Spring 2016 - International Miniature Zebu Association (IMZA)

The IMZA CON*NECTION
Spring 2016
The Official Publication of the International Miniature Zebu Association
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
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President’s Message
The Saga of a Winter Calf
Florida Show Results
2016 Annual Meeting
Founded in 1991, the IMZA is the oldest registry of miniature zebu in the world. Our purpose is to collect, record, and preserve the pedigrees of all
Miniature Zebu cattle. Additionally, we support our members through education and promotion of the breed, maintenance of a breed registry,
and the regulation of all matters that pertain to the history, breeding, exhibition, or improvement of the Miniature Zebu breed.
International Miniature Zebu Association
17500 Hamilton Arms Court, Dewitt, VA 23840
407-717-0084 – email: imzainfo@gmail.com – website www.imza.name
Cover Photo: Cookie Dough, owned by Mary Cox, Waldorf, MD, shows off her Valentine’s Day Wreath—a
testament to the docile nature of miniature zebus. See more pictures of Cookie Dough on pages 14 and 15,
showing her many talents!
Your Contacts at IMZA
PRESIDENT
Judy Rohner
Centralia, IL
618-367-2994
Buffalohillexotics1940@gmail.com
Term expires: April 2018
DIRECTOR
Matt Loudenbeck
Clinton, WI
262-206-4314
luckyzebu@aol.com
Term expires: April 2017
VICE-PRESIDENT
Dean Schocker
New Liberty, IA
563-843-3848
deanschocker@netins.net
Term expires: April 2016
DIRECTOR
Charles “Gene” Williams
Crescent, OK
405-969-2284
genew2284@gmail.com
Term expires: April 2017
SECRETARY/TREASURER
Rick Bogle
Sorrento, FL
407-468-9002
rvbogle@earthlink.net
Term expires: April 2017
DIRECTOR
Rick Ressler
Weirsdale, FL
352-223-5428
rressler@embarqmail.com
Term expires: April 2016
DIRECTOR
Steve DeMoor
Sanford, FL
407-509-9069
steve@critters.com
Term expires: April 2018
DIRECTOR
Alan Blumhorst
Nashville, IL
618-424-7979
Alanblumhorst@yahoo.com
Term expires: April 2016
DIRECTOR
Kenneth Cornwell
Vinita, OK
918-244-6452
k.m.minimoos1@gmail.com
Term expires: April 2018
REGISTRAR
Kathy Petersen
Dewitt, VA
407-717-0084
imzainfo@gmail.com
WEBMASTER/NEWSLETTER EDITOR
Barbara McDermott
Christmas, FL
407-568-7337
webmaster@imza.name
Disclaimer: The IMZA CoN*Nection is published four times per year with Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter issues. The views and
opinions expressed in letters or other content are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent IMZA policy. The IMZA
accepts no liability for any loss, damage, or claims occurring as a result of advice given in this publication or for claims made by
advertisers or products or services in this publication.
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President’s Message
Hello everyone,
I hope that everyone had a wonderful holiday season and that you are enduring these winter months. Spring is just
around the corner, and I am sure our members are looking forward to green pastures and miniature zebu calves! Spring
is also when the annual International Miniature Zebu Association meeting takes place--this will be the association’s 25th
Anniversary! The meeting will be held at Nolan’s Catering Banquet Hall in Macon, MO, (which is a different venue than
previous years) on Wednesday, April 6, 2016. IMZA will host a Meet-and-Greet with refreshments from 5:30-6:00 p.m.,
followed by a BBQ dinner with all the trimmings from 6:00-7:00 pm. Our annual meeting will begin immediately
following dinner at 7:00 p.m. Please plan to attend to meet your fellow members and offer your input. We love seeing
new faces in the IMZA! You will find directions and more information in this issue of the newsletter.
You should have received your ballot and bios of the 2016 candidates via U.S. mail for the IMZA Board of Directors. The
bios are also printed in this issue of the newsletter. Please vote for your choice of BOD candidates and return your
ballot in the addressed envelope that was enclosed with the ballot by 3/15/16. I encourage you to consider running for
the board yourself next year--you can make a difference!
