Finding the best cattle management software online is an integral part of managing a successful farming operation. Furthermore, it’s essential to choose a top-notch cattle management software tool for grazing if you aspire to reap the many benefits of sustainable agriculture.
It will help you become a better rancher, increase your operation’s resilience, and help you to improve soil health – all while maximising your operation’s profitability.
While the definition of the best cattle management software or app might vary by livestock producer, we compiled a list of necessities here that you should always look for when choosing one for your operation. Therefore, this post will spare you hours of sifting through popular cattle management app reviews and comparisons.
Below are the 19 best cattle management software features to look for. These will help you to make better decisions for higher profits, healthier cows and more resilient pastures.
Want a quick software recommendation? Skip to the end of this article to learn about the top cattle management software platform online (with all the features listed below).
19 Best Cattle Management Software Features to Look for
1. Scenario Planning
The best cattle management software will allow you to run through various scenarios tailored to your property’s unique conditions.
This empowers you to explore potential outcomes based on factors like rainfall and stocking decisions. A feature like this will give you the ability to anticipate and adapt to changing circumstances, ensuring optimal grazing strategies in varying scenarios.
For an effective dairy and beef cattle management plan, you want to make sure the software you choose helps you evaluate the alignment of your long-term stocking rate with carrying capacity. Look for a forecasting tool that offers valuable insights into the sustainability of your current livestock management practices.
This capability will help you to navigate challenges by understanding how well your stocking rate matches the carrying capacity of the land.
This way, adjusting graze plans to suit actual changes in conditions becomes a seamless process. It will allow you flexibility to adapt to dynamic environmental factors. For example, this will be helpful for the growing season and non-growing season, in addition to other weather-related considerations.
2. Implementation Planner
Want to transition seamlessly from strategic planning to implementation? The best cattle management tool for you will include a feature that tells you the exact actions required to bring specific scenarios to life on your grazinglands.
This capability will ensure that your strategic plans translate into practical steps for a successful outcome.
3. Grazing Plan Designer
Any good cattle management software tool will help you to visualise and optimise paddock rotations for different seasons on your grazinglands. Whatever solution you choose, it should be able to generate a customised series of paddock rotations using a visual map of your property.
This will allow you to adjust the graze plans to reflect actual changes in conditions. In turn, it will provide you with the flexibility to adapt to various environmental factors.
4. “Paddock Rest Periods” Calculator
Want to manage pastures effectively by monitoring and tracking the resting periods of different paddocks? Any top cattle management solution will help you to maintain a balanced rotation schedule for livestock.
The ability to track and manage rest periods ensures that paddocks remain healthy, contributing to sustainable grazing practices.
5. Livestock Location Tracking
One of the core features of any good cattle management app is that it will offer real-time visibility into the location of livestock on your land. This includes information on the current position of the livestock, duration spent in a location, and upcoming destinations for efficient and proactive livestock management.
6. Key Metrics Dashboard
Access to key metrics related to your grazing enterprise is essential for informed decision-making. Your cattle management software platform should offer you a clear and easy-to-read overview of essential metrics.
It should be presented in a centralised hub that makes it easy to make data-driven decisions. Ideally, it will provide insights into stocking rates, pasture health, and overall performance.
7. Advanced Analytics
In order to enhance your specific grazing business, you need to have access to advanced analytics in the field.
This tailored analytics feature, incorporating paddock yield analytics, graze history reports, and the property dashboard with key grazing metrics, facilitates better decision-making. It provides valuable insights, guiding you towards more effective and sustainable management practices.
8. Digital Grazing Charts & Data Display
Streamline management by eliminating the hassle of traditional methods like spreadsheets and paper charts. A good software for cattle management will give you an efficient and hassle-free alternative – digital grazing charts.
This transition to a digital and organised approach reduces errors and enhances productivity. In turn, it simplifies data management for efficiency.
9. Analytic Map Overlays
Want to enhance your understanding of paddocks and mobs? Look for a cattle management program that provides you with analytic map overlays.
