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What’s Your Foundation Made Of? Building Stronger Angus Operations from the Ground Up

cstallo@gmail.com (Chris Stallo) — Wed, 14 May 2025 11:22:54 GMT

What’s Your Foundation Made Of?

Building Stronger Angus Operations from the Ground Up

On the surface, everything can look picture perfect—green pastures stretching across the hills, sleek black bulls standing tall, and paperwork filed neatly in the office. But looks can be deceiving. Beneath every great operation lies something more important than what meets the eye: a solid foundation.

Whether you're selecting your next herd sire, entering calving records, or making breeding decisions, the long-term success of your Angus herd depends on what’s under the surface. It's not just about phenotype or pedigree—it's about preparation, precision, and priorities. Just like a house built on sand won’t weather the storm, a cattle operation without a firm foundation in data, discipline, and diligence won’t withstand the pressures of the industry. So the question is—what’s your foundation made of?

Two black bulls stand in the pasture. Both are long-bodied, deep-ribbed, and carry the Angus look that turns heads. But are they really the same?

One bull comes with a full set of records—calving ease direct, maternal lineage, genomic results, and a balanced EPD profile. The other? No data, no DNA, no clear picture of what he’ll pass on. They might look alike to the untrained eye, but in terms of long-term herd impact, they couldn’t be more different. One represents intentionality, information, and predictability. The other is a gamble—at best.

F oundation means knowing what you’re working with. Make your decisions based on facts, not appearances. When you invest in a bull or a cow, you’re investing in the future of your herd—and your legacy.

Order Affects Outcome

Running a tight operation means doing things in the right order—every time. In the cattle business, timing isn’t just important; it’s everything. Waiting until the last minute to enter calving records or register calves doesn’t just create a backlog—it throws off the entire chain of events that follow. Want DNA results returned before your next sale or before making mating decisions? You can’t even begin the process until the calf is properly recorded. Want accurate weaning weights that feed into performance reports and EPDs? Then you need accurate calving dates entered on time.

The sequence matters. Delay one step, and you delay them all. But the good news is—you’ve got the tools to stay ahead. Using the tools in the AAA Login platform, you can stay ahead of the curve.

Entering calving data as soon as those calves hit the ground sets everything in motion—from DNA submissions to registration to marketing strategies.

Think of it like a well-oiled machine: when the first gear turns on time, everything else falls into place. That one timely entry in AAA Login isn’t just a record—it’s a trigger that keeps your system on track, protects your deadlines, and positions your program for maximum success.

Think ahead. Don’t make downstream tasks harder than they have to be. A good foundation is about structure—doing the right things at the right time.

The Tools Are There—Use Them

Most of us wouldn’t work a pasture without a good horse, a solid truck, or a dependable tractor. The same principle applies to the digital tools at our fingertips. The AAA Login platform isn’t just an online portal—it’s a management system designed to support the very foundation of your operation.

With AAA Login, you can:

Submit calving and weaning data efficiently
Order DNA tests and track genomic results
Manage registrations, transfers, and inventory accurately
Plan breeding decisions with data-backed confidence

Have you been thinking about enrolling in Inventory Reporting but haven’t taken the leap yet? Now might be the perfect time to dig deeper. Few tools build a stronger foundation for your herd than a current, accurate female inventory year over year. When you commit to Inventory Reporting, you're not just cleaning up your records—you’re investing in long-term efficiency, better data, and more informed decisions. It gives you a clearer view of which females are contributing to your operation and helps streamline everything from registrations to performance reporting. If you’re serious about building from the ground up, this is a solid place to start.

Learn more about Inventory Reporting here - https://www.angus.org/ahir/how-to-submit/inventory-reporting

Use every tool you’ve got. A strong foundation isn’t built by convenience—it’s built by consistency and effort.

Every rancher, at some point, hits the wall. The long days, the unpredictable markets, the brutal weather—it all adds up, testing even the toughest. But the difference between those who walk away and those who keep going isn’t just strength; it’s the willingness to take it one step at a time. The ones who make it through know that ranching isn’t about having all the answers or never feeling overwhelmed. It’s about pushing forward, even when it feels impossible.

So when you feel like you can’t take another day, just take another hour. And if an hour feels too long, take five minutes. Do the next thing, no matter how small. And if it ever feels like too much, don’t be afraid to reach out—because no rancher should carry the weight of this life alone. There’s always someone who understands, someone who’s been there, and someone willing to listen.

At the end of the day, this life is worth it. The good days, the tough days, and all the moments in between—they shape the story of who you are and what you’ve built. And if you keep pushing forward, through the hard seasons and the setbacks, you’ll look back one day with pride, knowing you never gave up on the life you love.

Hitting the Wall: How Ranchers Find the Strength to Keep Going

cstallo@gmail.com (Chris Stallo) — Thu, 01 May 2025 11:07:54 GMT

Hitting the Wall: How Ranchers Find the Strength to Keep Going

When the Work Feels Too Heavy

With spring calving season wrapping up and brutal snowstorms hitting ranchers across the country, I decided to take a break from my usual How-To articles on AAA Login. This month, I’m focusing on something every cattle producer faces but rarely talks about—hitting the wall.

Every rancher has a moment—maybe in the middle of a brutal calving season, when exhaustion fogs the brain and muscles refuse to work. Maybe it’s after a tough sale, when the numbers don’t add up, and doubt creeps in. Or maybe it’s just another day when the never-ending list of chores feels like too much and exhaustion settles deep in your bones.

That moment is the wall. And whether they talk about it or not, every rancher has hit it.

But what separates those who keep going isn’t luck or even strength—it’s grit. It’s the ability to take things one step at a time, to remember what drives them, and to find ways to keep moving forward, even when everything feels impossible.

This article dives into those moments, the challenges that bring ranchers to the edge, and the ways they find the strength to keep going.

Ranching has a way of piling up on you. The to-do list never gets shorter, the cattle always need something, and the weight of it all can feel impossible to carry. On the hardest days, thinking about the big picture—how much work is left, how long the season will last, or what still needs to be done—can make it feel even heavier.

When the work feels overwhelming, sometimes looking at the big picture can make it worse. Instead, the best ranchers learn to break it down—one task at a time, one hour at a time, one step at a time.

Calving Season: The Long Nights and Hard Mornings

There’s nothing quite like calving season. It’s a test of endurance—mentally, physically, and emotionally. The long nights start blending into the early mornings, and before you know it, you’ve lost track of what day it is. Checking heifers in the dark, pulling calves in freezing temperatures, and fighting through exhaustion becomes routine. Every decision matters, and sometimes, even when you do everything right, you still lose one. It’s brutal. But somehow, you keep going. You focus on the next cow, the next calf, the next small win.

Those tiny victories are what keep ranchers moving forward—a healthy calf standing on shaky legs, a mother licking her baby clean, the first sign of daylight breaking through the cold. When you’re running on empty, those moments remind you why you do it. And when the exhaustion feels like too much, the key is simple: don’t think about how long the season is or how much is left to do. Just focus on the next hour, the next chore, and the next step forward.

When the Weather Tries to Break You

Ranching means working hand in hand with nature, but sometimes, it feels more like a fight for survival. Droughts turn pastures to dust, floods wash away fences, and brutal winter storms push cattle—and ranchers—to their limits. There’s nothing more frustrating than doing everything right, only to have the weather knock you back down. It’s easy to feel helpless when the land you rely on refuses to cooperate, and the stress of keeping animals fed and healthy weighs heavy.

But the only way forward is to focus on what can be controlled. You can’t change the forecast, but you can prepare—rotate pastures, stretch resources, and adjust management to weather the storm. Ranching is a long game, and one bad season doesn’t define the future. Even on the hardest days, stepping back for just a moment helps—watching calves play, taking a deep breath of fresh air, or simply remembering why you started. The weather will always test ranchers, but those who adapt and push through come out stronger on the other side.

The Grit to Keep Going When the Market’s Against You

Every cattle producer has felt the sting of a bad sale—months, sometimes years, of work boiled down to a check that barely covers expenses. It’s frustrating, disheartening, and enough to make you question whether it’s all worth it. Watching the market dip while feed costs rise can make even the toughest rancher wonder how to keep going. But the ones who stick with it know that ranching isn’t just about one sale or one season—it’s about the bigger picture, the long haul, and the love of the land and livestock that keeps them coming back.

When the numbers don’t go your way, focus on what you can control. Smart breeding choices, solid herd management, and a commitment to quality always pay off in the long run. Markets rise and fall, but good cattle and good decisions hold their value. And when the frustration starts creeping in, sometimes the best thing you can do is step away—take a breath, check on your best cow, or just watch the calves play. A bad sale doesn’t define a good cattleman, and the ones who make it through know that grit and patience will always win in the end.

The Mental Battle: Knowing When to Talk About It

The hardest part of ranching isn’t always the physical labor—it’s the weight of carrying it all. The pressure to keep going, to stay tough, to never let on when you’re struggling. Ranchers are built to endure, but that doesn’t mean they have to do it alone. The truth is, everyone has days when the stress feels like too much, when the losses hit harder than usual, or when exhaustion turns into something deeper. It’s easy to think that admitting struggle is a sign of weakness, but in reality, recognizing when you need support is a sign of strength.

Staying mentally strong starts with knowing when to talk. Whether it’s a neighbor over the fence, a spouse at the kitchen table, or a fellow rancher who’s been there too, simply saying, “This is hard,” can lighten the load. Beyond that, it’s about finding what refuels you—watching the sunrise over the pasture, spending time with your kids, or even just taking a quiet moment to breathe. And most of all, it’s about giving yourself grace.

Some days, just showing up is enough. The weight of the world can feel unbearable, and the list of tasks may seem endless. But even on those days when you feel like you’ve barely made a dent in the work, just getting out of bed and stepping onto the land you’ve dedicated your life to is a victory in itself. It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking every day needs to be a win, but the truth is, not every day will feel like progress. Some days, survival is the goal. Just being there for your animals, your land, and your family—even when it feels like you’re not accomplishing much—is enough. As long as you keep moving forward, no matter how slowly, you’re building the foundation for tomorrow’s success. Every small step counts, and in the end, it’s those consistent efforts that lead to the greatest triumphs.

