Assimilating cattle

[LittleValleyFarm]

When bringing new cows onto your farm, is it helpful to keep them on the other side of a fence or in a corral? Have you had any problems with the existing herd roughing up the newcomers? How long would it take to get them used to each other if they were sharing a fence?

 

[Caustic Burno]

When bringing new cows onto your farm, is it helpful to keep them on the other side of a fence or in a corral? Have you had any problems with the existing herd roughing up the newcomers? How long would it take to get them used to each other if they were sharing a fence?

Mine go into the corral for a week minimum then I move them to the 2 acre lot for another couple weeks.

 

[Supa Dexta]

They're gonna fight it out eventually. May keep em on the other side of a gate for a day if they're around the barn, but if going to pasture, right in with the others.

 

[HDRider]

I thought part of keeping them separated was to be sure on the health of the new comers, maybe catch them up on their shots and acclimate to their new home.

 

[bball]

They're gonna fight it out eventually. May keep em on the other side of a gate for a day if they're around the barn, but if going to pasture, right in with the others.

Yep. +1

 

[Caustic Burno]

Fighting part never was a worry.
Bringing cattle into a new location the only thing on most minds
is finding a way out. If one does get out they are not home.
A cow in a strange place can test and over come boundaries that the home crowd
wouldn't even test.
It is more about homesteading.

 

[branguscowgirl]

I have cows that even when one has been gone a week, (out to the Embryologists) and comes home they fight. Sometimes to the point someone gets hurt. From now on, they are going to share a fence line for awhile before they go back out.
But like the guys have said, it is more about spreading disease and establishing the home turf.

 

[wbvs58]

Some undesirable grass seeds can last for up to 10 days in their gut so keeping them in a yard or small paddock where any seeds that germinate can be controlled easily.
Ken

 

[Rafter S]

Some undesirable grass seeds can last for up to 10 days in their gut so keeping them in a yard or small paddock where any seeds that germinate can be controlled easily.
Ken

I never thought about that. Good point.

 

[highgrit]

Fighting part never was a worry.
Bringing cattle into a new location the only thing on most minds
is finding a way out. If one does get out they are not home.
A cow in a strange place can test and over come boundaries that the home crowd
wouldn't even test.
It is more about homesteading.

That's the thing I worry most about. A new cow will always walk the fence lines. I keep my fence really hot when we add new cattle.

 

[hillbilly beef man]

When bringing new cows onto your farm, is it helpful to keep them on the other side of a fence or in a corral? Have you had any problems with the existing herd roughing up the newcomers? How long would it take to get them used to each other if they were sharing a fence?

Mine go into the corral for a week minimum then I move them to the 2 acre lot for another couple weeks.

I shut any new cows or weaned heifers I am going to retain up in the barn lot for around month. I take them a bucket of feed every day to get them used to coming to me. This makes it much easier to get them back in if they ever get out. I learned long ago it is easier for the cows to chase you than for you to chase the cow.

 

[Workinonit Farm]

On the rare occasions when someone new comes in, I keep them up in my working pen/lot for a couple of weeks or so, for the following reasons, #1 quarantine (most times I know the farm from which they came),#2 I want them to get used to me and our set-up and environment etc. #3 I don't want them to bolt and be gone. It gives me a chance to re-check all my fences prior to turning them out with the herd.

When I do turn them out into the herd, there is usually a bit of fighting, and pecking order issues, but it gets worked out, usually without incident.

This method has worked well for me.

 

[LittleValleyFarm]

Thanks for the advice! I am definitely going to give them some corral time. After a week I may even give them separate pads that share a fence, just to make sure. My newbies are registered bred heifers and I would hate for them to be roughed up. These will be my first registered animals, and I will probably be a little overprotective!

 

[SteppedInIt]

When cattle are on a new place, especially from sale barn you corral them to settle in to a new place. If I am adding to the herd I let em in. They just establish pecking order.

 

[Supa Dexta]

I've had some battle like it was for life or death and others that walked out and stuck their heads in the feeders and hardly got noticed. Cows wont fight like bulls generally, once one is getting whooped it runs off, where as bulls tend to come back for more.

 

[fenceman]

I understand the quarantine thing. But i'm going to go a little against the grain. I kinda like to turn them out in a pretty good sized pasture with some other cows. Maybe some brush to hide in. I turn them out and leave. Let them settle in with the other cows. There's usually a little shoving, but i havent seen that be a problem.
I get to see alot o situations were new cattle get out in my work.usually about same. Someone new, buys a little place. They go to the auction and buy a cow/cows. Take them home and put them in a little pen. Then the whole family, friends and neighbors stand around hanging on the fence gawking at them.
The cows freak out , then break out and run down to the far end of the pasture. Everybody takes out after them. They go through the fence and are gone..
Wherever you dump them out. Dump them out and walk away. Don't. Stand around staring at them. Let them settle in.