This feature provides additional information, offering a visual layer of insights on top of your pasture map that aids in better decision-making and comprehensive planning.
10. Rich Mapping Features
Utilise advanced mapping capabilities to access crucial information on your land. These may include the location of water infrastructure, along with real-time updates on mob locations.
These rich mapping features offer a dynamic and visual tool for comprehensive management, ensuring optimal decision-making based on real-time data.
11. Forage Inventory
Equip yourself with the ability to maintain forage inventory. This helps you with effective forage resource planning and management, ensuring optimised livestock nutrition and well-being.
You’ll gain valuable insights into cattle nutritional requirements, contributing to overall herd health and productivity.
12. Update Inventory
The best cattle management system will also include accurate and up-to-date inventory management. You should be able to regularly update weight, price, rating, and stock class information.
This feature allows ranchers to maintain precise records, facilitating informed decision-making and optimising overall livestock management throughout the season.
13. Operations Log
An operations log is an essential feature of cattle management software. It will help you to keep a detailed record of all farm operations, including births, deaths, purchases, sales, merges, splits, and updates.
This will ensure accurate and comprehensive documentation throughout the season, helping you to make effective decisions and manage your farm efficiently.
14. Visual Documentation
Capture and attach photos to pasture observations for a permanent record. Enhance data with visual documentation, providing a more detailed and holistic view of paddock conditions and livestock status.
The solution you choose should come with a mobile app that allows you to take pictures out in the field without requiring internet connection.
15. Water Location Status
The best management software for cattle will also monitor the location water infrastructure. You should be able to receive real-time information on mob locations, ensuring efficient water access for livestock.
For example, some professional management apps such as MaiaGrazing include a Farmbot integration to facilitate water monitoring. Farmbot is an open source precision agriculture technology.
16. Multiple-Enterprise Capability
If you’re a rancher who is involved in multiple facets of agriculture, the software you choose should efficiently manage diverse enterprises on your farm. In other words, it should be able to track different types and classes of animals across various enterprises.
This feature will provide a comprehensive solution for ranchers involved in multiple facets of agriculture.
When you opt for cattle management software with this feature, you’ll enjoy streamlined management and optimised performance across different enterprises within the same farm.
17. Comprehensive Support from Ranchers Like You
Any top-notch software for cattle management will come with robust customer support from actual ranchers. You should be given access to a spectrum of support services tailored to your needs.
This includes onboarding, baseline metrics analysis, seasonal forecasting, and guidance on graze planning.
Your software provider should act as a valuable partner in your management journey, giving you the necessary support and expertise to navigate challenges and optimise operations.
18. Online Cattle management Software Access
Online cattle management software is the best option when you want ease of access, centralised information, and flexibility. A cloud-based application will offer you efficiency and accessibility that you can’t get with a desktop-only solution.
This makes your data, analytics, and tools available anytime, anywhere.
Enhanced flexibility allows remote monitoring and swift decision-making on livestock, paddock conditions, and key metrics. Streamlined collaboration fosters integration and informed management.
Choose an online platform that comes with data security.
19. Offline Access
While online access is always recommended, your management tool should also ensure continuous functionality by accessing and capturing data offline when needed.
Offline access caters to the needs of ranchers working in areas with limited internet access (like when you’re out in the paddocks), providing flexibility in data entry. Enter rainfall, moves and observations.
Sync back when online connectivity is available, maintaining uninterrupted data recording and management.
Try MaiaGrazing
Want the best cattle management software with both online and offline access? Try MaiaGrazing. This software solution facilitates sustainable grazing management and offers insights tailored to the needs of your individual farm.
MaiaGrazing includes all 19 of the features listed above, plus more. In a nutshell, MaiaGrazing will help you to:
- Maximise your livestock’s potential
- Boost carrying capacity of your land
- Optimise paddock yield
- Minimise feeding costs
- Capture data for seasonal planning and adjustment
- Manage your grazing to build and retain soil carbon
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