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We raise dairy cows, pigs and chickens on our farm. Click on the pictures of the animals to learn more about them. |
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HEALTH
The key to health is low stress. Poor conditions and poor feed are major stressors to people and animals. Animals should be kept warm in the winter, cool in the summer, and always have high quality feed. They should always have access to clean water and should never be stressed by fear. It sounds simple enough, but it can really be a challenge to provide all of these things to large animals like cows. They usually prefer to be in the pasture or lay out in the dirt, but they also need to have access to a dry place to lie when it’s snowing or freezing rain or freezing winds.Cows are very durable and have to be watched very closely for abnormal behavior to catch early signs of issues.
Signs that a cow are not feeling well include, but are not limited to: Not chewing her cud for long periods of time, head or ears held lower than usual, cold ears, arched back, rough looking hair, not eating or drinking as much as usual, weight loss, a drop in milk production, or behaving more or less social than usual.
The key to health is low stress. Poor conditions and poor feed are major stressors to people and animals. Animals should be kept warm in the winter, cool in the summer, and always have high quality feed. They should always have access to clean water and should never be stressed by fear. It sounds simple enough, but it can really be a challenge to provide all of these things to large animals like cows. They usually prefer to be in the pasture or lay out in the dirt, but they also need to have access to a dry place to lie when it’s snowing or freezing rain or freezing winds.Cows are very durable and have to be watched very closely for abnormal behavior to catch early signs of issues.
Signs that a cow are not feeling well include, but are not limited to: Not chewing her cud for long periods of time, head or ears held lower than usual, cold ears, arched back, rough looking hair, not eating or drinking as much as usual, weight loss, a drop in milk production, or behaving more or less social than usual.
