Hello everyone....I'm new at this so forgive me. I recently purchased 5 bred cows and 2 hiefers; they are due to be delivered to the farm in a few days. Should I quaranteen them prior to turn them out to pasture with the rest of the herd? If so, how long?
Introducing new cattle to existing herd
- Thread starter bncsimps
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mdmdogs3
Well-known member
YES!
first you don't know if they are sick and will give your old cows an illness
second - don't ever move a cow and turn it into a pasture
they don't know where home is and if (make that when) they should get scared and go thru a fence, they won't know how to get back home
put the new cows in a pen for a few days, let them get used to the new place and to you - then turn them into their new home after they are calm
first you don't know if they are sick and will give your old cows an illness
second - don't ever move a cow and turn it into a pasture
they don't know where home is and if (make that when) they should get scared and go thru a fence, they won't know how to get back home
put the new cows in a pen for a few days, let them get used to the new place and to you - then turn them into their new home after they are calm
Running Arrow Bill
Well-known member
Ditto!!
Always quarantine new arrivals (even if you KNOW they came from a clean herd). Acclimate new ones to your facility and across the fence to your others (if you have others).
If you don't have 100% assurance (via records and health certificate) your new ones are current on vaccinations and de-worming, give them the full schedule while they are in quarantine.
Before you turn any out to a pasture, ensure your pasture fences are in good condition...nothing like trying to round up the newbies who are trotting back "home" from whereever they came from...it has happened...
Always quarantine new arrivals (even if you KNOW they came from a clean herd). Acclimate new ones to your facility and across the fence to your others (if you have others).
If you don't have 100% assurance (via records and health certificate) your new ones are current on vaccinations and de-worming, give them the full schedule while they are in quarantine.
Before you turn any out to a pasture, ensure your pasture fences are in good condition...nothing like trying to round up the newbies who are trotting back "home" from whereever they came from...it has happened...
Cowdirt
Well-known member
bncsimps":2c9d5oni said:
Here's my method:
Step 1 Keep fences in very good condition
Step 2 Buy calm animals
Step 3 Drive trailer near other animals in the pasture;
open trailer and tell them to introduce themselves.
I may just be lucky but it's worked for me for over 15 yrs.
Cowdirt":1ywll2xi said:
That's pretty much the method we use with cows that we've picked up at the Mo Red Angus Association sale. The only difference is that we point the opening of the trailer towards the cows so that as the animal comes off the trailer she sees other cows.
The few other cows we pick up we put in a small pen for a day and give them some grain, then let them into a smallish pasture, about 5-6 acres, and call them up or drive them up for grain in the evening. A couple of days of that and they just slip right into the rest of the herd.
dun
The only time I quarantine new animals is if I have bottle calves on the premises. Right now all I have is yearlings and up that are triple vaccinated, and the new 6wt I picked up yesterday evening went out with the herd this morning. Like A/B said, I too like to give older animals a day to settle down before turning them out in the pastures.
novatech
Well-known member
I do not buy unhealthy cows so I just turn them out. The other cows come running up to check out the newbe. The fun part is watching the pecking order get re-established.
bncsimps":25ibh0x4 said:
Absolutely! How long is going to depend on the cows, but I would suggest at least a couple of weeks - in a good, strong corral - to give them a chance to settle in and get used to their new surroundings, as well as get used to you. Turn those girls out upon arrival, and you could very well be looking at chasing them all over the countryside trying to round them up, fixing a lot of fence, and doctoring your current cattle for new illnesses brought in by these girls!
mnmtranching
Well-known member
I would not buy anything but healthy calm cattle. I keep my perimeter fences in good shape. I just drop them off with the herd. If your worried about it corral them for a few days.
