Beyond Pen and Paper: Herd Management with Software Solutions

Beyond Pen and Paper: Herd Management with Software Solutions

By Jaclyn Krymowski

Managing a herd is difficult enough, especially with limited help. Keeping insufficient records, or not being able to properly analyze them, can make the job exponentially more difficult and even hurt your profitability with inaccurate information.

Fortunately, as technology advances, there is a plethora of innovative electronic record-keeping systems designed to streamline herd management. These systems offer diverse options, allowing individuals to tailor their choices to the specific needs and nuances of their unique situations.

Today’s Cattle Software Market
There are different ways herd management software functions and records or collects data. That includes everything from manual data entry to using image and movement capture with sensors. As time has gone on, we’ve found more metrics to measure and quantify and many management systems will incorporate a broad spectrum – for example, financial data and feeding data.

There are cases to be made for using a single, multi-functional system or multiple specialized ones, but it should come down to what is the best for your needs and managing only what is relevant to your operation.

If you are considering a new record management system or upgrading what you have, put together a list of questions to guide your decisions. Some basic things you might want to ask might be:
• What are the most important data points for your business? Is it feed performance, growth or productivity?
• Consider your facilities. Do you have animals across multiple properties or pens/pastures with movement you’ll need to track?
• Do you prefer to keep your herd records and finances separate or combined?
• What types of data do you already track and how well has it served you?
• How involved is your off-farm team of veterinarians, consultants and other professionals? Will they need access to your system?
• How much time do you want to dedicate to data input and analysis?

Remember, a big point of software and the data you are collecting is that you can apply it to make decisions. You want to have a way that not only saves you time and labor but is also simplistic enough to be used by anyone else on your team and reduce the margins of human error.

In the initial stages, determine the level and cost of software. Some programs have specific cattle information, and that data can then be sorted or generate reports.

“Every cow-calf operator must determine the amount of time available to devote to practical recordkeeping and weigh this commitment against software costs, data entry features and desired summary reports,” write Oklahoma State University writers Courtney Bir and Brent Ladd in their bulletin Cow-Calf Production Record Software.

The more data that is collected and inputted, the more there is to analyze and, hopefully, enhance your decision-making. That said, understanding the basics of data ownership and access is also worth the time whenever working with third-party software. Data ownership is still relatively new to the agriculture world and how it is used and protected is still evolving. Depending on the size of your operation and the type of data you’ll be collecting, this may or may not be a huge concern.

Regardless, it’s wise to review the policies and contracts of platforms you utilize to fully understand how they safeguard the data you generate and determine who retains ownership rights.

Cost and Profitability
One element worth considering is the cost that will be associated with your system, be it upfront or recurring. Besides any direct fees, if you opt for a more electronic or automated route, you have additional costs by way of RFID ear tags, pedometers or cameras.

However, keep in mind that the return on your investment is a long-term gain and may not be a dollar-per-dollar equivalent. How you can use the data you are now collecting can allow you to make more informed decisions that boost efficiency and reduce waste.

It’s also worth noting that you want a system that’s easy to use for you and anyone involved on your team. Before making a new purchase or getting an upgrade, be sure to request a thorough demo and make sure you are comfortable with how the system works and organizes data. Something as simple as the user interface and data visualization can make a big difference in how it works for you.

Looking Down the Road
There is still plenty of room for growth in the technology currently being used. The data-specific points can be adapted to better serve your needs.

“By considering specific record needs, the producer is better equipped to choose an appropriate software package,” write Bir and Ladd. “The hardest steps to valuable recordkeeping are (1) making time for recordkeeping, (2) determining the herd information that is economically feasible to collect and (3) summarizing the herd data for use in the decision-making process.”

Remember that technology is constantly changing and the way we use it to manage our animals is also changing. Constant real-time data at the tip of our fingers makes it easier to not only make important decisions, but to be able to keep an eye on the herd while away.

Embracing technology in herd management is a pivotal step for ranchers looking to enhance the efficiency and profitability of their operations. As technology continues to evolve, it provides valuable tools for expanding facilities and gaining a competitive edge in the industry.

“Many of the programs accommodate both commercial and seedstock cattle needs. Seedstock producers should check with their breed association for software package availability and recommendations prior to purchasing software for registered cattle records,” advise Bir and Ladd.

Cattle Herd Management Decisions

AgSights – taking data collection to a whole new level of simple!

For cattle producers, making the right cattle herd management decisions are crucial when it comes to herd health, herd productivity and ultimately the bottom line: profitability. However, that’s easier said than done with so many critical decisions to be made. To help make these decisions more manageable and easier, AgSights (www.agsights.com), a producer cooperative with a network across Canada and the United States, offers cattle producers the support, technology and easy-step methods to enhance herd management, including tracking, identification and information storage needs.

With this data, AgSights can offer greater marketing tools and even provide the entire life history of each animal. By doing so, AgSights understands that connecting the needs of farmers, producers and consumers is key to growing the farming and livestock industries while promoting the integrity of traceability and information sharing.