I want to thank all of you for sharing your photos and stories with us. Something that seems insignificant to you may be
just what our members need to see. New members or those folks wanting to learn about miniature zebus will benefit
from your experiences, as well. Check out this issue for some interesting stories and cute photos. As always, we love to
hear what our members are doing with their miniature zebus! Please continue to send any photos or stories to our
Webmaster/Newsletter editor. We appreciate all you do to promote this wonderful breed of miniature cattle.
Until next time, good luck with your calving and may your barns be filled with lots of little moo-moos.
Judy Rohner,
President, International Miniature Zebu Association
Welcome to our New Members who joined IMZA from
November 2015 – February 2016
Frank and Karen Allen, Judsonia, AR
John Godbout, Rock Hill, SC
Anthony Stewart, Claremore, OK
Ronald Wilson, Montreal, MO
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If you haven’t sent in your IMZA membership renewal, it’s
time! You can join on-line from our website at
www.imza.name, or you can mail in your membership
application. If your contact information has changed,
please forward new information to Dennis Beranek at
Beranek@derbyworks.net, or contact the IMZA at
imzainfo@gmail.com or 407-717-0084.
TIME TO RENEW YOUR IMZA
MEMBERSHIP!!!
Gene Ahern from Sniper Creek Farm, Hickory Grove, SC, sends in an updated photo of our November 2015 cover
model, Ginger Snap, kicking up her heels, below left. A picture of their cow, Zola, and her bull calf, Wyatt Earp
is on the right.
Registration Information
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Registration tip on Report of Birth: When doing a report of birth, the registrar needs the completed form, the
calf’s picture (with the mother of the calf if possible) and $25.00, if you are a member ( $50.00 if not a member).
Remember, THERE ARE NO LATE FEES!!! Send in your registrations today.
There are now more than 6,900 registered miniature zebus in the IMZA!
*****REGISTRATION SPECIAL FOR IMZA MEMBERS*****
IMZA will give a 20-percent discount to anyone who hardship-registers five animals at one time. Regular Hardship Fee of
$50 would become $40 (for a total of $200); and AMZA-registered animals can be registered for $32 each, instead of $40
each (for a total of $160). Hurry while this offer lasts!
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Mini Zebus Featured at Tractor Supply
Rick Bogle of Bogle Farms, Sorrento, FL, sends in these photos from another great exhibition at the local Tractor Supply
Store in Eustis, FL, on January 30, 2016. There was a steady stream of interested people checking out his cows and lots
of little kids petting them. Rick says it’s a great way to get the cattle ready for the Florida State Fair!
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IMZA 25th Annual Meeting
The International Miniature Zebu Association invites all members and all miniature zebu enthusiasts to attend the
annual IMZA Meeting. The IMZA is the only miniature zebu organization that offers its members the opportunity to vote
for a volunteer Board of Directors. The ballots were mailed to each member during the week of February 22, 2016.
Please participate in this activity by mailing in your ballots to our CPA who will tabulate the votes. Please be sure it is
postmarked no later than March 15, 2016, so that the official results can be verified. If you have not received your
ballot, please contact the IMZA at imzainfo@gmail.com. Please see below for the candidates’ resumes.
Please note that it is also necessary that members are current on their membership dues in order for their votes to
count. If you are not sure of your membership status, please contact the IMZA office for clarification. The purpose of
this election is to fill two Board positions for a term of three years each.
WHEN:
Wednesday, April 6, 2016
WHERE:
Nolan’s Catering Banquet Hall, 3002 Jims Road, Macon, MO 63552
WHAT:
Meet-and-Greet with Refreshments from 5:30 p.m. till 6:00 p.m.
BBQ Dinner with all the trimmings from 6:00 p.m. till 7:00 p.m.
Annual Business Meeting beginning at 7:00 p.m.
DIRECTIONS:
From Lolli Sale Barn at 704 Main Street, Macon, MO 63522, head north on U.S. 63 (Missouri Street).
Go past Highway 36 and turn right onto Lake Street at Special D Meats. Turn right onto Jims Road.
