# Livestock Manager: full article text > Livestock Manager is a farm management app for iOS, Android and the web. Farmers track animals and batches, daily records (eggs, milk, feed, weight), health and medicines, tasks, income and expenses, breeding, and an online farm shop. It is available in 15 languages and has a free plan. --- # How to Contact Livestock Manager Support URL: https://livestockfarm.co/blog/how-to-contact-livestock-manager-support Updated: 2026-10-02 A question, a problem or an idea? Contact Us sits at the top of More. Message us on WhatsApp or by email for an answer now, or write to us from the app, with a screenshot if it helps. We read every message and reply by email. **Who it's for:** anyone with a question, a problem or an idea for the app. **Plan:** every plan, screenshots included. **Time:** a couple of minutes to write. ## Step-by-step ### Step 1: Open Contact Us On the Home screen, tap **More**. **Contact Us** is the first row at the top, with **WhatsApp · Email** beside it. Tap it. At the top of the screen, **We're here to help**: we read every message and reply by email. ### Step 2: Talk to us now Want an answer now? Under **Talk to us now**, tap **WhatsApp** to message us there, or **Email** to write from your email app. Both open outside Livestock Manager. ### Step 3: Or write to us Rather write from the app? Under **Or send us a message**, fill in **Subject** with what it is about, such as **Print today's tasks?** Then, in **Message**, tell us in your own words: what you were trying to do, where you looked and what happened. ### Step 4: Add a screenshot A screenshot shows us exactly what you mean. Under **Add a screenshot (optional)**, tap **Camera** to take a picture, or **Library** to pick a screenshot you already took. You can add up to 5 images. Each one appears above the buttons, and the cross on a picture removes it. ### Step 5: Send it Tap **Send Message**. The app confirms: **Thanks! We've got your message and will reply by email.** Our reply goes to the email address on your account. Prefer to ask other farmers? See [how to use the farmer community](/blog/how-to-use-the-livestock-manager-farmer-community). Every lesson is also on our [lessons page](/blog/lessons), in order. ## Common mistakes - **Writing "it doesn't work".** Say which screen you were on, what you tapped and what happened instead. A screenshot of that screen saves a round of questions. - **Waiting on email for something urgent.** For a quick answer, use **WhatsApp** under **Talk to us now**. - **Not checking the email on your account.** The reply goes there. You can see which address that is under **Personal Settings** in **More**. ## Frequently asked questions ### How do I contact Livestock Manager support? On the Home screen, tap More, then Contact Us at the top. Tap WhatsApp or Email for a quick answer, or write to us from the app with a subject, your message and a screenshot if it helps. ### Where does the reply go? To the email address on your Livestock Manager account. You can see it under Personal Settings in More. ### Can I send screenshots? Yes, up to 5 with each message. Under Add a screenshot (optional), tap Camera to take a picture or Library to pick one you already have. ### Do I have to fill in every field? Subject and Message, yes. The app asks for both before it sends. The screenshot is optional. --- # How to Earn With the Livestock Manager Affiliate Program URL: https://livestockfarm.co/blog/how-to-earn-with-the-livestock-manager-affiliate-program Updated: 2026-10-02 Love Livestock Manager? Other farmers might too. Join the affiliate program, share your own link, and earn 15% of every subscription it brings, for as long as that farmer keeps paying. **Who it's for:** anyone who likes the app and knows other farmers: neighbours, friends, a co-operative or followers online. **Plan:** you'll find it in More on every plan, the free Starter plan included. **Time:** a couple of minutes to sign up. ## Step-by-step ### Step 1: Find the program On the Home screen, tap **More**. Scroll down to **Personal Settings**, near the bottom, and tap **Affiliate Program**. At the top of the screen: **Earn cash sharing Livestock Manager**. ### Step 2: See how it works Under **How It Works**, three steps: sign up as an affiliate, which takes a couple of minutes; get your own link and share it with friends, farmers and followers; then earn cash commissions on the subscriptions that come from your link. Below that, you can follow your sales and earnings as they come in, and withdraw your earnings in cash. ### Step 3: Know what you earn You earn **15% of every subscription you bring, for as long as that farmer keeps paying**. Not once: every time the farmer you brought pays for their subscription, you earn your share. ### Step 4: Join Ready? Tap **Become an Affiliate**. The sign-up page opens in your browser, with everything about the program. Tap **Join Campaign**, then share your link. Every farmer who subscribes through it counts toward your earnings. Already joined? Come back to **Affiliate Program** and tap **Already an affiliate? Open your dashboard** to see your sales and earnings. Every lesson is also on our [lessons page](/blog/lessons), in order. ## Common mistakes - **Sharing the app store page instead of your link.** Earnings come from subscriptions that come through your own link. Send that. - **Tapping Become an Affiliate again after joining.** To see your sales and earnings, tap **Already an affiliate? Open your dashboard** instead. - **Sharing without saying why.** Tell farmers what the app does for you, such as your daily records or your farm shop. A reason from someone they know goes further than a link on its own. ## Frequently asked questions ### How much do Livestock Manager affiliates earn? 15% of every subscription that comes through your link, for as long as that farmer keeps paying. ### Do I earn only on a farmer's first payment? No. You earn on every payment of the subscription your link brought in, for as long as that farmer keeps paying. ### How do I get paid? You follow your sales and earnings as they come in, and withdraw your earnings in cash. ### I have already joined. Where do I see my earnings? Open Affiliate Program in More and tap Already an affiliate? Open your dashboard. --- # How to Track Crops in Livestock Manager URL: https://livestockfarm.co/blog/how-to-track-crops-in-livestock-manager Updated: 2026-10-02 Grow crops as well as keep animals? Livestock Manager tracks them too. Switch on crop tracking, start a planting with its crop, variety and land, and file what it costs. Each crop then shows its own income, expense and balance, right beside your animal batches. **Who it's for:** mixed farms that grow maize, beans, vegetables or any other crop alongside their animals. **Plan:** crop tracking costs nothing extra on any plan, but each planting counts as a batch (Starter allows 2, Growth 10), and on Starter its costs count toward the 30 transactions a month. **Time:** about 3 minutes for a planting. ## What you need first - The **owner** or **manager** role on the farm. Only they see **Farm Settings**, where crops are switched on. - Room in your plan's batch limit. A planting is a batch, so it takes one of your plan's batches, the same as a flock or herd. See [how to create a livestock batch](/blog/how-to-create-a-livestock-batch) for the limits. ## Step-by-step ### Step 1: Turn crops on On the Home screen, tap **More**. Scroll to **Farm Settings** and switch on **Track crops**. That is the whole setup. ### Step 2: Plant a crop Crops live with your batches. Tap **Batches** at the bottom of the app, then **New Batch**, and choose **New planting**. - **Crop:** tap it and type to find yours, such as **Tomato**. Not in the list? Choose **Other** and type its name. - **Variety:** pick one you have planted before, or tap **Create variety**, type it, such as **Rio Grande**, and tap **Save**. - **Batch name:** the app writes one for you from the variety, or the crop, and the month, such as **Rio Grande - Oct 2026**. Change it if you like. - **Planting date:** today, unless you planted earlier. - **Area planted** and **Unit:** how much land, such as **0.5** **Acres**. Hectares, square metres and square feet are there too. - Under **Add details**, set **Grown for**: Sale, Home use, Animal feed, Seed, Processing or Other. An expected harvest date, a seed supplier and a note are optional. Tap **Start planting**. Your crop opens, with its land, variety and what it is grown for. ### Step 3: File what it costs The crop's money lives on its own page. Tap **Finances**, then **Add Transaction**. The form already has your crop under **Select Batch**. Tap **Expense**, then choose a **Category**, such as **Seeds & Seedlings**. Bought three packets of seed at $4.50 each? Enter **3** in **Number of units** and **4.5** in **Cost per unit**. The app works out the total, $13.50, for you. Tap **Save expense**. Filing a cost from the **Finances** tab instead? Pick the crop under **Select Batch**, or the cost will not show on the crop. ### Step 4: See where it stands The expense is filed on the crop: its **Balance** is now -$13.50. Back in **Batches**, every crop shows its crop, area planted, variety and what it is grown for, with its own **Income**, **Expense** and **Balance**. When you sell some of it, file the sale as **Income** on the crop the same way, and the balance shows what the crop has made. For more on recording money, see our [income and expenses lesson](/blog/farm-income-and-expense-tracking). Every lesson is also on our [lessons page](/blog/lessons), in order. ## Common mistakes - **Filing crop costs without picking the crop.** A cost with no batch does not show in the crop's balance. Start from the crop's own **Finances** page and it is filled in for you. - **One planting for the whole farm.** Start one planting per field and season, such as **Maize - North field**, so each balance tells you what that field really made. - **Looking for Track crops as a worker.** Only the owner and managers see **Farm Settings**. Ask them to switch it on. ## Frequently asked questions ### Can I track crops and livestock in the same app? Yes. Switch on Track crops under Farm Settings in More. Your plantings then sit in Batches beside your animals, each with its own income, expense and balance. ### What if my crop or variety is not in the list? Choose Other under Crop and type the crop's name. For a variety, tap Create variety, type it and tap Save. ### Does a planting count toward my batch limit? Yes. A planting is a batch, so it counts toward your plan's batch limit: 2 on the free Starter plan and 10 on Growth. ### How do I record what a crop earns? Open the crop, tap Finances, then Add Transaction, and file the sale as Income. It adds to the crop's income and balance. ### Who can switch on crop tracking? The farm owner or a manager. Farm Settings, where Track crops sits, only shows for them. ### Does switching Track crops off delete my plantings? No. Switching it off only hides your crops. The plantings and their money stay, and switching it back on brings them back. --- # How to Use the Livestock Manager Farmer Community URL: https://livestockfarm.co/blog/how-to-use-the-livestock-manager-farmer-community Updated: 2026-10-02 The community is where farmers who use Livestock Manager ask each other questions and share what worked. Read what others share, in your own language, add your answer, and ask your own question when you are stuck. **Who it's for:** anyone who wants a second opinion from farmers who have been there. **Plan:** every plan; adding a picture to a post needs Growth or higher. **Time:** a minute to read, a couple to post. ## Step-by-step ### Step 1: Open the community On the Home screen, tap **More**. **Community** is near the top, between **Contact Us** and **Help Center**. Tap it. You see questions and tips from farmers who use the app, with the newest near the top. ### Step 2: Read what farmers share Each post shows who wrote it, their farm and when. Some are written in other languages: Jean-Paul writes from Cameroon, in French. Under his post, tap **See translation**, and it appears in the language your app is set to. **See original** switches back. Posts already in your language have no link to tap. ### Step 3: Join in Achieng wrote that her hens laid fewer eggs in the hot weeks. Tap the comment icon under her post to see the replies. Add what worked for you in the box, then tap **Add comment**. Your answer appears in the thread. Found a post useful? Tap the thumbs-up under it to like it, so the writer knows it helped. ### Step 4: Ask your own question Tap **New Post**. On **Create Post**, give it a **Post title**, such as **Deworming goats in the rainy season**, then the details in **Post body**: ask what you would ask a neighbour. Tap **Create post**. It is posted to the community, where farmers everywhere can read it and answer. Need an answer from our team instead? See [how to contact us](/blog/how-to-contact-livestock-manager-support). Every lesson is also on our [lessons page](/blog/lessons), in order. ## Common mistakes - **Asking without the details.** Say which animal, how many, how old and what you have already tried. A farmer reading it can only answer what you tell them. - **Skipping posts in another language.** Tap **See translation**. Some of the best answers come from farmers far away. - **Treating answers as a vet's diagnosis.** The community shares experience. For a sick or dying animal, call your vet. ## Frequently asked questions ### Who can read my posts? Every farmer in the Livestock Manager community, not only the people on your farm. The community is shared by farmers from many countries, and each post shows the writer's name and farm. ### Can I read posts written in another language? Yes. Under a post or comment written in another language, tap See translation to read it in the language your app is set to. See original switches back. Posts already in your language have no link to tap. ### Is the community free? Yes. Reading, commenting, liking and posting work on every plan, the free Starter plan included. Adding a picture to a post needs the Growth plan or higher. --- # How to Find Help in Livestock Manager URL: https://livestockfarm.co/blog/how-to-find-help-in-livestock-manager Updated: 2026-10-01 Not sure how to do something? The Help Center has step-by-step guides grouped by topic, most with a video, quick answers to common questions, and every way to reach us. **Who it's for:** anyone stuck on how to do something in the app. **Plan:** every plan. **Time:** a minute or two to find your answer. ## Step-by-step ### Step 1: Open the Help Center On the Home screen, tap **More**. **Help Center** is near the top. At the top of it: a search box, then **WhatsApp**, **Email** and **Tutorials**. Below that, guides grouped by topic, such as **Getting Started** and **Farm Management**. A guide with a video is marked **Video**. ### Step 2: Search Tap **Search for help...** and type what you want to do. Want to add a worker? Type **invite**, and the **Your Team** guide comes up. Tap it to open it. ### Step 3: Follow a guide The guide's video is right at the top; it opens on YouTube. Below it, the guide goes one step at a time. A button such as **Go to Team Collaboration** takes you straight to the screen the step happens on. Come back to the guide and tap **Next** for the next step. The bar at the top shows how far you have come: **Step 2 of 5**. ### Step 4: Quick answers, or reach us Further down, **Frequently Asked Questions** answers common questions. Tap one, such as **How do I record a sale?**, and it opens to show the way there, step by step. Still stuck? Tap **WhatsApp** or **Email** at the top of the Help Center. Or tap **Contact Us** at the bottom, under "Can't find what you're looking for?", and write to us from the app. Every lesson is also on our [lessons page](/blog/lessons), in order. ## Common mistakes - **Scrolling instead of searching.** The search box finds the right guide faster than scrolling through every topic. Type what you want to do, in a word or two. - **Reading a guide without using its shortcut.** The **Go to** button opens the screen the step happens on, so you can follow along instead of hunting for it. - **Stopping at the first answer.** If a guide doesn't cover your case, the questions at the bottom might, and **Contact Us** reaches our team. ## Frequently asked questions ### Where is the Help Center in the app? Tap More on the Home screen. Help Center is near the top of the list. ### Do the guides have videos? Most do. A guide with a video is marked Video in the list, and the video sits at the top of the guide. It opens on YouTube. ### How do I contact Livestock Manager support? In the Help Center, tap WhatsApp or Email at the top, or tap Contact Us at the bottom to write to us from the app. ### Is there help on the web app too? Yes. Open Help in the web app's side menu for the video lessons, written guides and common questions, and to reach us on WhatsApp or by email. --- # How to Keep Private Farm Notes URL: https://livestockfarm.co/blog/how-to-keep-private-farm-notes Updated: 2026-10-01 Somewhere to write things down: a delivery date, what the vet said, an idea for next season. A new note is yours alone until you choose to share it with your farm. **Who it's for:** anyone who wants to jot something down without it landing in front of the whole team. **Plan:** every plan. **Time:** under a minute per note. ## Step-by-step ### Step 1: Open your notes On the Home screen, tap **More**, then **Planning & records**, then **Private Notes**. Your notes are listed here. A lock means only you can see a note. ### Step 2: Write a note Tap **Create New Note**. Give it a title you will recognise, such as **Feed delivery on Friday**, then write whatever you need to remember: "10 bags of layers mash arrive Friday morning. Clear the store room on Thursday." Under the button, the form says **Only you can see this note until you share it**. Tap **Save note**. The note is saved at the top of the list. ### Step 3: Find it again Notes are grouped by month, such as **September** and **August**, with the latest edits first. Looking for one? Tap **Search** and type a word from its title or from the note itself. A search for **booster** finds the note that mentions it. ### Step 4: Share with your farm The whole team needs this one? Open the note. It still says **Only you can see this note**. Tap the menu at the top right, then **Share with your farm**. Now everyone on your farm can read it, and in the list it shows people instead of a lock. Changed your mind? Open the note again and choose **Make private** from the same menu. Only the person who wrote a note can share it or make it private again. ## Common mistakes - **Leaving instructions for the team in a private note.** Nobody else sees it until you share it. For a job with a date and a person, a task works better; see our [tasks and reminders lesson](/blog/farm-tasks-and-reminders-app). - **Vague titles.** Search reads the whole note, but a clear title makes the monthly list quick to scan. - **Forgetting a note is shared.** A shared note shows people instead of a lock. If it shouldn't be read by everyone, make it private again. ## Frequently asked questions ### Who can see my notes? Only you, until you share a note. A shared note can be read by everyone on your farm. ### How do I share a note with my farm? Open the note, tap its menu and choose Share with your farm. In the list, the note then shows people instead of a lock. ### Can I make a shared note private again? Yes. Open it, tap the menu and choose Make private. Only the person who wrote a note can share it or make it private again. ### How do I find an old note? Tap Search at the top of Private Notes and type any word from its title or its text. Notes are also grouped by month, with the latest edits first. --- # How to Mix Your Own Feed with Feed Formulas URL: https://livestockfarm.co/blog/how-to-mix-your-own-feed-with-feed-formulas Updated: 2026-10-01 A feed formula is the recipe for feed you mix yourself: what goes in, and how much. Save it once, open it every time you mix, and stock each batch you make in the Feed Store, so you always know how much is left. **Who it's for:** anyone who mixes their own layer, broiler or livestock feed instead of buying it ready-made. **Plan:** every plan. Starter keeps 2 formulas, Growth 10, Scale no limit. **Time:** about 5 minutes per recipe. ## What you need first - Your recipe: each ingredient and how much of it goes into one mix. - To track the mixed feed, the Feed Store. Our [feed lesson](/blog/how-to-track-farm-feed-inventory) shows how it works. ## Step-by-step ### Step 1: Start a formula On the Home screen, tap **More**. Under **Stock & supplies**, tap **Feed Formulas**. The list stays empty until you save your first recipe. Tap **New Formula**. A formula is the recipe only. The feed you actually have in store is tracked separately, in the Feed Store, and the form reminds you of that at the top. ### Step 2: Add what goes in Give the formula a name you will recognise, such as **Home layers mix**. Under **What goes in**, type the first ingredient and its amount, **Maize** and **50**, then pick the unit: **Kilogram**. Tap **+ Add** for each of the others: soya meal, fish meal, limestone. Small amounts count too. Half a kilo of premix is **0.5**. ### Step 3: Save your recipe Under **Select Animal**, choose who the feed is for, such as **Chicken**. Write what you know about the mix under **Nutritional Information**, for example "About 17% protein, 3.5% calcium", and anything else under **Note**, like how often you mix it. Tap **Save formula**. The recipe shows in the list with its number of ingredients and its animal: **5 ingredients · Chicken**. Open it whenever you mix, and every amount is there. ### Step 4: Stock the mixed feed Mixed a batch? Open the **Feed Store**, under **More**, then **Stock & supplies**. Tap **Create**, then **New feed**. Type the feed's name, pick its unit, and enter **How much do you have now?** For the recipe above, that is **83.5** kg. Under **Feed Formula (optional)**, pick **Home layers mix**, then tap **Add feed**. The mix is now in stock, and the Feed Store counts it down each time you record a feeding. Open the feed and its recipe is listed under **Recipe**, below what came in and what went out. ## Common mistakes - **Expecting a formula to hold stock.** Saving a recipe adds no feed and takes nothing out of stock. Stock the mixed feed in the Feed Store and link it to its formula. - **Leaving out the small amounts.** Premix, salt and vitamins weigh little but matter a lot. Enter them as a fraction, such as **0.5**, or in grams. - **Adding a new feed every time you mix.** Add the mixed feed to the Feed Store once. When you mix the next batch, open that feed and tap **Add to this feed**. - **Stocking the feed in a different unit from the one you feed in.** The Feed Store asks you to choose the same unit you use when feeding your livestock. Pick it before you save, so every feeding counts down correctly. ## Frequently asked questions ### What is a feed formula in Livestock Manager? The recipe for a feed you mix yourself: each ingredient with its amount and unit, the animal it is for, and any nutrition notes. A formula holds no stock. The feed you mix goes in the Feed Store, linked to its formula. ### How many feed formulas can I save? It depends on your plan. Starter keeps 2 formulas, Growth 10, and Scale has no limit. ### Which units can I use for ingredients? Each ingredient has its own unit. On a farm that uses metric units the list runs from milligrams and grams to kilograms and tonnes, with millilitres and litres for liquids. A farm that uses imperial units gets pounds, ounces and gallons instead. ### Can I change a formula after saving it? Yes. Open it from Feed Formulas, tap its menu and choose Edit. Admins, managers and staff can edit a formula. ### How do I keep track of how much mixed feed is left? Add the mix to the Feed Store as a new feed and link its formula. Record each feeding as usual and the Feed Store counts it down. When you mix again, open the feed and tap Add to this feed. --- # How to See What's Running Low in Your Farm Inventory URL: https://livestockfarm.co/blog/how-to-see-whats-running-low-in-your-farm-inventory Updated: 2026-10-01 Inventory puts everything your farm holds on one page. What needs you first sits at the top, so you can buy more before it runs out, and every tile opens the stock behind it. **Who it's for:** anyone who keeps feed, medicine or other stock and would rather not run out. **Plan:** every plan. **Time:** a glance. ## What you need first - Your feed in the Feed Store, with your feedings recorded. See our [feed lesson](/blog/how-to-track-farm-feed-inventory). - Your medicines in the Medicine Store, with what came in. See our [health and medicines lesson](/blog/livestock-health-records-and-medicine-stock). ## Step-by-step ### Step 1: Open your inventory On the Home screen, tap **More**. Under **Stock & supplies**, tap **Inventory**. What needs you first is at the top, then everything you have. ### Step 2: See what is running low **Running low** lists whatever will run out first. Feed shows how many days it will last at the rate you have fed it over the past 30 days, and appears here once that is a week or less: **Layers Mash, 75 kg, 5 days remaining**. Tap it to see its stock: 500 kg came in, 425 kg went out. A medicine counts as low once a fifth or less of what came in is left. **Ivermectin 1%** has 80 ml left of the 500 ml that came in, so it shows **Low Stock**. Time to buy more. Tap it to open it; go back to the Medicine Store and every medicine is listed, the low ones marked. ### Step 3: Open any stock Below that, **Everything in stock** has a tile for each kind of stock: **Livestock**, **Feed**, **Medicine**, **Eggs**, **Milk**, **Harvests** and **Farm Inputs**. Medicines are counted and the low ones flagged: **7 medicines, 1 low on stock**. A tile with an arrow opens the stock behind it. Tap **Feed** and the Feed Store opens, with every feed you keep. The same tiles are on Home, too: switch to **Dashboard** and open its **Inventory** tab. ### Step 4: Count your animals Scroll down. **Livestock by Animal Type** shows your animals by kind, such as **342** chickens of 366 animals. **Livestock by Batch** shows them by batch, such as **292** in the ISA Brown batch, each with its share of the total. ## Common mistakes - **Expecting days left without feeding records.** The estimate comes from the feed you recorded going out over the past 30 days. Record your feedings, and the days left follow. - **Not recording medicine as it comes in.** A medicine is judged low against what came in. Record each purchase in the Medicine Store so the warning means something. - **Looking for an add button.** Inventory is a view, not a form. You record stock where it lives: the Feed Store, the Medicine Store and Farm Inputs. Tap a tile to go there. ## Frequently asked questions ### When does feed show as running low? When it will last a week or less at the rate you have fed it over the past 30 days. The app needs Feed Out records from that period to work this out. ### When is a medicine low on stock? When there is still some left, but no more than a fifth of what came in. For example, 80 ml left of the 500 ml that came in counts as low. ### Why don't I see a Running low section? Nothing is running low, so the section stays hidden. If you expected feed there, check that your feedings are recorded as Feed Out records. ### Where do I see how long each feed will last? Open the Feed Store and its Reports tab. Each feed shows what is left, how much you use per day and the days left at this rate. ### Can I see my inventory from the Home screen? Yes. Switch Home to Dashboard and open its Inventory tab. The same tiles are there. --- # How to Track Farm Inputs: Tools, Fuel and Spare Parts URL: https://livestockfarm.co/blog/how-to-track-farm-inputs-and-tools Updated: 2026-10-01 Sprayers, tools, fuel: keep them in the app, with what they cost and how much is left. Farm Inputs holds the tools, supplies and spare parts you buy for the farm, and counts supplies down as you use them. Feed and medicine have their own stores. **Who it's for:** anyone who buys tools, fuel or spare parts for the farm and wants to know what they have and what it cost. **Plan:** every plan. Starter keeps 5 farm inputs, Growth 25, Scale no limit. **Time:** about 2 minutes per item. ## What you need first - What you bought, and what it cost per unit. - For supplies that get used up, a unit to count in, such as one litre of diesel or one bag of fertiliser. ## Step-by-step ### Step 1: Find Farm Inputs On the Home screen, tap **More**. Under **Stock & supplies**, tap **Farm Inputs**. Three tiles count what you keep, by kind: **Tool or Equipment**, **Consumable** and **Spare Part**. ### Step 2: Add a tool Tap **Create**, then **New Farm Input**. Under **Farm Input Name**, type what it is, such as **Knapsack sprayer**. For **Type**, choose **Tool or Equipment**: anything you keep and use again, like tractors, incubators or feeders. Pick a **Category**, such as **Equipment**. Add the **Brand**, here **Solo**, and what it cost under **Unit Cost**: **45**. Switch on **Record procurement expense?** and the cost goes into Finances too, as an expense. The form shows the total, 1 × $45.00 = $45.00, and you can link it to a batch. Tap **Save farm input**. The sprayer is now in the list. A tool carries a status, shown on the list: **Available**, **In Use**, **Under Maintenance**, **Damaged** and more. ### Step 3: Add a supply Diesel gets used up, so add it as a **Consumable**: fuel, lubricants, fertilisers, cleaning supplies, insemination straws. Consumables have their own categories; pick **Fuel & Lubricants**. Enter the **Quantity**, **40**, and the **Unit Cost**, **1.20**. With **Record procurement expense?** switched on, the app works out the total for you, 40 × $1.20 = $48.00, and records it in Finances. Tap **Save farm input**, and the list shows **Diesel × 40**. ### Step 4: Record what you use Used some for the water pump? Tap **Create**, then **Manage Stock**. Choose **Stock Out**, then the item under **Select Farm Input**. The form shows its current stock. Enter the **Quantity Deducted**, **12**, pick a **Reason for Farm Input Out** such as **Used on Farm**, and add a note if you like: "Water pump, week 39". Tap **Deduct Stock**. The list now shows **Diesel × 28**. Tap the item to open it: its **Stock History** lists every delivery and every use, month by month. When more arrives, use **Stock In** on the same screen. ## Common mistakes - **Choosing the wrong type.** A sprayer you keep is a **Tool or Equipment**; diesel you burn is a **Consumable**. The type decides which categories you can pick and which fields the form shows. - **Leaving the expense switch off.** Without **Record procurement expense?**, the cost is saved on the item but not in Finances. Switch it on when you want the purchase in your accounts. - **Counting in different units.** The app counts supplies in plain units. Decide what one unit is, a litre or a bag, and keep to it for every delivery and every use. - **Changing the quantity by hand instead of recording a use.** **Manage Stock** keeps a dated history of what came in and went out, and why. Use it for every delivery and every use. ## Frequently asked questions ### What can I track in Farm Inputs? Three kinds of things: tools and equipment you keep, such as sprayers, tractors and feeders; consumables that get used up, such as fuel, lubricants and fertiliser; and spare parts. ### How many farm inputs can I add? It depends on your plan. Starter keeps 5 farm inputs, Growth 25, and Scale has no limit. ### Does the cost of a farm input go into my Finances? Only if you switch it on. When you add an item, turn on Record procurement expense and the app multiplies the quantity by the unit cost and records the total as an expense, which you can link to a batch. ### How do I record using some of a supply? Tap Create, then Manage Stock. Choose Stock Out, pick the item, enter the quantity used and a reason such as Used on Farm, and tap Deduct Stock. The use shows in the item's Stock History. ### How do I add more when a delivery arrives? Tap Create, then Manage Stock, and choose Stock In. Pick the item and enter the quantity added. Turn on Record Expense if you want what you paid in Finances, then tap Add Stock. --- # How to Set Up Automatic Records URL: https://livestockfarm.co/blog/automatic-daily-farm-records Updated: 2026-09-30 Automatic Records write the routine entries for you. Set up a record once, such as 200 litres of water for a batch every day, and the app adds it on schedule. **Who it's for:** farms that repeat the same feed, water or cost entry every day. **Plan:** Growth and above. **Time:** about 5 minutes. Older versions of the app called this feature Recurring Records. It is the same feature. ## What you need first - A batch of animals to record against, or you can leave the record on no specific batch. - The amount you record each time, such as litres of water or kilos of feed. - A farm admin or manager login. Only they can create schedules in the app. ## Step-by-step ### Step 1: Open Automatic Records On the Home screen, tap **More**. Open **Planning & records**, then tap **Automatic Records**. The number beside it shows how many schedules are active. A new farm shows "Nothing is recorded automatically yet". ### Step 2: Choose what to record Tap **New Record**, then **Select record type**. You can schedule Feed In, Feed Out, **Water Consumed**, Deaths, Expenses, Income, Vaccination or Medication. Egg and milk collection cannot be scheduled. Pick the type. For daily feeding, use **Feed Out**, as in our [feed inventory lesson](/blog/how-to-track-farm-feed-inventory). ### Step 3: Pick the batch and the amount Tap **Select Batch** and choose the batch the record belongs to. Then tap **Quantity per occurrence** and type the amount, for example 200. The app records this same number every time the schedule runs. For Feed In and Feed Out, you also choose the feed before the quantity. For Expenses and Income, enter Number of units, Cost per unit and a Category instead. ### Step 4: Choose how often and for how long Tap **Select Frequency**. **Daily** runs every night. Weekly runs on Mondays and monthly on the 1st. Every Two Months, Quarterly and Yearly are also on the list. **Start Date** is today by default and **End Date** is one year from today. Change either one if you need to. The form also shows a summary line of what the schedule will create. ### Step 5: Save the schedule Tap **Save changes**. The app warns you when records will be created right away ("Some records will be created right away"). If the schedule has a run day between the start date and today, saving creates those records at once, up to the most recent 365. ### Step 6: See the records it creates Your schedule is now on the Automatic Records list. Each card shows the type, how often it runs and how many records it has created so far. While the schedule is active, the app adds one more on each run day. Open the schedule from the list to see how many records it has made (**Records created**). Then tap the **Records** tab at the bottom of the screen. Each record it wrote is there. These records look like the ones you type yourself, and your reports count them. Our [farm record keeping guide](/blog/farm-record-keeping-guide) explains what else to track. ### Step 7: Change, pause or delete a schedule To change a schedule, open it, tap the menu and tap **Update**. The same form opens with your values filled in. Change what you need and tap **Save changes**. New values apply from the next run, and records already made stay as they were. To stop it for a while, tap the status on the card and choose **Paused**. Paused schedules fade on the list. Set the status back to **Active** when you are ready. To remove a schedule, tap the menu, then **Delete**. The app confirms that records it has already created are kept. ## Common mistakes - **Expecting paused days to be filled in.