Tracking your herd

[jwggriff]

Can I get some ideas from anyone on what is used to keep up with what inventory you have in your herd? What calf is born to what cow? Which bull used? etc.... Is there a good computer software to use, or what? I only have 13 head, but with five new calves born this year, and needing to register them I'm not sure what I need to do next. I have Registered Texas Longhorns, so their association wants pictures of calf, with brand and ID number... Being new at this I'm still learning the cattle business, and now must also learn the paperwork involved. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

I keep a note book and a pen in my truck when a calve is born i write down the date, sex, weight, ID number of the cow. Make up a ear tag for the calve and ear tag it while i am at it.

 

[Cowdirt]

Can I get some ideas from anyone on what is used to keep up with what inventory you have in your herd? What calf is born to what cow? Which bull used? etc.... Is there a good computer software to use, or what? I only have 13 head, but with five new calves born this year, and needing to register them I'm not sure what I need to do next. I have Registered Texas Longhorns, so their association wants pictures of calf, with brand and ID number... Being new at this I'm still learning the cattle business, and now must also learn the paperwork involved. Any help would be appreciated.

I know there's good software available for record keeping. Your local county agent can steer you to a good one. Many people on this forum use professionally produced programs. Others, including me, have made their own spreadsheet using Lotus or Excel. Seems to me that, considering the size of you operation, a simple spreadsheet including the information that you want to track would work well.

 

[Engler]

With 13 head there is no use going out and buying top shelf software to manage them. Get a little notebook (2x3in) that you can put in your shirt pocket and dedicate a page to each cow. Record dob, shots, breeding and any other misc data. Next year put it in a box to refer back to and go get another one ... just don't let the wife run it through the wash.

For reg. papers go get a 3 ring binder and either a punch or clear plastic sleaves. Put the papers, picture ... in there and away you go-just don't misplace it.

If you want to go a little higher speed you can probably make Excel or any other ss program do whatever you need.

 

[bandit80]

Can I get some ideas from anyone on what is used to keep up with what inventory you have in your herd? What calf is born to what cow? Which bull used? etc.... Is there a good computer software to use, or what? I only have 13 head, but with five new calves born this year, and needing to register them I'm not sure what I need to do next. I have Registered Texas Longhorns, so their association wants pictures of calf, with brand and ID number... Being new at this I'm still learning the cattle business, and now must also learn the paperwork involved. Any help would be appreciated.

I use the little red books from I think the NCBA. I get them from the local extension office. I write down all pertinent information reguarding the cows and calves. A little notebook would work just as well. Breeding info, all calf information, what cows were with what bulls, etc. I also keep a backup spreadsheet on my computer, showing cow inventory and breeding. My association has a computer program to keep track of cow inventory and all calving year information. I also use this to register my calves by sending a file to the association.

 

[dun]

Missouri extension service has a form that you can use to track all the pertinent data.
Extract:This 8-1/2-inch by 11-inch card allows you to keep a record of an individual cow with ease. Sections include: immunization and treatment, with room for date and comments; entry spaces for weight, breed and other identifying marks; a production record, including breeding, calving and weaning; and progeny carcass data.

 

[jwggriff]

Thanks everyone for the advice! Sometimes I try and make things harder than they should be. I appreciate the advice on the three ring binders, and the note books/note cards. I really like the K.I.S.S. method better, but will generate a excel spreadsheet as a backup just in case the wife washes the notebooks.. Thanks again.....Jack

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

Dang my old beat up note book is kinda out of date. Oh well it works for me i always have it with me so it is easy to jot down what ever i need to.

 

[msscamp]

Can I get some ideas from anyone on what is used to keep up with what inventory you have in your herd? What calf is born to what cow? Which bull used? etc.... Is there a good computer software to use, or what? I only have 13 head, but with five new calves born this year, and needing to register them I'm not sure what I need to do next. I have Registered Texas Longhorns, so their association wants pictures of calf, with brand and ID number... Being new at this I'm still learning the cattle business, and now must also learn the paperwork involved. Any help would be appreciated.

Calves were tagged with their Mother's number a day or so after birth. Bulls were assigned an earmark according to their bloodlines, and calves were earmarked according to their sire's. We did not use any type of software, just made up an Excel worksheet to record birthdate, birth weight, mother's tag, sire, etc. As far as registration went - any animals that were registered were assigned a tatoo number by the association at registration, and were tatooed and tagged with the same number. We also kept track of previous tag numbers.

 

[I luv herfrds]

Engler I resent that remark, it's not my fault the hubby forgot to take his cow book out of his shirt and I threw it in the washer. ;-) :lol2:

We use both the cow book and I use Ranch Manager. Not a bad program and it doesn't cost an arm and a leg. You can check it out at www.lionedge.com

We enter the cows tag number into our book, then record the date of birth of the calf it's number and sex. Instead of using the pre-numbered tags we get the ones you can engrave the number on.
Our numbers start with the last number of the year, example we started with 801 this year and next year will be 901. then we can look at a number and get a goot idea of how old that animal is instead of digging around and trying to guess. The next two numbers are just in the order the calves were born.
Don't try and set up a complicated system or it will come back to bite you.
We now tatoo the calves tag number in their ear. Reason why is so if we have more then one animal lose a tag we don't mix up the numbers. Done that.

 

[Loch Valley Fold]

For the dairy cows I use a exercise book open the book so there is a double page & each page is titled 2008 Breeding Year & 2008 ect Calving Year. I than do the following Mark & draw on the page 6 rows & have the following information: Cow Name / Id, bull id, date of service, return date, due date, Dry out date - On the opposite page I have the following: Cow Name, Cow Number, Date calved, calf id, sire of calf & calf NLIS tag. I use this system with my beef cows. It is easy to read & follow. The exception with my beef cows is I just write the date when the bull goes in & when he comes out 6 weeks later. Also like I luv herfrds with our heifers & their eat tag & tattoo numbers I start the numbers off at 2801 - year 2008 - 01 = first calf

 

[nap]

I use CattleMax software. It allows me to easily keep track of everything from health and breeding to expenses. When I check my cattle I jot down notes and enter the data when I get back to the house.

 

[Brute 23]

Ya... Microsoft Excel. ;-)