Final Thoughts: You’re Not Alone

Understanding the Produce of Dam Report: A Valuable Tool for Angus Producers

cstallo@gmail.com (Chris Stallo) — Tue, 01 Apr 2025 10:52:19 GMT

Understanding the Produce of Dam Report:

A Valuable Tool for Angus Producers

For cattle producers focused on building a profitable and efficient herd, data-driven decision-making is essential. One of the most valuable tools available to Angus breeders is the Produce of Dam Report, also known as the Cow Production Report. This report provides key insights into the productivity and performance of individual cows within a herd, tracking their calving history, progeny performance, and overall reproductive efficiency.

By analyzing this data, breeders can identify their most productive females, cull underperforming cows, and make informed breeding decisions to enhance herd genetics. Whether you’re managing a commercial or registered Angus operation, understanding how to interpret and utilize the Produce of Dam Report can lead to better reproductive success, improved calf performance, and increased profitability.

In this article, we’ll break down the components of the report, explain its significance, and discuss how it can be used to make strategic herd improvements.

Criteria for Generating a Produce of Dam Report

Accessing and customizing the Produce of Dam Report within AAA Login is straightforward, offering a variety of search criteria to help breeders analyze their herd. To generate the report, navigate to: AAA Login > Reports > Dam Reports > Produce of Dam Report

From there, you can refine the data using multiple filters, including:

Registration Number – Search for specific dams by their registration number.
Birth Date Range – Narrow down results based on when the dam was born.
Tattoo/Tag – Locate animals using their physical identification markers.
Animal Sets – Compare production records across specific subsets of cows.

One particularly useful feature is the ability to include previously owned dams in the report. While you can enter a registration number, remembering all those numbers is unrealistic. Instead, selecting the "Include previously owned dams" checkbox within the Tattoo/Tag criteria allows for a broader and more convenient search.

Another valuable tool is the Animal Set feature, which enables breeders to compare performance records across different groups of females. For example, setting up two groups—one for younger cows (ages 3-6) and another for older cows (7+ years)—allows for a side-by-side evaluation of productivity across age groups. This can provide valuable insights into how different age classes contribute to herd efficiency and profitability.

Understanding the Results When Searching by a Single Tattoo

When searching for a single dam using her tattoo/tag in the Produce of Dam Report, the results provide a comprehensive snapshot of her production history and overall contribution to the herd. This information is crucial for evaluating her reproductive efficiency and the performance of her progeny.

Key Data Points in the Report

Total Number of Calves – See how many calves the dam has produced throughout her lifetime.
Calving Interval – Track the time between each of her calvings to assess her reproductive consistency.
Birth Ratio – Quickly evaluate the birth ratios of her calves compared to the herd average.
Weaning & Yearling Ratios – Get an at-a-glance look at how her progeny perform at weaning and yearling stages.
Ultrasound Measurements – If any of her progeny have had ultrasound data recorded (such as ribeye area, back fat, or intramuscular fat), those results will also be displayed.

On the left side of the result grid, the dam’s tag appears as a clickable link. Clicking this link takes you to a detailed report for that specific dam, where you can review even more in-depth production and performance records.

Sorting by Age Groups and Key Performance Metrics

One of the most useful features of the Produce of Dam Report is the ability to filter and sort data to analyze specific age groups within your herd. By using the Animal Set feature, you can create custom groups—such as younger dams (3-6 years old) and older dams (7+ years old)—and select that set from the criteria screen before generating the report.

Once the results are displayed, the grid is fully sortable, allowing you to analyze progeny records in various ways:

Sorting by Weaning Ratio – Click on the Wean Ratio column to instantly rank the progeny by their weaning performance. A small arrow will appear to indicate sorting order.
Sorting by Birth Ratio – Click on Birth Ratio to quickly see which dams are producing calves with the most favorable birth weights compared to herd averages.
Sorting by Any Other Column – Simply repeat the process for any available data point, such as Yearling Ratios or Ultrasound Scan Results.
Reversing Sort Order – Click the same column header again to switch between ascending and descending order.

This dynamic sorting feature allows breeders to quickly identify trends, such as which dams are producing the most growth-efficient calves or which ones might need closer evaluation.

Diving into the Detailed Produce of Dam Report

The Produce of Dam Report is an essential tool for evaluating a cow’s lifetime productivity and the impact she has had on the herd. While the initial results screen provides a high-level overview, the detailed report offers even deeper insights, listing all progeny data along with genetic and performance metrics. Taking the time to fully understand this report can lead to better-informed breeding and culling decisions, ultimately benefiting the efficiency and profitability of your herd.

At the top of the detailed report, you’ll find a high-level overview:

Summary Data – The same key metrics from the initial grid results, including the number of calves, calving interval, birth ratio, and other performance ratios.
Pedigree Information – Displayed on the right-hand side, showing the dam’s lineage. If other dams within the pedigree are owned by the ranch, their names will be clickable, allowing you to drill into their Produce of Dam Reports as well.
EPD Data – Expected Progeny Differences (EPDs) for the dam, along with her sire and dam, helping assess her genetic potential.

The lower section of the report provides a detailed progeny performance section:

Birth Weights & Ratios – See how her calves compare to the herd average at birth.
Adjusted Weaning & Yearling Weights – Including ratios that help assess each calf’s growth performance.
Ultrasound Scan Data – If recorded, carcass traits such as % IMF, Ribeye, Fat, and Rump Fat will be displayed.

Special Features Within the Report

Cow’s Own Record – The dam herself is listed at the top of the progeny section under the label "Cow’s Own Record", providing a reference point for her individual data.
Drill-Down Capabilities – Clicking on the birth date of any progeny allows you to access their Performance Details Page, which includes Full EPD breakdown, Genomic Percent Ranks, and Individual performance records submitted for that animal

One of the most convenient features of the Produce of Dam Report is its print-friendly format. If you need to compare specific dams and analyze their production records on a progeny-by-progeny basis, printing these reports allows you to lay out the data side by side for deeper evaluation.

By printing multiple reports, you can:

Compare individual dams to identify the most productive females in your herd.
Evaluate progeny performance across different cows to assess which genetics are excelling.
Make informed culling and breeding decisions based on historical production data.

Having hard copies of these reports can be particularly useful during herd evaluations, sales planning, or breeding meetings, where you may want to reference and discuss the data without relying on a digital screen.

Maximizing the Value of the Produce of Dam Report

The Produce of Dam Report is an essential tool for Angus breeders, providing a detailed overview of a cow’s reproductive history, progeny performance, and genetic impact on the herd. With customizable search criteria, including registration numbers, tattoos, birth date ranges, and animal sets, breeders can tailor the report to focus on specific dams or groups. The ability to include previously owned dams and compare performance across age groups makes this report even more powerful. Additionally, the detailed progeny section offers insights into birth weights, weaning and yearling ratios, ultrasound data, and EPDs—helping breeders make informed decisions about breeding, culling, and herd management.

The Association’s AHIR program enables breeders to create calving records for both commercial and registered cows. By recording performance data for commercial calves alongside registered ones, breeders can also generate Produce of Dam Reports for their commercial cows, allowing for comprehensive herd evaluation and performance tracking across all females.

Beyond data access, the report’s sortable grid and print-friendly format make it easy to analyze and compare multiple dams at once. Sorting by key performance indicators, such as weaning or birth ratios, allows breeders to quickly identify top-performing females and their most productive offspring. Whether viewed digitally or printed for hands-on evaluation, this report equips Angus breeders with the insights needed to refine their breeding programs, improve herd efficiency, and enhance overall profitability. By fully utilizing the Produce of Dam Report, breeders can ensure their herd is built on strong, productive, and genetically superior females.

Private Treaty Bull Sales: Using Data Sheets to Attract Buyers

cstallo@gmail.com (Chris Stallo) — Sat, 01 Mar 2025 10:39:46 GMT

Private Treaty Bull Sales: Using Data Sheets to Attract Buyers

Not every producer has a large production sale. In fact, I would venture to guess that there are more smaller producers selling bulls through private treaty than there are production sales in any given year. Private treaty sales offer flexibility for both buyers and sellers, allowing producers to build relationships with customers while marketing their cattle directly from the ranch. Even those who hold production sales often move additional bulls through private treaty, making it a valuable sales avenue for operations of all sizes.

For producers utilizing private treaty sales, access to accurate and informative data can enhance marketing efforts and buyer confidence. The American Angus Association’s AAA Login platform provides several reports that can help showcase the genetic value and performance of your bulls. These reports can generate pedigrees, Expected Progeny Differences (EPDs), $Values, and performance data to give buyers a comprehensive look at an animal’s genetic potential.

In some cases, the system even supports incorporating pictures, allowing you to present a complete and professional listing for each bull. Whether you are selling a few bulls each year or managing a larger-scale operation, these tools can help you market with confidence. In this article, we will walk through how to use AAA Login to generate key reports that can support your private treaty sales and improve your marketing strategy.

It all starts with creating an animal set for the bulls or heifers that you would like to market. Head over to My Herd > Animal Groups > Animal Sets and create the set of cattle you plan to market. Be sure to name the new set so you can easily remember it when generating reports. For this article, we’ve named the Animal Set ‘2025-Potential-SaleBulls.’ Once the set is defined, navigate to Reports > Interactive > Data Sheet, select the animal set you created, and click the Edit Sale Info button. This will generate a list of the bulls in your set. On the left side of the grid, you’ll find the Add/Edit icon—clicking on it will open the Sale Data Edit screen, allowing you to input and refine the sale details for each bull.

Enhancing Private Treaty Sales with Detailed Bull Data

This is where you can enter important data on your bulls that will appear on your data sheets. You have the ability to add a footnote highlighting key traits, such as pedigree strengths, performance data, or breeding potential. Additionally, you can set a price for each bull, ensuring potential buyers have clear pricing information upfront. To further enhance your listings, you can upload a high-quality picture of each bull, providing a visual representation that helps buyers assess their conformation and overall appeal.

When listing bulls for private treaty sale, consider whether to set a firm price or invite potential buyers to call for details. A clearly listed price offers transparency and attracts serious buyers who are ready to purchase, while asking for inquiries allows for conversation, flexibility, and negotiation. Sellers looking for efficiency may prefer posting a price, while those who prioritize buyer engagement might find it beneficial to encourage calls.

To ensure the best presentation, I recommend entering data for two bulls first and then generating a sample Data Sheet. This will give you a clear idea of how the information is displayed, how much space you have for footnotes, and whether any adjustments are needed before completing the rest.

