History

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Zebu History

Miniature Zebu come in many colors and patterns and we owe most of this to RCP Swede

Four Little Zebus

This article was written in Dec 2005, I am in the process of updating the figures

Many of us have discussed how small the Miniature Zebu gene pool really is and the impact that a good animal has on our little cattle. Every where I go I hear owners discussing there Zebu and one name always pops up, Swede. I hear "he's a grand son of Swede" or " Swede is in his pedigree". So I decided to do some research on Swede.

Robert Purtscher of Edelstein, Illinois, was the registered owner of RCP Swede, IMZA registration number Z-0007. Swede, a red bull along with a red cow named Little Red and two gray cows, Jane and Mary came into the United States from a zoo in Sweden, They spent their first months in quarantine. While in quarantine, Bob was rewarded with his first Swede calf, a red heifer that he named Olga, she was born on April 6, 1991. The four original imports were registered with IMZA on August 1, 1991:

Z-0007 RCP Swede

Z-0008 RCP Little Red

Z-0011 RCP Jane

Z-0013 RCP Mary

Swede fathered a total of 51 calves that were registered with IMZA in the three (3) years he was alive in the United States, 20 bulls calves and 31 heifer calves. Of the 20 bull calves, 16 have registered offspring. Of the 31 heifer calves, 16 have registered offspring. Records indicate that:

Swede (1st generation)

children(2nd generation)51 IMZA registered calves

19 of these produced no registered offspring

grand children(3rd generation) 325 IMZA registered calves

144 of these produced no registered offspring

great grand children (4th generation) 386 IMZA registered calves

I reviewed the records back to the fourth generation, that is the number of generations that will appear on your Certificate of Registration. Doing the numbers, Swede appeared on 762 separate Registration Certificates for our little cattle. Our registry had 3,803 animals in it as of 31 December 2005, Swede was responsible for over 20% of them.

What kind of Impact would Swede have had on our breed, if he had not spent the first seven (7) years of his life in Sweden and then died at the age of ten (10)? How many calves did Swede sire while he was a guest of the zoo in Sweden? Swede had a whole other life of production that was unrecorded in Sweden prior to his coming to the United States. This means that that another sire that has recorded offspring during his entire productive life can have an even greater impact on a breed in terms of numbers of offspring in his genealogy. Take for instance RCP Red Sam, one of Swedes sons, he was born October 10, 1994 and to date has 104 registered offspring and is still in his prime as a breeding bull. We are fortunate that Swede made such an impressive contribution to the breed and that he left such high quality offspring to carry on his heritage.

It is therefore very important that the IMZA members view the importance of sire selection with great care as we proceed in the preservation of this unique and rare breed of cattle that we have chosen to be a part of.

RCP Swede's 29 registered calves that produced registered offspring:

