This is a list of additions that have been made to the system over time, so you can see what has been added since your last software update.

9th June 2010          Version 10.12.38

Added a new report to the Reports & Data Import/Export screen, under Reports for Feedlots, that will list all sickness events for the animals selected and a list of drugs given for the sickness.

30th April 2010         Version 10.11.39

Feed Commodities system:

Users are now able to delete a Feed truck load entered into the system that has already been processed against cattle (permission was denied in the past). Adjustments will be made to the respective cattle feeding records next time feed is applied to cattle. This will prove useful if a feed truck load has been accidentally entered into the system twice.

22nd January 2010      Version 10.10.41

Cattle Processing screen:

• You can now cause draft gates (or virtual draft gates) to operate on Lot Number. This will be useful if you wish to draft off cattle belonging to one or more Lots.

• The Vendor of the cattle as recorded in the Purchase Lots file will now display on the processing screen.

13th January 2010      Version 10.10.31

Fixed a bug that is occurring in some computer environments when performing the Cattle Archiving process.

9th December 2009     Version 10.10.23

• You can now select records to be updated in a Batch Update using With-hold Until date.

• New report for Feedlots : This report will list all cattle on hand by Pen Number, showing the Date and Week Number of their induction, and their planned exit week depending on their Market Category (the Market Categories table defines the DOF for each type), and hence required Days on Feed. The report groups cattle within a Pen depending on their Group name and Market Category. This report will be useful for system users who record Market Categories against cattle, and use the Group field to allocate cattle to induction mob names.

11th November 2009    Version 10.10.4

• Modified the way Days on Feed are calculated as per NFAS requirements. Cattle that have been sold are reported without the Date of Sale included in the DOF calculation. Cattle that are still on feed have the current date included in the DOF calculation.

• Lines with no pertinent data in the Bunk History report in the Feed Commodities system have been removed to reduce the length of the report.

26th October 2009     Version 10.9.40

The Reverse Archive process will now allow users to move Archived cattle back to the main database on a much wider range of criteria. For example, Lot Number = A1234. This can be used if cattle have been accidentally archived before their records have been fully updated.

21st October 2009     Version 10.9.37

Sick cattle drug treatment regimes.

Users can set up drug treatment regimes in consultation with their Vet to define what drugs should be administered over a period of days to sick animals, depending on the disease diagnosed. When a sick beast event is entered into the system (Vet records) for a disease that has a treatment regime defined, those drug administrations will be pre-loaded into the drug treatment record for the animal (with zero units given). The "Drug/dose" calculator on the Vet screen has been improved so that the next drug for the animal can be automatically selected and recorded. Electronic scales can also be linked in to the process to automatically weigh the animal and, if appropriate, calculate the dose.

19th October 2009     Version 10.9.35

This update allows you to record the National Feedlot Accreditation Scheme (NFAS) declaration number under which cattle have been dispatched from the feedlot. Consequently you can get reports about the cattle by using this declaration number as a record selection option for the report to be generated.

28th September 2009   Version 10.9.8

This is a major update, that will required a database design update when installed (which will run automatically). Its main function is to enable the inclusion of processing with the Digi-Star Datalink system, which utilises "Batch Box" loading of Feed trucks. Contact System Support if you are considering using this technology.

Other new functions include:

• All financial transactions for a selected mob of cattle can now be displayed on the screen for viewing or modifying. This can be found under Reports | View Financials.

• Cattle can now be allocated a Trial Number, which will easily identify a mob of cattle that are undergoing some sort of Trial (e.g. MLA BRD survey). Each Trial can be described in a new function under Look-Up tables.

• When selecting cattle for a report, you now have the facility to include or exclude a given breed. This may be useful if you want to report all cattle that are, or are not, Wagyu, for example. These cattle may be on a different feeding regime than others.

15th August 2009    Version 10.7.37

When feed data from the Feed Commodities system is applied to Cattle, some feeding records may be left in a "pending" state, because cattle could not be found that were recorded as being in the respective Pen on the feed date. There is now a new function under the Feeding Systems tab of the cattle system Main Menu that allows you to "manually" allocate pending feeding records to a specified Pen, Lot Number, or Group name. The system can show you the cattle that will be updated, which you can fine tune if necessary.

30th July 2009      Version 10.7.18

There is now an optional function in the system where you can have users sign on (with a user number and password set by the system administrator), and different users can be allowed or denied access to different parts of the system. Contact software support if you wish to use this optional function.

23rd July 2009      Version 10.7.10

• When cattle are moved from pen to pen, the system logs each pen movement. An anomaly will occur if the date specified when cattle are moved into a pen is prior to a pen movement date already present for the cattle in the log file. (This problem would only occur if dates are accidentally entered incorrectly. e.g. specifying 2008 when 2009 was intended).