Showcasing Your Bulls: Selecting the Right Data Sheet

Now that you’ve entered your footnotes and sale details, it’s time to generate a report. There are multiple report styles to choose from, each offering a unique layout and focus. You can click on the provided examples to preview what each report will look like before making your selection.

With 13 different report options available, you can tailor the output to best suit your marketing strategy. Each report format pulls in different data points, including submitted weights, EPDs, and Percentile Ranks. Some reports also incorporate additional insights, such as cow production numbers on the dams and ultrasound measurements on the bulls, offering potential buyers a more comprehensive evaluation.

For those who want a visual representation of genetic merit, one report even allows you to customize which EPDs are displayed as Percentile Graphs, making it easier to showcase key strengths in a visually engaging format. By selecting the right report, you can present your bulls in the most effective way possible, ensuring buyers have the critical information they need to make informed decisions.

You can personalize your data sheet by adding a title and footer, making it an excellent place to prominently display your ranch’s name and contact information. This ensures potential buyers know exactly how to reach you.

The number of bulls displayed per page depends on the report style you select. Reports featuring more detailed data, such as percentile graphs, images, and extended EPDs, will display fewer bulls per page, while simpler formats allow for more listings.

For example, several report styles accommodate eight bulls per page, while the landscape listing format can include up to 16 bulls in a single view. This layout also integrates EPDs, $Values, birth weights, adjusted weaning and yearling weights, and ultrasound data, giving buyers a thorough overview of each animal.

In the sample image of the “Style1: 2-Gen Ped w/ EPDs/$Values” report, you can see how the comments, title, and contact information are displayed. Taking time to review and customize these elements ensures your report is not only informative but also visually polished and professional, making a strong impression on potential buyers.

You can generate multiple versions of the report if needed. For example, if you sell a bull, you can add that into the footnotes portion of the report marking it sold.

If you're adding or adjusting listings, the Animal Sets feature allows you to easily add or remove bulls, keeping the report flexible until the final lineup is confirmed.

Maximizing Your Private Treaty Bull Sales: How to Use Your AAA Reports Effectively

Once you’ve generated a polished report through AAA Login, the next step is putting it to work for your private treaty bull sales. These reports are valuable tools that can enhance your marketing efforts and help connect you with potential buyers. Here are several ways to maximize their impact:

Leverage Social Media for Promotion

Social media platforms, particularly Facebook, are powerful tools for reaching a targeted audience. Consider these strategies:

Post high-quality pictures of your bulls alongside your report to showcase their EPDs, pedigrees, and other relevant data.
Boost your post to define a target region and audience, using key terms such as Angus Cattle, Beef cattle, Rancher, Farm, Cattle Feeding, American Angus Association, etc.
Facebook boosts can be done for as little as $10, making them a cost-effective way to increase visibility and engagement.
Consider use of the word "offered" instead of "selling" to comply with Facebook policies.

Utilize Local Sale Barns

Many local sale barns provide bulletin boards where producers can post advertisements. If permitted, place a printed copy of your report on these boards with clear contact information. This ensures that local buyers who frequent these sale barns are aware of your available bulls.

Create a Private Treaty Catalog

If you have a significant number of bulls to market privately, consider utilizing Angus Media’s Pasture to Publish program. This service allows you to:

Design and develop your own catalog showcasing your bulls.
Tell your story—highlight your ranch’s history, breeding philosophy, and what sets your cattle apart.
Access Angus Media’s printing services to produce high-quality copies.
Showcase your catalog on Angus Media’s Private Treaty website, expanding your online presence and reaching a wider audience.

Distribute Your Listings or Catalog Effectively

Once you have your listings or catalog created, use it strategically:

Online Presence: If you have a website, upload it for easy access. If built through Angus Media, it will also be featured on their private treaty page, expanding your reach.
Check with your local state / cattlemen’s association and see if they offer any classified ads on their website.
In-Person Distribution: Keep copies on hand for prospective buyers who visit your ranch. A well-prepared listing / catalog provides detailed information and serves as a lasting reference for potential customers

Turning First-Time Buyers into Lifelong Customers

Repeat customers are the foundation of a successful private treaty operation. These buyers already trust your cattle program, making them more likely to return year after year. Engaging and retaining them not only ensures steady sales but also strengthens your reputation through word-of-mouth marketing.

Maintaining strong relationships with past buyers goes beyond just making a sale—it’s about fostering long-term trust and loyalty. Stay in touch throughout the year, not just when it’s time to sell, by checking in and showing genuine interest in their operation. Ask how their previous purchases are performing and if the bulls are meeting their expectations. Keeping detailed records of past sales allows you to offer personalized recommendations, ensuring they find bulls that align with their herd goals. By staying engaged and providing valuable insight, you strengthen the connection with repeat buyers and make their purchasing decisions easier.

By prioritizing strong customer relationships and personalized engagement, you can turn first-time buyers into lifelong customers, ensuring the success of your private treaty sales for years to come.

As you navigate your private treaty bull offerings, having a flexible and up-to-date listing is key to connecting with potential buyers. By utilizing tools like the Animal Sets feature, you can easily adjust your report to reflect bulls currently available, ensuring accuracy and clarity for those interested. Keeping records updated with notes on availability helps streamline communication and maintain transparency throughout the process.

A well-organized and informative report not only enhances your marketing efforts but also builds trust with buyers looking for quality genetics. By presenting a clear and professional listing, you make it easier for potential customers to evaluate their options and make informed decisions. With thoughtful planning and regular updates, your private treaty bull sale can be both efficient and successful.

Lost Tags: Why DNA Testing is the Detective of the Cattle World

cstallo@gmail.com (Chris Stallo) — Sat, 01 Feb 2025 10:25:28 GMT

Lost Tags: Why DNA Testing is the Detective of the Cattle World

It’s a scenario every rancher dreads: you’re walking through your herd, checking your cattle, when you spot it—a calf or cow with no identification tag. That small, dangling piece of plastic, the lifeline of record-keeping and pedigree tracking, is nowhere to be found. Whether you're managing a handful of animals or a sprawling herd, the loss of a tag can set off a chain of uncertainty and frustration.

Tags get lost for a variety of reasons, and the story often starts with simple, everyday occurrences on the ranch. Perhaps a tag was snagged on a branch in the pasture, torn off during a scuffle in the chute, or even chewed off by a curious herd mate. Sometimes, the culprit is the wear and tear of time itself—a weak tag or loose button finally giving way. Whatever the cause, the result is the same: a gap in the animal’s identity that must be resolved.

In a perfect world, every calf would keep its tag from birth to sale, but as any experienced cattleman knows, ranching is far from perfect. This is where the importance of DNA testing comes in. It serves as the ultimate backup plan, providing a reliable way to connect the dots when visual identification fails. Beyond being a critical tool for maintaining herd records, DNA testing also ensures accuracy in registrations, parentage verification, and genetic evaluations.

In this article, we’ll dive into the most common scenarios to resolve lost tags, explore the value of DNA in recovering lost identities, and highlight best practices for dealing with these lost tags. After all, in an industry where every detail matters, having a failsafe system ensures your operation stays on track—no matter what Mother Nature or your herd throws at you.

The first step is to re-tag the animal in question and collect a new DNA sample. To avoid confusion with existing tag numbers in your herd, consider assigning a unique identifier with a prefix or suffix. For example, you might use “NT154” (where “NT” stands for “No Tag”) or “UNK154” (for “Unknown”). This ensures the new tag number stands out from the rest.

Most ranchers have extra tags on hand—unused ones with pre-assigned numbers from previous orders. These tags are perfect for this situation and can help streamline the re-tagging process.

Once the animal is re-tagged and you have collected a DNA sample—whether using a blood card, TSU (Tissue Sampling Unit), or hair sample—you’re ready to start identifying the animal. Log in to the Association's AAA Login and navigate to Submit Data > AHIR / Performance > Calving Book. On the criteria screen, the specific selection doesn’t matter for this process, as we won’t be using the resulting data. By default, the system is set to All Eligible Dams, which we’ll use for this example.

When the list appears, click the Get Dam by Tag/Add Dam button. This will open the Calving Book screen, but it will be blank.

This is a common question I get from producers: How do we create a record to figure out the identity of an animal?

There are two effective approaches I’ve found. It’s important to note that a calving record must have both a dam and a sire attached to it. Let’s start with the sire. You can either select one of your herd sires or, if applicable, a sire group.

For the dam, if you’ve used a donor dam, you can input its information and mark the calf as an ET (embryo transfer). This ensures there won’t be conflicts with other calves.

However, to avoid confusion, I prefer creating a new commercial dam for the record. For example, if the calf’s tag is NT154, I would assign the dam the identifier NTD154. Leave the Association Number blank and use a generic birth date, such as 01/01/2020.

The prefix NTD stands for “No Tag Dam,” followed by the calf’s unique identifier (e.g., 154). This makes it clear that the dam is a placeholder for the purpose of identifying a lost tag. If you’re enrolled in Inventory Reporting, it’s also easy to remember to dispose of these placeholder dams before your re-enrollment period.

Once you’ve entered the dam information, proceed to complete the record. Input the calf tag (NT154), the animal’s sex, and assign a placeholder birth date, such as 01/01/2025.

This method helps maintain clarity and ensures you can track and resolve tag issues effectively.

At this stage, an important question to ask yourself is whether to order just a parentage test or a full genomic profile. The cost of a parentage test is $18.00, while a Genomic Profile (which includes parentage) is $37.00.

If your operation has a solid policy of testing all animals you plan to keep and you're working with an older animal, it might make more sense to stick with the parentage test. On the other hand, if the animal is younger and you’re unsure whether it already has a genomic profile on file, ordering the full genomic profile could be the better option.

Ultimately, this decision will depend on your operation’s needs and the specific circumstances of the animal in question.

Once you’ve saved the request to your cart, proceed to check out to submit it to the Association. After checking out, you’ll receive a confirmation screen. Be sure to print this confirmation and include it with the sample before sending it to AGI. The address for AGI will be provided on the confirmation.

When mailing samples to AGI, I recommend using USPS with tracking. My go-to method is USPS Priority boxes, which typically cost around $10. This option provides tracking information so you can monitor the shipment’s progress and ensures delivery within 2–3 days in most cases.

