This is How You Know It Is Time to Switch to Livestock Management Software

Keeping livestock is a large amount of responsibility. Although classic farmers and ranchers will say they don't need to catalog animals, they know them all: this adds undue stress to them and their animals. Livestock management software can take the pressure off your shoulders and give you more time to do what you love doing while ensuring your animals are healthy and happy.

Here are the top factors that point to it being time to get into good software.

You Have More Than Five Live Animals

How many life animals are currently on your property. With each animal, you need to know when they were born, which animals they're related to when their next vet visit is if they've ever been sick, and physical descriptors that would make it clear that they're yours. If you can't recall this: that's a problem. Not knowing the year an animal was born could lead to you being surprised when a dairy cow stops producing milk or when a sow can no longer reproduce.   

Instead, good livestock management software will take care of this and keep track of your information. Although you can still bond and get to know the animals, keeping track of them will allow you to free your mind from your other responsibilities.

You're Not The Only One On Your Ranch

Are you the only one who works your ranch. Even if you think you can keep up with the information your animals need, that doesn't mean everyone can: if you can't be reached, that could cause big issues. Keeping the data in easy-to-access management software will allow you to rest assured that your animals will be well cared for regardless of your situation.

You've Had Sick Cattle.

Sick cattle are a major issue, and you must get to the bottom of it before it causes an even bigger problem. The best way to ensure you know what's happening with your animals is to take the time to document the things that matter. For example, a sickness that you might think is a coincidence may turn out to be genetic, and knowing that two animals are related is vital to ensuring you don't breed more illness into your herd. This can also help you keep an eye on any younger animals that don't have symptoms or put systems in place so that their symptoms won't be as bad when they appear.

You're Moving Properties

If you're moving properties: you have to switch to good management software. There's enough in the air when you're driving, enough that you have to struggle with and try to plan, that you don't want to have to worry about organizing your animals or ensuring the right information is in for them. Take the time and put the info into an easy-to-access software, and allow yourself to focus on the logistics of moving rather than racking your brain every five minutes about your animals.