For cattle producers, Go360bioTrack is a true game changer when it comes to herd management. Currently general manager of AgSights and with the company for the past eight years, Betty Jo Almond has watched cattle producers embrace the wide range of options that Go360bioTrack can offer. Almond says, “At AgSights, we want to make data management easy. Our goal is to provide producers with a user-friendly program that offers easy record keeping and is easy to import and export.” Simply put, Go360bioTrack is a web-based livestock tracking and traceability system that gives producers anytime, anywhere access to herd information. It literally takes the guesswork out of the equation with a precise understanding of what can be expected from each animal, while at the same time increasing that animal’s value.

Jared Sherman of Soderglen Ranches, LTD, located northwest of Airdrie, Alberta, values the options that Go360bioTrack has provided his ranch. “We have used bioTrack and AgSights genetic evaluations for over 7 years. Their bull evaluation services feed data into customizable across breed EPDs that are built right into bioTrack. This along with AgSights’ service has refined how we manage and use data, ensuring that Soderglen’s breeding program remains strong and innovative.”

Technical support is only a call or email away, and AgSights prides itself in offering producers continuous support. With the wide use of smartphones and tablets, Go360bioTrack easily uses those devices to save the data on each animal. Producers using Go360bioTrack also have the ability to fit it with existing hardware, giving users the freedom to continue to use preferred livestock tagging and record keeping tools.

Almond notes, “Go360bioTrack lets producers work their cattle, allowing them to manage their herd the way they want, while AgSights will take care of the tech side of things.” At the same time, Go360bioTrack is an extremely cost-effective way of efficient herd management. “Producers choose what they want to use. It is extremely customizable. Producers pay for what they use.”

AgSights has taken the worry out of record-keeping. No more need for filing papers and storing records. The system stores all records on fully backed servers enabling access anytime anywhere.  Data options include pedigree, health records, genetic evaluations history of location and movement, accurate inventory by location and history of progeny performance.

AgSights offers its clients all of the support, technology and methods of enhancing herd management needed. Courtney McMorris, Business Development Associate, says, “Training sessions are given to all clients regardless of the options they have chosen for their account. We customize these sessions to meet each producer’s learning style (screen sharing meetings where we can walk through the program in real time with client, written manuals for readers, YouTube videos etc.). We also help new clients hit the ground running by getting their current records imported into their new account, so it is current and up-to-date when they begin using it.”

Sean McGrath of Round Rock Ranching near Vermillion, Alberta, agrees with the support he has received from AgSights. “We use bioTrack for our growing cow herd, and the most valuable aspect is the level of support we have received from the staff. They have been professional and helpful in assisting us with sorting out data or operating issues, often well outside the bounds of regular office hours.”

Go360bioTrack offers seven distinct management tools:

Livestock identification-the first step that gives instant access to each animal’s individual information.

Record keeping-no more need for filing papers and storing records. All records stored on fully backed up and maintained external Q9 networks. Access the records anytime, anywhere. Data options include pedigree, health, reproduction, genetic evaluations, his-tory of location and movement, accurate inventory by location and history of progeny performance.

Tracking and traceability-offers secure cattle tracking with history of movements in order to get the best grasp on animal performance and access to markets requiring documentation. Offers an end-to-end flow of information.

Health management-helps manage the herd health, medical inventory, manage and document health requirements, secure, and choose both the best herd sire and replacement females to provide top offspring for the next generation.

Genetic evaluations-helps unlock the genetic potential of the herd, provide awareness of best performing animals, customize options to allow for easy comparisons across breeds, determine the next herd sire or which females to replace or upgrade…all through weekly updated evaluations of each animal.

Cattle breeding and production-paves the way for genetic improvements that positively affect the scale and success of the operation through the use of leading-edge genetic evaluations.

Bull and heifer genetic evaluations-allows for comparing and ranking animals to determine if the breeding stock is meeting the producer’s predetermined breeding goals, determining if the bulls and heifers are meeting clients’ breeding strategies and help market bulls and heifers for potential buyers.

Vicki Johnson, Executive Director of North American Piedmontese Association (NAPA), talks of the positive relationship the NAPA has had with AgSights over the years. “The North American Piedmontese Cattle Association has enjoyed a highly productive working relationship with AgSights for over a decade. AgSights was our choice for the development of customized breed Genetic Evaluations that incorporate specific gene-effects, and their attention to detail, validation of results and customer service have been first class. Piedmontese breeders today can utilize the powerful Go360bio-Track system to seamlessly upload herd records for Ag-Sights weekly data updates, keeping EPD information current, accurate and meaningful. Ever helpful and accommodating, AgSights staff continue to be a pleasure to work with.

”Paul Ferguson of Crystal Farms, located near Jasper, Ontario, believes cattle producers should look into utilizing the Go360bioTrack program. “I don’t understand why more people don’t have genetic evaluations for their animals after seeing our success.

”Almond and McMorris encourage cattle producers to check out the many options that AgSights can offer and encourage producers to check out the website www.agsights.com and explore the many links. They look for-ward to hearing from potential clients via phone (855-246-2333) or email at service@biotrack.ca.

American Cattlemen, Feburary 2020
https://americancattlemen.com/
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