1. Match the animals to your land and facilities

1. Talk with local Extension about forage supply, seasonal shortages, stocking, and water before buying. Acreage alone does not tell you how many cattle the land can support.
2. Inspect fences, gates, shelter/shade, water points, and handling/loading facilities. Have an experienced person show you calm handling and safe escape routes; do not improvise close restraint around a large animal.
3. Get the source herd’s identification and health records. Arrange your vet’s arrival, isolation, and herd-health plan, with separate instructions for calves, breeding stock, and adults.

2. Check the herd and the feed system

1. Count the animals and watch movement, appetite, breathing, manure, and access to water. Test trough flow and look for leaks, fouling, sharp objects, and damaged gates.
2. Use forage testing and a ration/mineral plan suited to production stage. Watch body condition over time. Check stored feeds for quality; feed value and safe use vary by ingredient.
3. Keep records of calving, growth, illness, purchases, and treatment. Call the vet promptly for a down animal, severe bloating, difficult breathing, or another sudden serious change.

3. Build a herd-specific parasite plan

1. Ask your vet how age, grazing history, season, and performance affect parasite risk. Agree on which animals to sample and when; a single manure photo cannot establish the cause of poor condition.
2. Use only the exact product, route, and dose established for the animal and production class. Keep identification and treatment records clear enough that another caregiver can follow them.
3. Enter testing dates, prescribed follow-ups, and applicable milk/meat withdrawal end dates in the planner. Grazing rotation arithmetic does not decide treatment or prove a paddock free of parasites.

Keep a useful record

Give each animal or group a clear name. Record the date, what you observed, feed changes, test results, treatments actually given, and the next instruction. Let another caregiver see the current plan.

How to arrange testing and collect a manure sample

Source links checked September 14, 2026. This guide provides general education. Your veterinarian determines tests and treatment for your animals; product labels and the vet’s instructions determine safe use and food withdrawal periods.