Once AGI receives your sample, they will process it and send it to the lab. After this step, the test request will appear in DNA > Test Results > View Results.

To help expedite the process when the results return from the lab, there are a few steps you can take. If the animal is younger, you may already know its birth year. Use this information to narrow down which sires were used during that time. Be sure to consider both your walking sires and any AI sires included in your breeding program.

If it’s an older animal, such as one of your mature dams who lost their tag and has an unreadable tattoo, you’ll need to generate a list of potential sires by referencing your active dam list.

One effective approach is to use a combination of Animal Sets and Custom Animal Reports. Here’s a high-level overview: Start by creating a new animal set using the Active Dams option. Once the set is created, navigate to the Custom Animal Report feature. Use this tool to return a list of all active dams, along with their sire registration numbers and sire names. Export this data to Excel, where you can use sorting and removing duplicate tools to create a unique list of sires for your active dams. This method is efficient and provides you with a clear list of potential sires in a short amount of time.

If you’d like more detailed instructions or assistance with this process, feel free to reach out—I’d be happy to walk you through it.

Once you have the list of sires you want to test against, navigate to DNA > Test Results > View Results to drill down and add the sires for comparison.

You can follow a similar process for selecting the dams you’d like to test against. Keep in mind that there’s a limit of 100 alternate parents that can be added at a time. If you need to test against more than 100 dams, you’ll need to upload multiple files. After uploading the first file, complete the checkout process, obtain the confirmation, and then repeat the process for the next batch.

Once all the sires and dams have been loaded for testing, all that’s left is to wait for the results to come back.

I also recommend setting a reminder to check on the results. This can be as simple as writing a note and sticking it to your refrigerator or as structured as scheduling a reminder in your calendar. Tracking when the sample was sent to the lab and scheduling a follow-up will help you stay organized.

If you’re lucky, when the results come back, they’ll match one of your alternate sires and dams, helping you identify the animal.

If the results don’t provide a match, reach out to someone at AGI and explain the situation, including the steps you’ve taken so far. They may be able to offer additional guidance or assistance to help resolve the issue.

Once the animal is successfully identified, you can proceed with re-tagging it with the correct tag to maintain your herd’s accuracy

In conclusion, while identifying an animal with a lost tag or unreadable tattoo can be a bit challenging, there are several methods and tools available to help you track down its identity. By using a combination of DNA testing, thorough record-keeping, and careful analysis of your sires and dams, you can resolve most identification issues efficiently. If needed, AGI is there to assist you should you encounter difficulties along the way. Stay organized, and don’t hesitate to utilize available resources to keep your herd’s records accurate and up to date.

Simplifying Calf Registration: Registrations and DNA Status at a Glance

cstallo@gmail.com (Chris Stallo) — Sun, 01 Dec 2024 10:10:28 GMT

Simplifying Calf Registration: Registrations and DNA Status at a Glance

The American Angus Association has recently introduced some exciting new features to the AAA Login system, aimed at simplifying and enhancing the registration process for members.

With a variety of options available through Submit Data > Registrations > EZ Registration, members can tailor their approach when submitting calf registrations, whether they prefer to use a blank entry form, select by birth date ranges, or pull from predefined sets or pastures in their herd.

I usually use the method of entering a birth date range for the calves and then work directly from that generated list. The list conveniently displays key details for each calf, such as tag number, tattoo, birth date, sex, dam information, and sire information, allowing members to verify and register each calf without needing to cross-reference multiple sources. This organized approach provides users with a clear snapshot of essential data, making it easier to stay accurate and efficient when inputting registration information.

The list view in EZ Registrations comes with helpful icons to assist with each step of the registration process. The pencil and paper icon, positioned on the left, is used to directly enter or update registration details, while the arrow icon opens up a rRgistration/Transfer form for individual animals.

Like other grids within the AAA Login area, users can customize their view by sorting the list according to the column headers, such as birth date or dam information.

As with other grids, users can navigate through the list and click the registration icon on the left side to initiate the registration process for any selected animal. Additionally, a convenient search feature allows users to enter a calf tag at the top of the grid. By using the 'Register Calf by Tag' or 'Register and Transfer Calf by Tag' buttons, members can quickly locate and open the registration entry screen for that specific animal. This screen will automatically populate with the calf's information, just as if the user had manually scrolled to the calf in the list and selected the registration icon. This feature saves time, especially for larger herds, by allowing users to jump directly to the animal they need without extensive scrolling.

A valuable enhancement to the detailed list within the system is the addition of a DNA status column on the right side of the grid. This feature allows users to easily track the DNA testing progress for each calf, displaying key information at a glance. For calves with submitted DNA tests, the status will indicate whether results are still pending or whether the animal has been qualified based on parentage. Specifically, users can see if the sire and dam have both qualified, and if the mating itself has been confirmed. This real-time DNA status display helps users monitor parentage verification as soon as results are available.

In cases where DNA tests identify exclusions, this status column becomes even more helpful. If a calf’s DNA results show that either the sire or dam did not qualify, a Parent Excluded message will be displayed, and the registration icon for that calf will be disabled, preventing users from inadvertently registering animals that do not meet parentage standards.

Additionally, if a sire or dam’s DNA is missing, a note will appear stating, "Parent missing. Contact the office to correct." This notification system provides a clear, proactive way to address registration issues related to DNA, ensuring that each registration meets the association's requirements. If this is the case, you should check and see if you have already submitted alternate parents for that DNA Case.

If there is no information displayed for a particular animal in the Parentage section, this signals that DNA has not yet been submitted for that animal. This feature allows users to easily identify which calves may still need DNA testing for parentage verification.

If the message ‘No SNP DNA on file to compare’ appears, it means the calf itself has DNA results on file, but there is no corresponding DNA for one or both of the listed parents. This does not prevent you from registering the calf in question.

By consolidating DNA results and parentage information directly within the calf registration grid, this enhancement streamlines the registration process and reduces the need for back-and-forth checks. Users now have all essential registration and DNA data in one place, improving the accuracy of registrations and helping ranchers more easily manage their herd data.

Custom Animal Reports: A Deeper Look at Parentage Status

Many ranchers aim to get DNA on all breeding-age females as part of a strategic approach to accurate calf parentage verification. While this is a worthwhile goal, implementing it can take time due to the associated costs. Nonetheless, having DNA on hand for the majority of breeding females can greatly simplify identifying and verifying calf parentage over time.

When DNA results return and reveal that a calf doesn’t match the expected dam, it can be a challenge to untangle the situation. Calf swaps are more common than one might assume, and mismatches in parentage often highlight instances where calves may have been mixed up. In these cases, a good first step is to check the calving records to see if any other dams calved on the same day and if any of those calves were excluded as well. Testing the calf against these other possible dams can sometimes lead to a quick resolution if a switch is confirmed.

If one of the other potential dams didn’t have DNA submitted, it’s worth running an exclusion check to see if this dam might be a match for the calf in question. Sometimes, calves born on the same day are inadvertently swapped, and trying all potential matches can help clear up any confusion. This method of process-of-elimination based on DNA results, calving records, and exclusion testing can be an effective approach to ensure accurate registrations.

The American Angus Association recently updated the Custom Animal Report section in AAA Login, located at Reports > Interactive > Create Custom Report. These changes are designed to give users more control and flexibility when investigating DNA-related questions. Within the DNA Info section at the bottom of the report interface, new checkboxes allow users to select specific parentage details, including Sire Parentage, Dam Parentage, and Sire/Dam Mating Parentage. These options make it easier to view and analyze parentage qualifications and exclusions.

When trying to resolve a parentage question, a helpful strategy is to run a report with a targeted birth date range, typically set to include a few days before and after the calf's birth. Including dam, sire, and overall parentage information in the report ensures that all relevant data will be displayed. After generating the report, sorting the results by the birth date column brings related calves into clear view, allowing for quick identification of the animal with an excluded parent.

In a typical scenario, if a calf like 29L shows as excluded from its dam, reviewing calves with nearby birth dates can reveal clues. For instance, 28L has DNA on file but its dam doesn’t, you might try testing the excluded dam against 28L to see if it qualifies as the dam. If it does, this could confirm that a calf swap has occurred. This investigative approach, made easier with the recent updates, can help ranchers efficiently identify and resolve parentage issues with confidence.

In closing

With recent updates to AAA Login, including the addition of DNA status in the registration grid and expanded DNA Info options in the Custom Animal Report, ranchers now have more effective tools for submitting registration and resolving parentage issues. These enhancements allow members to access customized reports, view detailed parentage data, and quickly identify potential calf swaps, helping them maintain accurate records and uphold the integrity of their breeding programs with confidence.

Efficiency and Accuracy: The Rise of Electronic ID Tags in Livestock Management

cstallo@gmail.com (Chris Stallo) — Fri, 01 Nov 2024 09:56:15 GMT

Efficiency and Accuracy:

The Rise of Electronic ID Tags in Livestock Management

In the ever-evolving world of cattle management, staying ahead of technology is crucial for ranchers who aim to streamline operations and improve herd management. One tool that has become indispensable is the use of Electronic Identification (EID) tags. These tags have transformed how ranchers track, monitor, and manage their cattle, providing more accurate data and reducing human error. But how exactly can these tags be used, and why are they becoming the standard in livestock management?

EID tags are small, tamper-proof devices attached to an animal’s ear, which allow for rapid and precise identification of individual cattle through the use of radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology. They can be read remotely, providing critical information at key moments like vaccinations, weigh-ins, and transportation. This system reduces the need for visual checks or manual data entry, increasing efficiency and providing real-time insights into herd health, herd performance, and pedigree tracking.

By integrating EID technology, ranchers can increase operational efficiency, safeguard herd health, and improve overall profitability, making these tags an essential tool for any cattle operation.

Exploring EID Tag Options: From Standalone to Matched Sets

When exploring EID tags, there are several options to consider. You can choose standalone EID tags, order them paired with visual tags, or opt for a matched pair set that includes a tissue sampling unit (TSU), where all components are perfectly matched for streamlined identification and sample collection.

Brinkley Angus Ranch, located in Milan, MO, has opted to use the matched pair set, which includes the EID tag, a visual tag, and a tissue sampling unit (TSU). If you closely examine the single tag picture, you'll notice that the number "2926" is displayed on all components of the matched pair set, including the EID, the visual tag, and the TSU. This setup provides the ranch with an efficient, all-in-one solution for cattle identification and DNA sampling, ensuring consistency across their herd management system.