** While a schedule is paused, nothing is written. Missed days are not created when you resume. - **Forgetting the end date.** A schedule stops after its End Date and is marked **Completed**. Set a later date if you want it to keep going. - **Trying to schedule eggs or milk.** Only the eight record types on the list can be scheduled. Record eggs and milk by hand. - **Setting the wrong amount.** The quantity is written every time. Use **Update** to correct it. Records already made are not changed. ## Frequently asked questions ### What are Automatic Records? They are schedules that write a record for you, such as the same feed or water amount every day. You set the record once, and the app adds each one on its schedule. They appear with your other records. ### Which plan do I need for Automatic Records? Automatic Records are available on the Growth plan and above. On the free plan, the New Record button opens the plans screen instead. ### What happens to old records if I pause or delete a schedule? Records already created stay exactly as they were. While a schedule is paused nothing new is written, and the days it missed are not filled in when you turn it back on. ### Who can set up Automatic Records? Farm admins and managers see the New Record button and can update or delete schedules. Other team members can view the list. --- # Best Farming App for Family Farms (2026) URL: https://livestockfarm.co/blog/best-farming-app-for-family-farms Updated: 2026-09-30 For a family farm where parents, adult children, a vet and an accountant all need the same records, [Livestock Manager](https://livestockfarm.co) is our top pick. Each person joins with their own login and a role that decides what they can see, tasks and reminders reach everyone, and the records stay in one farm that you can hand on. The catch: team invites need a paid plan, and if you want unlimited users, CattleMax and AgriWebb offer them. *Disclosure: Livestock Manager is our app. We checked the other tools' prices and features on their own websites on 2026-09-30, and prices can change.* ## What family farms need from a farming app - **One farm, many logins.** Everyone signs in as themselves, with no shared password. - **Roles that fit the family.** A daughter feeding the flock needs different screens than your accountant. - **Limited access for outsiders.** A vet should see health records, an accountant should see money. - **Shared jobs and reminders.** When a vaccine is due, the whole team should hear about it. - **A record that outlasts you.** Years of eggs, treatments and sales in one place, so the next generation inherits data, not a shoebox. - **A price that does not punish a growing team.** ## Our picks ### Livestock Manager: shared records with roles for the whole family Livestock Manager runs on iOS, Android and the web, in 15 languages. It is aimed at individual farmers and small and medium livestock, poultry and mixed farms, not very large commercial operations. You invite people from Team Collaboration by email and choose a role. The roles are: - **Owner / Admin:** the person who created the farm, with billing, settings and user management. - **Manager / Supervisor:** runs operations, staff, tasks and animals, and can invite people and change roles. - **Staff / Field Worker:** does assigned tasks and enters field data, with no finance screens. - **Accountant / Finance Manager:** handles financial entries and profitability tracking. - **Viewer / Auditor:** read-only access. - **Veterinarian:** health records, the medicine store and breeding, with no access to finances. Our [team roles guide](/blog/invite-farm-team-members-and-roles) covers each screen. A record one person enters shows up for everyone. [Tasks and reminders](/blog/farm-tasks-and-reminders-app) go to every member who has them switched on, and you can assign a task to a person on a paid plan. Add [income and expenses](/blog/farm-income-and-expense-tracking) and [health and medicine stock](/blog/livestock-health-records-and-medicine-stock), and the family works from one set of numbers. Plans: Starter is free and holds only you. Growth allows 3 people on the farm including you, and Scale has no limit. Invites that nobody has accepted yet use a place. Growth also unlocks invoicing and automatic records. For prices, see the pricing page. Keep three limits in mind. The app needs an internet connection, it has no paddock map, and crops are tracked only as light crop batches. ### Farmbrite: family farms with crops as well as animals Farmbrite sells livestock, crop and combined plans. Its Livestock Essentials plan includes up to 5 team members, and its Performance and Premium plans list unlimited team members. The pricing page also lists user permissions and roles and read-only and auditor roles, but does not say more. It suits a family farm where crops carry as much weight as animals. ### CattleMax: cattle families who want unlimited users CattleMax says every plan includes unlimited users. It is built for cattle, and its Commercial plan is $30 per month billed yearly for up to 250 active animals. If you keep only cattle, it fits. If you also keep poultry or goats, it does not. ### AgriWebb: cattle and sheep, priced by head count AgriWebb lists unlimited users, user roles and tasks on its plans, and prices by the number of cattle and sheep you manage. Its pricing page says it has flexible pricing for farms of all sizes. It suits a family that keeps cattle or sheep. ### A shared spreadsheet: free, but manual A Google Sheet can be shared with edit or view-only access, so it works for one or two people. It has no farm roles or animal reminders, and someone has to maintain the formulas. See our [record-keeping guide](/blog/farm-record-keeping-guide). ## Comparison at a glance | Tool | Best fit | People included | Roles | Crops | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Livestock Manager | Small and medium mixed livestock farms | Growth 3 including you, Scale unlimited | Six roles | Light crop batches | | Farmbrite | Farms with crops and animals | Livestock Essentials 5, higher plans unlimited | Roles listed, details not stated on its site | Yes | | CattleMax | Cattle only, $30 per month billed yearly for up to 250 animals | Unlimited | Not stated on its site | No | | AgriWebb | Cattle and sheep, priced by head count | Unlimited | Roles listed, details not stated on its site | Not stated on its site | | Google Sheets | One or two people | Anyone you share with | None | Whatever you build | Internet needed for Livestock Manager: yes. For a wider view, see [best farm management software by farm type](/blog/best-farm-management-software). ## What to keep in mind about cost as the team grows Livestock Manager charges for the plan, not per person, but the plan caps how many people fit. A family of four with a vet and an accountant is six people, which needs Scale. If the vet and accountant only look in occasionally, invite them when needed and delete the invite afterwards to free a place. Tools with unlimited users add no per-person cost, but they may price by animal count or tier. ## How to get started 1. [Set up your farm account](/blog/how-to-set-up-your-farm-account) and add your first batch, following [how to create a livestock batch](/blog/how-to-create-a-livestock-batch). 2. Enter your animals and daily output with [how to record eggs, milk and daily production](/blog/how-to-record-eggs-milk-and-daily-production). 3. Open Team Collaboration and [invite family, your vet and your accountant](/blog/invite-farm-team-members-and-roles), giving each the smallest role that works. 4. Create shared jobs in [tasks and reminders](/blog/farm-tasks-and-reminders-app) so everyone hears about them. 5. Let relatives enter records by [voice or text](/blog/record-farm-data-by-voice-or-text) on their own phones. ## Frequently asked questions ### Can several family members use the same farm app account? In Livestock Manager, each person signs up with their own email and joins your farm with an invite, so nobody shares a login. Invites need a paid plan: Growth allows 3 people on the farm including you, and Scale has no limit. ### Can I stop a family member or worker from seeing our finances? Yes. In Livestock Manager the Staff and Veterinarian roles have no finance screens, while Accountant and Viewer can see them. You choose the role when you invite each person and can change it later. ### How do we hand the farm records to the next generation? Keep every record in one farm, not in separate notebooks. Invite the next generation as a Manager now, so they see the full history while you still run the farm. Ownership of the farm account stays with the person who created it. ### Does everyone get the task reminders? Yes. Every farm member who has task reminders switched on and a phone that can receive notifications gets the reminder, not only the people assigned to the task. The assigned names show on the task card. ### What does it cost when the family team grows? Starter is free and holds only you. Growth adds up to 3 people on the farm, including the owner, and Scale has no limit. Invites that nobody has accepted yet use a place. Some other tools do not limit users at all, so compare before you choose. --- # Best Farming App for Homesteads (2026) URL: https://livestockfarm.co/blog/best-farming-app-for-homesteads Updated: 2026-09-30 Livestock Manager is our top pick for a homestead with a small mixed flock or herd. It covers eggs and milk, feed and days left, health records, sales and what each group of animals costs to keep, and it has a free plan. It is light on garden planning, so if your garden matters as much as your animals, a crop-focused tool such as Farmbrite fits that half better. *Disclosure: Livestock Manager is our app. We checked the other tools' prices and features on their own websites on 2026-09-30, and prices can change.* ## What homesteaders need from a farming app Homesteads are small, mixed and run on a budget. Judge an app against these six needs. - **Several species in one place.** Hens, goats, rabbits and a pig should not need four tools. - **Eggs and milk.** You want a daily count in a few taps, not a form. - **Feed and days left.** The question you ask every week is when you must reorder. - **Health and withdrawal periods.** You need to know when an animal is safe to eat or sell after a treatment. - **Butchering, harvest and sales.** Records of what you sold, to whom, and for how much. - **A low price and a low learning curve.** A free plan, or a paid one you can drop, and screens you can use with muddy hands. Our [farm record-keeping guide](/blog/farm-record-keeping-guide) covers which records to keep first. ## Our picks ### Livestock Manager: mixed animals on a small budget [Livestock Manager](https://livestockfarm.co) runs on iOS, Android and the web, in 15 languages. You create a batch for each group of animals. Poultry batches keep one count for the group. Goats, cattle and pigs can each get their own profile (5 profiles per farm on Starter). See [how to create a livestock batch](/blog/how-to-create-a-livestock-batch) and [how to add animals to a batch](/blog/how-to-add-animals-to-a-batch). What it does for a homestead: - **Eggs and milk.** Record daily production against a batch. See [how to record eggs, milk and daily production](/blog/how-to-record-eggs-milk-and-daily-production). - **Feed and days left.** The feed store shows how many days of feed remain. See [how to track farm feed inventory](/blog/how-to-track-farm-feed-inventory). - **Health and medicine.** Keep health records and a medicine store. Health records include withdrawal periods, and the app shows when an animal is safe to sell or slaughter. See [health records and medicine stock](/blog/livestock-health-records-and-medicine-stock). - **Butchering, harvest and sales.** Log a harvest or sale as income, keep customers, and send invoices on the Growth plan. See [how to sell livestock and send invoices](/blog/how-to-sell-livestock-and-send-invoices). - **Cost to keep.** Record feed, medicine and other spending as expenses next to your income, with receipt scanning. See [farm income and expense tracking](/blog/farm-income-and-expense-tracking). - **Speak or type.** Say "collected 14 eggs" instead of filling in a form. See [recording by voice or text](/blog/record-farm-data-by-voice-or-text). - **Tasks and reminders.** Set repeating chores. See [farm tasks and reminders](/blog/farm-tasks-and-reminders-app). Plan facts: Starter is free and includes two batches per farm, 5 animal profiles per farm, 50 records a month, 30 transactions a month, five medicines, five photos, two report downloads a month and one team member; the web app works fully on every plan. Growth adds invoicing, automatic records and unlimited animal profiles, and allows three people on the farm including the owner. See the pricing page for current prices. Limits: it needs an internet connection, it has no paddock map, and crops are light crop batches, not a garden planner. If two batches are too few, you need Growth. ### Farmbrite: the better fit for a garden-heavy homestead Farmbrite is built for both crops and animals. Its site lists a Crop Grower plan from $29 a month, livestock plans from $29 a month for up to 300 active animals, and complete livestock and crop plans from $59 a month. It also states that it supports online and offline farm record keeping. If your garden is a real part of your income, this is the stronger choice for the garden side. The plan that covers both animals and crops costs more than a livestock-only plan. See our [Farmbrite alternatives](/blog/farmbrite-alternatives). ### AgriWebb: aimed at cattle and sheep operations AgriWebb prices by the number of cattle and sheep you manage, and states that its app works offline. It offers a free trial. It is designed for grazing operations, and its site describes mapping and paddock management, with unlimited users. That is more than a few goats and hens need. ### A paper notebook or spreadsheet: the free baseline A notebook needs no signal and no login. A spreadsheet such as Google Sheets adds totals and charts. Both are free and work well for a few animals. Neither reminds you when a withdrawal period ends, and both get slow to search after years of pages. Use them while your needs are small, and move to an app when the notebook stops answering your questions. ## Homestead app comparison | | Livestock Manager | Farmbrite | AgriWebb | Notebook or spreadsheet | |---|---|---|---|---| | Fits | Small mixed animals | Animals plus crops | Cattle and sheep | A few animals | | Starting cost | Free plan | From $29/month | Priced per animal, free trial | Free | | Garden and crop planning | Light crop batches | Yes, crop plans | Cropping records on higher plans | Build it yourself | | Internet needed | Yes | Online and offline | Works offline | No | | People on the farm | 1 on Starter, 3 on Growth | Up to 5 on Essentials livestock | Unlimited users | Just you | ## How to get started 1. **Set up your farm.** Create an account and name your farm. See [how to set up your farm account](/blog/how-to-set-up-your-farm-account). 2. **Add a batch for each group.** Start with the animals that produce something. See [how to create a livestock batch](/blog/how-to-create-a-livestock-batch). 3. **Record eggs and milk daily.** Use a few taps, or speak the count. See [how to record eggs, milk and daily production](/blog/how-to-record-eggs-milk-and-daily-production). 4. **Add feed and medicine.** Enter what is in the bin and the cabinet. See [how to track farm feed inventory](/blog/how-to-track-farm-feed-inventory). 5. **Log what you sell and spend.** Record sales and costs as they happen. See [farm income and expense tracking](/blog/farm-income-and-expense-tracking). For a wider view, read our comparison of the [best farm management software](/blog/best-farm-management-software) or [poultry farming for beginners](/blog/poultry-farming-for-beginners). ## Frequently asked questions ### Is there a free app to track homestead animals? Yes. Livestock Manager has a free Starter plan that lets you keep two batches of animals, up to 5 animal profiles, 50 records a month and 30 income or expense entries a month. That is enough for a small flock. Invoicing and automatic records need the paid Growth plan. ### Is a notebook enough for a homestead? A notebook can hold egg counts and butchering dates for a few animals. An app starts to pay off when you also need to know how much feed is on hand, when a withdrawal period ends, or what a flock cost you last year. Many homesteaders start on paper and move over when the notebook gets crowded. ### Can one app track my garden and my animals? Not equally well. Livestock Manager is built around animals and only has light crop tracking through crop batches. If planning beds, successions and harvest dates is your main need, a crop-focused tool such as Farmbrite fits the garden better. ### How do I track feed on a homestead? Log each feed purchase as a feed item, then record what you use each day. Livestock Manager shows how many days of feed are left, so you can reorder before the bin runs empty. ### Do homestead apps need an internet connection? Livestock Manager needs an internet connection, so it will not save records in a barn with no signal. Farmbrite states on its site that it supports online and offline record keeping. If your barn has poor signal, a paper notebook is the safe backup. --- # Best Farming App for Individual Farmers (2026) URL: https://livestockfarm.co/blog/best-farming-app-for-individual-farmers Updated: 2026-09-30 If you run a livestock farm on your own, Livestock Manager is our top pick. The free Starter plan is built for one person, you can log a record by speaking or typing in seconds, and health, feed, sales and expenses live in one app. If you run a large cattle herd or a crop business, a tool built for that may fit better, and we say which below. *Disclosure: Livestock Manager is our app. We checked the other tools' prices and features on their own websites on 2026-09-30, and prices can change.* ## What individual farmers need from a farming app You do the feeding, selling and paperwork yourself, often around another job. - **Speed.** If a record takes more than a few seconds, you will skip it. - **Nudges.** The app should remember vaccination dates and feed orders for you. - **Records that protect income.** Health treatments, feed and sales records show what a batch really earned and prove what you did. - **Reports on demand.** A bank or buyer will ask for numbers. You want them without an evening of spreadsheet work. - **A plan sized for one person.** Team seats built for farms with staff are wasted on you. - **Honest limits.** Know before you start whether the app needs signal and what it does not do. ## Our picks ### Livestock Manager: a free plan built for one person [Livestock Manager](https://livestockfarm.co) runs on iOS, Android and the web, in **15 languages**. Here is how it covers the needs above. - **Fast phone entry.** Tap Speak or type on Home and say or type what happened, such as "5 trays of eggs today". Nothing is saved until you check and send it. See [how to record farm data by voice or text](/blog/record-farm-data-by-voice-or-text). - **Receipt scanning.** On the Create Transaction screen, tap Scan or upload to auto-fill. Photograph a receipt and the app fills in the amount, date and category for you to check. See [farm income and expense tracking](/blog/farm-income-and-expense-tracking). - **Tasks and reminders.** Add a task and the app reminds you. See [farm tasks and reminders](/blog/farm-tasks-and-reminders-app). - **Records that protect income.** Health records and a medicine store keep your treatments on file. Health records include withdrawal periods, and the app shows when an animal is safe to sell. A feed store shows days of feed left. See [livestock health records and medicine stock](/blog/livestock-health-records-and-medicine-stock). - **Reports for the bank or a buyer.** Reports download as PDF or CSV. Starter includes 2 PDF downloads a month, Growth allows 10 a month plus CSV, and Scale is unlimited. Plans are Starter (free), Growth and Scale. Starter is built for one person: it includes 1 team member (you). Its limits are 2 batches, 5 animal profiles per farm, 50 records a month, 30 transactions a month, 5 medicines, 5 contacts, 5 schedules, 5 photos, attachments on 3 entries, 2 report downloads a month and 10 Speak or type records a day. Invoicing and automatic records start on Growth, which covers 3 people on the farm including you. The web app works fully on every plan. For prices, see the pricing page. The limits: Livestock Manager needs an internet connection and has no offline mode. It has no paddock map. Crops are light crop batches, not a crop planner. ### Notebook or spreadsheet: free and fully yours A paper notebook or a Google Sheets file costs nothing. It is sound for a handful of animals. The catch: nothing reminds you, and totals and bank reports are done by hand. Our [farm record keeping guide](/blog/farm-record-keeping-guide) lists what to write down either way. ### Farmbrite: broad, and priced for whole-farm needs Farmbrite covers livestock, crops and accounting. Its livestock plans run $29, $49 and $79 a month, and its complete livestock-and-crop plans run $59, $79 and $109 a month, with a 14-day free trial. Its site lists offline record keeping and iOS and Android apps. If you also grow crops to sell, it fits well. If you only keep animals, you may not need that breadth. See our [Farmbrite alternatives](/blog/farmbrite-alternatives) page. ### AgriWebb: cattle and sheep, priced by animal count AgriWebb serves cattle and sheep farmers, and charges by the number of animals you manage. It offers a free trial, a mobile app that works offline in the field, and it lists five countries: Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States and South Africa. It suits a cattle or sheep farm in those countries. See [AgriWebb alternatives](/blog/agriwebb-alternatives). ### CattleMax: cattle ranches CattleMax is for cattle. Commercial costs $30 a month billed yearly and Registered costs $41, with a 21-day free trial, and prices step up with your number of active animals. See [CattleMax alternatives](/blog/cattlemax-alternatives). ## How the picks compare | Tool | Starting cost | Free option | Species | Internet needed | |---|---|---|---|---| | Livestock Manager | Free plan; see the pricing page | Free Starter plan | Multi-species livestock | Yes | | Notebook or spreadsheet | Free | Not applicable | Any | No | | Farmbrite | $29/month (livestock) | 14-day trial | Livestock and crops | Offline record keeping listed | | AgriWebb | Set by animal count | Free trial | Cattle and sheep | Mobile app works offline | | CattleMax | $30/month, billed yearly | 21-day trial | Cattle | Not stated on its site | See also our [comparison of farm management software](/blog/best-farm-management-software). ## How to get started 1. **Set up your farm.** Create your account and farm, as in [how to set up your farm account](/blog/how-to-set-up-your-farm-account). 2. **Add what you keep.** Create a batch, or a profile for each animal. See [how to create a livestock batch](/blog/how-to-create-a-livestock-batch). 3. **Record the day by voice.** Use Speak or type on Home. See [how to record eggs, milk and daily production](/blog/how-to-record-eggs-milk-and-daily-production). 4. **Scan your next receipt.** Use Scan or upload on the Create Transaction screen, then check the numbers. See [farm income and expense tracking](/blog/farm-income-and-expense-tracking). 5. **Set your first reminder.** Add a task for your next vaccination, as in [farm tasks and reminders](/blog/farm-tasks-and-reminders-app). ## Frequently asked questions ### What is the best farming app if I run my farm alone? For a livestock farm run by one person, Livestock Manager is our top pick. Its free Starter plan is built for one user, records take seconds by speaking or typing, and health, feed and money sit in one app. If you only run a large cattle herd or a crop and market-garden business, a tool built for that may fit better. ### Can a solo farmer use Livestock Manager for free? Yes. The Starter plan is free and includes one team member, which is you. It has limits, such as 50 records and 30 transactions a month, so a very busy farm may outgrow it. ### Can I give my bank or a buyer a report from the app? Yes. Starter includes 2 PDF report downloads a month, Growth allows 10 a month plus CSV, and Scale is unlimited. ### Do I need a phone signal to use a farming app in the field? For Livestock Manager, yes. It needs an internet connection and has no offline mode. If you can jot the numbers down and enter them when you are back in signal, that works, but tools that advertise offline use suit dead-signal fields better. ### Is a spreadsheet or notebook enough for a farmer with little spare time? Yes, if you keep few animals and enjoy it. The cost is your time: you copy numbers, add them up and chase dates yourself. If that takes more than a few minutes a week, an app that takes records by voice and sets reminders gives the hours back. --- # Best Farming App for Small Farms (2026) URL: https://livestockfarm.co/blog/best-farming-app-for-small-farms Updated: 2026-09-30 For a small livestock farm that is growing, Livestock Manager is our top pick. You start on a free plan on your phone, and the paid plans add invoices, customers, reports and team invites at the point you need them. The honest caveat: it needs an internet connection and has no paddock map, so a cattle-only ranch that wants pasture maps should look at CattleMax, which lists them on its pricing page. *Disclosure: Livestock Manager is our app. We checked the other tools' prices and features on their own websites on 2026-09-30, and prices can change.* ## What small farms need from a farming app * **Records that grow with you.** Daily eggs or milk, feed, health, and each sale, without a rewrite when you add a second species. * **A clear price for the next step.** You should know which limit pushes you to a paid plan before you hit it. * **Selling tools.** Customers, invoices and a record of who paid. * **Reports you can hand over.** A lender, a landlord or a buyer will ask what you earn and spend. See our [farm record-keeping guide](/blog/farm-record-keeping-guide) for what to keep. * **Team access.** Someone else must be able to log feed and eggs without seeing everything. * **Fast entry.** If logging takes longer than the chore, the crew stops doing it. ## Our picks ### Livestock Manager: a free start, paid steps when you sell Livestock Manager runs on iOS, Android and the web in 15 languages. You can log records by typing or speaking, scan receipts, keep [health records and medicine stock with withdrawal periods](/blog/livestock-health-records-and-medicine-stock), track [feed with days left](/blog/how-to-track-farm-feed-inventory), set tasks and reminders, and follow income and expenses. Breeding due dates are included. Team invites with roles, invoices and automatic daily records are paid features. The plans are Starter (free), Growth and Scale. These are the limits in our plan configuration: * **Starter:** 2 batches per farm, 5 animal profiles per farm, 50 records a month, 30 transactions a month, 5 medicines, 5 contacts, 5 photos, attachments on 3 entries and one person on the farm. It includes 2 PDF report downloads a month; Growth allows 10 a month plus CSV. It has no invoicing or automatic records. The web app works fully on every plan. * **Growth:** 10 batches, unlimited animal profiles, records and transactions, 25 medicines, 30 contacts, 3 people including the owner, 10 report downloads a month plus CSV, invoicing and automatic records. * **Scale:** unlimited batches, farms, medicines, contacts and people. For monthly prices, see the pricing page, because the price shown depends on your country and store. Limits: it needs an internet connection. It has no paddock map. Crops are light crop batches, not a crop planner. It suits animals first. ### Farmbrite: livestock and crops together Farmbrite sells livestock plans at $29 a month (Essentials, 300 animals, 5 users), $49 (Performance, 500 animals, unlimited users) and $79 (Premium, 5,000+ animals, with orders, invoicing and pick-lists). Every plan has a 14-day free trial and offline access. It fits a farm that also grows crops. You outgrow Essentials at 300 animals, or when you need invoicing, which its page lists on the $79 plan. See [Farmbrite alternatives](/blog/farmbrite-alternatives). ### CattleMax: cattle herds, sized by animal count CattleMax is $30 a month billed yearly for up to 250 active animals, with unlimited users and a 21-day free trial. Prices step up by herd size (50, 100, 250, 500 and on to 2,000+ animals), and sold or archived animals do not count. It is built for cow-calf operations and lists pasture maps on its pricing page, so a mixed farm with goats and poultry is outside its focus. See [CattleMax alternatives](/blog/cattlemax-alternatives). ### AgriWebb: per-animal pricing for cattle and sheep AgriWebb charges by the number of cattle and sheep you manage, and offers a free trial. It has three tiers, and financial reporting sits in the top one, Performance. It works offline in paddocks and includes farm maps. Per-animal pricing rises as your flock or herd grows, and it covers cattle and sheep only. See [AgriWebb alternatives](/blog/agriwebb-alternatives). ### A spreadsheet or notebook: free, until it is not A notebook or Google Sheets costs nothing and suits a first season. It has no reminders or invoices, and a second person editing the same sheet is where errors start. ## Comparison | Tool | Best fit | Entry price | Size step | Invoicing | Team | Internet needed | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | Livestock Manager | Mixed livestock, poultry | Free plan | 2 batches free, 10 on Growth | Growth and up | 1, 3, 10 by plan | Yes | | Farmbrite | Livestock plus crops | $29/month | 300 animals on Essentials | $79 plan | 5 on Essentials | No (offline access) | | CattleMax | Cattle herds | $30/month billed yearly | 250 active animals | Not stated on its site | Unlimited | Not stated on its site | | AgriWebb | Cattle and sheep | By animal count | Grows with animals | Not stated on its site | Not stated on its site | No (offline in paddocks) | | Spreadsheet | First season | Free | Your patience | By hand | Shared file | Depends | ## How the free plan pushes you to Growth Most small farms meet the limits in this order: 1. **The third batch.** A layer flock and a broiler batch fit; the next species does not. 2. **The 31st transaction.** A tray of eggs sold most days can reach 30 in a month. 3. **The 51st record.** Daily eggs, feed and treatments on two batches use it up quickly. 4. **A second person.** Starter is one person. Growth is 3 including you. 5. **Your first invoice.** A restaurant or shop that wants paperwork needs Growth. See [how to sell livestock and send invoices](/blog/how-to-sell-livestock-and-send-invoices). Reports for a lender or buyer come from the same records, so keep [income and expenses](/blog/farm-income-and-expense-tracking) steady. You reach Scale at the 11th batch or the 4th person. Our [comparison of farm management software](/blog/best-farm-management-software) covers larger tools. ## How to get started 1. [Set up your farm account](/blog/how-to-set-up-your-farm-account) and choose your animals. 2. [Create a batch](/blog/how-to-create-a-livestock-batch) for each group you sell separately. 3. [Record eggs, milk and daily production](/blog/how-to-record-eggs-milk-and-daily-production), or [speak or type your records](/blog/record-farm-data-by-voice-or-text). 4. [Add your customers and send an invoice](/blog/how-to-sell-livestock-and-send-invoices) after your first sale. 5. [Invite a team member with a role](/blog/invite-farm-team-members-and-roles) so chores are logged by the person who does them. ## Frequently asked questions ### What is the best farming app for a small farm that is growing? For a small livestock farm, Livestock Manager is our top pick because the free Starter plan lets you begin with two batches, and Growth adds invoices, team invites and unlimited records when you start selling. If you keep only cattle, CattleMax is worth a look, and if you also grow crops, Farmbrite is. ### Which records and limits push a small farm to Growth? A small farm usually feels it at the third batch, the 51st record in a month, the 31st transaction in a month, or the first customer invoice. Growth lifts the record and transaction caps and allows 10 batches, invoicing and 3 people. ### How many people can work on one Livestock Manager farm? Starter allows one person, the owner. Growth allows 3 people including the owner, and Scale has no limit. ### How much do Farmbrite and CattleMax cost for a small farm? On 2026-09-30, Farmbrite listed livestock plans at $29, $49 and $79 a month, and CattleMax listed $30 a month billed yearly for up to 250 active animals. AgriWebb prices by the number of cattle and sheep you manage. Prices can change, so check each site. --- # Best Free Farming App: What Free Really Means (2026) URL: https://livestockfarm.co/blog/best-free-farming-app Updated: 2026-09-30 If you want a free farming app that is not just a trial, Livestock Manager is our top pick for individual farmers and small farms, because its Starter plan is free with no end date and covers batches, records, medicine, sales and reminders inside set limits. Free always means limits, so read them before you rely on it. If you only need to test a bigger system for a few weeks, the trials below may suit you better. *Disclosure: Livestock Manager is our app. We checked the other tools' prices and features on their own websites on 2026-09-30, and prices can change.