted.

A 500 pound animal, whether female or male, that has decided to charge, throw it's head, etc. is still dangerous. Also, from the ones I've seen, he will be, if not already, taller than waist high-at least on me.

 

[Farmer Kitty]

I'm in Florida. Here they sell them all over as pets. They have big shows, which they dress them up in their "native" costumes, have them in petting zoos,.... yes Bulls. I was hoping to get advise on how to best teach him to lead, to train him for other uses etc.. since this says Behaviors & Handling techniques... I didn't want to get people upset because I had a bull, I wanted to train him to do stuff and NOT put him in the freezer and I didn't think I would have to prove anything to anyone just to get a little help. I know there are a lot of people that do stuff with bulls besides eat them, I was just hoping some of them were on here. :/

Let's take a look at this thread.

In your opening post you state:

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?

You are asking basic info so, our responses are at the basic level. He is a bull, plain and simple and many do not understand what that means. Your questions were answered.

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

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?

After you posted his pic, we gave our opinions on his weight.

You were asked how much cattle experience you have and your response was:

He does look in good condition. He's probably healthier than you think.
CHicken, how much experience do you have with cattle in general?

I don't have a lot with cattle. I've trained all my horses(one a wild mustang), a mini mule (he went through 4 homes because he tried to kick your head in), llamas and an alpaca, my emu etc..... but this is my first in the cattle department.

Which tells us we need to communicate with you at a basic level. I'm sure you will agree, that if a person doesn't have the basics down, it's hard to go any further.

Now we get to where considering him for the freezer comes in.

BUT, since you are NOT using him as a breeding animal, I'd most definately cut him, feed him a bit of grain and alfalfa cubes everyday along with the grass he's grazing, and put him in the freezer when he's at a good weight. I know I'm being blunt, but like I said he SHOULD NOT be treated as a pet, nor ever BE a pet. If you disagree with me on the freezer part that's fine, but it's something I would seriously consider if I were in your shoes. smile

She clearly states she would put him in the freezer when the time comes but, if you disagree with her that's fine.

Remember, cattle are livestock and not a dog or cat. Livestock can be tamed and spoiled but, do not mistake them as a pet. IMO, there is a difference. I've had pets (dogs, cats, rabbits) all my life. I've been around cattle for a good majority of it. My sig says 21+ years because my DH and I have had our own farm for 21 years. The plus is all the years I spent working on the neighbor's farm while growing up.

Then we move into where you state more of what you mean by pet and that you are wanting to train him to lead. I answered and told you how I've helped break cattle in to lead.

I am talking about Pet, in the term.... not for eating, can be brushed and be walked on a lead.
Not teach it tricks and have it live in the House - Pet. With all large farm animals, care is needed. Any of them can hurt you, but I know bulls can even more so. I was just looking for suggestions from other Zebu owners and if anyone knew the best way to break him to halter and leading without mowing me down. LOL

Until this post, IMO, you have not demonstrated that you know they can harm you. Some people go into having an animal because they feel it's cute or feel sorry for it with the conditions it's living in and have no clue what the animal is about.

When I worked for the neighbor growing up, we would halter them and hook them on behind a tractor. Going in slow gear we would gently pull the animal forward. You have to go really slow and pay close attention. Sometimes, when the halter is really tight and they refuse to step, you need to stop and keep the forward pressure on. Let them come forward before you move again. What you are trying to do is teach that the forward pull means for them to walk not to drag them all over. By using the tractor we saved ourselves the fight.

After this is when you state that others show, pull carts, etc. with them. My response is: These have been trained to do this but, are not necessarily pets. As I have already pointed out, you really do not want to use the word "pet" with cattle. We did agree that people show bulls of all different breeds.

I'm not sure why you are upset, your questions have been answered along with a good dose of caution that bulls are not to be trusted. The cautions issued may not have been as strong if you would have stated he is a mini, I'm assuming he is, but, I know they would still be there.

If one of us were to come to you asking about a stallion and making a pet out of it, wouldn't you caution that an intact male shouldn't be trusted no matter how well trained? That a gelding would be better?

 

[chickenzoo]

Sorry guys for the mix up on communication. Here in FL, a Brahma is a Large breed and a Zebu is considered the mini breed. I am sure he is a Zebu mini, he is about the size of my mini horse, despite the look in the pic. He might have had something in his breeding in the past, I don't know..... Thank you for you help and suggestions.

 

[Farmer Kitty]

Is there something more you wanted help with?

 

[chickenzoo]

Here is another pic just to give size comparison....

He is next to a reg size traffic cone. He kept licking it???????? I think his legs make him look taller than he is. LOL I'll update has training progresses.