2nd Generation

Name

RCP Mary

Olga

RCP Janes Pride

Ole

RCP Caroline

RVP Woody

Rockie

RCP Katy

Swedes Little Red

Irish Hill Cinnamon

Seabolds Katrina

DLP Emma Lou

Jack

RCP Gretchen

Zeke

DLP Sunset SW

PCP Christine

Harbaugh Duke

Lavenders Millie

Harbaugh Snowbank

DLP Bonetta

DLP Chief Mark

RCP Gus

DLP Rocky

RCP Melissa

RCP Hilda

DLP Rusty

RCP Augie

RCP Sonya

RCP Little Swede

RCP Swede #2

RCP Red Sam

DOB

05/01/89

04/06/91

08/09/91

08/10/91

11/09/91

12/01/91

03/17/92

03/24/92

06/02/92

06/23/92

06/30/92

07/22/92

08/16/92

09/21/92

12/12/92

01/22/93

02/16/93

04/19/93

07.13/93

07/20/93

07/24/93

07/30/93

08/02/93

08/05/93

09/25/93

01/12/94

02/08/94

02/24/94

03/03/94

04/03/94

08/20/94

10/09/94

Sex

Reg #

Z-0013

Z-0016

Z-0161

T-0160

Z-0162

Z-0159

Z-0359

Z-0323

Z-0361

Z-0639

Z-0392

Z-0478

T-0502

Z-0504

T-0539

Z-0452

Z-0541

Z-0736

Z-0714

T-0696

Z-0737

Z-0738

Z-0997

Z-0740

Z-0998

Z-0996

T-1010

Z-1036

Z-0994

Z-1064

Z-1226

T-3267

3rd Gen

Calves

2m/7f

2m/5f

0m/1f

1m/0f

0m/5f

1m/0f

2m/4f

15m/29f

0m/6f

2m/4f

3m/2f

6m/7f

0m/4f

0m/1f

1m/2f

8m/3f

3m/1f

1m/0f

1m/2f

3m/17/f

0m/3f

2m/2f

3m/2f

1m/1f

1m/0f

0m/7f

1m/0f

13m/19f

3m/7f

50m/54f

4th Gen

Calves

8m/6f

3m/2f

2m/2f

0m/1f

7m/10f

0m/0f

8m/6f

26m/43f

0m/3f

4m/1f

5m/17f

0m/0f

5m/3f

0m/0f

6m/16f

5m/3f

0m/1f

1m/0f

16m/19f

0m/1f

0m/0f

0m/1f

0m/0f

5m/17f

0m/0f

40m/60f

3m/7f

18m/26f

The 2nd Generation produced 128 males, 197 females a total of 325 calves.

The 3rd Generation produced 142 males, 244 females for a total of 386 calves.

RCP Little Red

Olga

Irish Hill Cinnamon

Harbaugh Duke

RCP Little Swede

RCP Jane

RCP Mary

RCP Janes Pride

RCP Melissa

RCP Swede #2

RCP Mary

RCP Katy

RCP Sonya

RCP Sandi

RCP Shelly

RCP Shelley

RCP Little Red

DAB Clareese

Lavenders Princess

RCP Olga

Irish Hill Momo

Irish Hill Hope

Irish Hill Princess

Lazy Lees Pumpkin Pie

BOP Pumpkin Patch

BOP Patches

C & D Little Pumpkin

The three (3) cows that were importrd along with Swede produced the following calves:

04/06/91

06/23/92

04/19/93

04/03/94

05/01/89

08/09/91

09/25/93

08/20/94

03/24/92

03/03/94

07/12/95

05/25/96

07/23/97

05/10/00

05/01/01

Z-0016

Z-0639

Z-0736

Z-1064

Z-0013

Z-0161

Z-0998

Z-1226

Z-0323

Z-0994

Z-1468

T-1701

T-1999

Z-3412

T-2590

IMZA is actively seeking photos of RCP Swede, the three cows he was imported with or any of the calves he sired. Can you help? E-mail them to IMZA.

RCP Swede, he was imported from Sweden by Robert Purtscher in August

1990. Swede is credited for introducing the red and spotted genes in Zebu to the United States.

RCP Little Swede Z-1064

DOB 04/03/94, son or RCP Swede Z-0007 and RCP Little Red Z-0008.

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In The Beginning

by Lonnie Hoover, Ft. Gibson, OK

When you are walking around your pasture enjoying your little cattle, have you ever wondered who and what made it possible for you to own Miniature Zebu! In the book, "Texas Importation," it states "Zebu cattle were introduced into the Gulf Coast in 1849, coped well with the heat." So how did we get from there till today?

When you start researching Miniature Zebu cattle in the United States, the same names and places keep showing up. In an article by Bill Buchanan in the Summer 1988 issue of the Zooculturist magazine, he wrote "To my knowledge, there are several private breeders of 'dwarf zebu' and perhaps a dozen zoos in the country that keep this interesting animal, primarily in children's zoos."

In the IMZA news letter "Nadudana Notes" dated April, 1991, it stated that "On 10 April, 1991 in the Lolli Brothers conference room in Macon, Missouri 29 owners and persons interested in Miniature Zebu met and agreed to form the International Miniature Zebu Association (IMZA)."

This sale is the "Place" in the country where several animal breed associations have been formed. Lolli Brothers of Macon, Missouri is centrally located in the country and is the place where IMZA members find a common ground to get together. They can plan for the trip, bring livestock of any and all species and breeds to the sale and have their annual IMZA meeting all at one time and place. Because this is the most logical spot for their meeting, it is also the most efficient in terms of cost. The sale itself is an independently operated venture of Lolli Brothers and even though there are numbers of Miniature Zebu consigned, the sale is not sanctioned by the IMZA. Lolli Brothers are appreciated for their efforts to serve the entire exotic animal industry.

In the summer 1991 issue of Exotic Livestock & Wildlife, James Morgan (past president of IMZA) stated "Very few Zebu were imported into the United States. Records indicate that none were imported for at least 30 years, until last year (1990). Robert Purtscher of Edelstein, Illinois imported one bull, which is red and white pied, and two cows and two heifers. These animals were imported from Sweden."

