Livestock Targets Homepage 

 

Feedpad QA and Farm Map Updates July 2007

These updates are now available at the download web page . The updates enhance the zoom feature so that map drawings reduce and increase in size as the base aerial image is zoomed. The July 2007 version allows scale setting in a zoomed view - previously only operative in an non-zoomed view.

Feed cover display

Feedpad QA now includes the feedwedge and integrated paddock cover display in farm maps. To enable this paddocks residing in the paddock database need to be included in the opened farm map drawing - see www.livestocktargets.com/covers.htm

Have you seen our knowledgebase ? While there are a number of items to add it may be helpful to you - see www.livestocktargets.com/knowledgebase.htm

 

Farm Solutions Newsletter, August 2006
 
 
Contents
 
This now includes the stock reconciliation, stock records (location, animal health, next drench dates, stock units) and grazing plans.
 
Go direct to stock sections: Stock tallies, reconciliation and grazing plans may be accessed directly from the main menu form by right clicking on the grey area.
 
If you'd like to stylize your own opening screen this is carried out by saving your own bitmap picture file named mystart.bmp in the application directory c://Program files/Livestock Targets/Farm map. By removing or renaming the file it will default to the standard opening screen. The dimensions of this file are 466 x 324 pixels. 
 
Latest Version is V 2.4.0 (Download available at the website )
 
In addition to the whole farm feed budgets and paddock rotations (grazing plans) there are calculators for short term grazing decisions. There is the grazing days calculator for a single paddock and a second, recently added, to determine the size of a feed break based on feed requirements and available dry matter. These are availble from the main Feedpad screen or from the grazing plan setup screen.
 
Supplementary feeding: Recent adverse climatic events have led to renewed interest in feed budgeting and short and medium term supplementary feeding. Available feeds need to be evaluated in their various forms (e.g. silage as baleage, haylage in different sizes/weights). Normally the energy content is the denominator with a check on crude protein % (CP%) to ensure that feeds have adequate protein for the class of stock and productivity targets. Feedpad QA's approach to supplementary feeding has been to assess energy and protein requirements analysing individual or multiple feed diets for these components. Vitamin and mineral content sometimes need special attention. Stock are also affected by partially fermented feeds (e.g. apple or grape pomace). Some feeds have other adverse effects and may only be fed at low rates or introduced gradually (maize or barley grain). There are also those having bulk limitations affecting animal performance such as maize stubble, reflected in low energy concentration (MJME/kg DM). The feeds database can be added to with information on weights and costs of feeds to be carried forward to feeding rates and feed costings.
 
Farm Assurance: Included in farm assurance recording are details of inward and outward stock movement and these integrate with animal traceability requirements (see animal traceability). Other important items are stock on hand that are entered into stock tally files and animal health treatments which are carried forward from stock tally files to the animal health history. Feedpad QA also builds an internal stock location history. Other records of events can be entered in the farm general record and individual paddock information is entered in the paddock-based farm database using a map as a visual access point.
 
Stock tallies: An additional feature of stock tallies added in the last update is the ability to deduct a single death from a stockclass tally and transfer the record to the inward/outward database.
 
 
Have you trialled Stockdraft? This program is being used with some accuracy to identify the value of cattle, sheep or deer drafted for slaughter . Comparisons of slaughter and store values can also be based on objective information. Latest Version is V 3.2 (Download available at the website).
 
Farm Map and Feedpad QA have similar mapping capability with some provision to draw to GPS coordinates. However these programmes both rely on scale setting by referencing a known surveyed distance. This is by using Tools>Position points and Tools>Set scale by distance. The further the start and end points are apart the greater the accuracy. The reference grid is setup independently  referencing known points from known topographical map coordinates, your own GPS data or some other source such as provided by websites displaying satellite photography. 
 
 
 
What characterises orthorectified images?
 
Orthorectified imagery is created so that the distortions of a flat photograph of the earth's surface are corrected. It is positionally more accurate and shape is retained across all terrain including hilly areas. A consistent scale is maintained throughout the image as found in a map. For hill country orthorectified aerial images are recommended whereas on flat and easy country this correction may not be neccessary for some farm management tasks where less accuracy may be tolerated or to provide maps for general use (how to get around the farm, find locations etc).
 
The proposals of the Animal Traceability Working Group indicate there will be widespread compliance implications for all involved in the movement of livestock (with an initial focus on cattle and deer) - vendor farmers, transporters, stock firms and destination farms. There is a requirement for forwarding of movement information soon after transfer contained in electronic ear tag devices to a central database and this will place alot more demand on farmers than simply tracing mobs. Attention has centred on universal animal identification. It is unclear as to the extent to which this will replace or co-exist with existing schemes and there is some debate about this in the media. For instance RFID device format is different to the AHB 13 digit property and animal ID. Internet connections are having an increasing role whether it be for banking, correspondence or compliance applications. Currently many rural subscribers with standard dial up connections have to get by with slow unreliable connections which will create some problems.
 
