Any experience with Zebus?

[HoneyDreameMomma]

We just got a couple of new livestock guardian dogs for our goats, and the farm we got them from had a herd of Zebus. My husband and I fell in love with them, and when the owners asked us if we'd like to buy a breeding pair in early summer, we gave a tentative "yes."

We've both had some experience with cattle (friends and family that had cows); however, we've never actually had any cattle ourselves and wondered if anyone out there had opinions or helpful information on Zebus that they could share. We think they would be a good 'starter cow' because they are a very manageable size, and they seemed to have sweet dispositions. The couple that owns them gave us some info about how they feed and manage them, and it sounded pretty straightforward.

Any advice from experienced Zebu owners would be welcome - thanks!

 

[violetsky888]

I'm new to cattle as well, and almost bought into zebus and now am glad I didn't as I'm really enjoying my big cows and always will be able to sell them if I no longer can care for them. I would check out the resale market in your area first for zebus. I would also go to the goat section and ask them how zebu get along with goats. I didn't expect trouble with miniature horses and full-sized beef cattle but one of my minis is bullying my yearling calves off their feed. The calves tower over the mini but she is quite agile in wheeling around kicking, so now I have to keep them separated. A casual observer would not notice a problem but its a big pain for me to deal with as I'm doing more pasture rotations then I planned. I think "sweet dispositions" are definitely an inheritable trait but care and management are a big part of how calm your cows will be to handle. Personally, I would spend extra money to buy two zebu cows/heifers over a bull and plan to out cross with another polled beef/dairy miniature breed. (check out AI sites online) Where I'm at miniature dairy breeds like jerseys are in demand and there are always people that want dexters. The problem I think you will have with breeding zebu is, there will always be people that want your heifer calves but is there a market for the bulls? Kind of like jersey bulls. They go way cheap, because you can always find a holstein or another breed that is more cost efficient to raise for meat, and zebu bulls are so small and cute it would be kind of hard to send one to the freezer. Again, I'm new to cattle too, just throwing ideas to toss around.

 

[MDres]

Personally, I could only have Zebu's as a pet. I could never raise them for beef, or to sell their calves.

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE miniature cattle, and have had Dexters in the past. I researched different breeds of minis, including Zebu's, before choosing Dexters.

Zebu's are small, efficient, and heat tolerant, but that is about the end of their benefits. Well, they are also stinkin' adorable, especially the calves!

Zebu's do not carry a lot of muscle on their frame, they are lean and don't marble well. They are not dual purpose, you cannot milk them, at least not enough to provide for a family's needs. They do not tolerate cold climates well - yes, they can survive, but how much muscle loss are they going to have due to cold stress?

My policy is that if I am going to raise it to eat it, then it needs to have enough meat on it's frame to justify the feed I am putting in to it. I do not want to feed an animal and not get anything in return.... It also needs to thrive and flourish in the climate I live in, and gain weight all throughout the year.

 

[Bossroo]

Being cute and falling in love is fine and dandy, but the reality of it all is ... When one wishes to buy an exotic or specialty type of animal ... one buys it / them for a fortune, then when one wants to sell , one will only glean chaff. Just check out any auction and one will have an eye opener.

 

[HoneyDreameMomma]

Thanks, this is all good info. We've actually put off our cattle decision - no Zebus for us. I agree that cute and friendly are great, but I want good meat cattle.

 

[Hutch]

We have a zebu and she is our first cow. Had her for several months now. She is a little wild and someone botched horning her. We got her cheap.

I would shop for behavior and disposition above all else in the future.

She is really cute but I like hamburger and wouldn't have any problem with her as a meat cow. She fattened up real quick on grass and a little feed. She grazes mostly but browses more than I expected. I like that about her. She was in with two goats but they are sold and gone. They were ok together but did push each other around some. It seemed good natured enough.

We are hoping she is pregnant and will probably start a thread about that.

She likes the heat better than I do. She lies out in the sun on hot days.