Right now I just have a binder with my registration papers and a breeding chart with all kinds of haphazard scribbles on it and have decided that I am going to get more organized. I only have 8 animals and can't afford a computer program so I am going to make some template pages on my computer and print out to put in a binder. I plan to have the animal's basic info, breeding info, regular weight, body condition, and frame score notes, and probably some sort of medical history. Is there anything else I should include that I have forgotten? thanks.
Herd Book Ideas
- Thread starter LoveMoo11
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DavisBeefmasters
Well-known member
Front sheet
- date animal entered your herd
- what cost
- date animal left the herd (and why -- disposition, non-breeder, etc.)
- pertinent breeding information if needed for sorting/breeding purposes
Second sheet = calving record with list of calves, dates, weights, calving ease score (10 for unassisted, 0 for hard pull), even record dead and/or abortions on this log to ensure you know if the cow is working for you (bad employees get fired)
Seperate sheet for medical record with date of treatment, weight at the time, quantity of medicine given and why -- record even the small observation things like 4/2/09 observed slight discharge, etc.
The best thing to do... figure out a system and stick to it for every animal without exception so you know exactly how to find your information.
Good luck.
- date animal entered your herd
- what cost
- date animal left the herd (and why -- disposition, non-breeder, etc.)
- pertinent breeding information if needed for sorting/breeding purposes
Second sheet = calving record with list of calves, dates, weights, calving ease score (10 for unassisted, 0 for hard pull), even record dead and/or abortions on this log to ensure you know if the cow is working for you (bad employees get fired)
Seperate sheet for medical record with date of treatment, weight at the time, quantity of medicine given and why -- record even the small observation things like 4/2/09 observed slight discharge, etc.
The best thing to do... figure out a system and stick to it for every animal without exception so you know exactly how to find your information.
Good luck.
Keren
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This is how my goat record goes (the cattle records go into the computer but the goats and sheep are just paper in a folder).
First page (I put in the info for one of my does as an example):
Number: (tag number) 146
Name: Sunny Ridge 146 Geri
Sex: F
DOB: 1-10-1999
Litter size: 2 (single, twins, trips etc)
Sire: (name and tattoo) Sunny Ridge Supreme SIH 049
Dam: (name and tattoo) Green Ridge Style CNB 1253
Tattoo: SIH 146
Status: In herd ---- replaced with DIED 16-08-08 (will also write here SOLD and the date if I sell an animal)
And under that little block of info is a photo of the animal.
Second page:
Shearing records (okay so not exactly relevant to cattle, but date, shearer's name, fleece weight, fibre diameter, fleece class and any additional notes)
Health records:
Date
Problem: swollen testicle
Treatment: vet consult, Oxytetracycline once daily for 7 days
Dose rate: 1ml/10kg body weight = 7ml
Notes: no improvement after 12 days of treatment, a/b stopped. fertility to be tested.
Next page:
Reproductive records:
Date:
Time of birth:
No. of kids born:
Kid info: (sex, tag no etc) eg. twins, buck C3 (3.7kg), doe C4 (2.9kg)
Notes: unassisted, observed, (for breeding dates I just write the date, leave the other bits blank and write in the notes section served by and the male's name).
Show records: - kinda important for me because I sell a lot of show animals and my buyers like to know the show history of the animal
Date:
Show location:
Class:
Result:
Notes: including judges comments
Next page:
Notes:
Here I write down anything I think might be important. With animals I have bought in, I write down who I purchased them off, what price, the date and why the animal was sold, and my first impressions of the animal. I also write here if I sell an animal, or if it dies, the date, who it was sold to, and why, if it died the results of the autopsy etc.
Also other general observations like for example 13-01-07: No remaining teeth, body condition still acceptable.
First page (I put in the info for one of my does as an example):
Number: (tag number) 146
Name: Sunny Ridge 146 Geri
Sex: F
DOB: 1-10-1999
Litter size: 2 (single, twins, trips etc)
Sire: (name and tattoo) Sunny Ridge Supreme SIH 049
Dam: (name and tattoo) Green Ridge Style CNB 1253
Tattoo: SIH 146
Status: In herd ---- replaced with DIED 16-08-08 (will also write here SOLD and the date if I sell an animal)
And under that little block of info is a photo of the animal.
Second page:
Shearing records (okay so not exactly relevant to cattle, but date, shearer's name, fleece weight, fibre diameter, fleece class and any additional notes)
Health records:
Date
Problem: swollen testicle
Treatment: vet consult, Oxytetracycline once daily for 7 days
Dose rate: 1ml/10kg body weight = 7ml
Notes: no improvement after 12 days of treatment, a/b stopped. fertility to be tested.
Next page:
Reproductive records:
Date:
Time of birth:
No. of kids born:
Kid info: (sex, tag no etc) eg. twins, buck C3 (3.7kg), doe C4 (2.9kg)
Notes: unassisted, observed, (for breeding dates I just write the date, leave the other bits blank and write in the notes section served by and the male's name).
Show records: - kinda important for me because I sell a lot of show animals and my buyers like to know the show history of the animal
Date:
Show location:
Class:
Result:
Notes: including judges comments
Next page:
Notes:
Here I write down anything I think might be important. With animals I have bought in, I write down who I purchased them off, what price, the date and why the animal was sold, and my first impressions of the animal. I also write here if I sell an animal, or if it dies, the date, who it was sold to, and why, if it died the results of the autopsy etc.
Also other general observations like for example 13-01-07: No remaining teeth, body condition still acceptable.
LoveMoo11":1wdjrqfj said:
I have a worksheet set up in Microsoft Excel for my goats that contains their name, tag number, previous tag number, sire, dam, birth date, date acquired, who they were acquired from or whether I raised them, kidding date, number of kids, sex of kids, birth weight of kids, weaning weight of kids, weight of adults, worming date, what they were wormed with, vaccination date, what they were vaccinated with, other shots, what shots were given and why, weaned dates, and a comments field.