* ## Three things "free" can mean Farm apps use "free" for three different offers. * **A permanent free plan.** You can use it as long as you like, with caps on what you can store or do. * **A free trial.** You get the full tool for a set number of days, then you pay or lose access. * **Free but manual.** A paper notebook or a spreadsheet costs nothing, but you do all the work. ## What farmers need from a free farming app 1. **A plan that does not expire.** Your records should still be there after the trial period would have ended. 2. **Limits you can read.** You should know how many batches, records and sales entries fit before you start. 3. **Fast entry.** A phone you can use with one hand, in your own language. 4. **The records that matter.** Eggs, milk or weight, feed, medicine and money in one place. Our [farm record keeping guide](/blog/farm-record-keeping-guide) lists what is worth writing down. 5. **A clear upgrade path.** When you outgrow the free plan, you should know what the next step gives you. ## Our picks ### Livestock Manager: a free plan for small farms that stays free Livestock Manager runs on iOS, Android and the web, in 15 languages. The Starter plan is free. On Starter, the limits are these. * **Batches:** 2 per farm. * **Animal profiles:** 5 per farm. * **Records:** 50 per month. * **Transactions:** 30 per month (sales and expenses). * **Speak or type:** 10 records per day. * **Medicines:** 5 in your medicine store. * **Schedules:** 5. * **Contacts:** 5. * **Team:** one team member (you). * **Photos:** 5 per farm, and **attachments** (receipts, documents) on 3 entries. * **Reports:** 2 PDF report downloads a month. * **Web:** the full app works in a browser too, on every plan. * **Not included:** invoicing, automatic records, and bulk create or import. What can you realistically do inside that? A farmer with a flock of layers and a batch of broilers can log eggs, feed and losses, record a vaccination, and note each sale. Thirty transactions a month is about one a day. If you sell a tray of eggs daily, you fit. If you sell to many customers and need invoices, you will not. Our lessons on [creating a livestock batch](/blog/how-to-create-a-livestock-batch), [recording eggs, milk and daily production](/blog/how-to-record-eggs-milk-and-daily-production) and [farm income and expense tracking](/blog/farm-income-and-expense-tracking) show how each record works. Limits of Livestock Manager: it needs an internet connection, so it has no offline mode. It has no paddock map. Crops are light crop batches, not a full crop planner. For paid plans (Growth and Scale), see the pricing page. Growth allows three people on the farm including the owner, and Scale has no limit. ### Farmbrite: a 14-day free trial Farmbrite is a trial, not a free plan. Its site says you can start with a free 14-day trial, with no credit card needed, and says there is no permanent free plan after it. It sells plans for livestock, crops or both, so it suits farms that grow as well as raise animals. ### CattleMax: a 21-day free trial CattleMax advertises a 21-day free trial with no credit card required. Its plans are priced by herd size. A backyard flock or a mixed farm gets less from it. ### Bushel Farm: a 30-day free trial Bushel Farm's pricing page offers a 30-day free trial and lists paid plans after it. Its plans run from $75 to $599 a year; the $75 Rainfall plan covers recent rainfall, field mapping, soil maps, futures prices and a digital wallet. ### AgriWebb: a free trial, length not stated AgriWebb promotes a "Try for free" button, but the length of the trial is not stated on its site. Its site does not state a free plan, so treat it as a trial too. ### Spreadsheets and paper: free, and manual A paper notebook or a Google Sheet costs nothing and works for a handful of animals. You do the sums, keep the backups and remember the medicine withdrawal dates. See [best farm management software by farm type](/blog/best-farm-management-software) for the wider comparison. ## Free plan vs trial vs spreadsheet | | Livestock Manager free plan | Free trial (Farmbrite, CattleMax, Bushel Farm) | Spreadsheet or paper | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | How long it is free | No end date | 14, 21 or 30 days | No end date | | Card needed | No | Farmbrite and CattleMax: no; Bushel Farm: not stated | No | | Limits | Yes, listed above | Trial only; then paid | None, but manual | | Reminders and totals | Yes, within limits | Yes, during trial | You do them | | Internet needed | Yes | Varies: Farmbrite lists offline use; CattleMax and Bushel not stated | No | | Best for | Small farm, long term | Testing a bigger tool | A few animals | ## How to get started 1. **Set up your farm.** Create an account and name your farm. Follow [how to set up your farm account](/blog/how-to-set-up-your-farm-account). 2. **Add your first batch.** Two batches and five animal profiles fit on Starter. See [how to create a livestock batch](/blog/how-to-create-a-livestock-batch). 3. **Record what happens each day.** Try Speak or type, described in [record farm data by voice or text](/blog/record-farm-data-by-voice-or-text). 4. **Track medicine and feed.** Five medicines fit. See [livestock health records and medicine stock](/blog/livestock-health-records-and-medicine-stock). 5. **Watch your limits.** Note when you reach 50 records or 30 transactions, and decide if it is time to upgrade. [Farm income and expense tracking](/blog/farm-income-and-expense-tracking) helps you see what you spend. ## When to move to a paid plan Move up when a limit stops work you do every week. A third batch, invoices for customers, a helper with their own login, or automatic daily records all need Growth or above. If you hit a limit once a month, stay free. Check the pricing page for current prices. ## Frequently asked questions ### What will a free farming app not do? A free plan will not lift its limits. On Livestock Manager's Starter plan you get no invoicing, no automatic records and no bulk import. A free trial ends after 14, 21 or 30 days, and a spreadsheet does no totals or reminders for you. ### What can I do on the free plan of Livestock Manager? You can keep two batches and five animal profiles, log up to 50 records and 30 sales or expense entries a month, and use Speak or type for up to 10 records a day. You can also store five medicines, five contacts and five schedules, keep five photos, attach files to three entries and download two reports a month. Invoicing, automatic records and bulk import need a paid plan. ### Do I need a credit card for a free farm app? Farmbrite and CattleMax state on their sites that their free trials need no credit card. Bushel Farm and AgriWebb do not say so in the pages we checked. Read the sign-up page of any tool before you enter payment details. ### How do I know I have outgrown the free limits? You have outgrown them when you hit a cap on the same task every week: a third batch, a sixth animal profile, records past 50 a month, invoices for customers, or a helper who needs their own login. If you only touch a limit now and then, the free plan is still doing its job. ### Is a spreadsheet good enough instead of a farming app? A spreadsheet works for a few animals and one or two kinds of record. It gets slow as you add feed, medicine and sales, because you do the totals, reminders and backups yourself. Many farmers start there and move when the sheet stops being quick to update. --- # Best Low-Budget Farming App (2026) URL: https://livestockfarm.co/blog/best-low-budget-farming-app Updated: 2026-09-30 For a farmer on a tight budget, Livestock Manager is our top pick. It has a free plan, and it puts animals, feed, medicine and money in one app made for small and medium livestock farms. If you grow mainly grain, Bushel Farm fits better. If you raise cattle or sheep, look at CattleMax (cattle) or AgriWebb (cattle and sheep). *Disclosure: Livestock Manager is our app. We checked the other tools' prices and features on their own websites on 2026-09-30, and prices can change.* ## What budget farmers need from a farming app Price is only part of the cost. Judge an app on these points. 1. **A free plan you can really use.** A short trial tells you little about a slow farm month. 2. **A cheap first paid step.** You should not have to jump to a big plan for one feature. 3. **Your own species.** A tool built for cattle stations wastes your money if you keep laying hens or goats. 4. **Feed and money in one place.** Feed is usually the largest cost, so seeing what is left and what it cost matters most. 5. **Quick entry.** If logging takes minutes, you will stop. Voice or text entry helps. ## The real cost of paper and spreadsheets A notebook and a spreadsheet cost nothing to buy. They cost time: you add up feed by hand and search old pages when a vet asks a question. They also cost mistakes. A missed entry makes a feed count wrong. A broken formula hides a loss. Nothing reminds you that a vaccination is due. Our [farm record keeping guide](/blog/farm-record-keeping-guide) lists the records worth keeping whatever tool you choose. For very small flocks, a spreadsheet is a fair place to start. ## Our picks ### Livestock Manager: free to start, built for small and medium livestock farms Livestock Manager runs on iOS, Android and the web, in 15 languages. The free Starter plan has no time limit. On Starter you get 2 batches per farm, 5 animal profiles per farm, 50 records a month, 30 transactions a month, 5 medicines, 5 photos, 2 report downloads a month and one team member. The web app works fully on every plan, so you can enter data on the phone or a computer. The cheapest paid step is Growth. It raises the limits (10 batches per farm, unlimited records and transactions) and adds invoicing, automatic records, and team invites for up to 3 people including you. Scale has no limit. We do not print prices here, so see the pricing page for the current price in your currency. What it does for a tight budget: - Feed store with days left, so you order feed when you need it, not before. - Speak or type entry, and receipt scanning for costs. - Health records and a medicine store with withdrawal periods. - Income and expenses, plus tasks and reminders. Limits: it needs an internet connection, it has no paddock map, and crops are light crop batches, not a crop planner. ### Farmbrite: a wider tool for mixed farms Farmbrite lists three livestock plans: Essentials at $29 a month, Performance at $49 and Premium at $79, with a 14-day free trial and no credit card needed. It suits farms that also grow crops. If you keep only animals, you may pay for tools you do not use. See our [Farmbrite alternatives](/blog/farmbrite-alternatives) page. ### CattleMax: cattle herds, priced by animal count CattleMax lists a Commercial plan at $30 a month billed yearly for up to 250 active animals, and a Registered plan at $41 a month billed yearly, with a 21-day free trial and no credit card. It is aimed at cattle, so it will not suit poultry or goats. See [CattleMax alternatives](/blog/cattlemax-alternatives). ### AgriWebb: cattle and sheep, price on request AgriWebb prices by the number of cattle and sheep you manage. Its pricing page shows no dollar figure and uses a calculator instead, with a free trial (length not stated). You cannot compare its cost without entering your numbers. See [AgriWebb alternatives](/blog/agriwebb-alternatives). ### Bushel Farm: grain crops, not livestock Bushel Farm is aimed at grain crop farmers and focuses on grain contracts and field profitability. It offers 30 days free, and its plans cost $75 (Rainfall, which covers recent rainfall, field mapping, soil maps, futures prices and a digital wallet), $199 (Lite) and $599 (Essentials) a year. It is not built for livestock records. | Tool | Cost as stated | Free option | Aimed at | |---|---|---|---| | Livestock Manager | See the pricing page | Free Starter plan | Small and medium livestock farms | | Farmbrite | From $29/month (livestock) | 14-day trial | Mixed farms with crops | | CattleMax | $30/month billed yearly, up to 250 animals | 21-day trial, no card | Cattle | | AgriWebb | Priced by cattle and sheep count | Free trial (length not stated on its site) | Cattle and sheep | | Bushel Farm | $75 to $599 a year | 30 days free | Grain crops | See our wider [farm management software comparison](/blog/best-farm-management-software). ## An illustrative example: feed you stop over-ordering This example is illustrative. The numbers are round and are not a claim about what any farm will save. Say you keep 100 hens and, without a clear count, you order feed early and end up with 10 extra bags stuck in storage each year. If a bag costs 20 in your currency, that is 200 tied up, some of it spoiled. If you could see days left and reorder at the right time, you would tie up much less. Use your own bag price and numbers to judge whether a paid plan would pay for itself. ## How to get started cheaply 1. **Set up a free account and one farm.** Follow [how to set up your farm account](/blog/how-to-set-up-your-farm-account). 2. **Create one batch.** Start with one flock or herd, not everything. See [how to create a livestock batch](/blog/how-to-create-a-livestock-batch). 3. **Track feed first.** Add your feed to the feed store and log each use. See [how to track farm feed inventory](/blog/how-to-track-farm-feed-inventory). 4. **Log money as it happens.** Record each sale and cost in [farm income and expense tracking](/blog/farm-income-and-expense-tracking). 5. **Try voice.** Say a record out loud instead of typing it, as in [record farm data by voice or text](/blog/record-farm-data-by-voice-or-text). Upgrade only when you hit a limit. Unsure the numbers work? Read [is livestock farming profitable](/blog/is-livestock-farming-profitable). ## Frequently asked questions ### What should I pay for first on a small farm, and what can I skip? Pay for nothing at first. Start on the free Starter plan, which covers 2 batches and 5 animal profiles per farm, 50 records and 30 transactions a month, and 5 medicines. Buy a paid step only when a limit blocks you, or when you need invoicing or team invites. ### How much do farm management apps cost? It varies widely. On their own sites, Farmbrite lists livestock plans from $29 a month and CattleMax lists $30 a month billed yearly for up to 250 animals. AgriWebb prices by the number of cattle and sheep and shows no dollar figure on its pricing page. Livestock Manager starts free, and paid prices are on its pricing page. ### What do paper records really cost me in mistakes? Mostly forgotten entries, wrong feed counts and missed due dates for vaccinations. None of it shows until it costs you, such as a late feed order or a treatment date you cannot prove. An app does the counting and the reminders for you. ### What does my first month cost if I start today? On Livestock Manager's free plan, nothing. Log one batch, your feed and your money for a month, then check whether the limits fit. Farmbrite and CattleMax offer free trials of 14 and 21 days instead. ### What is the cheapest way to start with a farm app? Start on the free plan with one batch of animals and log only feed and money. Add health records and tasks once the habit sticks, and upgrade only when you hit a limit. --- # Farm Income and Expense Tracking URL: https://livestockfarm.co/blog/farm-income-and-expense-tracking Updated: 2026-09-30 The Finances tab keeps every sale and every cost in one list. You add income by hand, scan a receipt to fill in an expense, and the app adds up each month and draws the reports for you. **Who it's for:** Farm owners, managers and accountants. **Plan:** Recording transactions works on every plan; Starter allows 30 a month, and Growth and above have no monthly limit. Receipt scanning and downloadable reports have their own limits, listed below. **Time:** about 5 minutes. ## What you need first - A [farm account](/blog/how-to-set-up-your-farm-account) with at least one [batch](/blog/how-to-create-a-livestock-batch), so each entry can belong to a flock or herd. - A role that can see Finances: Admin, Manager, Accountant or Viewer. - To scan receipts: an Admin or Manager role, and a photo of the receipt or a PDF. For how to judge the numbers, read [Is Livestock Farming Profitable?](/blog/is-livestock-farming-profitable). ## Step-by-step ### Step 1: Open the Finances tab Tap **Finances** at the bottom of the app. Two tabs sit at the top: **Transactions** and **Reports**. On Transactions you see the **Financial Summary** card with income, expense and balance, then every entry below it, newest first. ### Step 2: Record income by hand Tap **Add Transaction**. The **Select Transaction Type** field opens on **Income**. Choose a **Category**, such as Sales of eggs, then pick the **Select Batch** the money belongs to. Enter the **Number of units** and the **Cost per unit**. The label works out the total for you, for example 26 trays at 4.50 gives 117. **Record date** starts on today. Tap **Save income**. ### Step 3: Add the buyer and how they paid Under the amounts, you can set **Payment Method (Optional)** and choose who paid you, or tap **Create Contact** to add a new buyer. Use **Attachments** and **Notes about the record** to keep details with the entry. Attachments need the Growth plan or higher. Switching between Income and Expense clears the Category. ### Step 4: Scan a receipt for an expense Costs are faster to enter with a photo. On the Create Transaction screen, tap **Scan or upload to auto-fill**. Choose **Take photo**, **Choose from gallery** or upload a PDF with **Upload a file (PDF)**. The screen shows **Reading your document…**, then fills in the type, category, amount, date, payment method and supplier. The file is attached to the entry. Check every field, pick the batch, and tap **Save expense**. ### Step 5: Read the monthly totals Back on **Transactions**, entries sit in month sections such as September 2026. Each month shows its net total, green when you made money and red when you lost it. Only the current month starts open. Tap another month to see its entries. ### Step 6: Open the reports Tap **Reports**. The top shows **Balance**, **Income** and **Expense**. Below are the **Expense Vs Income** chart, with Overview, Trend and Bar views, then the **Income Breakdown** and **Expense Breakdown** by category. To keep a file, go to **More**, open the **Planning & records** section, and tap **Download Reports**. Tap the **Generate Report** button. A sheet opens: choose **Financial Report** as the **Report Type**, a format and a date range, then tap **Generate Report** in the sheet. Downloadable reports need the Growth plan or higher, Growth allows 10 downloads a month, and only Admin, Manager and Accountant roles can generate them. ### Step 7: Check one batch at a time To see whether a flock or herd pays for itself, filter by **Batch** on the Transactions or Reports tab, or tap the finance tile on that batch's page. You then see only that batch's income and costs. ## Common mistakes - **Leaving the batch off.** An entry with no batch will not show up in that batch's totals. On the Starter plan only the farm's newest batch can be picked, so pick it deliberately. - **Trusting a scan without checking it.** The amount, date and category come from the receipt, so a crumpled or partial photo can give a wrong value. Read the fields before you save. - **Scanning as an Accountant.** An Accountant can open the form, but scanning is limited to Admin and Manager roles, so the scan fails. Type the entry instead. - **Forgetting the 30-a-month limit.** On Starter, sales and imports also create transactions that count toward the 30. ## Frequently asked questions ### How do I track farm income and expenses in the app? Open the Finances tab and tap Add Transaction. Choose Income or Expense, a category and a batch, enter the units and the cost per unit, and save. Every entry then appears in the list and in the totals. ### Can I scan a receipt instead of typing an expense? Yes. On the Create Transaction screen tap Scan or upload to auto-fill and take a photo, pick one from your gallery or upload a PDF. The app fills in the amount, date and category, and you check it before saving. Scanning uses the same daily AI allowance as chat-to-record: 10 a day on Starter, 15 on Growth, unlimited on Scale. ### How many transactions can I record on the free plan? The Starter plan allows 30 transactions a month. Growth and Scale have no monthly limit on transactions. ### How do I see if one batch is making money? Open the Reports tab and use the Batch filter, or tap the finance tile on the batch page. You see income, expenses and the balance for that batch alone. ### Who can download financial reports? Downloadable reports need the Growth plan or higher, and only Admin, Manager and Accountant roles can generate them. The charts on the Reports tab are open to every plan. --- # Farm Tasks and Reminders in the App URL: https://livestockfarm.co/blog/farm-tasks-and-reminders-app Updated: 2026-09-30 Tasks and reminders let you set up a repeating job once, such as morning feeding or a monthly vaccination, and have the app create each day's task and send a reminder. You see what needs doing on Home, and anyone on the job can tick it off. **Who it's for:** farm admins and managers who plan the work, and staff who do it. **Plan:** all plans, with a schedule limit (Starter 5, Growth 10, Scale no limit). **Time:** about 4 minutes. ## What you need first - A [farm account](/blog/how-to-set-up-your-farm-account). Adding a batch is not required, but the jobs will usually be about one. - Your team members added to the farm, if you want to assign people. - An internet connection. The app does not work offline. ## Step-by-step ### Step 1: Open Schedules Go to **More**, then **Planning & records**, then **Task Schedules**. The list shows your repeating jobs. Tap **New Schedule** to start one. Admins and managers can also tap the **Schedule Tasks** button at the bottom right of the Tasks screen. ### Step 2: Name the task and pick a category Type a **Task Name**, for example "Deworm the goats". Then choose a **Task Category**. The choices include Feeding & Watering, Egg Collection, Vaccination & Medication, Cleaning & Sanitation and Maintenance & Repair. The category sets the task's icon. ### Step 3: Assign people Tap **Assign To**. The list shows the people on your farm. Tick one person or several. This step is optional. The assigned people show on the task card, so everyone can see who has the job. ### Step 4: Set the date, frequency and reminders Set the **Start Date** and **Starts At** time. Under **Select Frequency**, choose how often the job repeats: Occurs Once, Daily, Weekdays, Weekends, Weekly, Monthly, Every Two Months, Quarterly, Yearly or Custom interval. For Custom interval, enter the number of days in **Repeat every (days)**. Switch on **Show End Date** if the job stops on a set day. Under **Reminder alerts**, tick how many days before the job you want a reminder: 1, 2, 3, 7, 14 or 30. Add notes for the team in **Task Description**. ### Step 5: Save the schedule Tap **Save changes**. The app creates the coming tasks from your schedule and the screen closes. The phone may ask you to allow notifications. Say yes, or the reminders will not reach you. ### Step 6: Check today, future and past tasks On Home, open **Today's Tasks** or **Upcoming Tasks** and tap **View All**. The **Tasks** screen has three tabs: **Today's Tasks**, **Future Tasks** and **Past Tasks**. Each card shows the time, the job, the category and who it is assigned to. Use Past Tasks as a diary of jobs done, and to spot any that were missed. ### Step 7: Tick a task off On a task card, tap the status and choose **Completed**. Choose **In Progress** for a long job you have started. The other options are **Pending**, **Paused** and **Cancelled**. Everyone on the farm sees the new status, so nobody needs to phone to ask if it is done. Tap the card's menu and choose **View Details** to see who it is assigned to. To pause or stop a whole schedule, open **Task Schedules** and change its status to **Paused** or **Cancelled**. To change the time, people or reminders, open the card's menu and choose **Update**. ## Common mistakes - Looking for a plain "New Task" button. The app has none. Use **New Schedule** (or **Schedule Tasks** as an admin or manager) and set the frequency to **Occurs Once** for a one-off job. - Leaving **Select Frequency** empty. It has no default, so the form will not save until you pick one. - Expecting reminders only for the assigned people. Reminders go to every farm member who has task reminders switched on. Assignment shows on the task card. - Forgetting that paused and cancelled schedules still count towards your plan's schedule limit. - Turning off notifications on the phone. The task still appears in the app, but the reminder will not arrive. ## Frequently asked questions ### How do I set a reminder for a one-time job on my farm? Open New Schedule under Task Schedules and choose Occurs Once as the frequency. Set the date and time, and pick any Reminder alerts you want. The app has no separate one-off task button. ### Who gets the task reminder notification? Every member of the farm who has notifications on for task reminders gets the push, not only the people assigned to the task. The assigned names show on the task card. ### Can my workers tick off tasks? Yes. Admins, managers and staff can change a task's status, and everyone on the farm sees the change. Only admins and managers can delete a task or a schedule. ### How many task schedules can I have? The Starter plan allows 5 schedules per farm and Growth allows 10. Scale has no limit. Schedules you paused or cancelled still count towards the limit. For a wider view of what to record each day, read the [farm record keeping guide](/blog/farm-record-keeping-guide). --- # How to Add Animals to a Batch URL: https://livestockfarm.co/blog/how-to-add-animals-to-a-batch Updated: 2026-09-30 Add Members puts each animal in your batch on its own record. You can add one animal at a time, create many with a naming pattern, or import a spreadsheet. Once they are in, each animal has a profile with its price, weight and health history. **Who it's for:** farmers who track each animal, not just a head count. **Plan:** adding one animal works on every plan, capped at 5 animal profiles per farm on Starter; Add Multiple and Import File need the Growth plan or higher. **Time:** about 4 minutes. ## What you need first - A [farm account](/blog/how-to-set-up-your-farm-account) and a [batch](/blog/how-to-create-a-livestock-batch) where you track each animal individually. - For Import File, a list of your animals in a CSV or Excel file. ## Step-by-step ### Step 1: Open the add screen Right after you create a batch, the add screen opens on its own. Later, open the batch, tap "Batch Members", then tap "Add Members". You can also open the menu on the batch card and choose "Add Members to". The title reads "Add to" followed by your batch name. Three tabs sit at the top: "Add One", "Add Multiple" and "Import File". "Add One" opens first. ### Step 2: Add one animal Type a name or tag number in "Name / Tag". Tap "Select Breed" and pick a breed. If the list is empty, tap "Create Breed" and add yours, for example Boer. Then choose the gender, Female or Male, and the stage. The stage options follow the species. For goats they include Kid, Doe and Buck. ### Step 3: Add the details Tap "Add details" to open the optional fields: cost, "Current Weight", "Birth Date", "Mother (Dam)" and "Father (Sire)". Each parent can be on the farm, external or unknown. The cost also goes into your finances as an expense. Skip any field you do not know. You can edit the animal later. ### Step 4: Save and add the next one Tap "Save & Add Another". The app confirms with a message such as "1 member added". The name, note and photo clear, but breed, gender and stage stay. Change only what differs for the next animal, for example the gender. On the last animal, tap "Save and exit". You land on the "Batch Members" list. ### Step 5: Add many animals at once Open the "Add Multiple" tab. Enter how many animals you want, up to 500. Set a naming prefix and start number. The preview shows the names it will create. Choose what the animals share, such as breed and stage. Set gender to "Mixed (auto-distribute)" and the app splits it between male and female for you. Tap "Create 10 Members", where 10 is your count. The new animals arrive as drafts. Tap "Confirm All" on the "Batch Members" list to keep them. ### Step 6: Import animals from a file Open the "Import File" tab. It takes CSV or Excel files, up to 1000 rows. Tap "Download Sample Template" and start from that file so the columns match. The name or tag and the gender columns are required. Upload the file, map the columns, and check the validation. Imported animals show as "Pending Review". Tap "Confirm All" to keep them. ### Step 7: Open an animal's profile In "Batch Members", the totals sit at the top, with a search box and a row for each animal. Tap a row to open "Profile". You see the animal's age, price, weight and parents, plus Report, Health and Timeline sections. Use the menu to change the photo, choose "Edit Profile", or mark the animal sold, harvested or dead. ## Common mistakes - **Leaving out the gender or name.** Each animal needs both, or the save fails with a short error. Breed and stage are easy to skip, so check them before you save. - **Counting profiles per batch.** The Starter limit of 5 animal profiles applies to the whole farm, not to each batch. - **Forgetting Confirm All.** Animals from Add Multiple or Import File stay as drafts until you confirm them. - **Filling a large form before checking your plan.** Add Multiple and Import File need the Growth plan. Check that before you enter a long list. - **Importing with your own column layout.** Start from the sample template. Delete its example rows and enter your own animals. ## Frequently asked questions ### How many animals can I add at once? Add Multiple creates up to 500 animals in one go. Import File accepts up to 1000 rows per import. ### Can I add animals in bulk on the free plan? No. Add Multiple and Import File need the Growth plan or higher. On the Starter plan you add animals one at a time, up to 5 animal profiles per farm. ### Do I have to fill in every field? No. Each animal needs a name or tag and a gender. Cost, weight, birth date, parents and supplier are optional, and you can add them later by editing the profile. ### Why do my imported animals say Pending Review? Imported and multi-created animals arrive as drafts so you can check them first. Tap Confirm All to keep them in the batch. --- # How to Add Products to Your Farm Shop URL: https://livestockfarm.co/blog/how-to-add-products-to-your-farm-shop Updated: 2026-09-30 A product needs a name, a photo and a price before it can be ordered. Stock for eggs looks after itself once it is linked to your records. **Who it's for:** any farm with a shop switched on. **Plan:** every plan, with a product limit by plan. **Time:** under 5 minutes per product. ## What you need first - Your shop turned on — see our [previous lesson](/blog/how-to-open-your-farm-shop) if it is still locked. - What you are selling, in a customer's words, such as "Fresh farm eggs, from free-range hens, collected every morning." - The price for one unit, and whether you sell it in more than one size. ## Step-by-step ### Step 1: Open your shop On the Home screen, tap **More**, then **Selling**, then **My Farm Shop**. With no products listed yet, tap **Add Product**. ### Step 2: Name it and add a photo Write the name and description the way a customer would read them, not the way you would note them in a ledger. Then tap **Choose an image**. A photo library made for farm produce opens — trays of eggs, cuts of meat, bottles of milk — so you are never stuck listing a product with no picture. Pick the one that matches, such as **Tray of 30**, or upload your own. ### Step 3: Set the price Set the price for one unit — for eggs, that is one tray. If you sell more than one size, such as small, medium and large trays, add each one with its own price instead of a single figure. ### Step 4: Stock and publish For egg products, turn on **Eggs Inventory** so the product's stock comes straight from your egg records — it goes up and down on its own as you record collection and sales, without a separate count to keep. Tap **Add Product** to finish. It appears in your shop immediately, with its price and how many you have available, such as "29 available." ## Common mistakes - **Writing the name for yourself, not the customer.** "Eggs" tells a customer less than "Fresh farm eggs, from free-range hens, collected every morning." - **Skipping the photo.** A product with no image is easy to scroll past. Use the built-in photo library if you don't have your own picture yet. - **One price for different sizes.** If trays, bags or cuts come in more than one size, add each as its own priced option instead of averaging them into one price. - **Hitting the product limit unexpectedly.