• The Summary Report (under the Reports / Reports for Feedlots) can now be printed with cattle grouped by Purchase Lot Number.

4th July 2009       Version 10.7.2

• The Feed Consumed for Given Period report can now be printed by Lot Number. This can be useful for users who prepare their own Custom Feeding Invoices. Feed totals for a selected Custom Feeding client for a given period can be reported by different Ration Types.

• A bug that caused the drugs administered to be duplicated on the Custom Feeding Client Vet Report under certain circumstances has been fixed.

26th June 2009     Version 10.6.35

There is now an option in the Registration process to specify if you want data files generated for Nutrition Services Australia. Turn this option ON if you are a client, otherwise turn it OFF.

20th June 2009     Version 10.6.31

Enhanced the verbal feed back on the Cattle Yards processing screen. More information is now given verbally if the "enable sound" option is ticked. (The computer needs speakers for this to be functional).

18th June 2009     Version 10.6.28

• Added a second version of the Lot Close Out report, which is designed to be shown to a custom feeding client. This report uses Feed Out Charges in the costings, instead of the Cost of Feed.

• Weighing Notes can now be imported to the Cattle database. This can be used when a file exported from a stand alone computer in the yards is used to import weighing records to the "office" computer.

25th May 2009      Version 10.6.12

A new Utility has been added to use with an EID scanner plugged into the computer. As cattle move past the scanner, their EID numbers will be collected and stored in a file in the computer. You can later use this file into the 'Process file of RFID Tag Numbers' main menu option (for example, to record the pen number of the cattle scanned).
 

20th May 2009      Version 10.6.7

A large number of additions have been made for this update:

• You can now display a list of cattle on the screen that will be updated during a Batch Update process. You can fine tune this list for update by un-ticking cattle to be ignored.

• When the Set Filter button is used on the main cattle screen, there is now an option to view the selected cattle as a list on the screen. Clicking on an animal's record will revert to the main screen and show that animal.

• When doing a data export, you can see a list of cattle that will be exported before the export is done. If you select records from the Cattle table, you can fine tune the records by un-ticking animals.

• You can now record multiple cattle with the same Ear Tag number, even if they have not been sold. The RFID number is used as the primary identification of an animal.

• There is now an option on the report generation screen to select all the cattle that belong to a given Custom Feeding client to appear on the report template selected.

• Feed allocation process: Feed is now allocated to cattle in a pen on a pro-rata basis depending on each animals estimated current weight. (Feed has been averaged across the cattle in the pen in the past). This means that the feed will be more accurately allocated to cattle in a pen where there is a wide variation in live weight.

• There is now a new button on the crush side processing screen, allowing you to see a list of cattle processed during the day. Clicking on any animal in the list will cause it's "master" record to be displayed, which can then be modified. This will prove useful (when processing cattle) if a mistake in data entry is discovered after the animal was processed and its record saved.

• Batch Numbers for drugs administered during crush side processing are now "remembered" indefinitely, even after the system is closed down and re-started.

• Rinstrum 500 scales are now compatible with the crush side processing module.

• When entering pen feeding data, the feed truck load number for the day is now generated automatically and is not editable.

• There is now a function to move ALL cattle from one pen to another on the Pens File screen. In the past, each pen in question had to be modified manually.

• The Pens file list is now printed in the pen sequence that cattle will be fed.

• Certain date fields can now be entered using a "date picker" instead of having to type in the date.

5th May 2009.      Version 10.5.50

The system now has an option to select cattle for reports that are either in, or not in, the Feedlot. It can  now do this because the Feed Commodities System pens file has a new setting for each Pen to define it as being, in fact, a Backgrounding paddock. So the system can ascertain if each animal is in a "Pen" unknown to the Feeding system, or a Pen that is flagged as a Backgrounding paddock, or in a Feedlot Pen.

30th April 2009     Version 10.5.44

• Modified the Custom Feeding Reports to show husbandry/drug administrations as a separate total, instead of being combined into "other" costs.

• Added a "Utilities" function to reconcile all weighing events with each animal's master record.

16th April 2009     Version 10.5.31

• Added a new report to the system : "List of cattle administered with given Drug Batch Number". (see drugs list screen)

• Physical draft gate operation (if connected) now only happens when an animal record is saved, whereas before it happened when an animal was weighed.

2nd April 2009      Version 10.5.8

Feed System:

Some modifications have been done to the way the system calculates Multiples or Maintenance Energy Consumption (MMEC) figures for the Bunk Sheet History report.

• There is now a prompt on the Pens File screen where you can specify the expected Weight Gain per Day for the cattle currently in the respective Pen. This figure is used to estimate the average weight of cattle in each Pen "today" when calculating feed on an MMEC basis.

