How To Care for Ranch Animals

When you own a ranch, your first priority should be taking care of your livestock. Whether you raise cows, sheep or horses, your animals will need a certain level of care to stay healthy and thrive. Livestock don’t typically require constant care or supervision, but you need to be prepared to render care in these three ways.

Medical Care

Animals can get sick or injured at any time, and while you may be able to care for minor health problems yourself, you will likely have to enlist the help of a veterinarian at some point. Vet bills can be a significant expense and you need to be prepared when they pop up unexpectedly. If you are worried about how you will pay for a vet when your animals need medical attention, consider investing in equine and livestock insurance.

Feed

Some animals thrive eating mostly grass while in the pasture, but many need supplemental feed. You might want to add some grain to your feeding schedule. There are many types of feed available that are tailored to meet the needs of different animals, so make sure you use one that is formulated for your livestock. You may also want to feed your animals hay during the winter.

Shelter

Your animals are better equipped to handle inclement weather than you are, but they still need access to shelter sometimes. A barn is a great option because it gives you a place to keep your sick or injured animals while they heal. However, a lean-to is adequate if you’re trying to save money.

As a ranch owner, the health of your animals is important. You can’t have a successful working ranch if you don’t have healthy animals. Make sure your livestock have these three things so your animals can live a thriving, healthy life.