** The free plan stops at 3 listed products. Add Product opens the plans screen once you reach it — that is the limit, not a fault. ## Frequently asked questions ### How many products can I list? 3 on the free plan, 15 on the Growth plan, and unlimited on Scale. Add Product opens the plans screen once you reach your limit. ### Does my product stock update by itself? For eggs, yes: turn on Eggs Inventory and the product's stock follows your egg records, so it stays correct without you touching it. Other products track stock the way you set them up when you add them. ### Can I sell the same product in different sizes or amounts? Yes. Instead of one price, add sizes such as Small, Medium and Large, each with its own price. Customers pick the one they want when they order. ### Where do product photos come from? A photo library built for farm produce, so you are not stuck with no image or a stock photo that does not match. You can also upload your own. --- # How to Breed Your Animals in the App URL: https://livestockfarm.co/blog/how-to-breed-your-animals-in-the-app Updated: 2026-09-30 A breeding project follows one mating from the day it happens to the day the young are born and named — with the due date, task reminders and pedigree done for you. **Who it's for:** goats, sheep, cattle and other animals you breed deliberately, with recorded parents. **Plan:** every plan, with a limit on projects at once. **Time:** a few minutes to start; the project runs itself until birth. ## What you need first - The mother and father as animal profiles in your batches, so the app can link the pedigree. - The date they were mated, or as close as you can estimate. - A farm admin or manager login to start and manage projects. ## Step-by-step ### Step 1: Find Breeding On the Home screen, tap **More**, then **Planning & records**. **Breeding** is the first item. Tap **New Project**. ### Step 2: Start a project Give the project a name you'll recognize later. Choose the animal — the form adapts to what you pick. Then pick the **mother** and **father** from your batches, and the current **status**, such as **Mated**. The due date is worked out for you from there: about 150 days for a goat. Turn on the task schedule if you want a ready-made plan of check-ups, then tap **Save and exit**. ### Step 3: Follow the pregnancy The project now counts down to the birth. If you turned on the task schedule, your **Upcoming Tasks** tab lists what's next — confirming the pregnancy, feeding her more, getting the kidding pen ready. Use the **Events** tab to keep a diary as things happen: a heat, the mating itself, a pregnancy check, each with its own date and an optional note. ### Step 4: Record the birth When the birth happens, open the project's menu and tap **Record Results**. Enter how many were born alive and how many were lost. Tap **Save and Close Project** — the newborns join the mother's batch, one profile each. ### Step 5: Meet the kids The app now asks you to name each newborn in turn. Their mother and father are already filled in from the project, so tap **Save & Next** for each one until you reach the last, then **Save & Finish**. Open any of them from their batch and their profile already knows their parents — their pedigree starts here. ## Common mistakes - **Starting the project after the birth.** The due date, task schedule and pedigree all come from starting the project at mating. Record the mating as soon as it happens, even if you only confirm the pregnancy later. - **Skipping the father.** Without both parents recorded, the newborns' pedigree is incomplete from day one. - **Forgetting to record results.** A project with no results recorded never creates the newborns' profiles or closes itself. ## Frequently asked questions ### How does the app know the due date? From the animal type and the date you record as Mated: about 150 days for a goat, for example. It updates the project's countdown automatically. ### How many breeding projects can I run? 1 at a time on the free plan, 5 on Growth, and unlimited on Scale. New Project opens the plans screen once you reach your limit. ### What happens to the newborns after I record results? Each one joins their mother's batch as its own profile, with their parents already filled in, so their pedigree starts from their first day. ### Do I have to turn on the task schedule? No, it's optional. Turning it on adds a ready-made plan of check-ups, such as confirming the pregnancy and getting the kidding pen ready, as tasks you can tick off. --- # How to Create a Livestock Batch URL: https://livestockfarm.co/blog/how-to-create-a-livestock-batch Updated: 2026-09-30 A batch is a group of animals you keep together, such as 300 laying hens or a herd of goats. Create one in Livestock Manager and every record, report and cost for that group has a place to live. You choose the animal, decide whether to count the group or track each animal, and enter the details you have. **Who it's for:** anyone adding livestock to a farm for the first time, or adding a new group. **Plan:** the free Starter plan allows 2 batches, and Growth allows 10. On Starter, only your newest batch opens; older batches need the Growth plan. **Time:** about 3 minutes. ## What you need first - A [farm set up in the app](/blog/how-to-set-up-your-farm-account). - The animal type, and the breed if you know it. - The number of animals, if you plan to count them as a group. - The price you paid, if you want the purchase recorded (optional). ## Step-by-step ### Step 1: Start a new batch On Home, tap "Add animals". If you are past the first setup, open the Batches tab and tap "New Batch". The "Create Batch" form opens. ### Step 2: Choose the animal Tap "Select Animal". Pick your animal from the list, or search for it. The "Batch name" fills in for you from the animal or breed and the month. Change it if you like. ### Step 3: Choose how to track it Under "How do you want to track this batch?", you must pick one of two options. Nothing else appears until you do. - "Whole batch" tracks a group by its total count, with no individual profiles. It suits poultry and fish. - "Each member" gives every animal its own profile. It suits goats, cattle and pigs. ### Step 4: Pick the breed and enter the count This step is for a whole batch. Tap "Select Breed" and choose a breed. On a new farm the list may be empty. Type the breed and tap "Create Breed", and it is selected for you. The batch name updates to match. Then enter the "Number of animals", for example 300. It must be a whole number of at least 1. ### Step 5: Add the details Tap "Add details". The section is optional, but a minute here saves work later. - "Raised for": egg production, meat production, breeding and other purposes. The list depends on the animal. - For a whole batch, "Stage": where the animals are now, such as "Layer (Actively Laying)". - For a whole batch, "Price per livestock": what you paid for each animal. The app books the purchase as an expense in the batch's finances. Enter 4.00 for 300 hens and it records 1,200. - "Supplier", "Start Date" and a note are optional. The start date defaults to today. ### Step 6: Save the batch For a whole batch, tap "Create batch". For a batch you track animal by animal, the button reads "Save and add members". It takes you on to adding each animal. ### Step 7: Check the batch page The batch page lists the animal, how you track it, the breed, stage, what it is raised for, and the starting and current counts. Below are the "Batch Widgets": tiles for records, reports, finances, harvests and sales. A batch you track animal by animal also has a members tile. ## Common mistakes - **Skipping the breed on a whole batch.** The breed is required, but the field is not marked. If you tap save without it, the message "Pick the breed" appears. - **Choosing the wrong tracking mode.** Pick Whole batch for a flock you will never name one by one. Pick Each member if you want a profile, health history or weight for each animal. - **Entering the price of the whole group.** The price field is per animal. The app multiplies it by the number of animals. - **Creating batches without checking the plan limit.** The Starter plan allows 2 batches per farm. Closed batches count toward the limit, and deleting a batch frees a slot. - **Waiting for a breed list that never fills.** If the list is empty, tap "Create Breed" and add yours. For a wider view of what to record once your batch exists, see the [farm record-keeping guide](/blog/farm-record-keeping-guide). ## Frequently asked questions ### What is a batch in Livestock Manager? A batch is a group of animals you keep together, such as 300 laying hens or a herd of Boer goats. Records, reports and money are all kept against the batch. ### Should I choose Whole batch or Each member? Choose Whole batch when you count animals as a group, which suits poultry and fish. Choose Each member when every animal needs its own profile, which suits goats, cattle and pigs. ### What happens if I enter a price when I create a batch? For a whole batch, the app records the purchase in the batch's finances as an expense, using the price per animal times the number of animals. Leave the price empty if you do not want a purchase recorded. ### How many batches can I create on the free plan? The free Starter plan allows 2 batches per farm. The Growth plan allows 10. On Starter, only your newest batch opens; older batches need the Growth plan. ### Can I change the batch name? Yes. The app suggests a name from the breed or animal and the month, and you can type over it before you save. --- # How to Customize Your Home Screen URL: https://livestockfarm.co/blog/how-to-customize-your-home-screen Updated: 2026-09-30 Home's tiles are shortcuts, not a fixed menu. Pick the ones you actually use, put the busiest one first, and Home opens exactly where you need it. **Who it's for:** anyone who wants fewer taps to reach the screen they open every day. **Plan:** every plan. **Time:** under 2 minutes. ## Step-by-step ### Step 1: Open the editor On the Home screen, tap **Edit Widgets** — or tap the **Customize** tile, which opens the same editor. ### Step 2: Pick your tiles Every screen you can put on Home is listed, with the ones already showing ticked. Feed every day? Tick **Feed Store**. Breed your animals? Tick **Breeding** too. Ticked tiles move up with the others; keep between **2 and 14** on Home at once. ### Step 3: Put them in order The one you open most should come first. **Hold** a ticked tile, then **drag it up**. Let go at the top — it's saved as you go, with no separate save button to tap. ### Step 4: Use your Home Back on Home, your tiles are in your order — one tap and you're there. Prefer numbers to tiles? Tap **Dashboard** instead; Home remembers the view you chose for next time. ## Common mistakes - **Leaving Home at the default order.** The default suits a new farm, not necessarily yours — revisit it once you know what you open daily. - **Ticking everything.** More than a handful of tiles turns Home into another list to scan. Keep it to what you actually use often. - **Not knowing about the dashboard.** If you'd rather see numbers than shortcuts, switching Home to the dashboard is one tap away — see our [farm at a glance lesson](/blog/how-to-see-your-farm-at-a-glance). ## Frequently asked questions ### How many tiles can I have on Home? Between 2 and 14. Tick the ones you want in the widget editor; ticked tiles move to the top of the list with the others already there. ### Do my changes save automatically? Yes. Ticking a tile or dragging it into a new position saves as you go — there is no separate save button to remember. ### What's the difference between Home's tiles and the dashboard? Tiles are shortcuts to the screens you use most, arranged in your own order. The dashboard replaces them with your farm's numbers instead. Switch between them from Home, and it remembers the one you chose. ### Can I remove a tile without deleting anything? Yes. Untick it in the editor. The screen itself and everything on it are unaffected; it just stops showing as a shortcut on Home. --- # How to Digitize Your Farm Records URL: https://livestockfarm.co/blog/how-to-digitize-farm-records Updated: 2026-09-30 A paper cash book or an old spreadsheet is still a real record. Moving it into an app just makes it one you can search, total and share without flipping pages. This guide is for bringing what you already have into Livestock Manager, not for starting from a blank farm. If you only need the mechanics of a single import, our [lesson on importing records from photos](/blog/how-to-import-farm-records-from-photos) covers the tap-by-tap steps. This guide is for planning the whole move, especially if you have more than a page or two to bring in. ## Why bother moving old records into an app A cash book answers "what happened." A digitized one also answers "how much did the goats earn this year," "is my feed cost rising," and "what's my balance right now" without you adding it up by hand. It's also one less thing that can be lost to rain, fire or a page torn out. None of that requires abandoning the notebook — keep writing in it if that's still your habit, and bring it in periodically. ## What the app can read today Import Records, under More then Planning & records, reads three kinds of files: a photo of a paper page, a PDF, and a spreadsheet. Whichever you use, the app reads it into draft transactions first — nothing is saved until you check them. Today, imports cover **money in and out**: the same records you'd otherwise add under Finances. Eggs, health records, feed and other record types are not read by an import yet; if your backlog includes those, they still need to be typed in by hand, or spoken into the app — see our [Speak or type lesson](/blog/record-farm-data-by-voice-or-text) for the fastest way to do that for a small backlog. ## Matching the method to your format **A paper cash book or notebook.** Photograph one page at a time, flat and in good light, the same way you'd photograph a receipt. A page that covers a month, like a monthly cash book, reads as one import; a page a day works the same way, just in more imports. **A spreadsheet (Excel or Google Sheets).** Upload the file directly under Import Records — you don't need to convert it to anything first, and there's no template to match. The app reads columns of dates, amounts and descriptions the way a person would. **Records from another app.** There's no direct transfer between apps. Check whether the other app can export your transactions as a spreadsheet, CSV or PDF; if it can, import that file the same way as a spreadsheet. If it can only show records on screen, a screenshot or a printed PDF of each page works, though it's slower than a clean export. ## Planning a big backlog A single page imports in a minute or two. A year of monthly pages is a dozen small imports, not one large one — and that's by design, not a workaround: - **Reading a page uses your daily AI quota**, the same one shared with chat-to-record and scan-transaction: 10 reads a day on the free plan, 15 on Growth, unlimited on Scale. A dozen months fits inside a day's quota on any plan; a much larger backlog doesn't, so it needs more than one day. - **Saving draws on your monthly transaction allowance**: 30 a month on the free plan, unlimited on Growth and above. If one import has more records than you have room for that month, it saves what fits and tells you how many were skipped, rather than failing the whole import or blocking you. The skipped ones are still on the page — import them again next month, or upgrade if the backlog is large and ongoing. With that in mind, work backward from today, one time period at a time: this month, then last month, and so on. Stop and check the results after each one rather than queuing up a stack of photos and reading them all at once — mismatched batches or an unclear photo are easier to fix one import at a time. ## Checking the result Every import stops at a review screen before anything is saved: how many records it found, the totals in and out, and a short note on how it read the page. Open any record to fix the amount, date or batch. A record that looks clearly wrong is usually a photo problem — a shadow across a number, or a page that isn't flat — worth a clearer retake rather than a hand correction. Once you're happy, save it. If you change your mind afterward, the whole import can be undone from the Import Records list. Our [farm record keeping guide](/blog/farm-record-keeping-guide) covers what to track from here on, once your backlog is in. ## Frequently asked questions ### Can Livestock Manager read my paper cash book? Yes. Photograph a page under Import Records and the app reads it into draft transactions you check before saving. It reads money in and out; other record types still need to be entered by hand for now. ### I keep my books in Excel or Google Sheets. Do I need to retype everything? No. Upload the spreadsheet file the same way you would a photo, under Import Records, and the app reads it into draft transactions the same way. ### Can I move my records straight from another farm app? There is no direct app-to-app transfer. If the other app can export a spreadsheet, PDF or CSV of your transactions, import that file the same way as a spreadsheet. If it can only show records on screen, a screenshot or a printed PDF of each page works too. ### How long does digitizing a year of records take? In file time, minutes: each import takes a minute or two to read, plus a few to check it. In practice, spread it across more than one day if you have many months to bring in - see the plan above for why. --- # How to Download Your Farm Reports URL: https://livestockfarm.co/blog/how-to-download-your-farm-reports Updated: 2026-09-30 Download Reports keeps every farm report you generate in one place, ready to download again for 30 days. Individual animals and breeding projects have their own reports too. **Who it's for:** anyone who needs a report to read, share or load into a spreadsheet. **Plan:** every plan, with a monthly limit on how many you generate. **Time:** a few seconds to generate; a couple of minutes to set up. ## What you need first - Nothing extra for a farm report. For an animal's health passport, some health records already on its profile make the passport worth sharing. ## Step-by-step ### Step 1: Farm reports Farm reports live under **More**, then **Planning & records**. Tap **Download Reports** — the number beside it shows how many reports are waiting. Every report you've made is kept here, ready to download again for 30 days. Tap **Generate Report** to make a new one. ### Step 2: Pick the report Tap **Report Type** and choose: money, farm stats, inventory, production or sales. Then **PDF** to read and share, or **CSV** raw data for a spreadsheet. Then the dates it covers, such as **This Month**. Tap **Generate Report** — it's made in the background, so you can keep working. A few seconds later a message says it's ready, and it's at the top of your list to download. ### Step 3: One animal Every animal has a report too. Open its profile and tap **Member Report** to generate a PDF of what it's earned and cost, its treatments and any warnings. Its health has its own passport: tap **View Health Report**, then **Generate PDF Report** for a health grade, its vaccinations, and when it's safe to sell. Both are ready in seconds and join your farm reports under Download Reports. ### Step 4: Breeding reports Breeding projects have their own report. Open the project, tap **New**, then **Generate PDF Report** for a summary or CSV for every egg and result. It's saved on the project itself, under **Attachments**, as well as in your general Download Reports list. ## Common mistakes - **Generating the same report twice.** Reports stay downloadable for 30 days, so check your list before making another one, especially on the free plan's tighter monthly limit. - **Choosing CSV when you meant to share it.** CSV is raw data for a spreadsheet; PDF is the one with your farm name that's ready to hand to a buyer or vet. - **Forgetting the health passport is per animal.** A farm-wide report doesn't include one animal's vaccination history and withdrawal dates — generate that from the animal's own profile. ## Frequently asked questions ### How many reports can I generate a month? 2 a month on the free plan, 10 on Growth, and unlimited on Scale. Every report you generate stays available to download again for 30 days. ### What's the difference between PDF and CSV? A PDF is for reading and sharing, with your farm name on it. CSV is raw data for a spreadsheet, useful if you want to work the numbers yourself. ### What is a health passport? A PDF for one animal with a health grade, its vaccinations, and when it's safe to sell based on any withdrawal periods. Generate it from the animal's profile to share with a buyer or your vet. ### Where do breeding project reports get saved? On the project itself, under Attachments, as well as in your general Download Reports list. --- # How to Hatch Chicks in the App URL: https://livestockfarm.co/blog/how-to-hatch-chicks-in-the-app Updated: 2026-09-30 A hatching project tracks a batch of eggs from the incubator to a new flock, with hatch day, candling reminders and your hatch rate worked out for you. **Who it's for:** anyone incubating chicken eggs, their own or bought in. **Plan:** every plan, with a limit on projects at once. **Time:** a few minutes to start; the project runs itself to hatch day. ## What you need first - How many eggs are going into the incubator. - The batch they came from, if they are your own hens' eggs — otherwise you can leave this unset. ## Step-by-step ### Step 1: Start a hatch On the Home screen, tap **More**, then **Planning & records**. Hatching is a breeding project too, so tap **Breeding**, then **New Project**. **Chicken** is already chosen for you. ### Step 2: Set the eggs Name the project. Choose the batch the eggs came from, or **No specific batch** if you bought them rather than collecting them from your own birds. Enter how many eggs went into the incubator — hatch day is set for you from there: 21 days for chickens. ### Step 3: Follow the incubation Turn on the task schedule for candling and lockdown reminders, then tap **Save and exit**. The project now counts down to hatch day, and your **Upcoming Tasks** list what's next: candle twice, stop turning at lockdown, then watch for pipping. ### Step 4: Record the hatch On hatch day, open the project's menu and tap **Record Results**. Enter how many hatched and how many are strong. Tap **Create new Batch** to turn the chicks into a new batch, counted as a group, then **Save and Close Project**. The project now shows your hatch rate, worked out for you, and the new batch is ready under **Batches**. ## Common mistakes - **Starting the project after the eggs are already incubating.** Hatch day counts from when you start the project, so set it up as soon as the eggs go in for an accurate countdown. - **Skipping the task schedule.** Candling and lockdown are easy to miss without a reminder, especially with more than one incubator running. - **Expecting individual chick profiles.** Chicks join the new batch as a group, the same way your other flocks are counted — not one profile per chick. ## Frequently asked questions ### How does the app set hatch day? From the number of eggs you enter and the animal type: 21 days for chickens, counted from when you start the project. ### What if I bought the eggs instead of using my own hens? Choose No specific batch when you set up the project. The hatch is still tracked the same way; it is just not linked back to a mother batch of your own birds. ### Do the chicks get their own profiles? No. Chicks become a new batch, counted as a group like your other flocks, rather than named one by one the way kids or calves are. ### Does the app work out my hatch rate? Yes. After you record results, the project shows your hatch rate automatically, for example 86.67% hatched, worked out from eggs set against chicks hatched. --- # How to Import Farm Records from Photos URL: https://livestockfarm.co/blog/how-to-import-farm-records-from-photos Updated: 2026-09-30 Import Records reads a spreadsheet, a PDF, or a photo of your notebook, and turns it into draft transactions you check before anything is saved. **Who it's for:** anyone with money records already written down somewhere other than the app. **Plan:** every plan, bounded by your daily AI quota and monthly transaction allowance. **Time:** a minute or two per file, plus a few minutes to check the results. If you're moving a whole stack of old notebooks or a full year of spreadsheets, our [guide to digitizing your farm records](/blog/how-to-digitize-farm-records) covers planning that out; this lesson covers one import. ## What you need first - A spreadsheet, a PDF, or a photo of the paper you're importing from. - A farm admin, manager or accountant login. Only they can start an import. ## Step-by-step ### Step 1: Start an import On the Home screen, tap **More**, then **Planning & records**, then **Import Records**. Every import you've made is kept here. Tap **New import**. ### Step 2: Choose your file Money in and out is what the app reads today. Tap **Choose your file** — a spreadsheet, a PDF, or a photo of your notebook. Take a photo now, or tap **Choose from gallery** to pick one you already took. Add a note if the page is unusual, then tap **Read my records**. ### Step 3: Check what we read The app reads the page and matches entries to your batches — a minute or two. The review screen shows how many records it found, the totals in and out, and a short note on how it read your page. Open any record to fix the amount, date or batch. Nothing is saved yet. ### Step 4: Save them All correct? Tap **Save records**. They land in **Finances** with your other transactions, in your own words — "sold manure, 5 bags" reads exactly as you wrote it, not translated into a category you didn't use. Changed your mind? The whole import can be undone from the **Import Records** list. ## Common mistakes - **Expecting every record type to import.** Only money in and out is supported today; eggs, health and other record types still need to be entered by hand. - **Saving without checking a page's note.** The "how we read your page" note flags anything unusual about the layout — worth a glance before you save. - **Importing more than your plan's room for the month.** If an import has more records than your remaining monthly transaction allowance, it saves what fits and tells you how many were skipped rather than failing the whole import — see our [digitizing guide](/blog/how-to-digitize-farm-records) for planning a big import around this. ## Frequently asked questions ### What kinds of records can I import today? Money in and out — the same records you'd otherwise add under Finances. Other record types, such as eggs or health records, are not read by imports yet. ### What files can I use? A spreadsheet, a PDF, or a photo of a paper notebook or cash book. Take the photo in the app or pick one you already took. ### Is anything saved before I review it? No. The app reads the file into draft records first. You can open any of them to fix the amount, date or batch before you save anything. ### Is there a limit on how much I can import? Reading a page uses the same daily AI quota as chat-to-record and scan-transaction: 10 reads a day on the free plan, 15 on Growth, unlimited on Scale. Saving draws on your farm's monthly transaction allowance; if an import has more records than you have room for, it saves what fits and tells you how many were skipped, rather than failing the whole import. --- # How to Open Your Farm Shop URL: https://livestockfarm.co/blog/how-to-open-your-farm-shop Updated: 2026-09-30 My Farm Shop turns your price list into an ordering link you can send customers. Set it up once, and orders start landing in the app. **Who it's for:** farms that sell direct to customers and want orders, not a string of separate chats. **Plan:** every plan, free included. **Time:** about 10 minutes, most of it the one-time web setup. ## What you need first - A logo or photo for your shop, your farm's story in a couple of sentences, and how you deliver or let customers collect. - A computer or phone browser, for the one-time web setup. - A farm admin or staff login. Only they can turn the store on and change its settings. ## Step-by-step ### Step 1: Find your shop On the Home screen, tap **More**, then **Selling**. Everything for selling — your shop, orders, sales and invoices — is in this one section. **My Farm Shop** is the first item. ### Step 2: Unlock it on the web The first time you open it, the shop is locked. Tap **Continue on the web** to open the short setup academy in your browser. It walks through your logo, your story, delivery, payment and seller terms — the things a customer wants to see before they order from you. Once it is done, the shop opens here in the app from then on. ### Step 3: Turn it on Open **My Farm Shop** again and tap **Set Up Store**. Everything you filled in on the web is already here, under **Store Settings**. One switch, **Enable Store**, opens the shop to customers. Turn it on. ### Step 4: Share your shop With the store on, tap **Share Your Store**. From here you can preview the shop the way a customer sees it, copy the link, or share it straight to WhatsApp. Send it to your regular buyers first; they are the ones most likely to place your first order. ## Common mistakes - **Stopping at the web setup.** Finishing the academy unlocks the shop; it does not open it. Go back to the app and turn on **Enable Store**. - **Turning it on with no products listed.** Customers can open the link but have nothing to order. Add your first products before you share it — our [next lesson](/blog/how-to-add-products-to-your-farm-shop) covers that. - **Expecting a public listing.** The shop has no directory yet. Customers only reach it through the link you share. ## Frequently asked questions ### Why is my farm shop locked? The first time you open My Farm Shop, it is locked behind a short setup on the web: your logo, your story, delivery, payment and seller terms. Tap Continue on the web to finish it. Once it is done, the shop opens in the app from then on. ### Does the farm shop cost extra? No. The farm shop is on every plan, including the free plan. What is limited by plan is how many products you can list: 3 on the free plan, 15 on Growth, and unlimited on Scale. ### Can I turn the shop off again? Yes. Open My Farm Shop and turn off Enable Store. Customers can no longer place new orders, but your products, settings and past orders stay as they were. ### How do customers find my shop? Through the link on your Share Your Store screen. Copy it or share it directly to WhatsApp. There is no public directory yet, so the link is the only way in. --- # How to Read Your Farm Money and Production Reports URL: https://livestockfarm.co/blog/how-to-read-your-farm-money-and-production-reports Updated: 2026-09-30 Two reports cover most of what you need day to day: your money, under Finances, and your production, under Records. Both also open scoped to a single batch. **Who it's for:** anyone who wants the farm's numbers without downloading a file. **Plan:** every plan. **Time:** a glance. ## What you need first - Nothing extra. Both reports read from the transactions and records you already keep. ## Step-by-step ### Step 1: Your money report Your money lives under **Finances**. Tap **Reports**. Your balance sits at the top — everything in, everything out — then income and costs side by side. Below that, a breakdown of where your money came from (eggs, milk, goats, manure) and where it went (livestock and feed are usually the big ones). Tap **More filters** for exact dates, one batch, or who recorded a transaction. ### Step 2: Your production report Production has its own report, under **Records**. Tap **Reports**, then pick the period first, such as **Last 30 Days**. You see your laying rate — how many of your hens lay each day, such as 80% — and eggs a day. Below that, eggs collected against eggs sold or used. ### Step 3: One batch Every batch has the same reports, scoped to just that batch. Open it, for example **ISA Brown**, and tap **Reports**. You see this flock's money and laying rate on their own — useful for comparing one flock or herd against the farm average. ## Common mistakes - **Reading the farm total when you meant one batch.** If a number looks off, check whether you're looking at the whole farm or filtered to a batch — the same screens serve both. - **Comparing periods that don't match.** The money and production reports each default to their own period; set both to the same range before comparing them side by side. - **Missing More filters.** Exact dates and who recorded a transaction are a tap away, not just the quick date-range buttons. ## Frequently asked questions ### Where do I find my farm's money report? Tap Finances, then Reports. It shows your balance, income against costs side by side, and a breakdown of where each came from. ### Where do I find my production report? Tap Records, then Reports. It shows your laying rate and eggs a day, with eggs collected set against eggs sold or used. ### Can I see reports for just one batch? Yes. Open the batch and tap its Reports tile. It shows the same money and laying-rate numbers, scoped to just that batch instead of the whole farm. ### Can I filter the money report further? Yes. Tap More filters for exact dates, one batch, or who recorded each transaction. --- # How to Receive and Process Shop Orders URL: https://livestockfarm.co/blog/how-to-receive-and-process-shop-orders Updated: 2026-09-30 An order from your shop shows up on Home the moment a customer places it. From there, three taps take it from new to paid, and the sale is recorded for you along the way. **Who it's for:** any farm shop taking orders. **Plan:** every plan. **Time:** a couple of minutes per order. ## What you need first - A shop with products listed — see our lessons on [opening your shop](/blog/how-to-open-your-farm-shop) and [adding products](/blog/how-to-add-products-to-your-farm-shop). - Nothing else. An order arrives with everything already attached. ## Step-by-step ### Step 1: A new order arrives When a customer orders from your shop, **Home** tells you. Tap **View Orders** to open the list: every order, newest first, with its status and whether it is paid. ### Step 2: Read the order Tap the new order. You see who ordered — with a **Call** button to reach them in one tap — what they want, the total, and any note they left. ### Step 3: Confirm it Can you supply it? Tap **Confirm Order**. If the customer left an email, they are told their order is confirmed. ### Step 4: Fulfill it Packed and ready to go? Tap **Fulfill Order**. The sale form opens already filled in from the order — buyer, items, price and quantity — so you are not retyping what the customer already told you. Tap **Save**, and the income is recorded with it. The order is now marked fulfilled, and linked to its sale. ### Step 5: Hand it over When the customer is ready to collect, tap **Ready for Pickup**. Your shop's pickup address and hours, from your store settings, are sent to them automatically, along with a "Mark Ready & Notify" confirmation on your side. ### Step 6: Get paid She pays when she collects. Tap **Mark as Paid**. The order now reads paid and ready for pickup, done — and in **Finances**, the income from the sale is already there, with the buyer's name against it. ## Common mistakes - **Fulfilling before confirming.** Confirm first, so the customer knows you can supply the order before you commit stock to it. - **Re-entering the sale by hand.** Fulfill Order already fills in the sale form from the order. Use it instead of starting a new sale from scratch. - **Forgetting to mark paid.