Preventing disease among your cowherd is a priority of every producer. Experts from Kansas State University advise producers to move pregnant cows to new pastures every few weeks to reduce the spread of disease to newborn calves. Calf diarrhea, also known as calf scours, can be a serious issue in newborn calves. Rotating pastures where cows calve can mitigate scours, dehydration, and newborn calves’ death.

Following the Sandhills Calving System – a method that the University of Nebraska developed – can be of the most impactful interventions for calf scours. With this method, cows about to give birth are moved every two to three weeks. Once they calve, they stay in the same pastures they gave birth in until the calves are old enough to join others in the herd. If producers wait until the right time in spring and the youngest calves are at least six weeks old, the most significant risk of scours is passed and the herd can come together again.

Read more on calving rotation to prevent disease here.