Let’s be frank, getting any new platform set up and entering your data can feel like a bit of a challenge. If you are finding this with HerdFlow, please persist. It is absolutely worth it.
Having accurate, easily accessible herd data is the first critical step to truly understanding your herd performance. Once you’re over the initial hurdle, you will have the clear insights you need to make decisions with confidence.
Here are some tips to get there:
Go against the Aussie tradition!
Our advice for a smoother setup might go against the classic Aussie approach, but please read the instructions first!
We’ve put together a practical quick start guide to walk you through the process step by step. Once you log in and set up your company details, you can also call on Flo, our built in AI chatbot. Just click the question mark in the top right corner of your screen and Flo can instantly scan the comprehensive user manual to give you the answers you need on the spot.
If you need extra help, there are more resources available on the HerdFlow Support page.
Eliminate ambiguity
To accurately calculate and report on your herd's performance using standard industry measures, HerdFlow relies on precise data regarding herd numbers and movements.
To remove the guesswork of ambiguous livestock class names and the annual headache of aging animals in and out of classes, HerdFlow uses an AgeYearsystem. This tracks animals by their age brand and/or tag colour. (For a full explanation of how this works, check out the Australian Herd Classification Guidelines we developed.)
Look forward or look back
If you haven’t traced your livestock numbers using the AgeYear method before, trying to backdate your historical data can be challenging.
If you can go back through your past records to format last year’s opening numbers (by AgeYear, sex, and reproductive status) and categorise your past movements, that’s great, and you'll get immediate year-end reporting.
But if you can't, that’s okay. Start now and look forward. You can draw a line in the sand and make the upcoming financial year your clean slate with these simple steps:
- On June 30, or close to, go through your herd inventory and categorise them by AgeYear (note: mature cows and bulls can be grouped together), Sex, and Reproductive Status.
- Set 2027FY as your starting period in HerdFlow and input those June 30 numbers as your opening balance. (Remember, Flo the chatbot can help you navigate this)
- Begin recording livestock movements in HerdFlow as they happen throughout the year.
- If you’re using the premium version, you can include budgeted transactions to give you a prediction of full year performance through the year.
Having accurate herd numbers is the first step in truly understanding herd and business performance. That is exactly why we’ve developed HerdFlow, so login to the platform and get started today!
