To track your animals to a target weight on Datamars Livestock cloud software, you need to create a group. Not sure which groups to create? Read more about what a group is.
A group can be created from the Actions screen after you have uploaded a session file. Alternatively, a group can be created from the Groups screen at any time.
To create a group:
Select Create Group and accept the default group name or type a new one. See example group names. Select the options that best match the animals in the group.
2. Select a target weight template. The templates are based on industry recommended targets in New Zealand. However, if a template doesn’t exactly match your targets, you can adjust the weights and dates in the next step.
Select the closest matching template or select Custom to start from scratch.
3. Set the target weight you want to track the animals in the group to.
Set the starting date and weight (this is often the date that animals arrived on your farm and the weight they were when they arrived).
Set the finishing date and weight (this is the target you are aiming for, often the date you would like to sell animals and the weight you would like them to be when you sell them).
4. If growth rates are expected to change based on the seasons, you can customise this by month. For example, you may expect lower weight gains in winter months and increased weight gains in spring.
Adjust the weights or ADGs (Average Daily Gains) for each month, as required.
Add extra months, as required by clicking on + and selecting a month to add.
5. Select Create to complete the creation of the group.
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