So You Want to Adopt a Cow

Owning cows can be very fun, but you must be prepared for your relationship with your new animal.

First the Pros

Cows are very smart! They can easily learn their names and be trained to do many things. Cows also take well to halter and lead training, making handling easier! They can be trained to accomplish many tasks far beyond milk and meat. They can make great pets. They also produce great fertilizer for your plants!!

And now the Cons

They are very large animals with very large stomachs. They require a significant financial investment in order to remain happy and healthy. You will need to be prepared physically and financially when owning a cow as a pet.

A few more tips!

Before you ever allow a cow to step hoof on your place, you need to be sure that you have a good source of high quality feed, forage and silage. You must also be cer­tain of having a good, safe storage space for your feed, hay, silage, supplements and other supplies.

You should never feed any spoiled, musty or moldy hay or feed. Eat­ing poor quality feed can sicken your cattle or simply make them stop eating.

And finally...

In addition to having ample, high quality food on hand for your cow or cattle, you'll want to be sure to establish a good working relationship with your local veterinari­an and your agricultural extension agent. Both of these professionals are indispensa­ble in helping identify health problems with your cattle and keeping you on track in terms of vaccinations , worming and basic or emergency health care.

It takes being committed to your cows daily needs and being adaptive to any changes they may need to care for them the way they deserve to be treated.

Still interested? Learn more about our adoption process here.