** The order stays open until you do, even though the income was recorded when you fulfilled it — marking paid tracks the order's own status, separate from the income entry. ## Frequently asked questions ### Where do I see new orders? Home tells you when a customer orders from your shop. Every order is also under More, then Selling, then Orders, newest first with its status and payment. ### Does fulfilling an order record the sale for me? Yes. Fulfill Order opens the sale form already filled in from the order: buyer, items, price and quantity. Save it, and the income is recorded with it, so you are not entering the same sale twice. ### What does Ready for Pickup do? It tells the customer their order is ready and sends your shop's pickup address and hours automatically, so you do not have to type them out each time. ### Who can process shop orders? Anyone with access to the app's Selling section can view and process orders; there is no extra plan requirement to receive or fulfil them. --- # How to Record Eggs, Milk and Daily Production URL: https://livestockfarm.co/blog/how-to-record-eggs-milk-and-daily-production Updated: 2026-09-30 Daily records turn what happens in the barn into numbers you can check later. In Livestock Manager you record eggs, milk, deaths, weight, water and temperature from one place, the Records tab. Each entry is tied to a batch, so your totals and reports stay accurate. **Who it's for:** anyone who collects eggs or milk, or wants a daily log of a flock or herd. **Plan:** the free Starter plan allows 50 farm records a month; Growth and higher plans have no monthly limit. **Time:** about 5 minutes. ## What you need first - A farm with at least one [batch](/blog/how-to-create-a-livestock-batch). Every record asks you to pick a batch. - Your eggs or milk counted for the day. - An internet connection. The app saves records online. ## Step-by-step ### Step 1: Open a new record Tap the **Records** tab, then **New Record**. A menu opens with the records that fit your animals. A poultry farm sees **Egg Records**. A dairy farm sees **Milk Records**. On a new farm, **Death Records** sits under **More options**. The menu reorders itself as you use it. If you have no batch yet, the menu only offers to create one. ### Step 2: Record today's eggs Tap **Egg Records**. **Eggs In** is selected by default, and it means eggs you collected. Choose the batch that laid them under **Select Batch**. On the free plan you can pick only your newest batch in record forms. Enter **Number of Full Trays** and **Loose eggs**. The form shows the total as you type, so nine trays of 30 and 12 loose eggs reads 282 eggs. If your trays hold a different number, use the **Tray settings** link. Tap **Add Egg record**. The record appears in your list as trays and loose eggs, with the total beside it. ### Step 3: Record milk Go back to the menu and tap **Milk Records**. **Milk In** is selected. Pick the batch you milked, then enter the **Amount of Milk**. Choose the **Time of collection**: Morning, Noon or Evening. The app suggests one from the clock, and you can change it. Tap **Add Milk record**. Make a separate record for each milking so the time of day stays useful. ### Step 4: Record a death Tap **New Record**, then **More options**, then **Death Records**. Under **Select Cause of Death**, choose a reason such as Disease or Illness or Predator Attack. Pick the batch and enter the **Number of deaths**. Tap **Save changes**. Open the Batches tab. The batch count has dropped by the number you entered. ### Step 5: Record weight, water and temperature On a new farm, tap **More options** a second time in the menu. It lists **Average weight**, **Temperature** and **Water consumed**. Choose one, pick the batch, and enter the value. Tap **Save changes**. The app does not show units for these values, so use the same unit every time. ### Step 6: Check your records Open the **Records** tab. Every record you saved is listed, newest first, grouped by month. Tap a record to open it. Check that the batch and number look right before you move on. ### Step 7: Read your Reports Beside your records is the **Reports** tab. It turns the entries into totals and charts, including **Egg Production**, **Milk by time of day** and **Total Deaths**. If you see "Create records to see charts!", you have not saved a record yet. ## Common mistakes - **Leaving Full Trays blank.** If you only have loose eggs, enter 0 in **Number of Full Trays**. The form will not save without a number. - **Forgetting the batch.** The form shows "Select Batch" as an error until you pick one. There is no default batch, so choose it every time. - **Mixing units.** Weight, water and milk have no unit in the form. Pick one unit, such as kilograms or litres, and keep to it. - **Recording a broken egg as a collected egg.** There is no good or bad field. Record all collected eggs as **Eggs In**, then add a separate **Eggs Out** record with the reason, such as Physical Damage. - **Skipping the death record.** The batch count only changes when you save a death, so the flock number drifts if you forget. For what else to log on a farm, see our [farm record keeping guide](/blog/farm-record-keeping-guide). ## Frequently asked questions ### How do I record eggs in trays? Open Records, tap New Record, then Egg Records. Enter the full trays and the loose eggs, and the app adds them up using your tray size. You can change the tray size from the Tray settings link on the form. ### Can I record milk in the morning and evening separately? Yes. Each milk record has a Time of collection: Morning, Noon or Evening. Make one record per milking, and the Reports tab shows milk by time of day. ### Does recording a death lower my flock count? Yes. A batch's count is its starting number less the deaths, harvests and sales you have recorded. Check the Batches tab after you save. ### Why don't I see Egg Records or Milk Records? The menu only lists records that fit your animals. Egg Records appears if the farm has poultry, and Milk Records if it has cattle, goats, sheep, buffalo or horses. ### How many records can I add? The free Starter plan allows 50 farm records a month. Growth and higher plans have no monthly limit. --- # How to See Your Farm at a Glance URL: https://livestockfarm.co/blog/how-to-see-your-farm-at-a-glance Updated: 2026-09-30 The Dashboard puts your whole farm on one screen: what it earned, what it cost, and what's in stock, for any period or any single batch. **Who it's for:** anyone who wants the farm's numbers without digging through each section. **Plan:** every plan. **Time:** a glance, once it's set up the way you like it. ## What you need first - Nothing extra. The dashboard reads from the records, sales and expenses you already keep. ## Step-by-step ### Step 1: Open the dashboard Home shows your shortcut tiles by default. Tap **Dashboard** to switch to your whole farm on one screen. ### Step 2: The big numbers At the top: net **profit**, income and costs for the last 30 days. Swipe across for your **animals**, **eggs collected**, milk and feed used. Below that, each trend is drawn day by day — egg production, milk, feed, weight and deaths, whatever you record. ### Step 3: Choose what you see Tap the date range, such as **Last 90 Days**, to change the period — this week, this month, or longer. Every number on the screen follows. Tap a batch, such as **Dairy Cows**, to see just that herd: its milk, its costs, its profit, instead of the whole farm. ### Step 4: Stock, production, money The tabs go deeper. **Inventory** shows what you have in stock — animals, feed, medicine, eggs, milk — and how long it will last; feed turns amber when it's running low. **Production** shows your laying rate and eggs a day, collected against sold or used. **Finance** shows money in and out for the period, and where it came from: milk, eggs, goats, manure. ## Common mistakes - **Reading the 30-day default as "all time."** Change the period if you want a longer view — the dashboard defaults to the last 30 days. - **Missing the batch filter.** Left on "all batches," a struggling flock's numbers can hide inside a strong overall total. Filter to one batch to check it on its own. - **Not checking Inventory's days-left figure.** Feed and medicine both show how long stock will last, not just how much is on hand — a useful early warning before you run out. ## Frequently asked questions ### How do I get to the dashboard? On Home, tap Dashboard. Home remembers the view you chose, so it opens there again next time until you switch it back to tiles. ### What period does the dashboard show by default? The last 30 days. Tap the date range, such as Last 30 Days, to change it to a week, 90 days, or a longer period; every number on the screen updates to match. ### Can I see the dashboard for just one batch? Yes. Tap the batch filter and choose one, such as Dairy Cows, to see just that herd's milk, costs and profit instead of the whole farm. ### What is on the Inventory tab? What you have in stock — animals, feed, medicine, eggs, milk — and how long it will last. Feed turns amber when it is running low. --- # How to Sell Livestock and Send Invoices URL: https://livestockfarm.co/blog/how-to-sell-livestock-and-send-invoices Updated: 2026-09-30 Record a sale in Livestock Manager and it does three jobs at once. It names the buyer, removes the sold animals from the batch, and adds the income to your Finances. You can then turn the same sale into an invoice, send it as a PDF and mark it paid. **Who it's for:** owners and managers (Admin or Manager role) who sell animals, eggs or milk to named buyers. **Plan:** recording sales is not restricted by plan; invoices need the Growth plan or higher. **Time:** about 5 minutes. ## What you need first - A farm with at least one [batch](/blog/how-to-create-a-livestock-batch) of the animals you are selling. - The buyer's name. A phone number or email is useful but not required. - The price you agreed for one animal or unit. ## Step-by-step ### Step 1: Open Sales Tap "More...", then "Selling", then "Sales". The list is empty until you record your first sale. Tap "New Sale". ### Step 2: Add the buyer The buyer field is optional, but a named buyer builds a history you can look back on. If the buyer is new, tap "Create Contact". Type a name and, if you have it, a phone number or email, then tap "Create Contact" again. The sale picks the new buyer for you, and they are saved in your contacts for next time. The free plan holds 5 contacts per farm; a sixth needs the Growth plan. ### Step 3: Describe what you sold Under "Line Items", write a description the way you would on a receipt, such as "2 young bucks". Choose the batch they came from with "Select Batch". If the batch tracks individual animals, tap "Select Members" and tick the exact animals that left. The quantity fills in for you. Then type the unit price. The line total is worked out from the price and quantity. Choose the unit after you pick the batch, because picking a batch can reset it. Tap "Add Another Item" if the same buyer took something else, such as eggs. ### Step 4: Save and create the invoice "Record Income" is on by default. Leave it on and the money goes into Finances by itself. Check the "Total Income" figure, then tap "Save & Create Invoice". If you do not need an invoice, use the regular save button instead. ### Step 5: Create the invoice The invoice opens already filled in from the sale, with the buyer as the customer. Add a due date, tax or a discount if you need them. Tax and discount are flat amounts, not percentages. Tap "Create Invoice". It is saved as a draft. ### Step 6: Send it and mark it paid Open the draft and tap "Send Invoice". Your phone's share sheet opens with the PDF, so you can send it by WhatsApp, email or print it. Once it has been shared, the invoice is marked Sent. If you close the share sheet without sending, the invoice stays a draft. If you only want the file, "Share PDF" does the same without changing the status. When the buyer pays, open the invoice and tap "Mark as Paid". The button appears only after the invoice is Sent, and the app asks you to confirm. Accountants can mark invoices as paid too. To see who still owes you, go to "More...", "Selling", "Invoices" and filter by "Unpaid". ### Step 7: See where the sale shows up Open "More...", "Selling", "Sales" and tap the sale. Each sale gets a number and shows the buyer, the items and the animals that left, with links to its income and its invoice. Then open "Finances" to see the income. Open "Batches" to see the smaller headcount on the batch card. ## Common mistakes - **Leaving the unit blank.** Choosing a batch can reset the unit. Pick the batch first, then the unit. - **Skipping the buyer.** The sale still saves, but you lose the buyer's history and cannot invoice a customer you have not chosen. - **Entering tax as a percentage.** Tax and discount on an invoice are flat amounts. - **Expecting invoices on the free plan.** Saving an invoice needs the Growth plan or higher. Sales themselves are not restricted. - **Entering a phone number twice.** Saving a contact with a phone number you already used updates that contact instead of creating a new one. For ideas on where to sell, see [selling farm products directly](/blog/selling-farm-products-directly). ## Frequently asked questions ### How do I record the sale of an animal? Go to More..., Selling, Sales, then tap New Sale. Choose the batch, pick the animals that left, enter the price and save. The animals are taken out of the batch count. ### Can I send an invoice from my phone? Yes. Open the invoice and tap Send Invoice. Your phone's share sheet opens with the PDF, so you can send it by WhatsApp, email or print it. ### Do I need a paid plan to record sales? No. Recording sales is not restricted by plan. Invoices need the Growth plan or higher. ### How do I see which customers have not paid? Open More..., Selling, Invoices, and filter the list by Unpaid. Draft and Paid filters are next to it. --- # How to Set Up Your Farm Account URL: https://livestockfarm.co/blog/how-to-set-up-your-farm-account Updated: 2026-09-30 Setting up takes a few minutes and four screens: welcome slides, sign up, farm name and a short tour. After that you land on Home, which shows a setup guide to walk you through your first records. **Who it's for:** anyone opening Livestock Manager for the first time. **Plan:** all plans. **Time:** about 4 minutes. ## What you need first - The Livestock Manager app on your phone (iOS or Android). - An internet connection. The app needs one to work. - A Google or Apple account, or an email address and a password. - A name for your farm. ## Step-by-step ### Step 1: Open the app and read the welcome slides The first time you open the app, three slides show what it can do, starting with "Manage Your Farm Smarter". Tap "Next" to read on. Tap "Skip" in the top-right corner if you would rather move on. On the last slide, tap "Get Started". ### Step 2: Create your account The next screen opens in sign-up mode. Tap "Continue with Google", or "Continue with Apple" on an iPhone, to sign up in one tap. To use email instead, type your address in "Type your email" and a password in "Type your password". The password needs at least 6 characters. The "Sign Up" button stays disabled until both fields are valid. Below the button you will see a link to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. Already registered? Tap "Login" next to "Already have an account?" and sign in. ### Step 3: Name your farm The "Setup your farm" screen asks for one thing. Type your farm's name in "Give your farm a name" and tap "Continue". The button reads "Creating your farm" while it saves. The screen notes that you can change this information later, so a working name is fine. The app sets your currency from your location. ### Step 4: Finish the short tour A second, short tour follows. Tap "Next" through the slides, or "Skip" them, and tap "Get Started" at the end. When Home opens for the first time, your phone asks whether the app may send you notifications. Tap "Allow" if you want reminders about tasks and schedules. ### Step 5: Meet your Home screen A new farm's Home screen shows a card titled "Let's set up your farm", with your progress out of four steps: - "Add animals": create your first group of animals. The next lesson covers this. - "Record what happened today": tap "Record it now", or "Or use a form instead". - "Invite farm partners (optional)". - "Set your first reminder (optional)". Want to look around first? Tap "Skip - show my dashboard" at the bottom. Once you have set up, Home shows an "Edit Widgets" button and a switch between "Widgets" and "Dashboard". ### Step 6: Try Speak or type A yellow "Speak or type" button floats at the bottom-right of Home. Tap the microphone and say what happened, such as the eggs you collected today, or type it if you prefer. ### Step 7: Learn the five tabs Five tabs run along the bottom of the screen: - **Home**: your setup guide, widgets and dashboard. - **Batches**: your animals, group by group. - **Finances**: money in and out. You can import old records from here if you kept them in a notebook. This tab shows for owners and accounting roles. - **Records**: eggs, milk, feed, health and more. - **More**: your feed and medicine stores, farm settings and help. ## Common mistakes - **Choosing a password under 6 characters.** The "Sign Up" button will not turn on until the password is long enough. - **Signing up twice.** If you already have an account, tap "Login" instead of creating a second one with a new email. - **Trying to finish every setup step in one sitting.** You do not have to. Do one step from the setup card, and come back to it later from Home. - **Refusing notifications.** You can still use the app, but you will not get reminders. You can turn them on later in your phone's settings. ## Frequently asked questions ### Do I need to verify my email to start using Livestock Manager? No. After you tap Sign Up, the app goes straight to the farm setup screen. Choose a password of at least 6 characters. ### Can I change my farm name later? Yes. The setup screen says you can change the information later. Pick a name you recognise now and edit it whenever you like. ### What if I already have an account? On the sign-up screen, tap Login at the bottom, next to Already have an account. Then sign in with the same method you used before. ### Can I skip the setup guide? Yes. Tap Skip - show my dashboard at the bottom of the guide and Home opens with your widgets. You can add animals from the Batches tab whenever you are ready. --- # How to Set Your Egg Tray Sizes URL: https://livestockfarm.co/blog/how-to-set-your-egg-tray-sizes Updated: 2026-09-30 Egg records are counted in trays and loose eggs, not a raw number. Set the right tray size once for each kind of bird, and every record and report counts them correctly from then on. **Who it's for:** anyone recording eggs whose trays don't hold exactly 30. **Plan:** every plan. **Time:** under a minute per bird type. ## Step-by-step ### Step 1: Eggs count in trays Recording today's eggs, tap **New Record**, then **Egg Records**. The app counts full trays plus loose eggs — 30 to a tray by default, so 258 eggs shows as 8 trays and 18 loose. ### Step 2: Set your tray size Your trays hold a different number? Tap **Tray settings** right from the egg form. **Egg Tray Sizes** lists one size for each kind of bird — tap a bird's size, type the new number, such as **36**, and it saves as soon as you leave the box. You can also find this screen under **More**, in **Farm Settings**. ### Step 3: See the difference Every egg record, past and future, is counted again using the new size — in your records and in sales. The same 258 eggs that were 8 trays and 18 loose at 30-a-tray become 7 trays and 6 loose at 36-a-tray. The egg count itself never changes, only how it's grouped into trays. ## Common mistakes - **Assuming 30 is universal.** Tray size varies by supplier and by bird — check yours instead of leaving the default. - **Setting one size for every bird.** If you keep more than one kind of bird, each can have its own tray size; don't force them to match. - **Expecting past egg totals to change.** Changing tray size changes how eggs are grouped into trays, not how many eggs were recorded. ## Frequently asked questions ### How many eggs are in a tray by default? 30. If your trays hold a different number, change it under Egg Tray Sizes, either from the egg form's Tray settings link or under More, in Farm Settings. ### Can different birds have different tray sizes? Yes. Tray size is set per kind of bird, so chickens and ducks, for example, can each have their own. ### Does changing my tray size affect past egg records? Yes. Every egg record is counted again using the new size, so the same number of eggs may show as a different number of trays than before. The actual egg count does not change, only how it's grouped into trays. ### Where can I find Egg Tray Sizes outside the egg form? Under More, in Farm Settings. --- # How to Track Farm Feed Inventory URL: https://livestockfarm.co/blog/how-to-track-farm-feed-inventory Updated: 2026-09-30 The Feed Store keeps a running balance for every feed you use. You add each feed once, record what goes out to your animals and what comes in when you buy, and the app shows what is left and how many days it will last. **Who it's for:** anyone who buys feed and wants to know when to reorder. **Plan:** automatic daily feeding needs the Growth plan or above. **Time:** about 10 minutes. ## What you need first - A [farm account](/blog/how-to-set-up-your-farm-account) with at least one [batch](/blog/how-to-create-a-livestock-batch) of animals. - The name of each feed as it is written on the bag. - The unit you feed in, such as kilos, bags or litres, and roughly how much you have now. ## Step-by-step ### Step 1: Open the Feed Store On the Home screen, tap **More**. Under **Stock & supplies**, tap **Feed Store**. It stays empty until you add your first feed. ### Step 2: Add each feed once Tap **Create**, then **New feed**. (**Add to a feed** is for restocking a feed you already have.) Type the feed name, pick the unit you feed in, and enter **How much do you have now?** That amount is recorded as your first Feed In, so your balance starts where your store does. Tap **Add feed**. ### Step 3: Record a feeding Each time you feed, open the **Records** tab and tap **New Record**, then **Feeding Records**. **Feed Out** is already selected: it means feed going to your animals. Pick the batch you fed, then the feed. The picker shows how much is left. Enter the quantity and tap **Save**. Feed Out records reduce the balance. Look at the feed in the Feed Store after you save to confirm the new figure. ### Step 4: Restock your feed with its cost When you buy more, open the Feed Store and tap that feed. Its page lists everything added and fed out. Tap **Add to this feed**. The form opens as a Feed In with the feed already chosen. Enter the quantity, then turn on **Record what it cost** and type the total you paid. The app works out the cost per unit and saves the amount in Finances as a feed expense. Tap **Save**. ### Step 5: Record daily feeding automatically If you feed the same amount every day, let the app do it. In **More**, tap **Planning & records**, then **Automatic Records**. Older versions of the app called this Recurring Records. Tap **New Record**, choose **Feed Out**, then the batch and the feed. Enter the amount, choose **Daily**, set the dates and tap **Save changes**. Automatic Records is available on the Growth plan and above. It suits any record you repeat, such as feeding or water. Our [lesson on Automatic Records](/blog/automatic-daily-farm-records) shows every screen. See our [farm record keeping guide](/blog/farm-record-keeping-guide) for what else to record daily. ### Step 6: See how many days are left Open the Feed Store and tap the **Reports** tab. Each feed shows what is left, how much you use per day, and **Days left at this rate**. Days left appears in red when it is under seven. That is your cue to buy more. The charts show your stock falling with each feeding and rising when you restock. ### Step 7: Fix a balance below zero A feed marked **overdrawn** has had more fed out than recorded coming in. The feed's page explains what is missing. Tap **Add to this feed** and record the purchase you forgot. The balance then corrects itself. ## Common mistakes - **Adding the same feed twice.** Add each feed once with **New feed**. Use **Add to a feed** or **Add to this feed** when you restock. - **Forgetting to record a purchase.** Feed goes out but never comes in, and the balance goes below zero. - **Choosing a different unit than you feed in.** Pick the unit you use at the trough. Records already saved keep the numbers they were entered with, so nothing is converted if you change the unit later. - **Expecting days left straight away.** The estimate needs Feed Out records to work from. Until then the Reports tab asks you to record a Feed Out. ## Frequently asked questions ### How do I track feed inventory on my farm? Add each feed to the Feed Store once, with the amount you have now. After that, record a Feed Out each time you feed and a Feed In each time you buy. The balance is worked out from those records. ### How do I know how long my feed will last? Open the Reports tab in the Feed Store. For each feed it shows how much you use per day and the days left at this rate. It needs at least one Feed Out to work this out. ### Can I record what I paid for feed? Yes. When you restock with Add to this feed, turn on Record what it cost and enter the total paid. The app works out the cost per unit and saves the amount as a feed expense in Finances. ### Why is my feed balance negative? More feed has been recorded going out than coming in, usually because a purchase was never recorded. Open the feed, tap Add to this feed and record the missing purchase. ### Can the app record my daily feeding for me? Yes, with Automatic Records. Set up a daily Feed Out for a batch and feed, and the app records it each day. It is available on the Growth plan and above. --- # How to Invite Team Members and Set Roles URL: https://livestockfarm.co/blog/invite-farm-team-members-and-roles Updated: 2026-09-30 You invite people to your farm from Team Collaboration. Type their email, pick a role, and the role decides what they can see and change. The rest of the farm's data is shared, so a worker enters records on their own phone and you see them at once. **Who it's for:** Farm owners and managers who work with helpers, a vet or an accountant. **Plan:** Growth or Scale (Growth allows 3 people including you, Scale has no limit). **Time:** about 3 minutes. ## What you need first - A [farm set up in the app](/blog/how-to-set-up-your-farm-account). - The email address each person will use to sign up. - A plan that includes team members. On the Starter plan, tapping Invite Partner opens the upgrade screen instead. ## Step-by-step ### Step 1: Open Team Collaboration On Home, tap **More**, open **People & places**, then tap **Team Collaboration**. The Home setup guide also has an **Invite a team member** shortcut. Only the owner and managers see this screen. The list starts with one person: you, the Owner. Anyone you add appears under **Active Farmers**. People who have not joined yet appear under **Invited Farmers**. ### Step 2: Tap Invite Partner and type their email Tap **Invite Partner**. In **Farmer's email address**, type the email the person will use. The line under the box tells you how the invite arrives: the app emails an invite code, and people who already use Livestock Manager join right away. ### Step 3: Choose a role Open **Select Role On Farm**. The default is Staff. Each option shows a short description under the field. - **Manager / Supervisor** runs the farm with you. Managers can invite people, change roles and block people, the same as the owner. - **Staff / Field Worker** records daily work and does tasks. Staff have no Finances tab, no transactions and no Selling section. - **Accountant / Finance Manager** handles income, expenses and reports. - **Viewer / Auditor** can look at everything, including Finances, but cannot add or change anything. - **Veterinarian** works on health records, the medicine store and breeding. A vet has no access to finances. The owner role is not on the list, because a farm has one owner. ### Step 4: Send the invite Tap **Send invite**. If the person already has a Livestock Manager account, they are added to **Active Farmers** at once. If not, they appear under **Invited Farmers** with their role and an invite code. ### Step 5: Help them join The new person signs up with the same email you used. The app recognises the invite and asks for the code. They type it under **Enter Invite Code** and tap the button that reads **Join** and your farm name, for example **Join Green Valley Farm**. If the email does not arrive, tap the code in the team list to copy it and send it on WhatsApp. The menu beside a pending invite also has **Resend Invite**, **Change Role** and **Delete Invite**. At your plan limit, Resend Invite can fail with a "maximum" message, because the pending invite itself uses a place. Each person then sees their own version of the app. Staff get four tabs with no Finances. A vet sees animal health, not money. ### Step 6: Change a role or block someone Tap the menu beside a person in the list. **Change Role** moves them to another role. **Block Farmer** removes their access when they leave the farm. Their records stay on the farm. The next time they open the app they are signed out and told why. To let them back in, use **Unblock Farmer** from the same menu. ## Common mistakes - **Giving Manager to someone who only needs to record.** A manager can invite, change roles and block people. Use Staff for daily workers. - **Inviting on the Starter plan.** Starter cannot invite anyone. Growth allows 3 people on the farm including you, and Scale has no limit. - **Forgetting that pending invites count.** An invite that nobody has accepted still uses one place. Delete it if you no longer need it. - **Signing up with a different email.** The invite belongs to the email you typed. If the person signs up with another address, the app will not link them to your farm. - **Expecting a vet or a worker to see money.** Staff and Veterinarians have no finance screens. Choose Accountant or Viewer for someone who needs them. ## Frequently asked questions ### What can each role do in Livestock Manager? Managers can do almost everything the owner can. Staff record daily work but have no money screens. Accountants handle income, expenses and reports, Viewers can only look, and Veterinarians handle health records, medicines and breeding. ### How many people can be on my farm? The Starter plan cannot invite anyone. Growth allows 3 people on the farm including you, and Scale has no limit. Invites that nobody has accepted yet also use a place. ### What if my worker does not receive the invite email? Open Team Collaboration and find the person under Invited Farmers. Copy their invite code and send it on WhatsApp, or tap Resend Invite from the menu. ### What happens to a worker's records when I block them? The records they entered stay on the farm. The blocked person is signed out and cannot open the farm until you unblock them. --- # Livestock Health Records and Medicine Stock URL: https://livestockfarm.co/blog/livestock-health-records-and-medicine-stock Updated: 2026-09-30 The Medicine Store keeps a running balance of every medicine on your farm. When you record a treatment and choose a medicine, the app takes the dose out of that balance and sets the date the animals are safe to sell. You enter the medicine once and then only record treatments. **Who it's for:** anyone who treats or vaccinates animals and wants to know how much medicine is left. **Plan:** available on every plan. Starter holds up to 5 medicines per farm, Growth 25, Scale no limit. **Time:** about 5 minutes. ## What you need first - A [batch](/blog/how-to-create-a-livestock-batch) of animals to treat. - The medicine on hand, to read its name, bottle size and withdrawal period from the label. ## Step-by-step ### Step 1: Open the Medicine Store Tap "More". Under "Stock & supplies", tap "Medicine Store". The cards at the top count your medicines, "Low Stock", "Expired" and "Expiring Soon". Tap a card to filter the list. ### Step 2: Add a medicine Tap "Create", then "Add Medicine". Type the "Medicine Name" and pick the "Medicine Type", such as antibiotic or vaccine. Choose a "Packaging Unit" (bottles, vials, boxes) and the "Primary Unit", such as ml. Enter "Units per Package": for a 100 ml bottle, enter 100. Enter the "Withdrawal Days" from the label: the days that must pass before eggs, milk or meat are safe to sell. ### Step 3: Enter your stock and what it cost Under "Initial Stock (Optional)", enter how many bottles you have now. Three bottles of 100 ml is 300 ml. Turn on "Record Expense?" and enter the "Total Amount Spent". The unit cost is worked out and the expense goes into your finances. Tap "Add Medicine". Its page shows "Current Stock", the details and the "Stock History". When you buy more later, open the medicine and tap "Manage Stock". Choose "Medicine Stock In", enter the quantity and set the "Expiry Date (Optional)". This is the only place to enter an expiry date. ### Step 4: Start a health record Open the Records tab and tap "Health Records", then tap "New Record" and choose "Health Record". Under "What are you recording?", choose "Treatment". Then pick the batch you treated. ### Step 5: Add symptoms and a disease Symptoms depend on the batch's species. Open a group or search, then tap every symptom you saw. If you know the disease, search for it under "Diagnoses" and pick it. ### Step 6: Pick the medicine and enter the dose Under "Pick a medicine", choose the medicine. Your stock shows beside each name, and empty ones show "Out of Stock". Enter the "Total Dosage" for the whole batch, not per animal. The batch size fills into "Number of Animals" and the app works out the dose per animal. If the batch tracks each animal, type the "Number of Animals" yourself, or nothing is taken from your stock. A line such as "60 ml of Oxytetracycline will be taken from your medicine store" confirms what will be deducted. If the medicine has withdrawal days, a "Withdrawal ends" date appears. Tap "Save and exit". ### Step 7: Check the stock afterwards Go back to the Medicine Store. The balance is lower by the dose, for example 240 ml left from 300 ml after a 60 ml treatment. Open the medicine and the treatment appears in the "Stock History" as "Medicine Stock Out", "Used for Treatment". ## Common mistakes - **Entering the dose per animal.** "Total Dosage" is the whole dose for the batch. The app divides it by the number of animals. - **Looking for an expiry date on Add Medicine.