• The MMEC figures relating to Days on Feed can now be entered into one table for the entire feedlot. This table is accessed for modification from the Ration Descriptions screen.

• The Bunks History report has had additions made to show the Variance between the bunk weight called and the actual fed for each of the last seven days. Also the MMEC calculations are now done on a Weighted Average DOF for the cattle in each pen.

There is now a much faster data entry method for recording Bunk Readings. See the new prompt on the Pens Screen labeled "Quick Bunk Code entry".

Cattle System:

A table of Market categories can now be set up in the system, and each animal can have a Market Category assigned to it. (This would be done using a Batch Update process for a mob). You can also select cattle for reports depending on their market categories.

20th March 2009    Version 10.5.0

Cattle system :

• Room for 6 simultaneous applications of Drugs, plus the option to NOT store the cost of each drug (to prevent a Custom feeding client being billed)

• New report to summarise the list of drugs given to a selection of cattle, which is automatically generated when running the Drugs Given report.

• A new report is automatically generated when the Custom Feeding Client Report is produced, which shows a one line summary for each Lot.

Feed system :

• The Bunks History report now show the last 7 days, instead of the last 5

• It is now possible to define new ration TYPES for different groups of ration descriptions. See Utilities at top left of Feed system Main Menu screen.

5th March 2009     Version 10.4.55

• Modified Income/Expense report so that cattle with the same Ear Tag are not combined on the report.

• Removed a bug from the utility to change Weighing Types and/or Date.

17th December 2008   Version 10.4.42

Enhanced the Cattle Exit Report for Feedlots to differentiate between overall Feed Conversion Ration and Feed Conversion Ratio achieved while actually in the Feedlot. (Some operations feed lower protein rations to cattle which are being Back-grounded in the Paddock awaiting entry to the feedlot).

2nd December 2008    Version 10.4.39

• Incorporated a Batch Update function that will record a given total of sales commission charged on a draft of sold cattle. A figure is automatically calculated and stored on a pro-rata basis against each of the selected animals, depending on each animal's total income compared to the total income for the draft.

• Added a safeguard to the "Application of Feed to Cattle records" process to prevent the Windows "MaxLocksPerFile exceeded" error message,  which may occur when the computer's RAM is limited.

18th November 2008   Version 10.4.29

Added an optional new report to the Custom Feeding client report generation process, which lists the client's sick cattle for the period by disease, showing drug treatments given.

29th October 2008  Version 10.4.22

Added a new report to the Cattle system which will show a list of cattle that were in a given pen on a given date.

22nd September 2008   Version 10.4.15

Add total cattle by sex for each pen to Pens Listing Report.

26th August 2008  Version 10.4.3

Feed Commodities Inventory system:
A new report named Period Stocks Report has been added to the system. This will show all commodity receivals and usage for any given period, with a calculated closing stock for each commodity at the end of that period.

12th August 2008  Version 10.3.42

Feed Commodities Inventory system:

• The Commodity Delivery Dockets data entry screen will now cope with large trucks on the weighbridge, where the front and rear axles need to be weighed separately for both gross and tare weights. The two weights are automatically combined to get the net weight of the load.

• Data for more than one Digistar data key can now be generated if there are two or more feed trucks operating.

26th June 2008  Version 10.3.35

The cattle system will now recognise a Lot Number that may be stored in Electronic scales. This may be useful if you are inducting cattle in one mob in the yards that have a variety of lot numbers. The lot number for each animal could therefore be recorded in the scales (if known), which will then be uploaded to the computer when the scales data file is processed through the "Upload data from Electronic Scales" menu option.

5th June 2008   Version 10.3.21

Added a new report to the system for Feedlots showing a list of Pens that the selected cattle have been in, and the dates they moved from pen to pen.

Direct downloads to the database from Ruddweigh scales now working correctly. This saves (optionally) having to use Ruddweigh's MyScales software to move the data from the scales to the computer.

15th April 2008  Version 10.3.4

Cattle System:

• There is now a new field in each cattle record to record any Days on Feed (DOF) for an animal that it may have experienced before coming to the (ie your) Feedlot. This is useful for cattle that must have had a minimum days on feed before slaughter.

• Both a temperature and a Weight can now be recorded against a sick animal for a given date.

• Data fields can now be locked on the screen used when using the Cattle Yards Processing screen simply by double clicking on them. This should help prevent inadvertent data entry. A field can be unlocked by another double-click.

• The Batch Update process will now show how many records will be updated as soon as the Data to be Applied screen is opened (after specifying Record Selection criteria). In the past it has only shown this to the operator just before the database update is initiated.

• The operator now has the option to run a "Dummy" application of feeding records waiting to be applied from the Feed Commodities Inventory system. This will give a report showing what will happen when the "live" run is initiated. It is designed to be used to correct any cattle records with incorrect Pen Numbers stored against them before the "live" run takes place.