Feedpad QA's farm assurance section has included inward and outward individual animal tracking including the  information so far envisaged with the ability to provide a movement report, combining property details with individual animal details. In Feedpad-QA data capture may be by keying in single or a sequential series of tags, importing a text file of tags or linking with some weighing indicators or weighing indicator files to import tags directly. Movement reports may be printed or exported to a text or file suitable for a spreadsheet.
 
 
 
 

Feedpad - QA stock records.

Version 2.0.1 and later versions include additions to stock tally and animal health treatment recording.

The additions include:

  • organisational features for shifting and ordering data rows 
  • recording of animal health treatment history
  • tracing of stock paddock movements
  • recording of animal health
  • quality assurance
  • inwards and outwards stock movements
  • Indicator linking to access animal tags for some indicator brands

Software Products - 2004-2005.

New product release in feed management and farm mapping complement Livestock Targets STOCKDRAFT:

FEEDPAD - QA contains the feed management modules for feed planning on pasture and evaluation of feed supplements, stock number recording and planning breeding timelines. Main species are cattle, sheep, deer and goats. There are several supporting databases for this software, for instance for pasture growth, supplement components and prices and paddock names and areas. Multiple pasture growth rate files may be stored to model feed supply and demand profiles at different locations and generate feed cover profiles which may be compared to targets. Up to 3 main feed components may be analysed for nutritive value in terms of dry matter, energy (MJME/kg DM) and protein (crude protein %).

There is stock reconciliation included with flexible design capability where end of year transfers from one class to another can easily be defined. Opening stock may be loaded directly into feed budget files and livestock statements prepared using end of year and trading values. Separate stock tallies may be recorded where stock unit conversions are performed to calculate total stock carrying.

Daily grazing planning is by integration of paddock areas, covers and feed demand to provide grazing days per paddock to the nearest day or half day as required. Areas may be split into cells prior to grazing for intensive grazing systems.

Breeding timelines may be constructed that include mating and birth dates as well as timing of the control of artificial breeding, pregnancy diagnosis and weaning.

FEEDPAD QA includes the mapping and farm information database components of FARM MAP.

FARM MAP enables farmers to complete popular mapping tasks and provide a farm drawing and calculation of mapped areas. Scanned aerial images are loaded into the software and a scale set using known (e.g. surveyed) distances. Images may be ortho-rectified, adjusting for hilly terrain, supplied by aerial mapping companies. There is a farm information database system where information is linked to paddocks and sorted in date order. The information base uses a visual interface that can be created within the mapping software with management plan overlays.

StockDraft 2004-2005 Software Update

STOCK DRAFT has been updated to include:

Livestock Targets November 2003 Newsletter - Stock Draft Software .

Base reference information

When targeting carcass production, dressing percentages, with adjustments for various factors, provide guidelines for killing weights and grades. Adjustments may be made for animal sex, extended periods off-pasture, wet conditions and for degree of finish or body condition.  This information needs to be bundled together with price and grade information in a way that it can be readily used by producers and that has been the goal of the software..

As there is wide variation amongst livestock species in carcase characteristics an important aspect has been to be able to enter data specific to individual farms for carcass weight and other characteristics, especially fatness. A degree of objectivity has been introduced with the ability to store descriptive data files for later reference. To assess future carcass characteristics and monetary value, trait variation is accounted for that affect price. The software predicts future kills for cattle, sheep and deer.

New update available - November 17, 2003 - Build 2.0020

The update may be downloaded in single image setup form from http://www.livestocktargets.com and is also available on CD by contacting us at support@livestocktargets.com.

The latest update of November 17, 2003 contains some enhancements. These include:

In-built ability to modify relationships with liveweight

Increased accuracy is achieved by editing trait relationships or trends. When information feedback from meat plants is available, fine tuning the relationships with liveweight for planning future drafts is possible. If the data is affected by drafting methods adjustments can also be made to the standard trends in animal finishing, depending on the availability of unbiased data.

Integration with livestock weighing equipment.

Weigh scale data import is carried out using the weigh scale option that appears on the carcass grade/schedule screen. This has proved to be a popular option for farmers with weighing equipment looking to maximize returns. A printout of the expected results can be compared to actual results. Files may be created using an overriding adjustment in dressing % to suit specific feed conditions such as occur. e.g. where slightly under-finished animals are slaughtered off lower quality feed in periods of feed shortage.

Develop a grade and payment structure.

Meat companies often pay producers according to standard national grades but there are some that use their own grading system. This may mean there are different cut-off points than those that are set for national grades. Grade files may be set up to facilitate this using the grade structure relevant to individual situations and recalled from disk files.

As a large proportion of farmers’ income is derived from the sale of slaughter stock, the use of this software should be aimed at improving the value of each group of animals sold.

Payment incentives change and climatic factors also bring about a need to alter production targets. These payment changes create a need to re-assess on-farm targets using the programme tools.

For further information please contact:

Livestock Targets Ltd
RD 1
Hastings
New Zealand
Email: support@livestocktargets.com
Web www.livestocktargets.com
Tel 64 (06) 874 9629