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Setting up and Using Batches of Animals

Batches can be created so that you can follow the movements, treatments, growth performance, etc. for a group of animals within your herd. These groups can be real (i.e. 20 heifers in Green Barn) or can be used purely for management reasons (i.e. looking at growth performance three groups of bullocks, 8, 9 and 10 months old that are actually spread all over the Farm!).

To show differences and do reports on different parts of your business, such as your commercial animals and your pedigree animals, it may be better to set up two herds, rather than batches. See Set up Herds >>

There are two main reasons for creating batches:

1) To perform batch updates.

The purpose of making a batch is to speed up data entry when you wish to make the same change to a number of animal records i.e. worming. Rather than selecting individual animals one by one and entering the action against each, the animals are grouped together and then the update is performed on the whole batch. It is particularly helpful if you intend to perform more than one action on the same group of animals; by creating a batch it not only saves time, but also reduces the chance of selecting wrong or different animals each time.

N.B. Even if dose rates are different within the group of animals then the Batch Update need only be performed the once. Different rates can be selected for different animals in the same batch.

2) To produce more specific reports.

In the reports section, batches can be used to produce listings and reports that include specific animals only. This will save you time because it prevents you from having to filter by numerous different methods to select the animals required and allows you to easily and quickly produce all the available reports on the same animals.

Creating a batch

• Choose 'Batch' from the Setup drop down menu and then click on 'New' on the data entry window toolbar. Alternatively choose 'Other' in the List Bar, then 'Batch' and click on 'New' on the main screen toolbar.
• Enter the name you wish to give the batch.
• Click on the 'Select Animals ' button and choose the animals to be included.
• Click in the small square box on the left of the details. A tick will appear in the box. (To deselect an incorrectly selected animal, click again in the box on the left of its details.)
• Click on the 'OK' button.
• Click on 'Save' in the main data entry window to keep the entry.

In order to use batches when performing actions you must click on the 'Advanced' button at the top of the animal selection window. This gives you the chance to tick 'Show Groups' in the filter. Groups are then included in the animal filters (in blue)and clicking the + next to Cattle Batches will show all the batches that have been set up. More details >>

For more help on Cattle Manager call our Adviceline team on 01594 545022 or email us at support@farmplan.co.uk.