If you have recently purchased calves for your farm, there are several different steps you will need to take in order to make the transition as smooth as possible. Because these animals will likely be tentative when they first arrive, there are ways you can help them acclimate to their new surroundings.
Here are a few ways to care for your calves when they first arrive on your recreational property:
- Avoid any sources of stress: Any excess stress can have a physical effect on the animals, so you will want to keep it to a minimum. This means keeping them in the same spot and avoiding any more travel, as well as housing them indoors and offering protection from wildlife that could pose a threat.
- Have a source of nutrition: Of course, for the calves to be healthy, they will need a source of food and water. Be sure to keep these nutritional sources in the barn where the animals live, checking on it periodically to ensure everything is fresh.
- Quarantine new arrivals: For the first week you own these calves, they should be quarantined from the rest of the farm. This will allow you the time to ensure they have gotten their vaccinations and can adequately fight off diseases.
- Work with a local veterinarian: This vet will help you to develop a vaccination and disease control regimen. The vet should be local so he or she can be reached in the event of an emergency.