** That form has none. Set the expiry in "Manage Stock" when you add stock. - **Editing or deleting a health record to fix stock.** Changing or deleting the record does not change the stock. Correct the balance with "Manage Stock". - **Treating past the stock.** A dose above your stock shows a warning but still saves, so the balance can go below zero. Add the missing stock. - **Expecting a withdrawal date per medicine.** Each medicine has one withdrawal figure, and a record with several uses the longest. ## Frequently asked questions ### Does the app take medicine out of stock when I record a treatment? Yes, when the record type is Vaccination, Medication, Treatment or Deworming and it has a dose and a number of animals. The app writes a stock-out entry for the dose multiplied by the number of animals. ### How do I record a medicine's expiry date? Enter it in Manage Stock when you add stock, in the Expiry Date (Optional) field. The Add Medicine form has no expiry field. Expired and Expiring Soon then appear on the Medicine Store. ### What happens if I treat with more than I have in stock? The dosage screen warns you that the dose exceeds your available stock, but it does not stop you from saving. Add the missing stock in Manage Stock so the balance stays honest. ### Can I use two medicines in one health record? Yes. You can pick more than one medicine and set a dose for each. The record keeps one withdrawal end date, based on the medicine with the longest withdrawal period. --- # Record Farm Data by Voice or Text URL: https://livestockfarm.co/blog/record-farm-data-by-voice-or-text Updated: 2026-09-30 Speak or type lets you record what happened by writing it, or saying it, the way you would text a friend. The app works out the record type, batch and numbers, then saves it in the same place as records you add by hand. **Who it's for:** anyone who records eggs, milk, feed, deaths, health, sales or tasks and would rather talk than fill in forms. **Plan:** all plans, with a daily limit (Starter 10 records, Growth 15, Scale no limit). **Time:** about 3 minutes. ## What you need first - A farm with at least one [batch](/blog/how-to-create-a-livestock-batch). Without one, Speak or type shows a "No batches yet" card that asks the assistant to help you create one. - A role of Admin, Manager or Staff. Viewers do not see the button. Accountants and Vets see it, but the server refuses their records. - An internet connection. The app does not work offline. - For speaking: microphone permission for the app, and the latest app version. ## Step-by-step ### Step 1: Open Speak or type Go to Home. Tap "Speak or type" at the bottom right. A small badge on the button shows how many records you have left today. A sheet opens titled "Speak or type a record". It asks "What can I help you record?" and lists what it can record: egg, milk and feed records, medicine and vaccination records, sales, harvests and expenses, and tasks, notes and farm supplies. Under "Try saying:" you will find example lines. Tapping an example sends it straight away, so use it only if you want that record made. ### Step 2: Type what happened Tap the box that says "Type a message..." and write what happened in your own words, for example "We collected 9 trays of eggs today". Tap the send arrow. The app replies with a summary of what it saved, for example the number of eggs and the batch. ### Step 3: Or say it with the microphone When the box is empty, the button is a microphone. Tap it, say what happened, and tap again to stop ("Tap to stop"). You can also hold it while you talk, and slide away to cancel ("Slide to cancel"). You will see "Listening..." and then "Writing down what you said...". Your words appear in the message box as text. They are never sent for you. The app may add "Check these words before you send them." Read them, correct any word it got wrong, then tap send. Nothing is saved until you do. ### Step 4: Answer its questions If you leave something out, the app asks. Say "Record deaths for today" and it will ask which batch and how many. For questions with a fixed set of answers, small answer buttons appear under the question. Tap one to add it to the box, or type your own answer in a few words. Then tap send. ### Step 5: Check what it saved After you send, the reply shows a green "Record Created" summary. There is no separate "Save?" screen, so the message box is your one chance to review, before you send. After sending, open the Records tab. The new records sit in the list like any record you add by hand. Check the numbers, such as trays, eggs, deaths and the batch. Tap a record to correct it. ## Common mistakes - **Sending without reading.** Speech can mishear a number or a batch name. Read the words in the box before you tap send. - **Tapping an example chip to try it.** Example lines and the "No batches yet" card send immediately. With a single batch they can create a real record and use up part of your daily limit. - **Expecting a health record to update your medicine stock.** Health records made this way do not deduct medicine stock and do not set a withdrawal date. Use the health record form when you need those. - **Leaving a conversation open.** The app remembers a conversation for only 5 minutes, and closing the sheet clears it. Answer follow-up questions promptly. - **Long or vague messages.** A message can be up to 1,000 characters and a voice clip up to 60 seconds. Short, specific lines work best. For more on what to record and why, see the [farm record keeping guide](/blog/farm-record-keeping-guide). ## Frequently asked questions ### Can I record eggs or deaths by talking to the app? Yes. Tap Speak or type on Home, tap the microphone and say it, for example "We collected 5 trays of eggs today". Your words appear in the message box for you to check, and nothing is saved until you tap send. ### Does the app save a record as soon as I finish speaking? No. Your words are placed in the message box as text. You read them, fix any mistake and tap send yourself. ### How many records can I make by voice or text each day? The Starter plan allows 10 records a day and Growth allows 15. Scale has no daily limit. Speaking time is limited separately, and you can still type when it runs out. ### Does a health record made this way use up my medicine stock? No. Health records made through Speak or type do not take medicine out of your stock and do not set a withdrawal date. If you need either, add the health record with its form. --- # Cattle Breeding Calendar: Heat, AI, Calving, Weaning URL: https://livestockfarm.co/blog/cattle-breeding-cycle-calendar Updated: 2026-09-30 A cow carries her calf for roughly 283 days (the figure the app uses; Nebraska Extension puts it at 280 to 285), cycles every 21 days when she is not pregnant, and must be pregnant again within roughly 80 to 85 days of calving if you want a calf every 365 days. Every step in between has a date, and a missed heat costs three weeks. This calendar puts the timings in order, cites where each figure comes from, and shows what to write down. Your vet knows your herd, so follow their advice where it differs. ## The heat cycle A cow who is not pregnant comes into heat about every 21 days, with 18 to 24 days normal, and standing heat averages about 18 hours, with a range of roughly 6 to 30 hours ([Alabama Extension](https://aces.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/ANR-1027.REV_.4.pdf)). The signal is short, which makes heat detection the hardest part of breeding. Signs of heat, in order of reliability: - **Standing to be mounted.** Penn State Extension calls this the best sign that a cow is in heat ([Penn State](https://extension.psu.edu/heat-detection-in-beef-cattle)). - **Mounting other cows** while refusing to be mounted. - **Clear mucus** from the vulva. - **Restlessness and nervousness.** - **A drop in milk yield** in dairy cows. Penn State advises checking in the early morning, again in the early evening and, if possible, later that evening, and watching for several days either side of the expected date ([Penn State](https://extension.psu.edu/heat-detection-in-beef-cattle)). Record every heat you see, even if you do not plan to breed her. Three observed heats show her own cycle length, so you can predict the next one. ## Timing the service The cow ovulates roughly 25 to 32 hours after standing heat begins, so breeding about 12 hours after you first see her standing puts sperm in place before the egg is released ([Penn State](https://extension.psu.edu/heat-detection-in-beef-cattle)). This is the AM/PM rule: - **Standing in the morning:** breed that evening. - **Standing in the evening:** breed the next morning. The rule assumes good heat detection. If you cannot watch at least twice a day, ask your AI technician or vet how to set the timing for your herd. Artificial insemination gives you access to sires you could not afford to own, but it depends on accurate heat detection and a technician you can reach. A bull does the detecting for you, at the cost of feeding him all year and limiting your genetics to what he carries. ## The calendar Day 0 is the service date. Ranges reflect the sources linked below the table. | Stage | Timing | What to do | |---|---|---| | Heat observed | Before day 0 | Record the cow and the time | | Service | About 12 hours after standing heat starts | Record sire or semen and date | | Return to heat | About 21 days after service | If she returns, she is probably open | | Pregnancy check | Ultrasound from about 28 days; palpation from about 6 to 8 weeks | Record the result and who checked | | Recheck | Around day 60 | Some early pregnancies are lost | | Late-pregnancy feed | Final 2 to 3 months | Raise feed quality and check body condition | | Dry off (dairy) | About 60 days before calving | Give her time to recover before the next lactation | | Calving pen ready | About 2 weeks before the due date | Clean, dry and easy to watch | | Calving | About 283 days after service | Normal range is about 280 to 285 days | | Colostrum | Within the first hours | Ask your vet for a target volume | | Rebred | By about 80 to 85 days after calving | Needed for a 365-day interval | | Weaning | 3 to 8 months of age | Depends on forage and cow condition | Sources: gestation and rebreeding window from [University of Nebraska-Lincoln](https://beef.unl.edu/beefwatch/2023/cow-herd-report-card-ii-measures-performance); pregnancy testing from [Clemson Extension](https://lgpress.clemson.edu/publication/pregnancy-determination-in-beef-cattle/); dry period from [Agriland](https://www.agriland.co.uk/farming-news/why-is-it-important-to-give-cows-an-adequate-dry-period/); weaning from [Oregon State Extension](https://extension.oregonstate.edu/animals-livestock/beef/weaning-beef-calves). ## Check every cow for pregnancy An open cow that everyone assumes is pregnant eats for months and produces nothing. Clemson Extension says ultrasound can detect pregnancy as early as 28 days, and that rectal palpation can be done accurately six to eight weeks after breeding ([Clemson](https://lgpress.clemson.edu/publication/pregnancy-determination-in-beef-cattle/)). The same source notes that about 5% of cattle found pregnant at day 30 lose the pregnancy by day 60. Ask your vet whether to recheck. A cow found open early can be rebred the same season. A cow found open late costs you a year. ## Calving Most calvings need no help. Plan for the exceptions. **Before.** Move her to a clean, dry, sheltered pen about two weeks before the due date. In late pregnancy the calf grows fastest, so feed quality and body condition matter now. Know who you will call if she needs help. **During.** University of Illinois Extension says healthy cows generally calve unassisted within the first 30 minutes of stage two, and heifers within 60 minutes. If it takes longer, consider assisting or calling a vet ([Illinois Extension](https://extension.illinois.edu/blogs/cattle-connection/2023-02-03-stages-parturition)). **After.** Manitoba Agriculture says a calf needs 100 to 200 g of antibodies (IgG) from colostrum, and that its ability to absorb them falls sharply after 12 hours and ends by about 24 hours ([Manitoba Agriculture](https://www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/livestock/beef/colostrum.html)). Its advice is 2 litres in the first hour, and to step in with bottle or tube feeding if the calf has not nursed within 2 to 3 hours. Follow your vet on volumes for your breed. The cow should pass the placenta within 12 hours. After that it counts as retained, and she needs a vet ([Illinois Extension](https://extension.illinois.edu/blogs/cattle-connection/2023-02-03-stages-parturition)). ## Weaning and rebreeding Oregon State Extension says calves nursing cows are weaned between 3 and 8 months, and that older is usually better. It also says calves can be weaned early when forage is short or the cow is thin, which protects her condition for rebreeding ([Oregon State](https://extension.oregonstate.edu/animals-livestock/beef/weaning-beef-calves)). Nebraska puts the anestrus period after calving at 40 to 60 days under ideal conditions ([University of Nebraska-Lincoln](https://beef.unl.edu/beefwatch/2023/cow-herd-report-card-ii-measures-performance)). A cow that has not returned to heat by then is usually a feeding problem before it is a fertility problem. Body condition at calving is the first thing to check, and your vet can help you score it. ## What to write down For each cow, each season, record four things: 1. **Every heat observed**, including ones you skip. 2. **Service date and sire.** 3. **Pregnancy check result and date.** 4. **Calving date, whether she needed help, and the calf's outcome.** From those you can work out calving interval, which sires give easy calvings, and which cows keep costing you a season. For the wider habit, see the [farm record keeping guide](/blog/farm-record-keeping-guide). For what culling and calving intervals do to the numbers, see [is livestock farming profitable](/blog/is-livestock-farming-profitable). ## Tracking it in Livestock Manager [Livestock Manager](/livestock-management) has a breeding project for each mating. This is what it does for cattle: - **Parents.** You pick the mother and father from batches that track individual animals, so those animals need a profile with sex set. Our [lesson on adding animals to a batch](/blog/how-to-add-animals-to-a-batch) shows how. - **Status and due date.** You set a breeding status such as Mated, Inseminated, Pregnant or Open. The expected due date fills in automatically at 283 days for cattle, and you can edit it. - **Task schedule.** A switch creates an automated schedule with reminders. For cattle it covers pregnancy confirmation at day 30, a second check at day 60, a nutrition adjustment at day 200, calving pen preparation at day 260, a pre-calving check at day 270 and the expected calving date at day 283. Our [lesson on farm tasks and reminders](/blog/farm-tasks-and-reminders-app) shows how they work. - **Events.** You log events on the project, and the event types include on heat, artificial insemination, pregnancy check, not pregnant, dry off and weaning. - **The birth.** Record Results takes the live and dead calves and lets you add them to an existing batch, create a new batch, or create a profile for each calf. Calves inherit lineage from both parents. - **Pedigree.** Each animal's pedigree page shows sire, dam and offspring. Some breeding features, such as Record Results and the PDF and CSV reports, depend on your plan. The app needs an internet connection. If you also keep goats, the same project type covers goats too; see the [goat farming guide](/blog/goat-farming-for-beginners). ## Frequently asked questions ### How long is a cow pregnant? About 283 days, or roughly nine months and ten days. Nebraska Extension puts gestation at 280 to 285 days, so normal calvings fall within a few days either side. Count from the service date and treat the date as an estimate, not a deadline. ### How often does a cow come into heat? A non-pregnant cow cycles about every 21 days, with 18 to 24 days considered normal. Standing heat lasts about 18 hours on average, with a range of roughly 6 to 30 hours, so checking two to three times a day is what catches it. ### When should I inseminate a cow after seeing heat? The common extension rule is to inseminate about 12 hours after you first see her standing to be mounted. A cow seen in the morning is bred that evening, and one seen in the evening is bred the next morning. Your AI technician or vet may adjust this for your herd. ### When can I check whether a cow is pregnant? Ultrasound can detect pregnancy from about 28 days after breeding, and rectal palpation is accurate from about six to eight weeks. Some pregnancies are lost after an early positive, so ask your vet about a recheck. ### When should calves be weaned? Beef calves are typically weaned between 3 and 8 months of age. Older is usually better, but calves can be weaned earlier when forage is short or the cow is thin. --- # Goat Farming for Beginners: Start a Meat or Dairy Herd URL: https://livestockfarm.co/blog/goat-farming-for-beginners Updated: 2026-09-30 Start with meat or dairy, not both, and begin with a handful of healthy does in dry housing behind strong fencing. Most early losses come from worms, wet ground, weak fences and unrecorded problems, not from the breed you chose. The rest of this guide covers what to decide before you buy and what to track once the goats arrive. ## Meat, Dairy, or Both Your first decision is what the goats are for, because it shapes everything after it. **Meat goats** are the simpler business. You breed does, raise kids to market weight and sell them. Income arrives in lumps a few times a year. Where they are available, Boer and Boer crosses are the usual commercial choice. Many regions also have a local breed that copes with local parasites and climate better than imported stock, so do not dismiss it for growing slowly. **Dairy goats** pay daily but demand daily labour. Milking happens every day, usually twice. Line up a buyer, a cheese process or a market stall before you have milk to sell. **Dual-purpose herds** mean two operations, two skill sets and two markets while you are still learning one. Pick one, stabilise it, then expand. ## Buying Your First Goats Buy fewer animals than you can afford. Five to ten does is enough to learn on, and cheap enough that early mistakes do not end the business. Check every animal before you buy: - **Teeth and age.** Sellers overstate how many productive years a doe has left. Heavily worn incisors point to an older animal. - **Udder.** Lumps, hardness or lopsidedness suggest past mastitis. - **Feet.** Overgrown or rotten hooves suggest wet housing, and the problem comes home with the animal. - **Body condition.** You should feel the ribs under light pressure without seeing them clearly. - **The rest of the herd.** Coughing, scouring or dull coats in the seller's other animals show what you would be buying into. Buy the buck last, and buy him better than the does. He fathers every kid on the farm, so he is the cheapest way to improve the herd or the fastest way to spoil it. If you cannot afford a good buck, borrow or share one. ## Housing and Fencing Goats need modest shelter but dry, well-drained ground and secure fences. **Space.** [Cornell's goat facilities guide](https://cals.cornell.edu/nys-4-h-animal-science-programs/livestock/goats/goat-fact-sheets/goat-facilities) recommends at least 25 square feet per goat in pens, or 12 to 15 square feet per doe indoors when she also has an outdoor yard. Treat these as minimums. **Fencing.** The same guide puts woven net wire at 42 to 48 inches high, with 8-inch vertical mesh for polled goats and 12-inch for horned goats. Goats test every fence, and one that escapes into a neighbour's crop costs more than the fence, so build it stronger than you think you need. **Dry and draft-free.** Cornell suggests about 6 inches of bedding on a cement floor and a few inches of gravel or pallets where moisture collects. Keep ventilation open but avoid draughts at animal height. **A separate kidding pen.** The [Merck Veterinary Manual](https://merckvetmanual.com/management-and-nutrition/health-management-interaction-goats/common-diseases-of-goats) calls for a clean, dry, warm, draft-free area for kidding. It names hypothermia as a leading killer of newborns, especially in cold climates, so dry and warm each kid quickly. ## Feeding Goats Goats browse more than they graze. They eat shrubs, leaves and tree fodder alongside grass, which makes scrub land cheap to use. Feed is still your largest cost, and it is where profit is won or lost. - **Amount.** Sheep and goats typically eat 2 to 4 percent of their body weight in dry matter daily, and smaller animals eat a higher percentage, according to [University of Arkansas Extension](https://www.uaex.uada.edu/farm-ranch/animals-forages/sheep-goats/nutrition.aspx). Late-pregnant and milking does need more, so raise their ration before the demand arrives. - **Water.** Keep clean water in front of them at all times. - **Minerals.** Use a goat mineral, not a sheep mineral. [Mississippi State Extension](https://extension.msstate.edu/publications/mineral-requirements-and-impact-dairy-and-meat-goat-production) explains that sheep and goats differ sharply in copper needs, so a diet for one risks deficiency or toxicity in the other. - **Changes.** Move to new feed gradually, over about a week, to avoid digestive upsets such as bloat. Track feed cost against what each group produces. A few poor animals can eat the margin of the rest. ## Breeding and Kidding Goat reproduction follows a calendar you can plan around. | Event | Typical timing | |---|---| | Heat cycle | About every 21 days | | Heat duration | About 36 hours | | Signs of heat | Tail flagging, more calling, swollen vulva | | Gestation | About 150 days | The [Merck Veterinary Manual](https://merckvetmanual.com/management-and-nutrition/health-management-interaction-goats/common-diseases-of-goats) gives the 21-day cycle, 36-hour heat and 150-day gestation. It also notes that goats are seasonal breeders, though the season varies by breed and location. Ask your vet how often to rebreed does in your conditions. Record the service date, the buck, the due date, whether the pregnancy was confirmed, and how many kids each doe raised. That last figure tells you which does earn their feed. [Livestock Manager](/livestock-management) lets you [keep a profile for each goat](/blog/how-to-add-animals-to-a-batch) and add breeding records with an expected due date. Add a task or reminder so you prepare the kidding pen and vaccinate on time. See our [cattle breeding cycle calendar](/blog/cattle-breeding-cycle-calendar) for the same approach applied to another species. ## Worms and Other Health Basics Internal parasites are the main health risk on most goat farms. The barber pole worm is the most economically important parasite of small ruminants on pasture, according to the [University of Rhode Island's FAMACHA guide](https://web.uri.edu/sheepngoat/famacha/), and it causes anaemia that can kill. - **Deworm selectively.** The FAMACHA card matches the colour of the inner eyelid to five anaemia categories, so you treat only animals that need it. Resistance has been reported to every current dewormer, and blanket dosing speeds it up. - **Manage pasture.** [SARE's parasite guide](https://www.sare.org/publications/sustainable-control-of-internalparasites-in-small-ruminant-production/smart-drenching/) advises keeping forage above 3 to 4 inches, because most larvae stay in the lower grass, and resting pasture for 28 to 35 days. - **Dose by weight.** The same guide notes goats often need a higher dose than sheep. Weigh the animal and follow your vet's instructions rather than guessing. - **Cull repeat offenders.** SARE reports that roughly 80 percent of a herd's parasites are carried by 20 percent of the animals. ### Vaccination CD&T protects against enterotoxemia (types C and D) and tetanus. Extension sources broadly agree on the pattern. [Mississippi State Extension](https://extension.msstate.edu/publications/educational-tips-for-farmers-cdt-vaccination-sheep-and-goats) says to vaccinate does before birth so kids receive protection through colostrum, and to give adults an annual dose. Kid timing depends on whether the dam was vaccinated, so ask your vet for a schedule for your herd. ### Hooves and quarantine Trim hooves when they need it. [NC State Extension](https://moore.ces.ncsu.edu/2014/07/hoof-trimming-in-goats/) notes that frequency depends on terrain, age, nutrition and breed, and that goats on small, clean paddocks need trimming more often. Also isolate new animals before they join the herd, and ask your vet how long to hold them. ### Medicine and withdrawal periods Record every treatment. Drugs carry withdrawal periods, and meat and milk withdrawals can differ, so confirm them with your vet and local rules before you sell. Livestock Manager's health records and medicine store track stock, expiry and withdrawal dates. Our [lesson on health records and medicine stock](/blog/livestock-health-records-and-medicine-stock) shows the screens. ## Records That Decide Whether You Profit Skip made-up benchmarks and measure your own herd. Four numbers matter most: 1. **Kids weaned per doe bred.** Compare doe against doe. 2. **Kid deaths between birth and weaning.** A spike points to housing, nutrition or supervision. 3. **Feed cost per animal per month.** This is the cost that quietly grows. 4. **Age and performance.** Note does past breeding age or that repeatedly fail to conceive. Weights are the easiest way to see growth and condition trends. Livestock Manager's daily records cover weight, and [income and expenses](/blog/is-livestock-farming-profitable) show whether the herd covers its costs. A notebook works too if it does not get lost. Our [farm record-keeping guide](/blog/farm-record-keeping-guide) shows what to write down and when. The app needs an internet connection to save records. ## Start Small and Count Everything Buy fewer animals than you can afford and the best buck you can. Keep the ground dry, watch for worms and write down which does earn their feed. If you are weighing goats against another species, read our [poultry farming guide for beginners](/blog/poultry-farming-for-beginners). ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How long are goats pregnant? Gestation in goats averages about 150 days, or roughly five months. Record the service date so you can work out the due date and prepare a clean, dry kidding pen ahead of time. ### How much space does a goat need? Extension guidance from Cornell suggests at least 25 square feet per goat for pens, or 12 to 15 square feet per doe indoors if she also has an outdoor yard. Give more where you can, because crowding raises stress and disease. ### How do I control worms in goats without overusing dewormer? Check for anaemia with the FAMACHA eyelid chart and treat only the animals that need it, since resistance has been reported to every current dewormer. Rotate pasture and keep grazing height above three to four inches, and ask your vet to build a plan for your area. ### What vaccine do goats need? The core vaccine is CD&T, which protects against enterotoxemia (types C and D) and tetanus. Extension schedules commonly cover kids, pregnant does and annual boosters for adults, but confirm the exact timing with your local vet. ### Should a beginner keep meat goats or dairy goats? Meat goats are the simpler start because they need no daily milking. Dairy goats need milking twice a day and a plan to sell or process the milk, so pick one and get it stable before you add the other. --- # Is Livestock Farming Profitable? An Honest Look URL: https://livestockfarm.co/blog/is-livestock-farming-profitable Updated: 2026-09-30 Livestock farming can be profitable, but nothing guarantees it. Published cost data shows margins that swing from year to year, and even large, well-run operations sometimes lose money. Your result depends on what each animal costs you and what it returns. This article gives the sourced numbers that exist, then shows how to run the same arithmetic on your own farm. ## What the published data shows Treat these figures as examples of how tight margins can be, not as forecasts. They come from the United States, and your costs and prices will differ. - **Dairy, 2024.** On Illinois dairy farms, University of Illinois [farmdoc daily](https://farmdocdaily.illinois.edu/2025/12/economic-review-of-milk-costs-in-2024-and-projections-for-2025-and-2026.html) reported an average net milk price of $21.63 per 100 pounds against a total economic cost of $23.56. That left a net return of negative $409 per cow. Feed was about 49 percent of the total economic cost. - **Beef cow-calf, 2024.** USDA cost-and-return data, [summarised by Ohio State and Farms.com](https://www.farms.com/news/cow-calf-costs-and-returns-update-236952.aspx) in 2026, put revenue at $1,130 per cow and operating costs at $691. The remaining $439 is the return above operating costs only. It does not pay for land, unpaid labour or capital, so it is not profit. - **Broilers.** [University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension](https://www.uaf.edu/ces/publications/database/housing/broiler-production.php) (reviewed 2015) states that feed is the largest cost, at 60 to 75 percent of the total. Two lessons follow. Feed is the largest cost line in most livestock enterprises, so small changes in feed price or efficiency move the result more than almost anything else. And the word "profit" can mean very different things: cash left over, or a return after paying for your own labour and capital. ## Why a farm can look profitable when it is not A farmer sells ten goats at a good price and calls it a good year. The sale price leaves out: - The feed those goats ate for months - The kids that died before weaning - The vet visit and the medicine - The doe that never conceived and was fed anyway - The farmer's own unpaid labour Cash in hand is revenue. The gap between revenue and profit stays invisible unless someone writes costs down as they happen. By sale day, nobody remembers what each animal consumed. Losses show up in extension budgets too. Nebraska's [sheep and goat budget templates](https://beef.unl.edu/beefwatch/2021/budget-templates-updated-sheep-and-goat-enterprises/) (2021) assume 11 percent of kids die before weaning. Your own figure may be lower or higher, but every dead animal has already eaten feed. ## Work out your own break-even Published averages tell you little about your farm. Your own numbers do. Use this method for each batch or group of animals. | Number | How to calculate it | What it tells you | |---|---|---| | Total cost | Purchase price plus feed, health, labour and everything else | What the batch cost | | Break-even price | Total cost divided by animals sold | The lowest price per animal that covers costs | | Mortality rate | Animals lost divided by animals started | How much of the cost the survivors must carry | | Margin per animal | Average sale price minus break-even price | Whether growing the flock helps or hurts | An illustrative example, using round numbers and not real prices. Say you raise 100 broilers and the whole batch costs 5,000 in your currency: chicks, feed, medicine and labour. If 5 birds die, you sell 95, so your break-even is about 52.6 per bird. Sell them at 60 and each bird leaves about 7.4 margin. Sell at 50 and you lose money on every bird sold. If feed costs 10 percent more next time, your break-even rises with it, which is why feed records matter. Run the same sums for cattle, goats or layers. For hens, divide total cost by eggs sold instead of animals sold. ## Where the margin usually hides When a farm is busy but not profitable, the cause is usually one of these. **Feed.** Feed is the biggest line, so record what you buy and what each group eats. An animal that eats without producing costs as much as one that does. Breeding females that fail to conceive are the classic case, and [cattle breeding records](/blog/cattle-breeding-cycle-calendar) make them easier to spot. **Losses.** A dead animal returns nothing and its feed is gone. Track deaths by age group. Deaths among newborns suggest a housing or supervision problem, while deaths among growers suggest parasites, nutrition or disease. For health decisions, follow your vet and local regulations. **Timing.** Prices for many products change through the year. Recording the price you got for each sale, and when, shows whether you sell at the wrong time. Selling when you need cash instead of when prices are good gives margin away. **Middlemen.** Every intermediary takes a cut. Some farms earn more per animal by selling part of their output directly, and [selling farm products directly](/blog/selling-farm-products-directly) explains how to start. **Unpaid labour.