Here in the first quarter of the year is a great time for cow-calf producers to reevaluate their record keeping systems. At the core of that, says Kansas State University Beef Cattle Specialist Sandy Johnson, is an accurate cow herd inventory. She tells Radio Oklahoma Ag Network Farm Director Ron Hays that individual cow identification carries considerable value in overall herd management.
“From the standpoint of knowing how many animals you’re feeding - that’s always important,” Johnson said, noting that this number will be required regularly throughout the year as producers deal with banking and financial documents. “If we don’t know truly what that number is, we’re making rough estimates rather than something a little more accurate.”
She says producers should keep their records current, updating herd information as needed. She suggests, too, not to wait until you return home to write changes in status down. She advises producers to use what they are comfortable with to jot notes down as they happen.
“We just too often forget is we think we’re going to write it down when we get to the house,” Johnson said. “It doesn’t have to be the same method for every member of the management team. Our millennials might be quite adept using a smart phone. Somebody else, might need to write it down. The main thing is - you develop a habit of recording those things when they happen.”
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