As a cow herd owner, you know the importance of keeping your cows healthy and happy. After all, having a stable herd that produces quality milk or meat is in your best interest. But sometimes, things fall through the cracks—you need to go on vacation, or something comes up on the ranch, and suddenly you're faced with taking care of your herd when you can't. It's important to know what steps to ensure your cows are well taken care of while you're away from home. These eight tips will help.
Feeding Your Cow Herd
You need to ensure that the food you give your cows is nutritious and healthy for them. You should not give them too much or too little food because this can cause problems with their health over time if it is not done correctly. It may also mean that they will not produce enough milk for their babies when they get older if they don't get enough nutrients from their feedings as well.
Cleaning Out Their Stalls
You also need to ensure that the stalls where your cows sleep are always clean, so they don't get sick from being in dirty stalls. If you clean them out every day and keep them neat, your cows will be healthier and happier overall.
Keeping Their Feet Clean
You also need to make sure that the boots on their feet are cleaned out, so they don't get infections or diseases from standing in dirty water all day long.
Keep an Eye on their Hooves
If cows have poor hooves, they won't be able to walk without limping or hurting themselves—which means less milk production and more vet bills down the line. Make sure you clean their feet regularly (if they're not dirty enough already). Trimming should take place at least once per year, preferably every 6 months.
Keep them Away From Predators
If you live in the country, there are probably plenty of coyotes and other animals that would love nothing more than to eat your cow (and her delicious milk). Make sure you keep your cows safe by installing fences around your property and keeping up with repairs when needed.
Keep Up with Regular Vet Visits and Vaccinations
Your cow will need regular checkups and vaccinations to stay healthy. If you live in a county that requires rabies vaccinations for livestock, make sure you're keeping up with these shots. Also, ensure your cows are up-to-date with any other vaccinations necessary for their particular breed or job (such as bovine respiratory disease).
Keep an Eye on Pregnant Cows
If you have pregnant cows, be sure to keep an eye on them. They will need extra food and water during this time, so ensure they get enough of both. Also, watch out for signs that labor is coming soon (it will look like the cow is straining) or bloody discharge from her back end, and get in touch with your vet immediately.
Use Software to Manage Your Cow Herd
If you have more than a few cows, it's probably worth looking into a platform like
CattleMax software to help you manage your herd. This way, you will be able to know the whereabouts of your cattle as well as their health. Such cattle management software also help you keep track of vaccinations and breeding schedules and even calculate what they're worth in terms of their meat, milk, or breeding potential.
Final Word
The best way to keep your cows healthy is to ensure they live in a clean environment and feed them good-quality food. We're sure the above tips were helpful.