What to ask your producer before you buy check list.
- What type of vaccination did you use?
- If a 8 way or 5 way vacccination was used- ask which vaccinations are included
- Has this animal been tested for BVD and Pi?
- When was the last time this animal was wormed and when should I worm it again?
- When was the calf born?
- What is the breed of this calf? Registered or cross-bred?
- When did you wean this calf?
- What type of feed have you been feeding this calf after weaning?
- How should I proceed when starting this calf on grain?
- Can I get the producers name and number to contact if I have any questions?
- When was the calf castrated? What method was used?
- Has it been PAP tested?
- Is the calf polled? Or disbudded? If disbudded, will the producer cover the costs of another procedure if they grow back?
- Has this animal had close contact with people? Beef cows can be flighty but shouldn’t bolt if you walk quietly among them. The disposition of the animal is especially important since you will handling them on a daily basis.
- Is it halter broke already?
Eyes: Eyes should be bright and clear; avoid buying an animal with mucus discharge around eyes
Nose: Avoid an animal with heavy amounts of mucus coming from the nose. A little wetness is fine but it shouldn’t be snotty
Breathing: The animal should be breathing normally. In warm weather panting is normal but it should not be coughing constantly
Coat: Coat of a healthy animal should be smooth. In the winter it is normal for them to have a thicker fuller coat, but not have any bald spots
Body: Beef animals should be “beefy” with well developed muscles in the shoulder and legs. Legs should be sturdy, well balanced, and straight. The back should be straight and not swayed.
Check out these links for great information and pictures:
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2475&context=extension_curall
