By Andi Anderson
Farmers often use notebooks or scattered papers to record important herd information like breeding, births, and treatments. A new digital tool makes it easier to manage all beef herd records in one place.
Using Airtable, a cloud-based platform, farmers can now keep detailed records digitally and access them from their smartphones or computers.
This digital record system was designed to help farmers track data related to:
- Artificial insemination
- Natural breeding
- Embryo transfers
- Pregnancy checks
- Calving and weaning
- Animal treatments
The digital template is available for free and can be customized to suit individual farm needs. Airtable allows sorting and analysis of data by date, cow, calf, breed, or treatment. It is easy to use and doesn't usually require a paid subscription.
To help farmers get started, a set of four short training videos (under 40 minutes total) walks users through the process.
- Part 1 shows how simple forms collect and display data.
- Part 2 explains how to copy the template and set permissions.
- Part 3 helps customize the tool and share forms.
- Part 4 covers exporting data to other programs for further analysis.
The Airtable form can be used on phones, making it convenient to record details right from the field or barn. The platform also allows farmers to keep their data private or share it with others when needed.
In addition to beef herd records, the same approach can be used for tracking machinery maintenance, field records, and marketing. This tool gives farmers a digital solution to improve accuracy, save time, and better manage farm data.
Farmers can begin by watching the videos and accessing the Airtable template to set up their own digital herd record system.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-sstajic
Categories: Indiana, General