Rule 105 in the Breeder’s Reference Guide was amended in September 2022 to allow electronic identification (EID) as the primary form of identification for Angus cattle. If EID is used as the primary identifier, it must be paired with a secondary form of identification. Acceptable secondary identifiers include parentage markers, tattoos, freeze brands, hot brands, or visual tags. This rule change has given Ranchers the opportunity to use an EID as their primary form of identification whereas before this wasn’t the case.

Calving Records and EIDs: Managing Data from Birth to Weaning

There are a couple of ways to add EID to the animal records at the American Angus Association. If you are using the Registration Entry form, change the Primary ID to "840 EID." This will open the necessary fields to submit the 840 EID and the secondary identification.

Check with your tag supplier to see if they offer a downloadable file. This can save you time and reduce errors. For instance, Brinkley Angus Ranch purchased their matched pair sets from AllFlex, which provides the ability to download a file containing information from the set, including the 840 number, the Management Code, and the Bag ID.

If you have already submitted the calving information to the Association, you can use a spreadsheet option located at Submit Data > Spreadsheet Entry > Other AHIR Data > EID. Enter the birth date range for the animals whose EIDs you want to submit, then click the “Get Excel Spreadsheet” button. An Excel file will be downloaded, allowing you to add the 840 numbers easily.

If you are entering EIDs from a downloadable file, you can easily copy and paste them into the AAA spreadsheet for submission. If you’re manually typing them from another source, look for patterns in the 840 numbers. The first 12 digits are likely the same for all EIDs. If that’s the case, you can use those 12 as a foundation and only need to input the last three unique digits for each tag.

Once the calf is registered, the Animal Search Lookup will display the EID as the primary identification along with the secondary identifier. In the Animal Search image, you’ll see the EID listed after the birth date, followed by the word "Parentage," indicating that parentage markers are being used as the secondary form of identification.

Maximizing Data Collection with the Gallagher TW-3

There are various brands of scale heads and wands available for implementing EID

technology. Brinkley Angus Ranch has chosen the upgraded Gallagher TW-3 Weigh Scale & Data Collector for this purpose.

The Gallagher TW-3 features an intuitive touchscreen weigh scale that is easy to operate. Designed in collaboration with farmers, its straightforward navigation and user-friendly interface simplify the weighing process. It comes equipped with a full keyboard, enhancing data entry speed and efficiency.

The Gallagher TW-3 allows for customizable templates to efficiently collect various types of data. For instance, you can create a Yearling Template that not only records the animal's weight as it crosses the scale but also enables you to input hip height measurements directly into the scale head. Each template can be configured to capture up to nine traits, allowing for additional data collection such as foot scores, body condition scores, etc.

When an animal enters the chute, the EID reader can scan the EID, retrieving its information and displaying the weight on the scale head. You can then take any necessary measurements and enter them directly into the scale head.

At the end of the weighing session, you can sync the scale head with the Online Portal interface, allowing you to download the day's session into a file. Once synced, you can access this data from anywhere with internet connectivity.

Once you have the file downloaded, you can use the Spreadsheet Entry option available through AAA Login to merge the necessary information in.

More Than Just Weights: Maximizing the Potential of Your Scale Head

While most ranchers primarily associate these tools with capturing cattle weights, this technology offers much more than that.

Most cattle ranchers will review their females and decide which sires to breed them to. The Upgraded Gallagher TW-3 offers a feature that allows you to add traits to the existing EID record. At Brinkley Angus Ranch, they used this feature to record the AI sire selected to breed for each female.

When a female entered the alley, her EID was scanned, and the corresponding AI sire to breed her to was displayed. This information was then relayed to the person managing the semen tank, enabling them to quickly pull and thaw the correct straw. By the time the female reached the breeding box, the semen was already thawed and ready to be used, streamlining the AI process.

If you're having a veterinarian perform breeding soundness exams, the scale head and EID reader can be extremely useful. As the females move through the chute, you can scan them in, and easily record important information. For example, if a cow needs to be culled, you can make a note of it. If follow-up checks are required, you can mark that as well.

Once the exams are complete, if the vet needs a record of the cattle evaluated, simply sync the scale head with the online portal, download the file, and email it directly to the vet’s office for a seamless exchange of information.

Simplifying Calving Records: From Birth to First Chute

Depending on the EID reader you have, it's possible to enter calving information directly into the reader while in the pasture.

At Brinkley Angus Ranch, they’ve chosen a different approach to tagging newborn calves with EIDs. They are using the matched pair set (refer to the single tag picture), assigning the tattoo at birth. At birth they will collect a TSU sample and insert a smaller tag with the mating information and the assigned tattoo. They will keep the EID and the larger white dangle tag to use when the calf gets older.

This data is recorded in a calving book, and every few weeks, the DNA samples are sent to the Association. By using the downloadable file from their tag supplier, they can later assign the EID numbers to the calves.

The calves' first chute experience occurs around 120 days of age. At that time, the EID is placed in their ear, and the larger white dangle tag is attached, while the smaller birth tag remains in place. The EID is scanned and recognized as a new ID, and the visual tag is added to the system, ensuring consistent tracking moving forward.

In closing

In closing, the integration of EID technology offers cattle ranchers a powerful tool to streamline herd management, from calving records and data collection to breeding soundness exams and AI procedures. By utilizing systems like the Gallagher TW-3 Weigh Scale & Data Collector, ranches like Brinkley Angus Ranch have demonstrated how this technology can enhance accuracy, improve efficiency, and simplify data entry across multiple aspects of cattle management. Whether tracking EIDs, syncing data, or customizing templates, the opportunities to optimize herd performance are vast, making EID technology an essential investment for ranching operations.

Unlocking Efficiency: Managing Your Data Submissions and Account History with Ease

cstallo@gmail.com (Chris Stallo) — Tue, 01 Oct 2024 09:31:55 GMT

Unlocking Efficiency: Managing Your Data Submissions

and Account History with Ease

You've just submitted your registrations or transfers to the Association and made a mental note to log in the next morning, eager to see what gets approved and what might need further attention. It's almost like the anticipation of a child on Christmas morning, waiting to see what's under the tree—though perhaps that's a bit of an exaggeration. Still, the process carries its own blend of hope and curiosity.

Fortunately, the Association has incorporated several features designed to streamline this experience, making it easier to track and manage your submissions. In this article, we'll explore these tools in detail, focusing on the benefits of accessing the My Account > Account History – Association section.

By default, all the work you've submitted over the past few years is visible, providing a comprehensive overview of your activity. The most useful options are conveniently located near the top of the page, making it easy to navigate and find what you need.

This detailed list breaks down your submitted registrations, transfers, or performance data, showing exactly how many have been received and how many are still in suspense. There's also a separate column that consolidates AGI and other types of work. On the right side of the grid, you'll find a checkbox that indicates whether the item is related to AGI, along with total and balance information, giving you a clear overview of your submissions.

Refining Your Results: Getting the Most from Search and Filter Options

The first feature worth noting is the variety of search criteria available at the top. These filters allow you to quickly narrow down your results based on specific details like tattoos, EIDs, or Order Numbers. For instance, if you're looking for a particular tattoo, you can input that information to swiftly locate the corresponding files. Keep in mind that if a tattoo has been submitted through multiple files—say, for calving records, weaning weights, and registrations—all related file numbers will be displayed. Clicking on a file allows you to scroll down and see the specific row where that tattoo appears, highlighted for easy identification. This feature is particularly helpful for checking the status of a registration, including whether it's pending any additional requirements like an AI Certificate.

Additionally, the Order Number search option is incredibly useful if you save your order confirmation printouts. It allows you to jump directly to the specific file associated with that order, making it easier to track and manage your submissions.

If you're dealing with a long list of files and want to focus on those with unresolved items, there's a handy option: "Click here to see a list of files that have items in suspense." This feature filters out any files where all the work has cleared, leaving you with only those that require further attention. In the main Account Information image featured in this article, this filtering was applied. If you take a closer look, you'll notice that the "Registrations Suspense" column displays numbers for each remaining file.

This option not only narrows down your list by file but also provides more detailed insights when you click on a specific file number. You'll be able to see only the individual items within that file that are still in suspense, making it much easier to pinpoint and address outstanding issues.

Another highly useful option is the "Click here to see a list of pending registrations that are awaiting A.I. Service Certificates for all files in process." This feature scans through all submitted registrations and compiles a list of those that still require an AI Certificate to be processed. I often use this option to generate a list, which I then copy into a Word document to track the number of AI Certificates I need to order for each bull.

The best part is that this feature consolidates information across multiple files, giving you a comprehensive view of all the pending AI Certificates, regardless of how many different files the registrations are spread across. This makes it easy to stay organized and ensures nothing falls through the cracks.

Managing Balances: A Guide to Payment Options

While exploring the search options, it's worth taking a moment to glance above the grid or in the top right corner to check if there's an outstanding balance on any of your files. If a balance is present, a convenient link will appear, allowing you to remit payment directly.

By clicking on the link, you'll be directed to a detailed payment screen where you can review the specific files with outstanding balances. This screen provides a comprehensive breakdown by entity—such as the Association, AGI, or API—as well as a file-by-file summary. You have the flexibility to either pay your entire balance at once or select individual files to settle specific amounts. This feature ensures you have full control over managing your payments, allowing you to address balances as they arise efficiently.

Detailed Order Information – More Uses than Meet the Eye

Have you ever needed to work with the same group of calves after you've already submitted some of their information? For instance, you might have entered calving records and later need to submit registrations, DNA samples, or weaning weights for those same calves.

Did you know that you can easily create or update an animal set for use in other forms by accessing specific file details? This can save you significant time and effort by reusing the data you've already entered.

To do this, locate the relevant file under Account History – Association and click on the File Number in the results list. This will take you to the detailed order information for that file. From there, you can either create a new animal set or update an existing one, streamlining your workflow across different forms and tasks.

When you're working with your results, take note of the column labeled “New Animal Set.” This feature allows you to efficiently organize and manage groups of animals across different tasks.

Above the results set, you'll find options to either create a new set or update an existing one. If you want to include all the animals from a specific file in a new set, simply click on the “New Animal Set” label.