Nolan’s Catering will be at the end of the street on the left.
SEE YOU AT THE IMZA 25TH ANNUAL MEETING!!!!
An Introduction to 2016 IMZA Board of Directors Candidates
Rick Ressler, Weirsdale, Florida
My name is Rick Ressler. I would like the privilege of
continuing to serve on the Board of Directors of IMZA. I
live right outside of Weirsdale, Florida, on ten acres with
my significant other. We have been raising miniature
zebus since 2010. We keep about 20 brood cows and four
bulls, and we raise about 20 calves each year.
I enjoy promoting, exhibiting and educating others about
this breed. I feel it is important to promote the youth to
get involved in miniature zebus since they are the future of
our farms. I have been a member of IMZA since 2010.
I respectfully ask for your vote in the upcoming election.
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An Introduction to 2016 IMZA Board of Directors Candidates (continued)
Dean Schocker, New Liberty, Iowa
I am a founding member of the IMZA, which started in 1991. I have
served on the Board of Directors and am on the committee for
reviewing the Hardship Registration applications. I have also served as
IMZA President and am currently serving as Vice-President. I have
remained steadfast in raising miniature zebu cattle for over 25 years,
which is a tribute to their satisfying my bovine experience! I retired
from my “city job.” I live on my “Minicornpatch” in Iowa. About
1990, I got together with Paul Seaboldt of Keikuk, IA, who introduced
me to miniature zebu cattle and explained that they were very few in
number. I found some heifers and bought a bull from Paul. My zebu
breeding program was “on the way,” so to speak.
I keep the heifer calves for replacement cows and sell the bull calves. I
sell off the older cows and, from time to time, buy Foundation Pure
cows. I still try to keep all heifer calves as replacements for the cows
that I sell. If I find bull calves are not suitable for herd sires, I feed them
out like regular beef cattle and butcher them at about 18 months of
age. The meat tastes the same as any other beef breed—it just comes
in smaller cuts. The IMZA zebu breed has come a long way since the
registry was first formed on a small genetic base of animals. The
opportunity to buy “fine” quality Foundation Pure cattle is definitely
here. Anyone who wishes to own miniature zebu cattle will find them
affordable and will find a wide selection of quality animals from which
to choose.
IMZA on Facebook
Have you checked out the IMZA on Facebook lately? Here are some of the topics being discussed :
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I saw my bull licking the red clay dirt. Could that be a sign something is off on his diet or is that semi-normal?
What minerals and/or salt blocks do you use?
Happy Valentine’s Day to all our wonderful members. May your day be full of love and laughter.
Are you looking to add some nice zebu to your herd? Check out what’s new in the Sale Barn . . .
I wanted to take the time to thank all IMZA members for their support of me as their registrar. You are a terrific
bunch! So easy to help such fantastic folks. Thank you for making my job easier (by Kathy Petersen).
Breeders are raising miniature cattle that are ideal for small farms. They are sold for small-scale milk
production, beef, breeding, and as pets. They are easy on facilities, equipment and pastures; they are docile,
easy to handle; they can be kept on as little as an acre; and they are efficient feed converters.
Check out our Facebook page to see what our members and others have to say about these topics!
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Polk County Youth Fair Zebu Show By Rick Bogle
We had another great mini zebu youth show at the Polk County Youth Fair in Bartow, Florida, on January 28, 2016. The
kids all did a great job and were a real credit to their respective FFA and 4-H clubs. They were all winners in my book,
but the grand champions and reserve champions were:
GRAND CHAMPION FEMALE
FX Bar Mia, shown by Alexis Schreiber
GRAND CHAMPION BULL
Kehoe's Black Raider, shown by Rijnaldo Euson
RESERVE GRAND CHAMPION BULL
FX Bar Pumpkin Spice, shown by Shelby Peterson
RESERVE GRAND CHAMPION FEMALE
Devane Oaks Kislyn, shown by Misty Devane
A great time was had by all of the exhibitors and the many spectators. More pictures of the show and some of the
exhibitors are shown on the next page.