• Confirmation is now required when pressing the F8 function key to store an RFID tag number against an animal already displaying on the screen. (Used to replace lost RFIDs).

• The system will now keep a history of the dates when cattle moved between pens. Each time you specify a Pen Number in a Batch Update (or for an individual animal), you must also supply the date of the pen movement.

Feed Commodities Inventory System.

• The dollar value per ton will now be shown as a Feed Truck load is entered into the system. If this differs from the expected dollar value per ton for a given Ration, action can be taken to correct Stock On hand values before proceeding.

• There is now a new report that shows bunk call weight against actual weight fed for each pen for a given date range.

• An audit is now kept of changes done to data that has come back from Feed Trucks using Digistar Datakey technology. This audit can be printed out as required.

8th February 2008

• Includes a later version of the Report Generation module, which gives more flexibility displaying and browsing reports on the screen, including being able to select which printer to use in a network environment.

• Importing Sick Beast records. If you have a situation where the Cattle Fattening Records system is running on a stand alone computer at the Hospital yard which is not part of the network , you may want to export the sick beast records from that computer so that the data can be imported onto the main computer back in the office. (See new "Export Sick Beast records" button on the Vet Records screen). After downloading this update, click on Menu item "Import Sick Beast records" under the "Reports and Data Import/Export" menu tab, and click on Help to read details.

29th January 2008

Importing Husbandry drugs administered. If you have a situation where the Cattle Fattening Records system is running on a stand alone computer at the yards which is not part of the network , you may want to export the cattle records and DRUGS Administered from that computer so that the data can be imported onto the main computer back in the office. After downloading this update, click on Menu item "Import Husbandry Drugs data" under the "Reports and Data Import/Export" menu tab, and click on Help to read details.

21st January 2008

• Ear Tag numbers can now be up to 8 characters in length (increased from 6)

• If you use multiple databases (for different enterprises), each database can now be labeled with a description, which shows at the top of the Main Menu screen when it is open. This means you can check that you are working with the correct database.

12th January 2008

• Added a new data table from which data can be exported, namely the "Beast_Export" table. (See "General data export" on the Cattle system Main Menu screen). This gives more data which may then be imported to another computer after a weighing session.

• Added more information to the Purchase Lots report to show total "weighed in" weight for a lot against the Purchase Weight.

23rd December 2007

• Added a new function to the Batch Update process, which allows a user to change the Weighing Type and/or Date for a mob of cattle recently weighed into the system. This is designed to help in a situation where the wrong information was specified at the time of data entry.

• Feed Commodities Inventory system: The parameters needed to specify Ration MEM values are now incorporated into the system. Multiples of MEM can be specified to signify the maximum feed weight intake allowed for cattle on the Ration, depending on their estimated weights at time of feeding, which may indicate a change of Ration Type. The Bunk History Report now includes these figures.

20th October 2007

Version 10 of the system released, which uses new internal database access technology.

This new Version can be downloaded in full from this web site, (click on Software updates above) or a CD can be posted out for a small administration fee.

• New report to calculate the number of EPA Standard Cattle Units (SCUs) in the feedlot by month for the given period.

• Cattle Yards Processing module now has the capability of interfacing with electronically controlled draft gates, so that the correct draft gate is automatically opened in front of the crush depending on your software settings (eg by Weight range etc.)

• Feeding system: User can now specify the order Pens are to be fed in a lane way. This can be useful if feed trucks need to enter a pen lane way from an end that causes pens to be fed in reverse numerical order (eg 103, then 102, then 101, then 100)

• References to "Tail Tag Number" now changed to "PIC" (Property Identification Code)

21st September 2007
The system now has the ability to upload a string of RFID numbers directly from a "Wand" to update the database. (Example uses: Scan cattle as they were loaded on to a truck for abattoir, or moved from one pen to another).

30th July 2007
Incorporated capabilities of Ruddweigh 800 model scales, including the usage of "Custom Traits". Also recognises drafting indicator transmitted by the scales when using them directly connected to a computer in the cattle processing yards.

18th July 2007
The Feed Commodities Inventory can now generate a file for a Digi-Star Datakey device for passing to a Feeding truck, and process the feeding data returned from the truck.

4th July 2007
Added a function to modify the with-holding dates for cattle that have been treated with a drug should that drug with-holding period be increased by the authorities. (See new command button at foot of drugs list screen).

8th June 2007
Modify the system Main Menu screens.

6th June 2007
Data to be imported from electronic scales may now include 'Vendor's (Supplier's) Ear Tag number". Users of scales that allow variable field names may find this useful.

27th March 2007
Updates to both the Cattle system and Feed Commodities Inventory system to modify internal reporting methodology. (If you use the Feed system, you must download updates to both systems before continuing use).