homestead/livestock related software

I have a Co-worker and he Uses i think Microsoft Excel or power point.
Of cource he had to figure out how to cusomise it, I think it was 2000 pro ver,
Please don't ask my how or what he was doing ????
I do have the programs but i hardly have ever even looked ot them much less know how they work ???
I think he was keeping a Family Cow Tree or something like that ????

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I will most certianly post the link here when we are just a bit further along.

Thanks

Being a software developer myself, if I would purchase/write software for this purpose, I would want to have it also guide a me through the management process of a homestead.

Having just started homesteading, I am struggling on getting a grip on what it is I want to track, make it easy to track and make the information I get out of it useful. Software that would guide me through that process would be great! Maybe even walk a person through a farm plan template - answering questions that then lead to setting up the software to provide the functionality needed. It might mean accompanying it with an extensive instruction manual which is not entirely bad due to piracy issues.

If I would purchase a package (and I would be willing to pay several hundred for the correct package) it would need to provide some significant value added beyond spread sheets and databases.

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--->This was the whole point when we started the project but it is really going to take users to play with it and see if they need more or less. We do have some interesting details built in that allow for a more step by step use.
Cost has been the biggest issue. We are NOT going to provide a manual for the software in printed form, that is unless we get a whole bunch of suckers who want to pay 43.19 each for them lol. That is our cost to have them made with no profit in 1000 quan. I don't know about everyone else but we don't have 43 grand in ready cash. We will have a complete users guide online as well as a users forum to cover all use questions etc.

I do like the idea of some sort of template to help new users get started so lets see what we can come up with right here in the forum. You guys get to pick so start shooting ideas.

Maybe a graphical template?
Strictly a data entry template?
a combination of both?
maybe a seperate area of the prgm that shows the potential highs and lows of x animals vs. x feed vs x acreage?
or maybe an area that you can enter local data ie local animals per acre, bushels per acre etc?
an area where the user can enter actual vs local data as a real world value ie I have 3 acres with 9 cattle and the local says I can run 10..... advice could be generated on the ups and downs of adding the extra animal....

We will change / add code as fast is ideas (usable) come in so please fire away.
If you do have an idea that may not be totally clear for a programmer nerd please include an argument as to why it should be included.... lol might be a farmer but certianly don't know it all....

I've seen add on modules for different aspects of agricultural enterprise, like field production, financial statements or equipment inventory and maitenance. You add on what you need. I'm looking forward to the website to see what your input fields cover that can be used for MTI calculations and how customizable or detailed the data has to be or can get. I tried a flock managment program called Ovisey which did MTI/EPDs near perfectly but was a pain in the rear to use. The one I use now will do basic EPDs but they're hardly capable of providing truely usable numbers and certainly are not transferable off flock (database) Actually if you could link in an excel spreadsheet that task becomes very customizable but you'd need to have optional input fields to add the traits you want to index and a decent help section so the easily frustrated (thats me)could easily link the data fields to the spreadsheet. It all has to be available on a report at some point that compares animals with each other and should chart or rank them with thier various strengths and weaknesses.

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I have been using microsoft excel to keep a listing, the lines I have are

type - cow, horse, chicken, etc.
breed - or classification
sex - male/female/neutered
name - short name
registered name - ...
got - date i got them
from - where i got them
price - how much it cost
lost - sold, died, given away, etc.
how - cause, sold to who?, etc.
price - if sold
date of birth - ...
details - distinguishing charisteristics, etc.

I will probably put it into a database, once they start having babies. Before we moved this spring, I was toying with the idea of making a program also. This would just be a little thing to help me, probably not to sell or anything. I think that MS Access would suit my needs, but I'm sure many people would look for a friendlier interface. If you had a datasheet view, that is sortable and filterable. Then had like a form for entering data. It would also be good to incorporate a medical log. Also one, or several hay/feed logs, as a seperate part. Good Luck

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Zuiko

2 Geese, 9 Ducks, 19 Chickens, 2 Golden Retrievers, 6 Pygmy Goats, 2 Mini Donkeys, 2 Mini Horses - Thats 108 Legs!!!

I was thinking a decision tree type of template that would provide customization to a personal menu of features. For instance - do you want to garden, if so 100 sq ft, 500 sq ft, 2000 sq ft, ect. Different planning and tracking is called for in different situations. Do you want to raise the feed your animals will eat? This will make a difference in calculations. Do you want to raise animals, if so what kinds or unknown at this point? I like the idea of programming in space/feed requirements for different stock for planning.

One thing I would really like is a "homestead layout" tool. I am trying to plan efficient fences and gates - it would be nice to play with ideas on the computer. Then have it calculate the supply list for the final product. Checklists would be great too. If you want to examine getting into a business a generated checklist based on a few questions would help someone get started in the planning process. Anything that promotes planning is bound to be helpful! Then means of comparing plans to actual to track progress.

Gee if I wasn't so sick of computers, this would be a fun project. ;-) But if you come up with a tool I can use to help in building my dream I am ready!

Also - perhaps data entry would be really in the form of asking a series of questions based on the projects the user has input. Either daily or weekly it will ask - what animals have been born, bred (connect parent stock at breeding time) - could even come up with input screens in the regular input cycle at about the time the young are due.... Then it would ask what you bought that applied to each stock or to the farm in general each week, what income you got again, by project.

Tons of ideas - have fun sorting it all out!

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in case you don't have enough on your plate...

To further the homestead planner idea... how about a zone map/plant match, also an orchard planner (would look something like: Size of Lot: XXX x XXX, Size of tree: dwarf, semi, full and % of type: 70% golden delic., 10 pear etc.


how is that for ambitious?

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Thats what makes this fun.... lol

Actually this part is quite easy but the MTI/EPD thing is much harder than it seems. Would everyone be ok if the numbers generated were more say 'on farm' instead of real world.... at least until I can figure out the entire algorithm...

By 'on farm' I mean numbers from say 0 to 100 ?

Thanks for all of the input.

pretty hard to make the numbers anything but home farm. If the animal isn't in the database using the same indexed traits you can't compare numbers. One of the factors that made Ovissey a powerful EPD calculator was its national database. Why limit the numbers (of animals?) to 100? I had over 500 this summer, and historically over the last 12 years I would have had thousands, all of which could be inputed to factor into current and future indexing.

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By numbers I mean score or value. The software has no limits on how much of anything you can have.