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Polk County Youth Fair Zebu Show (continued)
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Polk County Youth Fair Zebu Show (continued)
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Upcoming Miniature Zebu Shows in Florida
For further information on Florida shows, please contact Rick Bogle at 407-468-9002 or rvbogle@earthlink.net.
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Upcoming Miniature Zebu Shows in Oklahoma
IMZA Members: Send in your articles, photos, show reports or unique events with your miniature zebus for publication
in the IMZA CoN*Nection and on the IMZA’s website. Sharing your experiences with your fellow members helps
everyone learn, including potential new miniature zebu owners! Send to: webmaster@imza.name.
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The Saga of a Winter Calf by Cindi Darling
Most of the time, animal breeders plan on babies arriving at certain times of the year, most often when it is not freezing.
This does not always happen, especially if you allow the boys and the girls to co-exist all year. Last month on a
particularly cold day while checking stock in the morning, our zebu count was off by one cow. When we got to the shed
in that pen we saw a lone zebu cow bolting past us as if we were wolves.
This photo does not do justice to what was a “dead” and
very “flat” calf
When we got to the front of the building, we immediately saw a flat, apparently dead, calf. Nancy got out to
photograph it, sex it and put it into the bed of the truck for disposal. When she went to move the stiff, cold carcass, a
leg twitched! She immediately grabbed it and ran to the truck. We wrapped the ice cold “carcass” in a blanket and
cranked up the heater. Nancy cuddled the body and rubbed her extremities while our office “Mommy,” Mayze, cleaned
the face, ears and neck.
Momma on the run
Mayze cleaning the face, ears and neck
Ice melting, she is still wet and stiff but a little better
After these ministrations we placed the calf in the foot well of the truck with the heater cranked up and the blanket
tented up to catch the heat. After about an hour she moved her head into a little more natural position.
We had a busy morning as she cooked under the heater for about four hours before returning to the office. We had
stopped and purchased a new bag of Colostrx for her. We doubted that she had been able to nurse and colostrum is
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The Saga of a Winter Calf
(continued)
vital for newborn babies. It is also important as you slowly warm up a cold animal to get them warm inside and out.
Body temperature on the fly can be checked by feeling the inside of the mouth. It should be warm to the touch.
…dropping her blanket and getting a little help at balance from the microwave stand and the fridge.
To our surprise this little trooper apparently really wants to live. A nipple in the mouth and little stimulation, and she
sucked down an entire bottle on the first try. This is a very encouraging sign and extremely unusual. All too often in
these situations one has to tube feed these newborns.
Settled In
Wandering around outside. Keeping warm with dog coats
and sweaters
She is amazing! She has eagerly taken her bottle from the very first day. Unfortunately, like so many bottle babies we
start, she is not aware that she is a bovine. She lasted one day and night in the bathroom and a cage and then
transitioned to complete freedom and chose to settle into a dog bed next to my desk with a heater right next to her.
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The Saga of a Winter Calf
(continued)
She has even attempted to climb into my chair with me.
Sigh! The dogs can stand and bark in her face, and she just
stands there with an “isn’t- that-normal?” attitude.
Zulily today, 02/25/16
We named her Zulily, and she is now happily going to
spend her summer with a petting zoo. The chances of her
ever believing she is a zebu at heart are very slim.
The Versatility of Miniature Zebus
Mary Cox of Waldorf, MD, sent us a few photos of her miniature zebus doing their “jobs.”
Mini zebu, Cookie Dough, at the petting zoo. She loves her job!
Another picture of Annabelle, mini zebu, enjoying a ride on
the Gator.
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Annabelle, mini zebu, enjoying a ride on the Gator
with one of Mary’s pony walkers
Cookie Dough at a live nativity
The Versatility of Miniature Zebus (continued)
Another picture of Mini zebu, Cookie Dough, at the petting zoo.
FREE Marketing for IMZA Members
Don’t forget that the IMZA’s website has a “LINKS” page where your farm name, location and website link can be
listed? It is FREE! Just email webmaster@imza.name and give us your information! Your farm will be added on the next
website update.