I found in my research; along with the five zebu that Robert Purtscher imported on August 7, 1990 from a zoo in Sweden, records indicate that Joel Bridges imported seven zebu from the Dominican Republic, some as early as October 22, 1991, and Bill Georges imported a bull from Brazil on January 1, 1977. So where did your Zebu ancestors come from, who imported them, most of the bloodlines found in the United States today were imported by zoos. In 1991, James Morgan stated he had conducted a survey and had came up with about 50 private zebu owners which accounted for 118 bulls and 289 cows. "I have also received information that 23 zoos in the United States that have zebu. They account for 25 bulls and 42 cows." That accounted for 143 bulls, 331 cows, for a total of 474 known zebu in the United States.

"Most zebu owners only own a few head, with the exception of Bob Baker (past IMZA president) in Spokane, Washington. He has been raising zebu cattle for 30 years (1978).

So who were these pioneer that started the growth of zebu in the United States? the list below were the way they signed the attendance list at the April 10, 1991 Zebu meeting in Macon, Missouri:

Introduction:

The following article is a compilation of data of the International Miniature Zebu Association. This article is a work in progress and will be brought to our readers in a more complete version as the data research is complete.

There are a number of Zoos and breeders who contributed greatly to the growth of the breed as we know it today. They will be recognized as we continue to gather the information on their breeding programs.

Miniature Zebu Cattle's Beginning in the U.S.A.

Name:

Charles Wilson

Robert Harbaugh

Kendall Sandell

Paul Seabold

Wayne Carlisle

Robert Purtscher

Dick Yager

Francis Wright

James A Morgan

Jack L Pursley

Dan Hermann

Arnold Sorensen

Neil McWhirter

Dale Pursley

Robert Wagner

Texas Safari

Larry & Judy Rohner

Bob Baker

Dick Heiken

Eric Meyer

Donald Bodkins

Brent Semingson

Dean Schocker

Roy Krafjak

David Broomfield

Dahlas Rhone

Joel Bridges

Place:

Herndon, MS

Muscatine, IA

Polk, NE

Keokuk, IA

Memphis, TN

Edelstein, IL

Dallas City, IA

Peru, IN

Kent City, MI

Sandyville, WV

Woodland, WA

Fredericksburg, TX

Dighton, KS

Navarre, OH

Shade, OH

Clifton, TX

Centralia, IL

Spokane, WA

Des Moines, IA

Alberta, CN

Edmond, OK

Glooster, OH

New Liberty, IA

Red Key, IN

Normagee, TX

Cozad, NE

Newberry, FL

Ranch:

CGW's

RCP

Someday's

MCW's

RVB

Heikens Ark

Komoko

Zebu:

2m 4f

3m 5f

2m 7f

4m 11f

2m 2f

2m 11f

1m 3f

1m 7f

1m 3f

2m 12f

3m 8f

1m 4f

1m 10f

5m 15f

3m 10f

3m 4f

13m 37f

1m 1f

3m 15f

1m 4f

2m 2f

1m 2f

1m 3f

1m 5f

2m 9f

These were the breeders that started the popularity of Miniature Zebu cattle. Without them, our pastures would be empty. Pull out your Registration Certificates and look back and see how many of the breeders listed are represented. Where would we be today with out Charles Wilson, Robert Purtscher, James Morgan, Bob Baker or Joel Bridges.

In 1992, just one year after the IMZA was formed, prices at Lolli Brothers were high, a cow and her 2 month old bull calf sold for $6,500.00. A 7 year old cow fetched $5,100.00. 16 head of zebu were sold that year.

The Miniature Zebu market has evolved since its inception in the early 1990's. Because of the efforts of these early pioneers, many of us don't have to rely on exotic auctions to obtain our Miniature Zebus, nor do we have to pay the same prices.

By starting your herd on today's market you will see that the Miniature Zebu has maintained a very respectable value and the quality and availability of the animals is great. Improved breed quality is based on the selective eye of the breeders and on the fact that the founders of IMZA knew that by keeping of the pedigree records the selections for mating are accurate. This has allowed breeders to do comparative breeding's and see which bloodlines are truly compatible as they strive to breed for the finest Miniature Zebu possible. This is the legacy of the ongoing workings of the IMZA and its membership, the original and oldest Miniature Zebu Registry in the country which reaches back to those eventful beginnings of April 1991.

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