Difficult to get this pet on your lap

Trainer Don Howie from Shannon with the 2000kg south devon steer named Big Sigh. Picture / Martin Sykes

He's said to be the biggest living cattle beast in the world and today and tomorrow at the Pet Expo at the Auckland Showgrounds, this gentle giant will present plenty of family photo opportunities.

Big Sigh, an 8-year-old south devon steer, weighs in at a massive 2000kg and is 1.8m high at the shoulder.

Proud owners Janette and Ross Campbell took nearly two days to truck the big fellow from his home at Owlcatraz - a 12ha native bird and wildlife sanctuary near Shannon in Manawatu - to Auckland for the Pet Expo.

"South devons are quite big animals but he's a one-off," Janette Campbell said.

"He's grown bigger than normal but he's so gentle and lovely and that's why we were able to make the trip up.

"It's a long way from Shannon."

Big Sigh's name comes from the man who raised him - Simon Robertshaw - who passed the steer on to the Campbells several years ago.