Record Keeping?

[Sharedspirit]

What kind of records do you keep on your hogs? I've been looking for an easy to use solution. Right now I have a calendar that I write things on as they happen and a huge folder of receipts. Not real easy to get the info I need at tax time! Any ideas?

[rippdog]

right now i make a sheet on the computer but you could make it with a pen and ruler and then make copies. at the top it has the year then below, across in 7 columes(different sizes) i have: date; item(meaning :hay,grain,wormer,shots,etc.);pigs/cows(meaning for pig or cows); Lbs,size, description (meaning detail pricing, detail item, etc.) ; who purchased from; cost; other notes(any thing like ck number,cash, credit, etc.) then each sheet has about 20 lines under the heading list. I put it on stock paper and onto a clip board. keep them right on the living room table. fill in everytime you spend a cent. i even make recipts for hay and stuff that they don't give me a receipt for w/date, name, what bought, weight, who ought from with phone number and put that in receipt box with all the others. the list will work out good at the end of the year cause you could just go off that to do your expences at tax time. On income I do a receipt book for all incoming moneys selling livestock, meat, etc. to do with the farm income. if your just raising pork for yourselves its not a right off as i understand. good luck.

[mrpink]

I would use a spread sheet program like microsoft excel or open office(freeware)and customize it to include the info you needed\wanted. I believe you could find a template that would work, but it isn't hard to design your own sheets. if done correctly you can analyze data about anyway you can think of.

[highlands]

Spreadsheet and text documents.

[Sharedspirit]

Thanks for the tips! I've looked at some ready made software. A few I liked but couldn't justify the cost for the small amount of livestock we raise. I like the idea of a spreadsheet if I can figure out how to do it.

[mrpink]

what type of info do you want to keep track of? a simple spread sheet isn't hard to make. I spend more time making it pretty then the time i spend creating the fields for the data. it really opens your eyes as to what you are spending where and how much you are making.

[Sharedspirit]

I need to track expenses, income, labor hours & breeding info for the hogs and chickens.

My kids do the rabbits themselves and they track everything through their 4H record books. Maybe I should just find one of those for swine and chickens.

[olivehill]

I've yet to find anything I can't organize in a spreadsheet. I use them for everything, including the hogs. I'm a numbers person so I like having the ability to work with formulas easily on a on-going basis, having totals adjust as I go, etc.

And even text-type notes can easily be stored in spreadsheets, just wrap the text within the cell -- notes as to what dates sows are penned with a given boar, observed illness symptoms, etc.

Things you may want to track:

Expenses -- Hard Feed/Grain, Buckets, Troughs, Feed Pans, Fencing, Bedding Supplies, Medicines, Vaccines, Medical Supplies, etc.

Labor -- Hours worked, labor completed, cost for that labor (even if it's you, there should be cost calculated for it)

Breeding -- Estrus by sow; penning arrangements/hand breedings; number of pigs farrowed and weaned by sow; number of pigs sired by boar; body condition by sow at breeding, farrow and weaning.

Production -- Weights at weaning and throughout grow out, by pen if applicable; feed used by pen; slaughter weights, live, hanging and dressed; number of days for grow out; etc.

Herd Health -- Vaccinations given with doses and dates; medicines given with doses and dates; any illnesses noted with symptoms, treatments and the hogs' response to treatment all noted; etc.

Income -- Amount; products/services rendered; profit margin / gross v net; etc.