Many of us farmers traded our 24-hour interval jobs for time on the farm because we did n’t like the idea of getting stuck behind a desk , staring at a computer screen . Nonetheless , as any successful farmer bed , it ’s just as crucial to keep accurate book of your craw and stock activities as it is to keep pests from raiding your rows of love apple , so some time at the computer is necessary . Use this advice from farm - byplay experts to getting your farm files in order now , so you do n’t have to worry about it later on on .
Production Records
In gain to track date and dollar bill sum of money , Kent Wolfe , PhD , director for the Center of Agribusiness and Economic Development at the University of Georgia , says you ’ll need to go after other information regarding crop and farm animal production throughout the year . “ You need to record basic harvest - production selective information , such as acreage amounts , yield per acre and full yield by harvest of field , ” he say . “ These records should include fertilizer , plague - control use , and program rates . ”
Wolfe recommends using a livestock summary to facilitate maintain an accurate account of the figure of farm animal on the farm .
“ The producer should indicate present livestock , whether it be beef , goats or chickens , and include when the brute were bought , sell , born or when one dies , ” Wolfe allege . “ It ’s also important to record any inoculation and postscript given and the date they were given . ”
Keeping up with livestock stock-taking , cover dates , and wellness information can be a challenge if you ’re using the old playpen - and - paper method acting . Products , such as theEasyKeeper Herd Manager , are available to help cover stock , their health and sale .
Dave Benjamin , vice President of the United States of business sector development at EasyKeeper , enjoin his companionship ’s syllabus can finally add economic value to stock because of the metre saved and the accuracy of record - keeping .
“ The plan allow you to upload photograph of each individual animal in the ruck [ and ] document nascence and vaccination dates and all herd - wellness track record , ” Benjamin say . “ On the splashboard , reminders are generated when it is time to deal such tasks as deworming , what is delinquent , what is due and what needs to be done in the future . ”
Go Digital
Making use of modern applied science can help . A simple digital camera or cell - telephone set camera can be utile for capture picture records of your equipment and livestock . For instance , a lightning strike could pop six of your best cattle in an instant . Having a photo record of the cattle can assist with reimbursement requests for the insurance company or receiving catastrophe tending from the Farm Services Agency . A time stamp would be helpful or you could enter the photo date into your program or spreadsheet .
In addition , if theft take place on your property , having photo records of your armoury and tools along with model and serial Book of Numbers can make trailing and recall stolen goods much easier . A picture is worth a thousand words , but it could also be worth chiliad of dollars if it helps you get your tractor , garden tiller or other farm equipment back .
If you ’re taking photos of livestock for your digital files , the most commodious time to do this is when you ’re actually go with the animals . Placing a numbered ear rag on each animal at the time of birth and crack a photo will help you keep records for each animal from twenty-four hours one . Another chance to localize ear tags and snap photo records is when you ’re deworming or weighing creature .
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