** If the farm cannot pay for the hours it takes, it is a job that pays in livestock, not yet a business. ## Cash flow before profit Even a sound enterprise can fail by running out of cash before the first income. Layers and breeding stock cost feed for months before they earn, and slow-growing animals hold capital for longer. Plan the cash to reach first sales, and expect early batches to do worse while you learn. Beginners often prefer species with shorter cycles because they get more chances to learn, as the guides to [poultry farming](/blog/poultry-farming-for-beginners) and [goat farming](/blog/goat-farming-for-beginners) explain. ## Tracking the numbers in Livestock Manager The arithmetic is easy. Recording is the hard part, especially when you are tired at the end of a day. In Livestock Manager you can: - Record [income and expenses](/blog/farm-income-and-expense-tracking) against a batch, with categories such as feed and medication, and scan a receipt to fill in the amount, date and category - Filter transactions by batch and date range to see income, expense and balance for that group - Keep feed stock in the [feed store](/blog/how-to-track-farm-feed-inventory) and record daily deaths, eggs, milk and weights on each batch - View a farm dashboard with net profit, income and expense over a date range - Download reports as PDF or CSV, including financial and sales reports, so you can check the numbers or share them with a bank or accountant Livestock Manager needs an internet connection, and some features, including report downloads, depend on your plan. It records what you enter. It does not promise a profit, but it shows you where the money is going. For habits that work in any tool, see the [farm record keeping guide](/blog/farm-record-keeping-guide). ## So is it profitable? It can be, when several things are true at once: - Your cost per animal is below the price you can get - Losses are low enough that survivors are not carrying the dead - Breeding females produce, and those that do not are culled - You sell when the market is good, not only when you need cash - You have enough cash to reach the first real income Farms that fail usually fail on the same few points, and usually because nobody measured them. Start with total cost, break-even and mortality for one batch. Within a season you will know whether it is worth growing. ## Frequently asked questions ### Is livestock farming profitable? It can be, but no species or system guarantees a profit. Published cost studies show that margins swing with feed and market prices, and some years many producers lose money. Whether your farm is profitable depends on your cost per animal, your losses and the price you get. ### What is the biggest cost in raising livestock? Feed. University of Alaska Fairbanks extension puts feed at 60 to 75 percent of broiler production cost, and University of Illinois farmdoc put it at about 49 percent of the economic cost of producing milk on Illinois dairy farms in 2024. The share varies by species, system and year. ### How do I calculate break-even for a batch of animals? Add every cost for the batch, including feed, medicine, purchase price and hired labour. Divide by the number of animals you expect to sell, and that is the price per animal you need just to cover costs. Anything above it is margin. ### Why do some farms make money on paper but not in the bank? Sales are revenue, not profit. Feed, losses, medicine and unpaid labour often go unrecorded until the animal is sold, so the year feels profitable when it was not. Writing costs down as they happen closes the gap. --- # Livestock Vaccination Records: What to Track URL: https://livestockfarm.co/blog/livestock-vaccination-records Updated: 2026-09-30 A good vaccination record names the animal or group, the date, the product and its lot number, the dose, the route, the withdrawal end date and who gave it. Buyers, vets and inspectors ask for these details because they are the only proof of what an animal received. This guide covers what to write, why each field matters and how to keep the record without extra paperwork. Requirements vary by country and species, and your farm's vet decides which vaccines and schedule your animals need. Treat what follows as a record-keeping checklist, not medical advice. ## Why the record matters as much as the injection **Withdrawal periods.** The [FDA defines a withdrawal time](https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/animal-health-literacy/adequate-records-help-prevent-illegal-drug-residues-and-ensure-food-safety) as the period after the last treatment during which an animal may not go to slaughter and its milk or eggs may not be sold. The FDA also says improper extra-label use is often the cause of illegal drug residues, usually when a veterinarian is not appropriately involved and the extended withdrawal period is not followed. If you cannot show the treatment date, you cannot show you waited. **Legal duty.** Rules differ by country. In the UK, keepers of food-producing animals must record the product name, date, quantity, withdrawal period and animal identity, and keep the records for five years, according to [AHDB guidance](https://ahdb.org.uk/knowledge-library/recording-medicine-use-in-livestock). In the US, the FDA says [adequate records help prevent illegal residues](https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/animal-health-literacy/adequate-records-help-prevent-illegal-drug-residues-and-ensure-food-safety) and lists what a treatment record should hold: the drug name, the animal treated, the date of each administration, the total dose, the route, who gave it, and the length and end date of the withdrawal period. **Buyers and programmes.** Beef Quality Assurance programmes ask for treatment records. North Dakota State University's [BQA certification requirements](https://www.ag.ndsu.edu/bqa/documents/north-dakota-beef-quality-assurance-certification-requirements) list treatment record fields such as animal ID, product and lot number, date, dose, route and location, and the earliest date the animal clears withdrawal. Processors and individual buyers may ask for similar proof. **Vets.** A vet who can see what was given, when and with what result diagnoses faster and prescribes better. ## What every entry should contain The list follows the BQA record fields, with UK and FDA requirements folded in. "Who gave it" is good practice rather than a BQA field. | Field | Why it matters | |---|---| | Animal or group identity | Shows which animals the entry covers: a tag number, or the group if you treat one | | Date given | Starts the withdrawal clock and sets the booster date | | Product name | The brand and formulation, not "the black bottle" | | Manufacturer's lot number | Lets you trace a faulty batch of product; BQA lists it, and UK rules require the batch number in the record | | Dose | Underdosing is a common cause of treatment failure | | Route and location | Injection route and site, so a vet or buyer can see where and how it was given | | Withdrawal end date | The earliest date the animal can enter the food chain | | Who administered it | Good practice: accountability, and proof if a vet must sign off | | Next dose due | Turns the record into an action | Copy the withdrawal period from the label on the day, not from memory later. Photograph the label if writing out the lot number is impractical. A dated photo beats a blank field. ## Where paper records fail **Recording later.** Records written from memory at the end of the week contain errors, and errors in withdrawal dates are the dangerous kind. Record at the point of treatment. **Vague group entries.** "Vaccinated the young stock" is not a record. If you cannot say which animals in six months, neither can a buyer. **Missing lot numbers.** They are the field farms skip most often. **No booster tracking.** A record that does not produce the next action is half a record. Boosters get missed on farms that otherwise record well, because nothing surfaced them on the day. **Unrecorded cold-chain failures.** Vaccine labels give storage temperatures. If a fridge fails, note it, so you know later why a group had no protection. ## Your vet sets the schedule Disease risk is regional. A vaccine that is essential in one district may be unnecessary a hundred kilometres away, and it differs by species, age and whether the animal is breeding. Ask your vet for a written programme for your region and species, then record every dose against it. A schedule can be as simple as a table your vet fills in, such as this example to discuss with them. | Vaccine or treatment | Animals | Due | Booster | |---|---|---|---| | Set by your vet | Group or tag numbers | Date | Date | We do not publish sample vaccine schedules because the right one depends on your location. If you want species context first, see [goat farming for beginners](/blog/goat-farming-for-beginners), [poultry farming for beginners](/blog/poultry-farming-for-beginners) and the [cattle breeding calendar](/blog/cattle-breeding-cycle-calendar), which shows where health work fits in the year. ## Record withdrawal as a date When you treat an animal, write the withdrawal end date, not the duration. "Safe from 13 September" needs no arithmetic under pressure; "21 days" does. Milk and meat often have different withdrawal times for the same product. Follow the label, and confirm the figure with your vet when you are unsure or using a product off-label. For milk, a single treated cow can contaminate a whole bulk tank, so mark treated animals with a leg band or spray as well as in the record. For meat, the record must survive until sale, which can be months away. ## Keeping these records in Livestock Manager Livestock Manager is built around the habit of recording at the point of treatment. It works on iOS, Android and web, and it needs an internet connection. - **Health records.** Choose Vaccination, Treatment, Medication or Deworming, pick the group, add the medicine and dose, and save. When the medicine has a withdrawal period set, the form shows "Withdrawal ends" with the date. - **Medicine Store.** Each medicine holds its type, stock and withdrawal days. Our [lesson on health records and medicine stock](/blog/livestock-health-records-and-medicine-stock) shows both screens. Recording a dose deducts stock, and the store flags low stock, expired medicine and stock expiring soon. - **Notes and attachments.** The health form has a note field and attachments. Use them for the lot number, the route and who gave the dose, and attach a photo of the label. There are no separate fields for these, so write them in the note in the same order every time. - **Tasks and reminders.** Create a task in the Vaccination & Medication category with a due date, or a repeating one, so a booster shows up on the day instead of in a notebook. Our [lesson on farm tasks and reminders](/blog/farm-tasks-and-reminders-app) shows how. - **Reports.** Health history can be downloaded as a PDF to show a buyer or vet. Two limits are worth knowing. The withdrawal date comes from the single figure stored for each medicine, so check it against the label for the product and for what you sell (milk, eggs or meat). Health records made through the chat assistant do not deduct stock or get a withdrawal date, so use the health form for treatments. For the wider system these records belong to, see [our farm record keeping guide](/blog/farm-record-keeping-guide). For what preventable losses cost, see [is livestock farming profitable?](/blog/is-livestock-farming-profitable). ## Start with the next injection You cannot reconstruct records you never kept. Start with the next animal you treat. Write the nine fields, set the next due date in the same sitting, and keep the record where the treatment happens. Within one season you will have a history worth showing a buyer, and a schedule that tells you what is due before it is late. ## FAQ ### What should a livestock vaccination record include? At minimum: the animal or group treated, the date, the product name and manufacturer's lot number, the dose, the route and location of the injection, the withdrawal end date and who gave it. Add the next dose due date so the record becomes an action. ### How long should I keep livestock treatment records? It depends on where you farm. UK rules require records of medicines given to food-producing animals to be kept for five years. Check the rule for your country and species with your vet or agriculture authority, and keep records at least that long. ### Why do I need to write down the withdrawal end date? Selling milk, eggs or meat before the withdrawal period ends can leave illegal drug residues in food. Writing the end date, not just the number of days, means anyone can check it at a glance. ### Who decides my vaccination schedule? Your farm's veterinarian. Disease risk varies by region, species and age, so ask your vet for a written schedule and record every dose against it. ### Can Livestock Manager keep vaccination and medicine records? Yes. Livestock Manager has health records that log the medicine, dose and withdrawal end date, a Medicine Store that tracks stock and expiry, and tasks you can schedule to remind you of boosters. It needs an internet connection to work. --- # How to Sell Farm Products Directly to Customers URL: https://livestockfarm.co/blog/selling-farm-products-directly Updated: 2026-09-30 Selling directly means you set the price and keep the margin a trader would have taken. Start with one product that needs little processing, usually eggs. Price against local retail, sell first to people who already know you, and keep one reliable place where orders are recorded. Direct selling does not have to replace wholesale. Extension services and the USDA's [local food resources](https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/local-regional) describe it as one channel among several, and the returns depend on your product, your market and your costs. Work out your own numbers before assuming it pays more. Direct customers also tend to pay on delivery rather than on trader terms. Money arriving weekly instead of after the season changes what a farm can afford to do. ## Start With What You Already Sell Look at what leaves your farm now and ask which of it a household would buy directly. - **Eggs.** The easiest start almost everywhere. They are bought weekly and need no processing, and buyers notice fresh ones. - **Milk.** Demand is strong where direct sale is legal, but milk spoils fast and the rules vary sharply. - **Live birds or animals.** Demand peaks around festivals and holidays. - **Meat.** The highest value and the most regulated. Begin with the product that needs the least processing and paperwork. ## Check the Rules Before You Advertise Food safety, licensing and labelling rules differ by country, and often by region or state. Eggs, dairy and meat are usually treated differently, and meat and raw milk are commonly the strictest. Some places require registration, inspection, approved slaughter facilities or specific labels before you can sell. This is not legal advice. Ask your local food-safety authority, and start with these: - United States: [USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service](https://www.fsis.usda.gov/) for meat and poultry, and the [FDA](https://www.fda.gov/food) for eggs and other foods. - United Kingdom: the [Food Standards Agency](https://www.food.gov.uk/). - Elsewhere: your national ministry of agriculture or health, and the [FAO](https://www.fao.org/food-safety/) for general food-safety guidance. ## Price Against Retail, Not Wholesale New direct sellers usually price too low because they anchor on what traders pay. Your customer is comparing you to the shop where they would otherwise buy. 1. Find the local retail price of the equivalent product. 2. Price at or slightly below it, not far below. 3. Check that the price covers your cost per unit with a real margin. If you do not know your cost per unit, work it out first. [Is livestock farming profitable](/blog/is-livestock-farming-profitable) shows how. Do not compete on price alone. Farms that keep direct customers win on freshness, reliability and knowing where the food came from. ## Find Your First Customers The first twenty customers come from people who already know you. - **Be specific.** Not "I have eggs" but "I have thirty trays every Friday at this price, and I can hold one for you." - **Ask for introductions.** A happy customer's neighbour is your best prospect. - **Be in the same place at the same time each week.** Predictability is part of the product. - **Use the group chats that already exist.** Neighbourhood, workplace and community groups are where households coordinate buying. One clear weekly message often works better than any advertising. ## Take Orders Without Building a Website To start, you need a phone number, a written list of what is available this week with prices, and a notebook. That runs direct sales for a long time. Two things break it as you grow. Orders arrive across several chats and get lost, and you retype "what do you have and how much?" to each person. One link that lists your products and takes orders solves both. Livestock Manager includes an online farm shop where you can list products and receive orders. Availability of shop features is still rolling out, so check the app for what your farm can use today. Whatever tool you choose, keep orders in one place and check it at a set time each day. ## Record Sales, Customers and Invoices Twenty regular households is a business. Twenty one-time buyers is a string of transactions. To know which you have, record each sale against a named customer. Livestock Manager has sales, customer contacts and invoices. You can log a sale with its items, keep a customer's history, create [an invoice for a sale](/blog/how-to-sell-livestock-and-send-invoices) and mark it paid, and see the [income appear alongside your other finances](/blog/farm-income-and-expense-tracking). Bigger buyers such as shops, hotels and caterers usually expect an invoice. For the wider habit, see [farm record keeping](/blog/farm-record-keeping-guide). ## Plan Delivery So It Does Not Eat the Margin Fuel and hours are easy to underestimate and easy to forget to charge for. Three approaches hold up: | Approach | Best for | Watch out for | | --- | --- | --- | | Collection from the farm | Cheapest and simplest | Set fixed hours or you are interrupted all day | | Fixed weekly route | Customers spread across an area | Group orders by area and day | | Central pickup point | Towns with several customers | Same place and time every week | Set a minimum order that justifies a delivery and hold to it. One tray delivered across town costs more than it earns. ## Keep the Customers You Win Direct customers leave mostly because of unreliability, not price. Promise less than you expect to produce. Tell customers early when you cannot supply, because a message on Wednesday costs less than silence on Friday. Keep size, cleanliness and packaging consistent, and remember what each household buys. ## Start This Week Pick one product and work out its cost per unit. Set a price against local retail. Tell fifteen people exactly what you will have and when, then deliver what you promised. After a month you will have real numbers on whether direct selling works for your farm. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### Do I need a website to sell farm products directly? No. A phone number, a weekly list of what you have with prices, and one place to record orders is enough to start. Add an online shop or ordering link when orders scatter across several chats or you keep retyping the same list. ### How should I price products I sell direct? Compare against the local retail price of the same product, not the wholesale price you are used to. Price at or slightly below retail, and confirm the price covers your cost per unit with a real margin. ### Do I need a licence to sell eggs, meat or milk directly? Often yes, and the rules differ by country and region. Meat and milk are usually the most regulated, so check with your national or local food-safety authority before you advertise. This article is not legal advice. ### How do I keep track of who bought what? Record every sale against a named customer, with the items, quantity and date. Livestock Manager has sales, customers and invoices for this, so repeat orders and unpaid balances are easy to find. ### How do I avoid losing money on delivery? Set a minimum order for delivery and group deliveries by area on fixed days. Collection from the farm or a shared pickup point costs the least. --- # Farm Record Keeping: What to Record and How to Start URL: https://livestockfarm.co/blog/farm-record-keeping-guide Updated: 2026-09-30 A farm should keep six kinds of records: animals, health, breeding, production, feed, and money. Start with one enterprise and one daily entry, then add the rest. A notebook, a spreadsheet or an app can all hold them. The best system is the one you will still use in December. Good records answer practical questions. Did this batch make money? Which cow needs culling? When did we last deworm? When the vet, the bank or an inspector asks, they let you show the answer instead of guessing. ## Why farm records matter **Health decisions.** A treatment history tells your vet what has already been tried. Records also expose patterns, such as deaths that rise every December. **Money decisions.** Without income and expense records you cannot tell which enterprise pays. Our guide to [whether livestock farming is profitable](/blog/is-livestock-farming-profitable) shows the numbers your records should answer. **Rules and paperwork.** Many countries require livestock keepers to record animal identification, movements and medicine use. Rules differ by country and species, so ask your agriculture department what applies to you. Banks and tax offices want dated financial records too. ## Records to keep ### Animal records Give each animal or batch a name or number. Record its species, breed, sex, birth or arrival date, source, and where it lives. For a flock of broilers, one batch record with the arrival date and starting count is enough. For cattle and goats, keep a record per animal. ### Health and treatment records - Vaccinations: date, product, dose, who gave it - Treatments: date, condition, medicine, dose, outcome - Withdrawal period: the date the animal or its milk or eggs can be sold - Vet visits: date, diagnosis, advice - Deaths: date and suspected cause Follow your vet and local regulations on schedules and withdrawal times. Our guide to [livestock vaccination and health records](/blog/livestock-vaccination-records) covers this in depth. ### Breeding records Record the mating date, sire, pregnancy check, due date, and actual birth date. Add the offspring and their weights. A due date entered at mating is the best reminder you will get. See the [cattle breeding cycle calendar](/blog/cattle-breeding-cycle-calendar) for cattle timings. ### Production records | Enterprise | Record daily or weekly | | --- | --- | | Laying hens | Eggs collected, broken or spoiled eggs, deaths | | Dairy | Milk per animal or herd | | Meat animals | Weights, deaths, days to sale | | All | Water and feed use, if you track it | Weigh on the same day each week. Growth is hard to judge by eye. ### Feed records Track what you buy, what is in stock, and what you feed. Dividing stock by daily use tells you how many days of feed are left. Feed is usually the largest cost in a livestock business, so this record pays for itself first. ### Income and expenses Record every sale and every cost: feed, medicine, labour, transport, repairs, utilities. Note the buyer, product, date and whether it is paid. Keep receipts or photos of them. ## Paper, spreadsheet or app | | Paper | Spreadsheet | App | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Setup cost | Very low | Low | Free plan or low | | Works without power or signal | Yes | Yes, on a laptop | No, needs internet | | Search a past entry | Slow | Good | Fast | | Reminders | None | Manual | Built in | | Several workers | Awkward | Awkward | Easier | | Reports for bank or vet | Retype by hand | Build yourself | Generated | | Risk of loss | Fire, water, loss | Lost or overwritten file | Depends on provider | Paper suits a very small farm and works anywhere. A spreadsheet gives you totals and charts once you learn the formulas. An app adds reminders, stock levels and team access, but needs a phone and a connection. Whichever you pick, back it up: photograph paper pages monthly, and copy spreadsheets to cloud storage weekly. If you raise several species or have staff, an app usually saves time. Our [comparison of farm management software](/blog/best-farm-management-software) explains what to look for. ## How Livestock Manager handles each record [Livestock Manager](https://livestockfarm.co) is a farm records app for iOS, Android and the web, in 15 languages, with a free plan. - **Animals and batches.** Add individual animals or whole batches across species. - **Daily records.** Log eggs, milk, weight, water, deaths and more. Egg records count good and broken eggs and work out trays. Our [lesson on recording eggs, milk and daily production](/blog/how-to-record-eggs-milk-and-daily-production) shows the screens. - **Speak or type.** On Home, say or type what happened, such as a treatment or a collection, and the app helps turn it into a record. Our [lesson on recording by voice or text](/blog/record-farm-data-by-voice-or-text) shows how. - **Health and medicines.** Log treatments and vaccinations. The medicine store tracks stock, expiry and withdrawal periods. - **Breeding.** Record matings and due dates. - **Feed store.** Track feed stock and days left. - **Tasks and reminders.** Schedule vaccinations, deworming and checks. [Automatic records](/blog/automatic-daily-farm-records) repeat routine entries for you. Our [lesson on farm tasks and reminders](/blog/farm-tasks-and-reminders-app) shows how. - **Income and expenses.** Log sales and costs, scan receipts, and manage customers and invoices. - **Reports.** Download reports as PDF or CSV for your vet, bank or accountant. - **Team roles.** Invite workers so everyone records in one place. Because your records sit on Livestock Manager's servers, a lost or broken phone does not lose them. The trade-off is that the app needs an internet connection. ## How long to keep records Retention rules vary by country, and by whether the record is tax, health or movement related. Ask your tax authority and agriculture department. Two examples for tax records: - In the United States, the IRS says to keep records for [3 years](https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/how-long-should-i-keep-records) in most cases, and longer in others. - In the United Kingdom, self-employed people must keep records for at least [5 years after the 31 January submission deadline](https://www.gov.uk/self-employed-records/how-long-to-keep-your-records). If unsure, keep records longer. Storage costs little. ## How to start 1. **Pick one enterprise.** Start with your hens, or your milking cows. 2. **Record one thing daily for two weeks.** Eggs, milk or deaths. Do it at the animal, not that evening. 3. **Use the same names.** "Feed" every time, not "feed" and "inputs". 4. **Add health and money next.** Log the next treatment and the next sale. 5. **Review for ten minutes each week.** Fix errors early. 6. **Skip the backlog.** Start from today. Enter old records only if you need them. ## Frequently asked questions ### What records should a livestock farm keep? Keep six groups: animal records, health and treatment records, breeding records, production records, feed records, and income and expenses. Together they show what each animal or batch cost, what it produced, and what it earned. ### Is a spreadsheet good enough for farm records? A spreadsheet works for one small enterprise if you enter data every day. It gets harder with several species, several workers, or a need for reminders, stock levels and reports. ### How long should I keep farm records? It depends on your country and on the record. Tax authorities set their own periods, and livestock health and movement rules differ by country and species, so check with your tax authority and your agriculture department. ### What is the easiest way to start keeping farm records? Pick one enterprise, such as your laying hens, and record one thing daily for two weeks. Add health, feed and money records once the habit holds. ### Do I need a connection to use Livestock Manager? Yes. The app needs an internet connection to save and load records. If your signal is weak, jot notes and enter them when you are back in range. [Sign up free at livestockfarm.co](https://livestockfarm.co/sign-up) and enter your first records today. --- # Best Farm Management Software in 2026, by Farm Type URL: https://livestockfarm.co/blog/best-farm-management-software Updated: 2026-09-30 The best farm management software depends on the size and shape of your farm. Large commercial operations, such as big cattle and sheep stations, commercial grain growers and beef ranches with registry and compliance work, are the farms AgriWebb, Bushel Farm (formerly FarmLogs) and CattleMax are built around. Most farms are not that. If you are an individual farmer or run a small or medium operation with a few kinds of animals, a small team and money to watch, [Livestock Manager](https://livestockfarm.co) is made for you: a phone-first app with a free plan and 15 languages, with eggs, feed, medicine and sales in one place. It needs an internet connection. If crops drive your income, look at Farmbrite. We compared five tools using each vendor's own website, checked on 2026-09-30. Prices change, so treat every figure as "at the time of writing." ## Best Farm Management Software at a Glance * **Individual farmers and small to medium livestock, poultry and mixed farms:** Livestock Manager. Batches and daily records for many species, health and feed stores, finances, a free plan and 15 languages, in a phone-first app. * **Crop-led and diversified farms:** Farmbrite. Livestock, crop and accounting plans, with offline capability. * **Large commercial cattle and sheep stations:** AgriWebb. Paddock mapping, grazing tools and compliance records, in Australia, New Zealand, the UK, the US and South Africa. * **Beef-only herds with registry needs:** CattleMax. Cattle-only records, pasture maps and breed association tools. * **Commercial grain and row crops:** Bushel Farm (FarmLogs). Field activities, grain contracts, weather and machine-data syncing. ## Comparison Table | Platform | Best for | Livestock | Crops | Pasture and mapping | Offline | Price at time of writing | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | **Livestock Manager** | Individual, small and medium livestock, poultry and mixed farms | Many species, tracked as batches | Crop batches with planting and harvest dates | Named locations with area; no map | No, internet required | Free plan; paid Growth and Scale plans | | **Farmbrite** | Crop-led and diversified livestock and crop farms | Cattle, goats, sheep, poultry, pigs and more | Crop planning and management | Custom farm mapping | Yes | From $29/month (livestock) or $59/month (livestock plus crops) | | **AgriWebb** | Large commercial cattle and sheep operations | Cattle and sheep | Cropping records on the Compliance plan | Interactive farm map, grazing management | Yes | Quoted by animal count | | **CattleMax** | Beef-only herds with registry needs | Cattle only | None stated | Pasture maps | Not stated | $30/month (Commercial) or $41/month (Registered), billed yearly | | **Bushel Farm (FarmLogs)** | Commercial grain and row crop growers | None stated | Field activity, grain contracts, weather | Per-field weather and activity | Not stated | Subscription tiers; 30-day free trial | ## What to Look For in Farm Software 1. **Signal in the field.** Ask what happens when the phone loses signal. Some apps keep records on the device and sync later. Others need a connection to save a record. 2. **Your species and crops.** Pick a tool that handles what you raise without workarounds. 3. **Pasture tools.** If you rotate paddocks, you need mapping and stocking rates, not just a place name. 4. **Fast data entry.** Typing with gloves on is slow. Look for voice entry and receipt scanning. 5. **Money in the same place.** Expenses, sales and invoices should sit beside the animals and crops they belong to. Our [farm record keeping guide](/blog/farm-record-keeping-guide) lists the records worth keeping. 6. **Language and price.** Check the languages your crew speaks, and read the pricing page for animal limits. ## Livestock Manager: Best for Small and Medium Livestock and Poultry Farms **Website:** [livestockfarm.co](https://livestockfarm.co) Livestock Manager is made for individual farmers and small and medium operations. It runs on iOS, Android and the web, in 15 languages, and you can start on the free plan without a sales call or a contract. It began as a livestock record keeper and is strongest there. It suits smallholders, poultry and egg producers, and mixed farms that want animals, feed, medicine and money in one place, without the setup a large commercial system asks for. Our [lesson on setting up your farm account](/blog/how-to-set-up-your-farm-account) covers the first steps. What it does: * **Multi-species records.** Batches for chickens, cattle, goats, sheep, pigs, rabbits, ducks, turkeys, fish and more, with daily records for eggs, milk, weight, water and deaths. * **Health and supplies.** Health records, a medicine store with stock, expiry and withdrawal periods, and a feed store with stock and days left. * **Speak or type.** Say "We collected 5 trays of eggs today" or type it, and the app turns it into a record. Our [lesson on recording by voice or text](/blog/record-farm-data-by-voice-or-text) shows the screens. * **Receipt scanning.** Snap a receipt and the app fills in the amount, date and category. * **Money.** Income and expenses, sales, invoices and customers, plus an online farm shop. Our [lesson on tracking income and expenses](/blog/farm-income-and-expense-tracking) shows how. * **Breeding, tasks and reports.** Breeding records with due dates, tasks and reminders, automatic recurring records, and reports as PDF or CSV. * **Teams.** Invite people with roles. * **Crops.