When purchasing a dairy cow or beef cattle, your main concern should be the health of the animals. This means that any beef or milk produced from these animals will be safe for human consumption. Also, it will prevent the spread of disease to other animals on your farm. Here are a few diseases cows should be free of.
Before purchasing a cow for beef cattle farming or dairy production, you want to be sure that it is free of tuberculosis. Make sure that the animal has been tested for TB within the last month. Tuberculosis is a contagious disease. It can be spread to other animals by breathing in the same air or by exposure through stools. If a cow has TB and it gets into the soil, it can live in the soil for up to two months. It is common for animals that are stressed or poorly nourished to have tuberculosis.
You also want to be sure that cows for beef cattle farming or dairy production are free of Johne’s disease. This is another disease that is highly contagious. It is the equivalent of Crohn’s disease in humans. There is no cure for this disease.
If you are purchasing a dairy cow, you want to be sure that the animal is free of Staph A. If Staph A is found on your farm and you want to sell cheese, you will be shut down. When dairy cows test positive for this disease, most agree that it is best for them to be butchered.
