Tracking cattle, feed, inventory and finances is demanding enough without entering the same data twice or sorting through paperwork for information. Yet many operations still rely on paper records, spreadsheets or disconnected systems. As feedlots grow, manual recordkeeping can slow daily operations and make decisions harder.
Are Manual Records Slowing Your Animal Health Decisions?
Treatment histories are critical when evaluating sick cattle. When records are scattered across notebooks or spreadsheets, employees spend valuable time searching for information.
Digital cattle records store health data in one place, giving employees and advisers real-time access from anywhere.
Bryan Moes of Moes Feedlot near Florence, South Dakota, uses Performance Beef to track animal health data to get real-time insights.
“We used to work cattle and it wasn’t until hours or days later that we’d see ‒ whoa, this calf only gained 1.1 pounds per day. Now, it’s right there,” says Brian.
Beyond animal health, accurate records also play a key role in tracking feed deliveries, ration changes and the costs of feeding cattle.
The Hidden Cost of Paper Feed Records ‒ Errors
Manual feed records can make it difficult to verify feed deliveries, ration changes and batch sheets, especially when paperwork is misplaced or incomplete.
Digital feed management software records feeding activity as it happens, improving accuracy and giving producers a picture of their operation’s costs.
For Denise Loyning of L Bar W Cattle Co. near Columbus, Montana, Performance Beef brings those costs together in one place. From tracking feed inventory to accounting for expenses that might otherwise be overlooked, like straw bedding, she has a clearer picture of what it takes to raise each bull.
“It’s a great snapshot of what our bottom dollar needs to be when we’re selling these bulls. If any of these bulls aren’t going to make that it makes calling decisions much easier for me because we can always sell them as a steer,” Denise says.
Keeping accurate feed records also helps producers maintain better control over inventory and understand how ingredients are being used
The Challenges of Manual Inventory Tracking
Keeping feed inventory current with paper records can lead to:
- Unexpected ingredient shortages.
- Ordering mistakes.
- Difficulty tracking feed usage.
- Extra time reconciling inventory.
- Lack of accurate information when issues arise.
Connected software automatically updates feeding records as feed is delivered, keeping inventory, reports and analytics updated. With accurate data in one place, producers can make better informed decisions about their operations
Better Data Leads to Better Decisions
Accurate, up-to-date information makes it easier to monitor:
- Feed efficiency.
- Cattle performance.
- Treatment history.
- Feed inventory.
- Financial performance.
Instead of piecing together information from multiple systems, digital cattle management software keeps everything in one place.
Having accurate information is one part of the equation. But being able to access it without sorting through paperwork or entering the same data multiple times saves time and provides a more complete picture.
Less Paperwork = More Time for the Work that Matters
Software like Performance Beef centralizes feeding, animal health, inventory and financial data, reducing duplicate entry and making records easier to access.
Before adopting Performance Beef, Logansport, Indiana, producer Zachary Miller of Rocking M Feedyard relied on pen, paper and Excel spreadsheets to track feed, treatments and inventory. The process was repetitive and often took time away from working cattle.
“It felt like I was double entering everything,” Miller says. “So much of my day was spent on bookwork instead of cattle.”
The Bottom Line
For Ryan Vos of Vos Cattle Co. near Hadley, Minnesota, the difference is clear. Before adopting Performance Beef, he spent hours sorting through notes and calculating numbers by hand. With a busy operation and responsibilities outside the feedlot, that time added up quickly.
“It was atrocious," Ryan admits. “I had notes everywhere and at the end I had to add everything by hand. One closeout would take three hours, and I’d still have something wrong. Now a closeout takes a few minutes instead of three hours,” he says.
Paper records and spreadsheets can slow operations and make information harder to manage. Digital cattle management software provides a single, accurate information source, helping feedlots save time, improve record accuracy and make more informed management decisions.
CHECK OUT PERFORMANCE BEEF FOR YOURSELF
Our digital demo walks you through popular functions in our app, helping you visualize how it can easily become part of your day-to-day tasks.