** You can switch on crop tracking and record plantings with planting dates, expected harvest and harvest. It is lighter than a dedicated crop planner. **Pricing:** A free plan exists. Paid plans are Growth and Scale. See the pricing page on the site for current figures. **Limits:** * It needs an internet connection and has no offline mode. * Locations are named areas with a size. There is no paddock map or rotation planner, so graziers with many paddocks should look at AgriWebb. * It has no satellite imagery and no field-level crop analytics. ## Farmbrite: Best for Crop-Led and Diversified Farms **Website:** [farmbrite.com](https://www.farmbrite.com) Farmbrite sells separate plan families for livestock only, crops only, and both. Its site lists cattle, goats, sheep, poultry, pigs, horses, bees and more, plus crop planning for market gardens, orchards, flowers and indoor growers. * **Pricing:** Livestock plans run from $29 to $79 per month, crop plans from $29 to $59, and Complete plans (livestock and crops) from $59 to $109. Yearly billing is cheaper. There is a 14-day free trial with no credit card. * **Included on all plans:** custom farm mapping, task management, financial tracking, iOS and Android apps, and offline capability. * **Fit:** Good when you sell produce and animal products and want one system for both. Animal caps apply per plan, from 300 to 5,000+. Read our list of [Farmbrite alternatives](/blog/farmbrite-alternatives) if you want to compare more options. ## AgriWebb: Best for Large Commercial Grazing Operations **Website:** [agriwebb.com](https://www.agriwebb.com) AgriWebb prices by the number of cattle and sheep you manage. Its home page promotes paddock management with drag-and-drop mob movements. * **Plans:** Essentials (map and core records), Compliance (audit tools, treatment and weight records, feed, cropping records) and Performance (weight projections, grazing management, breeding reports, financial reporting, stocking rate analysis). Some planning add-ons cost extra. * **Where it works:** Australia, New Zealand, the UK, the US and South Africa. * **Offline:** The site says the app runs in the paddock without a connection and syncs when it has internet. * **Fit:** Best for large commercial operations where paddock rotation, compliance and stocking rates drive the day. Pricing follows animal count, so cost grows with the herd. A smaller mixed flock or herd may need less depth than this offers. Compare more options in our [AgriWebb alternatives](/blog/agriwebb-alternatives) article. ## CattleMax: Best for Beef-Only Herds With Registry Needs **Website:** [cattlemax.com](https://www.cattlemax.com) CattleMax has served ranchers since 1999 and focuses on cattle. * **Plans:** Commercial is $30 per month billed yearly. Registered is $41 per month billed yearly and adds breed association interfaces, pedigrees, embryo management and EPD/EBV tracking. Both cover up to 250 active animals. * **Included:** cattle records, pasture maps, equipment maintenance, financial tracking, a task calendar, unlimited users and a 21-day free trial. * **Fit:** A straightforward choice if you run only beef cattle and need registry and breed association tools. If you also keep other animals, you would need a second tool. See our [CattleMax alternatives](/blog/cattlemax-alternatives) guide for other cattle options. ## Bushel Farm (FarmLogs): Best for Commercial Grain and Row Crops **Website:** [bushelpowered.com](https://www.bushelpowered.com/farmers) FarmLogs is now Bushel Farm, run by Bushel in Fargo, North Dakota. It covers field activities such as fertilizing and seeding, grain contracts imported from 3,500+ grain and ag retail facilities, per-field rainfall alerts, field-level profitability, and price alerts. It syncs with John Deere Operations Center and Climate FieldView. The page lists subscription tiers without prices and offers a free 30-day trial. It does not mention livestock, so animal farms should look elsewhere. ## How to Choose by Farm Type * **Individual farmer, or a small or medium operation with poultry, goats, pigs, rabbits, cattle or several species together:** Livestock Manager. You can start free on your phone, keep animals, feed, health and money in one place, and grow into a paid plan later. Our beginner guides for [poultry farming](/blog/poultry-farming-for-beginners) and [goat farming](/blog/goat-farming-for-beginners) show the records these farms need. * **Crops drive your income, market garden style:** Farmbrite's Complete plans cover livestock and crops. Livestock Manager can work if crops are a small side of a livestock farm. * **Large commercial cattle or sheep station with many paddocks:** AgriWebb. * **Beef cattle only, with registry or breed association needs:** CattleMax. * **Commercial grain and row crops:** Bushel Farm. * **Weak signal on the farm:** Choose an app with offline support, such as Farmbrite or AgriWebb. If you use Livestock Manager (which needs an internet connection), note records on paper and enter them when you are back online. * **Team speaks another language:** Livestock Manager offers 15 languages. Ask the other vendors, because their pages did not state language support. ## Guides by Farm Type If you are choosing for a smaller operation, these guides go deeper on what each kind of farm needs: * [Best farming app for homesteads](/blog/best-farming-app-for-homesteads) * [Best farming app for family farms](/blog/best-farming-app-for-family-farms) * [Best farming app for individual farmers](/blog/best-farming-app-for-individual-farmers) * [Best farming app for small farms](/blog/best-farming-app-for-small-farms) * [Best free farming app](/blog/best-free-farming-app) * [Best low-budget farming app](/blog/best-low-budget-farming-app) ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is the best farm management software? It depends on the size and type of your farm. Individual farmers and small and medium livestock, poultry and mixed farms that want a phone-first app with a free plan can start with Livestock Manager. Large commercial cattle and sheep operations look at AgriWebb, beef-only herds with registry needs at CattleMax, commercial grain growers at Bushel Farm, and crop-led farms at Farmbrite. ### Is there free farm management software? Livestock Manager has a free plan. Farmbrite, CattleMax and Bushel Farm offer free trials (14, 21 and 30 days at the time of writing) rather than a free plan, and AgriWebb prices by animal count. Check each vendor's pricing page before you commit. ### Does farm management software work with no signal? It depends on the tool. Farmbrite and AgriWebb both state on their sites that their apps work offline. Livestock Manager needs an internet connection and has no offline mode, so write records down when you have no signal and enter them later. ### Can one app track livestock and crops? Yes, several can. Farmbrite sells a Complete plan for livestock plus crops, AgriWebb's Compliance plan includes cropping records, and Livestock Manager can track crops as batches alongside animals. Bushel Farm focuses on crops and CattleMax on cattle. ### Which farm software supports several languages? Livestock Manager is available in 15 languages. The other four vendors did not state their language support on the pages we checked, so ask them if your team does not use English. --- # Poultry Farming for Beginners: Layers and Broilers URL: https://livestockfarm.co/blog/poultry-farming-for-beginners Updated: 2026-09-30 Start with a small flock, buy day-old chicks or started pullets from a reputable hatchery, and decide first whether you want eggs (layers) or meat (broilers). Layers pay slowly over many months; broilers pay fast but need a buyer lined up. Either way, housing, brooding heat, disease prevention and daily records decide whether the flock earns money. ## Layers or broilers: which should you raise? Layers are hens kept for eggs. Broilers are fast-growing meat chickens. The two need different skills and cash flow. | | Layers | Broilers | |---|---|---| | Product | Eggs | Meat | | Time to first income | Hens begin laying at 18 to 20 weeks | Market age depends on breed and target weight | | Income pattern | Steady, over many months | One lump sum per batch | | Main skill | Lighting, nutrition, egg handling | Heat, ventilation, timing the sale | | Main risk | Production drops from disease or stress | Feed cost grows as birds age | **Layers.** A pullet starts laying at 18 to 20 weeks, peaks at about 35 weeks above 90 percent, and holds that peak for about 10 weeks before slowly declining. The average commercial Single Comb White Leghorn lays about 265 eggs a year, and backyard breeds lay fewer ([Oregon State University Extension](https://extension.oregonstate.edu/sites/extd8/files/documents/pnw565.pdf)). Day length drives laying: a 14- to 16-hour day of light is typical for keeping hens producing, and a lighting program must not lapse (same source). Plan what to do with hens when production falls. **Broilers.** Commercial meat breeds such as Cornish Cross are typically processed around weeks 8 to 9, depending on the weight you want. One hatchery's weekly chart shows daily feed per bird climbing from 0.07 lb in week 1 to about 0.5 lb by weeks 9 to 10 ([Myers Poultry](https://www.myerspoultry.com/raising-cornish-cross-week-by-week)). Older, heavier birds eat more every day, so waiting past the target weight costs feed. That is why selling on time matters. Confirm your buyers and price before you order chicks. Ducks, turkeys and other species have their own needs. Learn chickens first. ## Housing, brooding and equipment Housing protects against predators, weather and disease. It needs ventilation without drafts, dry litter and secure doors. **Brooding heat.** Chicks cannot regulate their own temperature. Provide 95°F (35°C) at chick level under the heat source in week one, then cut it by 5°F (about 3°C) per week until it matches the outside temperature. Keep heat lamps at least 20 inches from anything flammable and hang them on a chain or cable ([Penn State Extension](https://extension.psu.edu/brooding-of-domestic-fowl)). Watch the chicks: huddled under the lamp means too cold, scattered at the edges means too hot. **Space.** Chicks need more room each week. Penn State gives these allowances: | Age | Floor space per chick (sq ft) | Feeder space per chick (in) | |---|---|---| | Week 1 | 0.25 | 1 | | Weeks 2-3 | 0.5 | 1.5 | | Weeks 3-5 | 0.75 | 2 | | Weeks 5-8 | 1 | 2 | | 8+ weeks | 1.5 | 3 | Source: [Penn State Extension](https://extension.psu.edu/brooding-of-domestic-fowl). For adult birds, one New South Wales education guideline for small flocks suggests 0.5 m2 per bird on deep litter and 2.5 m2 per bird on a grassed run or free range, with one nest box for every three or four hens ([NSW Department of Education](https://education.nsw.gov.au/teaching-and-learning/animals-in-schools/animals-in-schools-species/poultry-fowls/fowls-environment)). Space rules differ by country and by system, so check local welfare guidance and err on the side of more room. **Equipment.** You need clean drinkers, feeders sized to the flock, a brooder heat source, nest boxes and perches for layers, and a timer for lights if you keep layers through short days. ## Where to buy chicks Buy from a reputable hatchery, not from mixed-flock markets. Ask about vaccination, expected performance for the breed, and replacement policy for early deaths. Most chicks hatched in North America are vaccinated against Marek's disease, and vaccination is done at the hatchery ([UC Agriculture and Natural Resources](https://ucanr.edu/sites/aves/files/336233.pdf)). Ask any supplier to confirm it. ## Daily routine Good flock keeping is a short checklist done every day: 1. Look at the birds. Note anything quiet, huddled, gasping or off feed. 2. Refresh water and clean drinkers. 3. Check and top up feed. A sudden drop in feed intake is an early warning. 4. Collect eggs, at least twice a day if you can, and note broken and floor eggs. 5. Check temperature and ventilation. 6. Remove dead birds and record each death with a suspected cause. Weigh a sample of broilers weekly to check they are growing on target. ## Disease prevention and health Prevention is cheaper than treatment. Three habits matter most. - **Quarantine new birds.** Keep new and returning birds apart for at least 30 days, as far from the flock as you can (100 feet if possible), and care for them last. Most diseases show up within that window ([University of Arkansas Extension](https://www.uaex.uada.edu/farm-ranch/biosecurity/docs/Hobby-Backyard-Poultry-Biosecurity-Practices.pdf)). - **Control what enters.** Restrict visitors, provide boots or a disinfectant step for anyone entering, wear dedicated footwear yourself, and keep rodents, wild birds and pets out (same source). Where you can, raise one age group at a time and empty and clean the house between batches. - **Vaccinate on local advice.** Schedules for Newcastle disease, Gumboro, infectious bronchitis and others vary by country and by local disease pressure. Ask a local poultry vet or extension officer for the schedule rather than copying one from the internet. Our guide to [livestock vaccination records](/blog/livestock-vaccination-records) covers what to log for each shot. Early signs of illness, per University of Arkansas Extension: a drop or stop in egg production, lack of appetite, sneezing or gasping, diarrhoea, less water drunk, eye or nose discharge, ruffled feathers and huddling, or a bird keeping to itself. If something looks wrong, call your vet, local extension agent or state veterinary service straight away, and ask about testing any bird that dies unexpectedly ([source](https://www.uaex.uada.edu/farm-ranch/biosecurity/docs/Hobby-Backyard-Poultry-Biosecurity-Practices.pdf)). ## Track production and costs Numbers show problems before the birds do. For layers, record daily: - eggs collected, plus broken and floor eggs - live hens (subtract deaths) - feed used Hen-day production is eggs collected divided by live hens, times 100. A healthy flock in peak lay should be above 90 percent (Oregon State, above). A sustained drop is a reason to check feed, water, lighting and health before anything else. For broilers, track deaths, feed used and sample weights, then calculate feed per kilogram of gain. ## Business plan basics Write the plan before you buy birds. - **Startup costs:** housing, brooder, drinkers, feeders, first chicks, feed until the first income, vaccines and medicine, water and power. - **Running costs:** feed is usually the largest, then labour, vet, utilities, packaging and transport. - **Revenue:** for layers, flock size times laying percentage times egg price; for broilers, birds sold times live weight times price per kilogram. - **Margin:** the gap between feed cost and selling price, after deaths, decides profit. Prices and costs vary widely by country, so use your own local quotes, not averages. Our article on [whether livestock farming is profitable](/blog/is-livestock-farming-profitable) shows how to work through the arithmetic. If you plan to sell eggs or birds yourself, read [how to sell farm products directly to customers](/blog/selling-farm-products-directly). ## Keeping poultry records in Livestock Manager Paper notes get lost. In [Livestock Manager](https://livestockfarm.co), which runs on iOS, Android and the web (an internet connection is required), you can: - create each [flock or batch](/blog/how-to-create-a-livestock-batch) and record deaths as they happen - log [daily egg collections](/blog/how-to-record-eggs-milk-and-daily-production) and see them over time - keep a [feed store](/blog/how-to-track-farm-feed-inventory) with stock and days left, so you reorder before it runs out - record vaccinations and treatments in health records, and keep a medicine store with stock, expiry and withdrawal periods - set tasks and reminders for vaccinations and other jobs - track income and expenses per flock and download reports as PDF or CSV There is a free plan. For a wider view of what to record on any farm, see our [farm record keeping guide](/blog/farm-record-keeping-guide). Comparing species? Our [goat farming for beginners](/blog/goat-farming-for-beginners) guide covers the alternative, and the [poultry farm management](/poultry-farm-management) page describes the poultry tools in more detail. ## Tips for your first flock 1. Start small. Your first flock is a learning flock. 2. Line up a market before you buy birds. 3. Do not cut corners on feed or clean water. 4. Keep records from day one. 5. Join a farmer group or cooperative near you. 6. Find a poultry vet before you need one. Follow their advice and local regulations on vaccines and medicines. ## FAQ ### How long before a new laying hen produces eggs? A pullet begins laying at 18 to 20 weeks of age and reaches peak production at about 35 weeks, according to Oregon State University Extension. Buy started pullets if you want eggs sooner. ### How much space do chickens need? Chicks need about 0.25 sq ft each in week one, rising to 1.5 sq ft by eight weeks, per Penn State Extension. Adult hens need more, and guidance varies by system, so check local welfare rules and give more room than the minimum. ### How long should I quarantine new birds? The University of Arkansas Extension poultry veterinarian advises at least 30 days, kept as far from your flock as possible (100 feet if you can). Care for the quarantined birds last. ### Which vaccines does a beginner flock need? Schedules depend on your country and the diseases near you, so ask a local poultry vet. Most chicks from a hatchery already have the Marek's disease vaccine, so ask your supplier to confirm. ### What records should a new poultry farmer keep? Record eggs collected, deaths, feed used, treatments and vaccinations, and every sale and expense, per flock. These numbers show whether the flock is healthy and profitable. --- # CattleMax Alternatives Compared for 2026 URL: https://livestockfarm.co/blog/cattlemax-alternatives Updated: 2026-09-30 CattleMax remains a solid choice for beef producers who want cattle-only records. The best alternative depends on what CattleMax lacks for you. AgriWebb fits large cattle and sheep stations, Farmbrite fits farms that grow crops too, and Livestock Manager fits mixed-species farms that work from a phone. CattleMax has served cattle producers for many years. It covers inventory, health records, breeding, calving, weaning, pasture maps and finances. Its Registered plan adds pedigrees and breed association tools. Common reasons to look elsewhere include keeping other animals too, wanting a different interface language, or needing another feature set. ## Quick comparison of CattleMax and three alternatives | Feature | CattleMax | Livestock Manager | AgriWebb | Farmbrite | |---|---|---|---|---| | Starting price | $30/month, billed yearly | Free plan available | Per-animal pricing (calculator) | $29/month for livestock only | | Free trial | 21 days | Free plan | Yes (free trial) | 14 days | | Species | Cattle | Multiple species | Cattle and sheep | Livestock and crops | | Mobile | Phone and tablet access | iOS, Android and web | Works in the field | iOS and Android | | Works offline | Not stated on site | No, needs internet | Yes, syncs later | Yes | | Languages | Not stated on site | 15 | Not stated on site | Not stated on site | Prices change often, so check each vendor's page before you decide. ## Livestock Manager: for mixed species and phone-first work [Livestock Manager](https://livestockfarm.co) (LM) handles cattle, poultry, goats, pigs, sheep and other livestock in one account. It runs on iOS, Android and the web, in 15 languages, and has a free plan. Our [lesson on setting up your farm account](/blog/how-to-set-up-your-farm-account) shows the first steps. For cattle, LM keeps individual animal records with an ID or ear tag number, weights, health records, breeding records with due dates, and pedigree views showing lineage and offspring. The medicine store tracks stock, expiry and withdrawal periods. Tasks and reminders cover recurring jobs such as vaccinations. The rest of the farm sits alongside the herd. Laying flocks get daily egg records, including full trays and loose eggs. Goats get milk and health records. Finances include [income and expenses](/blog/farm-income-and-expense-tracking) with receipt scanning, sales, invoices and customers. You can record by typing or by talking to the app ("Speak or type"), and download reports as PDF or CSV. **Best for:** cattle farmers who also keep other animals, farmers who prefer a language other than English, and anyone who wants records and finances in one app. **Pros:** - Free plan - Several species in one account - Finances, invoices and an online farm shop included - 15 languages - Mobile-first apps for iOS and Android, plus web **Cons:** - It requires an internet connection. There is no offline mode, so a farm with poor signal is a poor fit. - No paddock mapping, which matters on large range operations - If you raise only cattle and like a simple tool, LM has more to learn than you need ## AgriWebb: for large cattle and sheep stations AgriWebb is farm software from Australia built for cattle and sheep. Its plans (Essentials, Compliance and Performance) add features in steps. Essentials gives interactive farm mapping and mob or individual animal management. Higher tiers add treatment records, feed management, grazing management and financial reporting. NLIS integration is listed on the Compliance and Performance tiers, and its mobile app works offline in the field and syncs when you have signal. Pricing is per animal, so a small herd pays less than a large one. AgriWebb lists support for Australia, New Zealand, the UK, the US and South Africa. If you keep poultry, pigs or goats, its species list will not cover them. **Best for:** large cattle and sheep operations that need paddock maps, grazing management or Australian compliance reporting. ## Farmbrite: for farms that combine livestock and crops Farmbrite covers livestock and crops in one platform. Its plans come as Livestock, Crop Grower and Complete bundles, in Essentials, Performance and Premium tiers. Plans include record keeping, task management, farm mapping, accounting, reporting, iOS and Android apps, and offline access. Livestock-only plans start at $29 a month, and Complete plans that add crops start at $59 a month at the time of writing. If you raise cattle and also run a hay field or market garden, one tool for both can save effort. Farmbrite lists support for 100+ countries with local currency and measurements. Check its livestock features against your herd's needs during the 14-day trial. **Best for:** diversified farms that keep animals and grow crops. ## How to choose a CattleMax alternative - **You keep more than cattle.** Choose a tool that lists your species. Livestock Manager handles several; Farmbrite covers livestock and crops. - **You farm in a language other than English.** LM offers 15 languages. Check the others' language support directly, since their sites do not state it. - **Your animals graze far from a signal.** LM needs internet. AgriWebb and Farmbrite state that they work offline. - **You run a large station with many paddocks.** AgriWebb is built for mapping and grazing management. - **You grow crops too.** Farmbrite is the one here that combines both. - **You only raise beef cattle.** CattleMax may already fit. Try any alternative on a trial or free plan before you move your records. For more comparisons, see [AgriWebb alternatives](/blog/agriwebb-alternatives) and [Farmbrite alternatives](/blog/farmbrite-alternatives). To see what records a calving program needs, read [the cattle breeding cycle calendar](/blog/cattle-breeding-cycle-calendar). ## Frequently asked questions ### What is the best CattleMax alternative? It depends on your farm. AgriWebb suits large cattle and sheep stations that need paddock maps. Farmbrite suits farms that combine livestock and crops. Livestock Manager suits mixed-species farms that want a mobile-first app in 15 languages. ### How much does CattleMax cost? At the time of writing, CattleMax lists a Commercial plan at $30 a month and a Registered plan at $41 a month, both billed yearly. Price depends on how many active animals you manage, and there is a 21-day free trial. ### Can I track chickens and goats as well as cattle? CattleMax and AgriWebb list cattle (and sheep, for AgriWebb) as their species. Livestock Manager handles multiple species, including poultry, goats, pigs and sheep, in one account. ### Does Livestock Manager need an internet connection? Yes. Livestock Manager needs an internet connection. AgriWebb and Farmbrite both state that they offer offline access, so choose one of them if your animals are far from a signal. ### Is there a free CattleMax alternative? Livestock Manager has a free plan. CattleMax, AgriWebb and Farmbrite advertise free trials rather than a free plan (21 days for CattleMax, 14 for Farmbrite). [Create a free Livestock Manager account](https://livestockfarm.co/sign-up) to try it with your own herd. --- # AgriWebb Alternatives for Mixed Livestock Farms URL: https://livestockfarm.co/blog/agriwebb-alternatives Updated: 2026-09-30 AgriWebb is a strong choice for large cattle and sheep operations that need farm mapping and compliance tools. If you keep poultry, goats or pigs, farm outside its five supported regions, or want records in your own language, an alternative may fit better. This guide compares AgriWebb with Livestock Manager, Farmbrite and CattleMax. ## Quick comparison of AgriWebb and three alternatives | Feature | AgriWebb | Livestock Manager | Farmbrite | CattleMax | |---|---|---|---|---| | Pricing model | Usage-based, by cattle and sheep numbers | Free Starter plan, paid Growth and Scale plans | From $29/month (livestock plans) | From $30/month billed yearly (up to 250 animals) | | Free trial | Yes (free trial) | Free plan | 14 days | 21 days | | Species | Cattle and sheep | Mixed livestock, including poultry | Livestock, crops, or both | Cattle | | Works offline | Yes | No, needs an internet connection | Yes | Not stated on its site | | Farm mapping | Yes | No | Not confirmed | Pasture mapping | | Availability | Australia, NZ, UK, US, South Africa | iOS, Android and web, 15 languages | Over 100 countries | Not stated on its site | Prices change, so treat these figures as correct at the time of writing and check each site before you decide. ## AgriWebb: strong for large pastoral operations AgriWebb sells three tiers: Essentials, Compliance and Performance. Its pricing is based on how many cattle and sheep you manage. All plans include unlimited team users and offline mobile use. Paid add-ons such as movement planning and grazing planning cost extra. Its interactive map, grazing tools and audit compliance features suit stations with many paddocks. On the other side, its site describes cattle and sheep only, and it lists five regions. ## Livestock Manager: mixed species and simple records [Livestock Manager](https://livestockfarm.co) keeps cattle, sheep, goats, pigs and poultry in one account. It runs on iOS, Android and the web, and it is available in 15 languages, including French, Spanish, Arabic, Hindi and Swahili. Our [lesson on setting up your farm account](/blog/how-to-set-up-your-farm-account) shows the first steps. You can record daily production such as eggs, milk and weights. You can log health treatments, track medicines with expiry and withdrawal periods, and keep breeding records with due dates. [Income, expenses](/blog/farm-income-and-expense-tracking), sales and invoices sit in the same app, and reports download as PDF or CSV. You can also record by typing or speaking to the app. **Where it fits:** small and medium farms, mixed species, poultry keepers, and farmers who want simple mobile-first records in their own language. **Limits:** - No paddock or pasture mapping. If grazing management is central to your farm, AgriWebb is stronger. - It needs an internet connection. There is no offline mode, so it suits farms with reliable mobile signal. ## Farmbrite: livestock and crops together Farmbrite offers livestock-only, crop-only and complete plans. Livestock plans start at $29 per month, and complete plans start at $59 per month. Its pricing page lists offline access, accounting and team management among plan features, and there is a 14-day free trial. It fits a farm that raises animals and also grows produce. Read our [Farmbrite alternatives guide](/blog/farmbrite-alternatives) for a deeper look. ## CattleMax: built for cattle CattleMax is a cloud-based record system for cattle. Its Commercial plan costs $30 per month billed yearly for up to 250 active animals. The Registered plan costs $41 per month and adds pedigree tracking and breed association interfaces. Both include unlimited users and a 21-day free trial. It suits cattle ranches that want breeding, health and pasture records. See the [CattleMax alternatives guide](/blog/cattlemax-alternatives) for more. ## How to choose - **Large cattle or sheep station in a supported region:** AgriWebb. - **Mixed species or poultry, or you need another language:** Livestock Manager. - **Crops and livestock on the same farm:** Farmbrite. - **Cattle only, with pedigree records:** CattleMax. - **Frequent work with no signal:** AgriWebb or Farmbrite, since Livestock Manager needs a connection. Start with your species and your signal, then compare prices. For record habits that work in any tool, read our [farm record keeping guide](/blog/farm-record-keeping-guide). ## Frequently asked questions ### Which livestock species does AgriWebb support? AgriWebb's site describes cattle and sheep management. If you keep poultry, pigs or goats, check with AgriWebb before you commit, or look at a multi-species tool. ### Where is AgriWebb available? AgriWebb lists five regions: Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States and South Africa. Farmers elsewhere need a tool that is available in their country. ### Do I need a signal to use Livestock Manager? Yes. Livestock Manager needs an internet connection and has no offline mode. AgriWebb and Farmbrite both state that they offer offline access, so consider them if you often work with no signal. ### Is there a free AgriWebb alternative? Livestock Manager has a free plan, and it is available in 15 languages. Farmbrite and CattleMax offer free trials of 14 and 21 days respectively, with no credit card required. ### Which tool is best for a cattle-only ranch? CattleMax is built only for cattle and lists pedigree and breed association features on its Registered plan. AgriWebb is also strong for cattle, especially on large grazing operations. --- # Farmbrite Alternatives: Livestock Manager and More URL: https://livestockfarm.co/blog/farmbrite-alternatives Updated: 2026-09-30 Farmbrite is a strong choice if you grow crops or run a market garden or CSA alongside animals. If your farm is mostly livestock, especially poultry, or you work mainly from a phone, Livestock Manager, AgriWebb and CattleMax are worth a look. Each fits a different kind of farm. ## Quick comparison: Farmbrite vs three alternatives | Feature | Farmbrite | Livestock Manager | AgriWebb | CattleMax | |---|---|---|---|---| | Starting price | $29/month (livestock plan) | Free plan available | Priced by cattle and sheep numbers | $30/month, billed yearly | | Free option | 14-day trial | Free plan | Free trial | 21-day trial | | Species | Mixed farms, livestock and crops | Multi-species livestock | Cattle and sheep | Cattle | | Crops and market garden | Yes | Light crop tracking (plantings and harvests); no crop planner | Cropping records | Not listed | | Poultry and eggs | Poultry tracking | Flocks and daily egg records | Cattle and sheep only | Cattle focus | | Mobile apps | iOS and Android | iOS and Android | Mobile app | Phone, tablet and computer | | Internet needed | Works offline | Yes, always | Works offline | Not stated | | Languages | Not stated on its site | 15 languages | Not stated on its site | Not stated on its site | Prices change, so check each vendor's site before you decide. ## Farmbrite: the whole-farm option Farmbrite covers livestock, crops, accounting and orders in one platform. Its site lists CSA and market garden support, poultry tracking, farm mapping and offline record keeping. Livestock plans start at $29 a month, and plans that add crops start at $59 a month. If crop planning or a vegetable box scheme is central to your income, Farmbrite is probably the better fit. The trade-off is breadth. A farm that only keeps animals may pay for tools it never opens. ## Livestock Manager: livestock first, phone first [Livestock Manager](https://livestockfarm.co) is built around animals. It handles cattle, poultry, goats, pigs and other species, with batches and daily records for eggs, milk, weight and deaths. Health records, a medicine store with expiry and withdrawal periods, a feed store with days left, tasks and reminders sit alongside them. It also covers the money side: [income and expenses](/blog/farm-income-and-expense-tracking) with receipt scanning, sales, invoices and customers, and an online farm shop. Breeding records track due dates, and reports download as PDF or CSV. You can record by typing or by talking to the app, set up automatic records for routine entries, and [invite team members with roles](/blog/invite-farm-team-members-and-roles). It runs on iOS, Android and the web, in **15 languages**, and has a free plan. Plans are called Starter, Growth and Scale. **Best for:** livestock-first farms, poultry and egg keepers, multi-species operations, farmers who prefer their own language, and people who record from a phone. **Limits, plainly:** - It requires an internet connection. There is no mode for use without signal. - It tracks crops only lightly (planting dates and harvests). It has no crop planner or market garden tools, so a farm where crops drive income should look at Farmbrite. - It does not offer paddock mapping. ## AgriWebb: cattle and sheep stations AgriWebb targets cattle and sheep operations. Its interactive farm map lets you draw paddocks, move mobs by drag and drop, and track livestock reconciliation. Higher plans add compliance and biosecurity tools, weight projections and grazing management. AgriWebb works in the paddock without signal. Pricing depends on how many cattle and sheep you run, so we quote no figure here. AgriWebb lists availability in Australia, New Zealand, the UK, the United States and South Africa. It covers cattle and sheep only, so poultry, pigs and goats are outside its scope. For more, see our [AgriWebb alternatives](/blog/agriwebb-alternatives) guide. **Best for:** large cattle and sheep operations that need maps, grazing planning and compliance records. ## CattleMax: simple cattle records CattleMax focuses on cattle. The Commercial plan costs $30 a month billed yearly, covers up to 250 active animals, and includes pasture maps, income and expense tracking, and a calendar and tasks. The Registered plan is $41 a month and adds pedigrees, EPDs and breed association interfaces. Its site describes access from phone, tablet or computer and does not mention offline use. **Best for:** cow-calf and registered cattle producers who want cattle records only. Our [CattleMax alternatives](/blog/cattlemax-alternatives) guide goes deeper. ## Which Farmbrite alternative should you choose? - **Crops, market garden or CSA plus animals:** stay with Farmbrite. - **Poultry, eggs or several livestock species:** Livestock Manager. - **Large cattle and sheep station with mapping needs:** AgriWebb. - **Cattle only, simple records:** CattleMax. - **Poor signal in the field:** favour Farmbrite or AgriWebb, which advertise working without signal. - **You want records in your own language:** Livestock Manager offers 15. For a wider view, read our guide to the [best farm management software](/blog/best-farm-management-software). If records are your main reason for switching, start with the [farm record keeping guide](/blog/farm-record-keeping-guide). ## Frequently asked questions ### What is the best alternative to Farmbrite? It depends on your farm. Livestock Manager suits livestock-first farms, poultry keepers and phone-first users. AgriWebb suits cattle and sheep stations, and CattleMax suits cattle-only ranches. If you grow crops or run a market garden or CSA, Farmbrite is itself a strong fit. ### How much does Farmbrite cost? At the time of writing, Farmbrite lists livestock plans from $29 a month and complete livestock-and-crop plans from $59 a month, with a 14-day free trial. Check farmbrite.com for current prices. ### Does Livestock Manager need an internet connection? Yes. Livestock Manager needs an internet connection. Farmbrite and AgriWebb both advertise offline use, so weigh that if your fields have poor signal. ### Is there a Farmbrite alternative with a free plan? Livestock Manager has a free plan. Farmbrite and CattleMax offer free trials instead, and AgriWebb offers a free trial too.