If you're only interested in including specific animals, scroll down the list and check the boxes in that column next to the animals you want to include in your set. This flexibility lets you customize your animal sets according to your specific needs, making it easier to manage and submit the necessary data.

After selecting the desired animals, complete the necessary fields to either create a new animal set or choose an existing set you'd like to update. Once you're ready, click the “Create/Update Animal Set” button.

Upon doing so, you'll be redirected to the Animal Sets interface, where your new or updated set will be ready for use. From here, you can seamlessly begin working with your animal set for any further tasks or submissions.

Some examples of how this can be used would include:

· Submit Calving Records → Send in DNA

· Submit Calving Records → Register calves

· Submit Weaning Records → Send in Yearling Records

· Submit Registrations → Custom Report

In closing

In summary, managing your registrations and transfers with the Association has been made significantly more efficient with the tools available in the My Account > Account History – Association section. These features offer a comprehensive view of your submitted data, allowing you to easily track progress, identify pending items, and stay on top of your records. By utilizing these tools, you can streamline your workflow, ensure accuracy, and enjoy a more organized approach to managing your submissions.

ADS #007: Angus Data Services – Optimizing Your Contemporary Groups

cstallo@gmail.com (Chris Stallo) — Wed, 11 Sep 2024 00:26:19 GMT

ADS #007: Angus Data Services – Optimizing Your Contemporary Groups: A Timely Reminder for Fall and Spring Calvers

Optimizing Your Contemporary Groups: A Timely Reminder for Fall and Spring Calvers

Now is an ideal time for both fall and spring calving operations to focus on their contemporary groups. For fall calvers, it's a chance to think about how they will set up their groups in preparation for the new calving season. For spring calvers, it’s an opportunity to review your birth groups and finalize their contemporary groups as they prepare for weaning those calves.

Ensuring that your contemporary groups are accurately established now will help streamline data management and enhance the accuracy of future evaluations.

The largest your contemporary group will ever be is your calving records (birth contemporary group). From that point, your weaning, yearling, and other groups will always be the same size or smaller, never larger. If your birth contemporary group isn’t set up correctly, it affects all future groups.

How to review your groups?

Access Reports > AHIR Reports > AHIR Work History/Reports. To look at your birth contemporary groups select the Birth Type and click Search. The latest birth groups you have submitted will be on the screen. Click the word Details to drill into those groups.

I recommend closely examining smaller groups to understand why they are isolated.

Sometimes there are clear reasons, such as a foster calf that was recorded separately.

Other times aren't as clear. For example, if you needed to use DNA to determine the dam, you might have submitted the calf without a dam listed to identify its correct dam. Once the dam information is corrected, the calf won't automatically be reassigned to the larger group.

Or another example, if you sent something in as an ET calf and after DNA, found out it was actually a clean up sire with a registered recipient and had it corrected.

In either case, the calf won't automatically be reassigned to the larger group.

You'll need to contact the Association to make the adjustment, and they are very helpful in resolving these issues.

Click here for a reminder on how groups are split.

Association News & Updates

Angus Releases New Teat and Udder Research EPDs.

2024 Annual Meeting Delegates elected.

The animal identification letter for 2025 is the letter N. Click here to see other years.

Ready to get started? Here are 4 ways I can help:

Ready for someone to manage your Angus Data Records and lighten your workload? Why not give us a call, or better yet, ask one of our satisfied clients?
Need help with a one-time project? Let us handle the heavy lifting, so you can stay focused on what matters most.
I offer personalized one-on-one training for AAA Login and Excel, tailored to your specific needs and skill level. Whether you are a beginning or looking to refine your expertise, I'll customize the session to ensure you get the most out of it.
Curious to learn more? Give us a call during your windshield time, and let's have a chat!

Staying Efficient: How to Keep Your Inventory Current

cstallo@gmail.com (Chris Stallo) — Mon, 02 Sep 2024 00:37:58 GMT

STAYING EFFICIENT: HOW TO KEEP YOUR INVENTORY CURRENT

The price of culled cattle has remained strong so far this year and ranchers are taking advantage of the market.

Culling, the process of removing less productive or undesirable animals from a herd, plays a vital role in herd management. It not only helps in maintaining herd health and productivity but also facilitates genetic improvements. By selectively culling, ranchers can focus on breeding cattle that exhibit superior traits such as higher fertility rates, better growth performance, and enhanced meat quality. These genetic enhancements are essential for ensuring long-term sustainability and competitiveness in the cattle industry.

Now is the time of year when your spring calving operations are conducting pregnancy checks on the exposed females to determine which cows are expecting. Ranchers will also start to assess the current calf crop by evaluating the health, growth, and potential. This period is crucial for making informed decisions about your herd’s future.

As your operation progresses through these evaluations, it is an opportune moment to update your AAA Login herd inventory. Keeping your inventory current ensures accurate records of your herd inventory, aids in tracking genetic improvements, and streamlines management decisions. By maintaining an up-to-date inventory, you can better plan for future breeding, culling, and sales, enhancing the efficiency and profitability of your operation.

Culling Females: Essential Steps for Your Operation

After completing the pregnancy checks on your females, you will need to make important decisions regarding which cows to keep for another breeding cycle and which ones to take to the sale barn. For those that will be sold, now is an ideal time to update your herd inventory by removing them from your records.

You can do this in several places within the system. The first one we will go into is the Active Dam List. Start by navigating to My Herd > Animal Lists > Active Dams. Here, you can use search criteria to narrow down the list to a more manageable size. If you have multiple dams to remove, you might find it easier to leave the search criteria blank and simply click the Search button. This action will display all active dams in your inventory, allowing you to efficiently update your records.

You can use the Ctrl+F function to quickly locate the specific tattoo you are searching for, or you can sort by the Dam Tatt column. Once you find the desired entry, click the 'Click to Dispose Dam' link on the far right. This action will open a screen where you can enter a disposal code and date. Once you click the Save button you will be taken back to the same list you came from so you can repeat that process as many times as needed. A few years ago, the disposal codes were updated to reflect a wider range of scenarios. By clicking on the label for Disposal, a list of all available codes will appear. The main categories for disposal codes include:

Culled - Eye Problem
Culled – Miscellaneous
Sold as commercial
Culled - Teat and Udder
Culled – Structure
Culled - Fertility or Open
Culled – Productivity
Culled – Temperament
Culled – Age
Died – Other
Culled - Fell out of calving season
Culled - Feet
Culled - Illness or Disease
Culled - Genetic Condition Status
Culled - Weather Event
Culled - Calf Died
Culled - Prolapse
Culled - Calving Problem
Culled - Genetic Predictions (EPDs)
Culled - Injury
Culled - Pelvic Measurement or RTS
Culled - Progeny Performance
Died - Illness or Disease
Died - Prolapse
Died - Weather Event

Navigating the Process: Culling Unregistered Calves in AAA Login

Most cattle ranchers begin evaluating their current calves at a young age to make informed culling decisions. This process helps determine which calves will be kept as potential replacement heifers and which will be raised as potential sale bulls. When the time comes to load up those that did not make the cut and take them to the sale barn, you can remove the unregistered calves from your herd inventory.

To do this, navigate to My Herd > Animal Lists > Unregistered Calf Inventory in AAA Login. Like other search screens in AAA Login, you can use various criteria to narrow down the results, such as specific tattoos/tags or broader criteria like a birth date range.

Once the list appears, click the Add/Edit Icon on the left side of the results. This will bring up a form where you can enter a disposal code for the selected animal. After entering the disposal code, click the Save button to return to the list. You will notice that the Add/Edit icon has changed from a plus sign to a pen and paper, and the In Cart column on the right side is checked. This indicates that the changes you made have been successfully saved.

Revisiting History: Exploring Production Records of Canceled Cows

Did you know that you can still access production records for females that have been removed from your inventory?

In AAA Login, it is straightforward. Go to Reports > Dam Reports > Produce of Dam Report. When you enter the tattoo or tag of the dam you are searching for, make sure to check the "Include previously owned dams" box. This will retrieve the dam’s record, allowing you to click on the Dam tag and generate a cow production report for her.

When you enter the registration number of the culled female you are searching for, the system automatically searches both current and previously owned inventory by default.

Unlocking History: Accessing animal records that were recently canceled.

It is almost inevitable that there comes a time when I want to revisit the information for an animal that has been canceled from the inventory. Fortunately, accessing this information is straightforward and can provide valuable insights into past herd management decisions.

To retrieve details about canceled animals, navigate to My Herd > Animal Lists > Canceled Animals in AAA Login. The search features available here are incredibly useful for narrowing down the results to find the specific calves in which you are interested. You can filter by various criteria, such as tattoo/tag numbers, registration number, or sex, allowing you to quickly locate the calves that were recently removed from your records.

This comprehensive list displays all canceled animals, whether they are registered or unregistered, along with the date each was canceled. Once you have accessed this list, you can delve into important information about each canceled animal, including their birth, weaning, and yearling data. This historical context can be invaluable for assessing breeding decisions and herd performance.

Additionally, if any of the canceled animals were dams, there is a convenient link that takes you directly to their cow production report. This report can provide insights into their productivity and performance metrics, enabling you to make more informed decisions in the future. By efficiently accessing and reviewing this information, you can enhance your understanding of your herd's history and improve your management practices moving forward.

In Closing

In summary, effectively managing your cattle inventory, including the culling of females, and tracking unregistered calves, is essential for maintaining a productive and profitable operation. By leveraging tools within AAA Login, you can streamline your processes, make informed decisions about herd management, and ensure accurate record-keeping. From evaluating potential replacement heifers and sale bulls to accessing production records and canceled calf lists, utilizing these resources empowers you to enhance your breeding strategies and optimize your herd’s performance. Staying organized and informed will lead to greater success in your cattle ranching endeavors.

Taking a deeper dive into Account Settings

cstallo@gmail.com (Chris Stallo) — Mon, 01 Jul 2024 21:57:33 GMT

TAKING A DEEPER DIVE INTO ACCOUNT SETTINGS

In today's digital age, managing your online accounts goes far beyond remembering a password. Taking a deeper dive into your account settings is crucial for enhancing security, customizing user experience, and ensuring the accuracy of your personal information.

From changing passwords to updating phone numbers and tweaking other critical settings, these adjustments can provide added layers of protection and convenience. By regularly reviewing and updating your account options, you can stay ahead of potential security threats and make the most of the features and services available to you.

