This software helps monitor animal and enterprise performance for feedlot operations. No matter whether you are a farmer-feeder, custom feeder, backgrounder, breeding stock developer, or a consultant working with commercial feedyards, this software is designed for you.

The Feedlot Monitoring Software is stand-alone software designed for Microsoft Windows operating systems and is based on the National Research Council requirements for beef cattle and sheep.

Daily feed consumption, nonfeed variable costs, environmental influences and the specs on the animals you are feeding comprise the inputs.  Weight projections, current breakeven values, feed use, health summaries and closeouts are some of the outputs available. 

How to use Libra TMR with Feedlot Monitor Data (0:12:44)

How to use Libra TMR with Feedlot Monitor Data (0:12:44)

NOTE: The cattle edition and the sheep edition operate in the same manner. The cattle edition was used to develop the troubleshooting series listed below along with much of the written documentation.

How to Download the Feedlot Monitor Software (0:03:47)

How to Download an Update to the Feedlot Monitor Software (0:05:11)

Program Overview (0:06:48)

Before Getting too Far Along

• Backing Up Your Data (0:02:01)
• Set Up Your Feedyard Name for Bills and Benchmarks (0:02:01)
• Setting Up User Defined Items (0:08:14)

Billing Data:

• How to Calculate a Feed Bill (0:07:01)
• How to Record Investor Payments(0:02:22)
• Fix Re-Calculating an Old Feed Bill (0:01:29)
• Fix Investor Data (0:07:15)

Cattle Data

• Add Group Data (0:09:33)
• Add Individual Cattle Data (ear tags) (0:08:52)
• Fix Correcting Existing Data (0:04:52)
• Investor Set Up (0:01:49)

Feed Data

• Set Up Feedstuffs & Feed Inventory (0:08:33)
• Set Up Rations (0:03:36)
• Updating and Correcting Feed Inventory Price (0:06:20)

Feeding Period Data

• Normal Data Entry (0:10:00)
• Batch + Template Data Entry (0:6:55)
• Automated Data Entry – Digi-Star (0:06:11)
• Simple Entry of Processing Records (0:03:40)

Health

• Simple Entry of Medical Treatment Records (0:02:52)
• Advanced Entry of Processing Records Using Protocols (0:08:19)
• Advanced Entry of Medical Treatment Records Using Protocols (0:08:59)
• Setting Up & Update or Correct Drug Inventory Values (0:07:35)

The following features apply to both cattle and sheep editions.

Billing Invoice

• Lists feed consumption with or without itemized charges
• Itemizes nonfeed charges
• Summarizes pen performance
• Allows billing on variable degrees of ownership as a percent of group or based on individual animals in group

Feed and Health Product Inventory

• Monitors inventory additions and removals
• Allows storage charges to be set and shrinkage markups to be applied

Performance, Income, and Costs

• Current average cattle weight
• Average daily gain and feed conversion
• Feed cost per pound of gain
• Total cost per pound of gain with or without interest
• Current breakeven value on live and carcass weights
• Itemizes and summarizes costs and income
• Yield grade and quality grade

Summaries

• Lot closeouts
• Billing invoices
• Individual or lot groups
• Cost and income summaries
• Feed consumption
• Health
• Marketing
• Projections
• ISU Feedlot Monitoring Benchmark Enrollment

Flexibility

• As many lots or feedstuffs as your computer's memory allows can be entered - the number is not limited by the software!
• Not all inputs are required - the producer can select areas of interest to be monitored
• Gives you the ability to record and save the nutrient composition of your own feeds
• Allows you to record information for investors and keep their accounts current

Management Requirements of Feedlot Monitoring

• Accurate description of cattle being monitored including starting weight, gender, number, and value
• Accurate analysis of a feed's nutrient and dry matter content
• Accurate estimate of actual as-fed feed intake for each group of cattle (lambs) during each feeding period

Feedlot Monitoring offers many options for entering your information as well as reports on your data.  For example:

• You may enter feeding period information daily, weekly, monthly or as you see fit
• You may print your data out to Excel to give you more flexibility in analysis
• Health protocols may be entered into the program for processing new animals or treatment of sick animals

Examples of reports

• Billing statement sample
• Closeout sample
• Feeding period summary sample

Computer requirements

• PC-based

• Feedlot Monitor Documentation
• Feed Delivery App 
• User Guide for Feed Delivery App

For those of you that do not like to use computers we also offer a Feedlot Monitoring Service as well where you submit your data (weekly or monthly) to us (fax or email), and we return the reports to you pronto. This is provided at a cost of $40 per lot tracked. Contact Garland Dahlke at Iowa Beef Center to enroll your lots with this service. Phone 515-294-9910 or email garland@iastate.edu.

Cattle Feedlot Monitoring Program

Sheep Feedlot Monitoring Program

Contact Garland Dahlke at Iowa Beef Center for pricing and delivery information. Phone 515-294-9910 or email garland@iastate.edu.