Give every animal one permanent identity
Good records begin with a unique animal ID that follows the cow through purchases, breeding, treatments, milk production and sale. Names are useful, but numbered tags reduce confusion when animals have similar markings or names.
Record events when they happen
A simple record entered today is more valuable than a detailed record reconstructed weeks later. Use a notebook, spreadsheet or farm application that the responsible person can update consistently.
- Milk by cow and milking session.
- Heat observations, service date, bull or semen used and pregnancy-check result.
- Expected calving and drying-off dates.
- Treatments, withdrawal periods, vaccinations and veterinary costs.
- Feed purchases, labour, transport and other operating expenses.
- Animal purchase price, related costs, sale price and final margin.
Turn records into decisions
Review daily milk for unusual drops, monthly income against feed and health costs, and reproductive intervals for repeated delays. Trends matter more than isolated figures. Records should help you identify high performers, investigate problems early and make evidence-based feeding, breeding and sale decisions.