In this article I will highlight a few items located under the My Account section of AAA Login.

Proper management of your account settings not only safeguards your personal information but also optimizes your interactions with the platform. You can set preferences for communication, choose how you receive important documents, and manage your subscriptions. Additionally, updating your contact information ensures you receive timely notifications and support when needed. By taking advantage of these features, you create a more efficient, secure, and personalized user experience.

Profile Check: Update Your Information

In our fast-paced world, it is easy to overlook the importance of regularly reviewing your Association account information. We will begin by taking a closer look at My Account > Login Profile.

Here, you can update your password, add a website, and receive email notices from the Association.

Continually changing your password is crucial for protecting your online accounts from unauthorized access, and it’s something you should do for all your online accounts throughout the year. Using a strong, unique combination of characters can significantly enhance your account's security.

Additionally, you can add or update your website information, allowing the Association to have the most current details about your online presence. Use this section to update the Association with your latest URL, so it can be seen in the Member Links area available here: https://www.angus.org/Admin/MemberLinks.

If you are a producer with several member codes for which you submit data, take a close look at the option 'Include all owners by default on all View menu items.'

If you frequently select 'All' in the Include Owners drop-down box, checking this option will set 'All' as the default. Do this and in turn you will not need to select it manually each time you access the menu.

the options. Once you've identified the desired entry, press the tab key to select it. This action automatically populates the relevant information, including the registration number, saving you time and ensuring accuracy.

Account Information Review: Keeping Your Details Up to Date

When was the last time you reviewed your account information that can be found under My Account > My AAA Member Information?

It is important to periodically check a few key details to ensure your information is accurate and up to date. First, verify your email address. An accurate email ensures you receive essential communications from the Association, including updates, notifications, and important announcements. Missing out on these can lead to missed opportunities and a lack of critical information.

Next, review your cell phone number. Keeping your phone number current is crucial for receiving timely notifications, alerts, and for the Association to contact you if needed. This ensures you stay informed and can promptly address any issues or updates that require your attention.

Additionally, it is vital to check who you are authorized to submit for, and who is authorized to submit for you.

When someone leaves the ranch, it is easy to forget that they were once added to your account as an agent, which would allow them to submit registrations, transfers, and perform any actions available within AAA Login. The same applies to any sale management help you might have enlisted.

As you review this information, any necessary changes can be made by typing in the 'Enter changes here' section at the bottom of the page and clicking submit. Be sure to follow up on these changes to ensure they have been processed correctly.

Streamline Membership Renewals with Auto Dues Management

Have you ever logged into AAA Login, eager to process registrations, only to discover that your account is inactive because dues have not been paid? It can be incredibly frustrating to encounter this hurdle just when you are ready to get things done.

To avoid this situation, consider using the feature added last fall available under My Account > Manage Auto Dues Renewal. This feature allows you to link a credit card to your account, ensuring that your membership dues are automatically charged when they are due for renewal. There is no need to wait until your dues are getting close to being due. You can set it up anytime and when the time comes, it will charge the card you indicate to. This way, you can focus on your tasks without the worry of your account becoming inactive unexpectedly.

Enhance Your Experience with Online Preferences

Most of the membership now store their registration certificates electronically. If you have been thinking about making the switch but have not yet, consider giving it a go. The biggest difference it makes is when processing transfers. It makes the process much easier.

This option can be toggled under My Account > Registrations Certificate Storage Preferences.

To streamline your billing process and enhance convenience, I recommend opting to receive your invoices via email instead of through traditional mail. You can easily update your preference by navigating to My Account > Billing Preferences. By doing so, not only will all your invoices be emailed to you, but you will also receive your monthly statement of accounts electronically.

Rest assured, if you ever need a physical copy of any invoice, you have the flexibility to print one at any time. Simply go to My Account > Account History – Association link and drill down into the details of the specific file to print the invoice.

Switching to email invoices offers several benefits, including faster delivery, easier access and storage, and reduced paper waste.

Are you an active member who submits AHIR information? If so, you have likely received a packet of reports in the mail from a set of weaning weights you sent in. The Association offers a convenient option to opt out of getting these physical reports in the mail. You can do this by accessing the My Account > Report Preferences section and select which reports you no longer want to receive.

Even with this preference, you will still have the ability to view your reports online using the Reports > AHIR Work History / Reports option. Additionally, if you ever need a physical copy of any AHIR report, you can easily print one. This process is like printing a hard copy of an invoice, providing you with flexibility and convenience.

In closing

Exploring your account settings can unlock a range of features designed to enhance your experience and streamline your interactions with the Association. By diving into sections like Billing Preferences and Report Preferences, you can tailor your account to fit your specific needs, making the entire process more efficient and user-friendly. These settings offer you control over how you receive important documents and updates, ensuring that you have easy and timely access to the information that matters most to you.

Taking the time to familiarize yourself with and customize your account settings not only improves your daily operations but also contributes to a more organized approach. By opting for electronic communications and reports, you reduce paper waste and clutter, all while maintaining the ability to print documents whenever necessary. Embrace these options to optimize your workflow and support sustainability, benefiting both you and the environment.

Efficient Strategies for Organizing and Managing Transfers

cstallo@gmail.com (Chris Stallo) — Sat, 01 Jun 2024 21:41:53 GMT

EFFICIENT STRATEGIES FOR ORGANIZING AND MANAGING TRANSFERS

As the dust settles after the whirlwind of your production sale, and the echoes of enthusiastic bidding fade into memory, you find yourself facing a new challenge: navigating the transfers for your registered Angus cattle.

Amidst the flurry of activity, both in-person and online, your operation garnered widespread support, leaving you with a stack of invoices with scribbled notes that made sense at the time, but now you are trying to recall the conversation.

Some cattle will find new homes with single buyers, while others will have shared ownership requiring careful and meticulous record-keeping to ensure a smooth transition for both cattle and buyers alike.

Here’s some insights to make it a little less daunting of a task.

Efficiency Begins with Preparation: Organizing Your Data in Advance

There are several straightforward strategies you can employ to streamline your data organization process in advance, ultimately saving you considerable time and effort.

If you utilized an online platform for clerking your sale transactions, they should be equipped to furnish you with a comprehensive file post-sale, containing all pertinent buyer details, including complete addresses.

Rather than tackling this task in sequential sale or lot order, sort the information by buyer number. This consolidation places all cattle purchased by a single individual together, facilitating a more efficient workflow. An added benefit of this approach is the ability to utilize the "retain" checkbox after completing the initial transfer for a buyer, ensuring that their information remains populated for subsequent transfers. Just remember to uncheck this box on the final transfer for each buyer to avoid inadvertent carryover.

As you navigate through this Excel file, you have the flexibility to either print it for a tangible copy or utilize the digital version. Personally, I've employed both methods, depending on the circumstances of the day. When utilizing the digital version, I find it helpful to bold the entire line for entries that I've completed or to highlight them in a distinct color. Conversely, I use a different color to flag entries that require follow-up attention.

When working with a printed copy of the report, I adopt a similar approach. I designate a specific color of pen or felt-tip marker to denote items that necessitate follow-up action. This consistent visual coding system enhances efficiency and ensures that no task slips through the cracks, regardless of whether I'm working with a digital or hard copy.

Efficient Transfer Preparation

Do you have bred females that you need to transfer? Gathering the breeding information up front will save a significant amount of time.

Most sale catalogs will have who the female is bred to and when she is due. This is a great starting point, but you will need more detailed information when processing the transfers.

In the past, I used to tackle this task by going through invoices in sequential order, retrieving breeding information for each individual dam. However, I quickly learned that consolidating this data in advance considerably streamlines the process. Now, I compile all pertinent breeding details into a single Word document, listing all potential sires alongside notes indicating whether they were utilized via AI or as pasture sires.

Typically, operations I collaborate with schedule AI breedings on specific dates, followed by distinct turn-out dates for AI-bred and naturally bred females. Centralizing this information eliminates the need to search for it piecemeal, offering a convenient reference point during transfers.

Having access to larger or multiple monitors proves invaluable, enabling seamless navigation between the breeding information document and the transfer screen.

Did you sell some Cow/Calf pairs? Transfer the Calf first to make sure nothing will hold it up.

If the calf hasn't been registered yet, you have the option to register and transfer it simultaneously. There's no need to wait for the registration to be processed separately before initiating the transfer.

If for some reason you can’t register it or you don’t have the calving info, mark the cow as follow up and then add a note to the side that need the calf info so that they don’t get separated.

Transfer Tactics: Proven Methods for Efficiency

To initiate the transfer process, navigate to "Submit Data > Transfers," which presents a range of options for accessing the desired cattle entries. You can refine your search by specifying a birth date range, entering a registration number or tattoo if preferred, or utilizing the Animal Set feature to retrieve all animals within a defined set. Personally, I find the tattoo option or the Animal Set option particularly useful, especially if we've already defined a set of animals during catalog creation.

Once the list of potential transfers is displayed, simply select the desired entry by clicking on the edit icon located under the transfer label. This action enables the transfer screen to come up for the animal selected.

When populating the name field, I find it efficient to input the first three letters of the last name and then utilize the AAA Login Previous Buyer Lookup Feature. After typing the initial three letters, I pause to allow the feature to generate a list of potential matches below. Navigating through this list is straightforward; simply use the down arrow key to scroll through the options. Once you've identified the desired entry, press the tab key to select it. This action automatically populates the relevant information, including the registration number, saving you time and ensuring accuracy.

After completing all transfers, it's a good idea to review all lots sold to ensure no oversights occurred. Whether due to misplaced invoices or inadvertently omitting a lot from an invoice, occasional discrepancies can arise.

If you utilized an animal set during sale preparations, you can utilize the Reports > Interactive > Create Custom Animal Report function to generate a comprehensive list of sale cattle still present in the set but not transferred. Be sure to include the Sale Data portion of the data to facilitate this process. This report allows you to identify any missed transfers, determine if certain cattle were withdrawn from the sale, or if they remained unsold. This final check ensures completeness and accuracy in your sales transaction.

Personalizing the Experience: Enhancing Customer Connections with Customized Communication

Now that the transfers have been finalized, instead of simply sending those certificates in a nondescript envelope, consider seizing the opportunity to leave a lasting impression on your valued customers.

