One of the tasks that occurs monthly on our farm is herd health. We look forward to this day because it is something like a monthly report card on how our herd is progressing and what needs to be done to keep the herd healthy and on track. A quick review of our breeding records tells me which cows need to be pregnancy checked, who needs shots, and who may need a hoof or other ailment looked at while the veterinarian is on the farm. Although these visits can get quite expensive, being pro-active about health issues with our cattle puts us dollars ahead when compared with the cost of an emergency. Hmmmm, I wonder what we as a society could learn from that . . .?
Well, anyway, back to the herd health. Having a good vet/client relationship is very beneficial in many ways because your vet not only provides valuable information as to medicines, feed, and overall performance, but he/she gets to know your cows and your management style. Having another set of eyes see your operation atleast monthly really helps to bring things to the forefront versus being here everyday and becoming "barn blind" to things that you see daily, but are so busy that they often get overlooked. Sometimes those "hard" conversations have to take place to spur you on to making changes that not only benefit you but your cows also.
Sometime, I would encourage you to visit a farm. If you know someone who farms, or if you pass one on the road that looks appealing to you, stop in. If they're busy at the moment, schedule a time to come out and see what they do for an hour or two. Most farmers welcome the opportunity to share with you the aspects that go into growing and producing the food that appears on your table everyday. Compared to some of the shocking things we see on TV that portrays farm situations that are offensive, the vast majority of farms take pride in what they do and are quite willing to share their story.
We are.
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