Remember also that when you become a member of the IMZA, you can advertise your IMZA-registered miniature zebus
for sale on our FREE SALE BARN on the IMZA’s website at www.imza.name. This is a very active part of the website—
people report they are selling their miniature zebus quickly through the Sale Barn. It’s FREE to IMZA members.
Find Zebus like these on the IMZA’s FREE Sale Barn on at www.imza.name
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Tips for selling on the IMZA Sale Barn:
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Be sure your animal is IMZA-registered and that you are a member of IMZA
Fill out the simple form on the Sale Barn page with all information about your animal
Don’t forget to email the picture to go with your listing to webmaster@imza.name
Please be sure your picture is no larger than 100kb (about 400 pixels by 400 pixels). If you need to re-size your
picture, you can find a free picture-resizing tool at www.picresize.com. It is very simple to use, and it allows you
to crop your photos, as well.
When you have sold your animal, please let your webmaster@imza.name know—and please let her know on
which page your animal is, or give the date of birth and sex of the animal so it can be found easier on the
website.
Another Calf is Saved by Dean Schocker
Had a tough job delivering a calf last night, January 16th.
The cow wasn't due until the 20th - 25th. I went to take a
look at her before bed last night. She appeared to be in
labor. I went back in and got warmer clothes on and went
back out. She had her head toward me so I couldn't see
what was going on in the back. After a while she got up
and turned her butt toward me, and there was a foot
sticking out.
I called my brother and he came over. We tried to pull the
calf out but gave up and called the vet. He was there in 15
minutes. He determined that the head was not in the right
position. He was able to get it in the right position. We
were then able to pull the calf out. He didn't have much
life but started breathing in a little bit. I brought him to the
house and put him in my mini calf warmer. In a few hours
he was looking pretty good.
Another calf is saved!
Check out the next page to see how he’s doing after two
weeks. He’s even eating hay!
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Another Calf is Saved (continued)
The little calf is doing well at two weeks of age.
Gene Ahern sends in this photo below of Buckshot, residing at Sniper Creek Farm, Hickory Grove, SC.
Please note that the IMZA CoN*Nection is published on-line only in pdf format. You may see some of the same news
and information on our website which may seem redundant; but websites are ever-changing. By having our newsletter
in printed form, we will always have a record of what’s been taking place in the history of the IMZA. Currently, we have
a few back issues available for download or viewing on the IMZA website. If there are some IMZA members who do not
get on the internet, please contact Barbara McDermott to make arrangements to receive a hard copy via U.S. Mail. You
may contact Barbara via email at webmaster@imza.name or by telephone at 407-568-7337.
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IMZA Membership Application
International Miniature Zebu Association
17500 Hamilton Arms Court, Dewitt, VA 23840
PHONE: (407) 717-0084 – EMAIL: ImzaInfo@gmail.com
I hereby apply for membership in the INTERNATIONAL MINIATURE ZEBU ASSOCIATION. If accepted I agree to
follow the rules, regulations and bylaws of the association.
A remittance of $___________ is enclosed for Payment of membership fees payable in U.S. FUNDS).
Active Membership ($35 per year)
Associate Membership ($25 per year)
Youth membership ($15 per year)
One-year sponsored membership gifted to non-member by active member ($20 per year)
Date
_____________________________
Member No.: (If Renewing) _________________
Name of Membership ______________________________________________________________
(Individual, Firm, Corp., etc. Cattle are to be registered in this name)
Authorized Signature
______________________________________________________________
Complete Address
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
Preferred Contact Phone:
______________________________________________________________
Alternate Contact Phone:
______________________________________________________________
Email address:
______________________________________________________________
Website address:
______________________________________________________________
Occupation
______________________________________________________________
______________________
Preferred Prefix to use when naming your Zebu (to avoid name duplication). (Can be
abbreviated form of Ranch/Farm or Business name or can be initials.)
Number of Zebus Owned:
________ Females
________ Males
Please check the information you would like to appear on the IMZA’s Website Member Lists:
_____Name _____ Address _____ Phone _____Email _____ Website address
PLEASE MAKE CHECKS PAYABLE TO: IMZA
17500 Hamilton Arms Court, Dewitt, VA 23840
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