Cattle Herd Record Keeping Guide - Using Herd Records and Microsoft Excel Data Visualization

Sep 11, 2026

Uploaded by Eliana

Herd record keeping strengthens decision-making by converting raw data into usable information for diagnosing both long-term and immediate issues. The guide outlines benefits of records, common barriers such as record fatigue and unclear monetary value, and key performance questions including pregnancy, calving, weaning, BCS, disease trends, and recovery rates. It also explains how records support drug withdrawal compliance and investigates sudden health events through practical Excel-based data entry and visualization techniques.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryPresentations

FormatPDF

Pages22

Reading Time8 min

AccessFree to download

Microsoft Excel Basics

Data Entry

Adding data entry validation

Sorting data by a column heading

Entering formulas to calculate the mean, median, maximum, or minimum

Visualizing Data

Bar charts to compare categories

Histograms to evaluate the spread of data

Other Examples of Data Visualization

Scatter plot of weaning weight by birth date

Pinkeye cases in the spring

Reproductive records over time

Pregnancy status by BCS

Even though many cattle producers keep some form of records, it is not always apparent how to make the best use of the records collected. Reviewing herd records can help identify problems in the herd, either those slowly developing over the years or ones that are an immediate problem. This guide discusses the advantages of record keeping, what formats are available, and how to use data visualization to help identify herd problems. What are some possible barriers to record keeping? ☐ Record fatigue: It is a lot of work keeping up with records and the value is not entirely clear. ☐ The monetary value of keeping records may not be immediately apparent. ☐ Ignorance is bliss: If I don’t know there is a problem, I won’t be alarmed that something might be wrong. Why keep records then? Russian playwright Anton Chekov said: “Knowledge is of no value unless you put it into practice.” Record keeping for record keeping’s sake is, indeed, not worth much. Data must be transformed into information before it becomes useful for decision making. You cannot manage what you cannot measure, so the first step is to produce data that can help you measure important processes within the herd. Records can be useful for evaluating the effectiveness of any changes in management or to make sure the desired status quo is being maintained. ☐ What is the pregnancy, calving, and weaning percentage? Are there any changes occurring over time? What is the distribution of calves being born across the calving season? See the chart below. ☐ What is the body condition score (BCS) of cows at weaning? How does that influence pregnancy percentage? ☐ How does the percentage of the herd getting sick from a particular disease change over time and after introduction of management changes? ☐ What is the recovery rate from a disease before and after changing the treatment protocol? Records can also give you peace of mind that withdrawal times for drugs have been observed and help investigate when sudden health problems occur. The Beef Quality Assurance program goes into detail on which records for drug treatments to keep and the reason for keeping them. Here is an example of a calving distribution that we will recreate later. If the shape of the distribution shifts with more and more calves being born later, it should give cause for concern. Late calving can lead to higher feeding costs, often resulting in calves of lower weight, and dams may not get back into the appropriate body condition or get bred in time for the next season. Some questions to ask are: ☐ Who are the late calving cows? Did they have a calf late in the season the year before? It might be time to cull some of the latecomers. Late-calving cows may not breed back in time during the next breeding season; they may be at a lower BCS during breeding season; their lower fertility may be passed on to their offspring. ☐ Are cows in good body condition at the start of the breeding season? If not, can you supplement feed at weaning so cows can catch up on body condition? ☐ Are you testing all bulls for trich each year? Trich can cause early pregnancies tobe lost, with some cows getting pregnant again later in the season. In this document, we will go over production, performance, and some disease records to monitor your cattle herd. Table of Contents Microsoft Excel Basics......................................................................................................... 4 Data Entry ........................................................................................................................... 4 Adding data entry validation............................................................................................... 5 Sorting data by a column heading ...................................................................................... 7 Entering formulas to calculate the mean, median, maximum, or minimum ....................8 Visualizing Data......

FAQs

Why are herd records useful beyond simply keeping them?

Herd records provide data that must be transformed into information for decision making. They help evaluate management changes, verify that goals are maintained, and support investigations of health issues and drug withdrawal observation.

What barriers can prevent producers from keeping good records?

Common barriers include record fatigue, uncertainty about the monetary value of record keeping, and not recognizing that a problem exists until it becomes urgent.

Which herd metrics does the guide suggest analyzing over time?

The guide focuses on pregnancy, calving, and weaning percentages, calf distribution across the calving season, cows’ body condition score at weaning and its effect on pregnancy, disease incidence trends, and recovery rates before and after treatment protocol changes.

Sep 11, 2026

Uploaded by Eliana