Software pedigree/management

[HappyFarmer]

I was wondering what management programs everyone uses & how they like them. We're thinking of getting something to help track our goats. We have meat goats, but a dairy or fiber program that tracks average daily gains for meat goats in addition to dairy info would be fine.

(We were kinda looking for something that would track our livestock dog's vac's & wormings, too, but have had no luck finding a combo program).

So, how do you track your herd information?

How do you like it?

What reports or information do you find most useful inthe program?

Thanks!

[mygoat]

I simply use a microsoft Excel type program (well, I have a mac now so it's 'numbers') and make my own records. I have individual records for registered does, bucks, a wether record (cart/pack wether), a milking record (though something similar could be used for meat). You could just use a plain old notebook out in the barn then transfer information over to a digital format saved on your computer weekly, monthly, etc.

For a pedigree maker, I use www.sitstay.com. To host any such documents online, I use docs.google.com.

You can get the HTML code from sitstay.com to put your pedigrees on your website, but copy and paste the html code to a word document as well... or get Firefox's web editor add-on which allows you to get the html code for any website. You'll also want to save the web page of the finished pedigree to your computer. I print them off and highlight any merits on the pedigree (CH, SG, *M/B, etc) so potential buyers can easily see the pedigree's worth.

[HappyFarmer]

Thanks for the response. Actually, that is how I started out, then I created a program in MS Access, which I'm currently using. I can do pedigrees, health info, weight charting, & basic stuff. I'm looking for something a little more professional that might give me things like inbreeding status/warnings, automatic due dates, etc, maybe even a feature to give all goats their CD/T with just one keyboard entry, instead if individual entries for the whole herd. These types of things are beyond my knowledge of MS Access, but I'm sure can be done if I had the know-how & time.

Great idea though.

[mygoat]

Those things can be done in Excel/Numbers by using formulas.

[Jcran]

Ok, I'm techno-special needs. Does anyone out there in cyber land know of a farm program that would be compatible with MAC/Apple computers?

[mygoat]

I'm on a mac and use the numbers program. I would't go out and pay for management systems when I can just use numbers/excel to make my own, customized to my needs, on my own.

[HappyFarmer]

I was looking at this one:

http://www.goatsoftware.com/

and this one:

http://www.tenset.co.uk/

I am leaning towards the 2nd one, as it does do everything I want to do if I get the add-ons. It is a bit pricey, and not cost effective for my small herd. This is why I'm asking on the board.

Mygoat: The pedigrees you do in excel, do they automatically update when kids are born or do you have to type each one then save it? I'm really looking for easy, in one place type set-up, as automated as possible. Maybe it was how I had it set up when I was using excel, but it didn't work as good as I would have liked. Do you have a pedigree online I can look at? How would you calculate inbreeding %ages with Excel? I bought a few linebred bucks and I need to watch my breeding closely as my customers frown on that.

So, what is everyone else using? How do you manage your records?

Thank you!

[Rockytopsis]

I use the Goatbreeders Notebook ( http://www.goatsoftware.com/ ). I like it cause at the end of the year I can print out sales, inventory, expenses. All in a very neat package. I don't have the knowledge to use excell.

[HappyFarmer]

Rockytopsis Do you find it easy to use when doing whole herd info? How do you like entering your monthly/quarterly information? Have you used their tech support? How is it? Thanks for your comments, and would love to hear what others are using to record their herd information.

[Rockytopsis]

Well I don't do any monthly or quarterly reports. I do log all our expenses. I can create catagories for meds, new fencing or repairs to fencing, chicken feed goat feed, just what ever you happen to use. And at the end of the year just print out the expenses and take to to the tax lady.

I do keep track of who was wormed when and yearly shots. I keep track of who gave birth to what and who was bred to who. I log in when I sell a goat or send it to freezer camp. When we do worming and such I just take a note pad to the barn and write everything down and then transfer it to the puter. Al makes a backup and puts it on his puter.

At the time I ordered mine they had 2 prices $40 & $100. I ordered the $40 first and quickly saw that the $100 was better.

No I have not used their tec support as what I use the program for is fairly simple.

[Terre d'Esprit]

I have messed around with FlockFiler (http://www.flockfiler.com/) for sheep. It's built on the filemaker platform, so it works with both PCs and Macs. I work in filemaker and actually ended up creating my own database in FM. Now if I would just remember to use it...

[HappyFarmer]

I'll check them out too. Thank you for the reviews, definately helps when looking for software you will be relying on.