If you haven't already, contemplate crafting a custom return address label adorned with your logo. A reliable option that won't break the bank is the "Avery 8160 Easy Peel Address Labels," available on Amazon for under $10 for a generous supply of 750 labels.

For those with a substantial number of buyers to reach out to, harness the power of technology to streamline your process. Utilize the Purchase/Transfer History > Buyer Info & History feature to download an Excel file tailored to the specific date range of your sale, encompassing all relevant buyers. Once the list is compiled, leverage Word's Mail Merge functionality to effortlessly generate buyer labels, eliminating the need for labor-intensive handwritten addresses.

Another thoughtful touch is to accompany the registration certificates with a personalized letter. Ensure your logo graces the header of this letter, reinforcing your brand identity. Here are some key elements to consider incorporating into your correspondence:

Express gratitude for their presence at the sale, whether in person or online.
Extend heartfelt appreciation for their trust in your program and the quality of your genetics.
Extend an invitation to future sales, cultivating a sense of anticipation and continued engagement.
Emphasize the notion of partnership over mere transaction, underscoring your commitment to their success beyond this singular interaction.
Encourage them to visit your operation at their convenience, emphasizing an open-door policy and a willingness to address any inquiries they may have.

In closing

In closing, implementing some of these systematic approaches to organize and manage transfers not only streamlines the administrative workload but also enhances the overall efficiency and accuracy of the process. By proactively preparing data, utilizing available features to expedite transfers, and conducting thorough post-transfer reviews, sellers can minimize errors, mitigate oversights, and uphold the integrity of their operations.

By fostering transparency and reliability in sales transactions, sellers can cultivate trust and satisfaction among their customers, laying the groundwork for long-term success and fostering positive relationships within the industry. Investing time and effort into refining these practices is not just advisable—it's essential for maintaining a competitive edge and ensuring seamless operations in the dynamic world of livestock sales.

Beware the Bull: Unveiling Facebook Scams Targeting Cattle Ranchers

cstallo@gmail.com (Chris Stallo) — Wed, 01 May 2024 21:31:04 GMT

BEWARE THE BULL: UNVEILING FACEBOOK

SCAMS TARGETING CATTLE RANCHERS

In the vast digital pastures of social media, where communities gather and connections flourish, lies a shadowy corner frequented by devious characters: Facebook scammers targeting unsuspecting cattle owners. As the agricultural world increasingly embraces online platforms for networking and commerce, so too do opportunistic fraudsters, eager to exploit the trust and vulnerabilities of those within the cattle industry. From fraudulent sales of livestock to deceptive schemes promising unrealistically high returns, the tactics employed by these scammers are as varied as they are cunning, leaving ranchers and enthusiasts alike navigating a virtual minefield of deceit. In this article, we dive into the intricate web of deception woven by Facebook scammers, shedding light on their strategies and offering guidance on how to protect oneself in this digital frontier.

Unveiling the Mechanics: Facebook Page Hijacking Explained

Many cattle producers utilize Facebook Business pages to tell their story and help market their cattle. It’s something that I think will not be going away anytime soon and it’s something that can really add value to your sale offerings. However, operating such pages exposes you to various types of attacks.

Phishing Attacks: One common method used by scammers to hijack Facebook pages is through phishing attacks. They may send deceptive messages or emails disguised as legitimate notifications from Facebook, asking page owners to provide their login credentials or click on malicious links. Once the scammers obtain these details, they can gain unauthorized access to the page.

Compromised Passwords: Weak or reused passwords can also make Facebook pages vulnerable to hijacking. If a page owner's password is compromised through data breaches or leaked databases, attackers can use these credentials to log in and take control of the page. How often do you hear of big named companies that have been compromised with a list of users and passwords? If you are using the same password across multiple sites, this puts you at more risk.

Unauthorized Access to Admin Accounts: In some cases, scammers may gain access to an admin account associated with the page through social engineering techniques or by tricking legitimate administrators into granting them access. Once they have admin privileges, they can manipulate the page settings and content at will.

Some Examples of deceptive messages

Working with multiple cattle producers, I’ve seen my fair share of deceptive messages. Several of these are well crafted and make you think that your page is violating some terms and conditions or violating a copyright and you need to do something to correct it.

The Facebook scam typically arrives through direct messages. Pay close attention to the message, particularly the link they prompt you to click: https://keep.io/supportpage09281. Although I refrained from clicking the link, it often redirects users to a site mimicking Facebook's color scheme, but with a different URL. These deceptive sites prompt you to input your username and password, claiming it's for access. However, their true intention is to steal your credentials for malicious purposes.

Here is another Facebook scam that was found within a post comment. Employing urgent language such as "copyrighted material," "flagged," and "violation," it aimed to provoke an immediate response from the recipient. Take note of the "contact us" link provided in the message: https://linkr.bio/vlamuo-21. Such scams often leverage urgency to prompt users to click the link, but it's crucial to exercise caution and avoid falling into the trap.

How to Prevent Page Hijacking on Facebook

Use Strong Passwords: Ensure that your Facebook account password is strong, unique, and not easily guessable. Use a combination of letters, numbers, and special characters, and avoid using common phrases or personal information that could be easily obtained or guessed.

Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Activate two-factor authentication on your Facebook account to add an extra layer of security. This typically involves receiving a code on your mobile device or email that you must enter along with your password when logging in from an unrecognized device or location.

Be Wary of Phishing Attempts: Exercise caution when receiving unsolicited messages or emails claiming to be from Facebook. Verify the sender's identity and look for signs of phishing, such as misspellings, suspicious links, or requests for sensitive information. When in doubt, directly visit the Facebook website or app to check for notifications or messages.

Regularly Review Page Admins and Permissions: Regularly review the list of admins associated with your Facebook page and remove any unfamiliar or unauthorized accounts. Limit the number of admins and assign roles with appropriate permissions to minimize the risk of unauthorized access.

Monitor Page Activity: Keep a close eye on your page's activity, including posts, comments, and messages. Report any suspicious or unauthorized activity to Facebook immediately and take steps to secure your account.

Educate Page Admins: Educate all page admins about the risks of page hijacking and the importance of maintaining strong security practices. Encourage them to use unique passwords, enable 2FA, and remain vigilant against phishing attempts.

By implementing these preventive measures and staying informed about potential threats, Facebook page owners can significantly reduce the risk of their pages being hijacked by scammers.

Taking Back Control: Steps to Counter Page Hijacking

If someone hijacks your Facebook page, it's crucial to take immediate action to regain control and mitigate any potential damage. Here are the steps you should take:

Report the Issue to Facebook: Go to the Facebook Help Center and report the hijacking incident. Provide as much detail as possible about the situation, including when you noticed the unauthorized access, any suspicious activity you observed, and any relevant screenshots or evidence.

Attempt to Regain Control: If you can still access your Facebook account, attempt to regain control of the hijacked page by changing your password immediately. Go to the page settings, remove any unauthorized admins or editors, and review the page's settings for any unauthorized changes.

Use the "Trouble Accessing Your Account?" Option: If you're unable to access your account because the hijacker has changed the password or other security settings, use the "Trouble Accessing Your Account?" option on the Facebook login page. Follow the prompts to regain access, such as providing your email or phone number associated with the account or answering security questions.

Secure Your Account: Once you've regained control of your account and page, take steps to enhance its security. Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) for your Facebook account, choose a strong and unique password, and regularly monitor your account for any suspicious activity.

Inform Your Audience: If the hijacker made any unauthorized posts or changes to your page, inform your audience about the situation. Post a public announcement explaining the incident, reassuring your followers that the issue is being addressed, and advising them to ignore any suspicious content posted during the hijacking.

Monitor for Further Activity: After regaining control of your page, closely monitor it for any further unauthorized activity. Regularly check the page's settings, review its activity log, and stay vigilant for any signs of suspicious behavior or attempted hijackings.

An all-too-common oversight involves having only one administrator for your Facebook Business page. In the event of a hijack, having multiple administrators increases the likelihood of swift action. Another administrator could potentially access the page, remove the hijacker's account, and change the password, mitigating the impact of the breach.

When Deals Turn Sour: Recognizing and Avoiding Deposit Scams

Facebook scammers employ various tactics to convince victims to send money for a deposit on a bull, bred heifers, cow calf pairs, etc only to disappear without delivering. Here's how they typically execute this scam:

Fake Listings: Scammers create convincing listings or advertisements for high-quality cattle at attractive prices. They may use stolen photos and descriptions from legitimate breeders or stock images to make the offer appear legitimate.

Urgency and Limited Availability: To pressure potential victims into acting quickly, scammers often claim that the bull can be delivered immediately. They may emphasize urgency by stating that other buyers are interested or that the offer is only valid for a limited time.

Smooth Communication: Scammers use persuasive language and maintain consistent communication with victims to gain their trust. They may respond promptly to inquiries, answer questions convincingly, and provide reassurances about the legitimacy of the transaction.

Request for Deposit: Once a victim expresses interest in purchasing the bull, the scammer requests a deposit or partial payment to secure it. They may claim that the deposit is necessary to secure the bull or cover transportation costs.

Excuses and Delays: After receiving the deposit, the scammer may provide excuses for delays in delivering the bull, such as transportation issues, health concerns, or unforeseen circumstances. They may continue to string the victim along with promises of imminent delivery.

Disappearance: Once the scammer has received the deposit or payment, they vanish without delivering the bull as promised. Attempts to contact them may go unanswered, and the victim is left without recourse.

To prevent falling victim to this type of scam, individuals should:

Research Sellers: Thoroughly research the seller or breeder before making any payments. Look for reviews, check for a legitimate website or business presence, and verify their credentials with reputable sources.

Avoid Advance Payments: Be cautious about making advance payments or deposits for goods or services, especially when dealing with unknown sellers or high-value transactions. Insist on paying upon delivery or use secure payment methods that offer buyer protection.

Trust Your Instincts: If an offer seems too good to be true or if something feels off during the transaction process, trust your instincts and proceed with caution. Take the time to verify the legitimacy of the seller and the offer before making any commitments.

Report Suspicious Activity: If you encounter a suspicious listing or believe you've been targeted by a scammer, report the incident to Facebook and relevant authorities. By reporting fraudulent activity, you can help prevent others from falling victim to similar scams.

In closing

In closing, while Facebook scams continue to evolve in sophistication, awareness and vigilance remain our greatest defenses. By staying informed about common tactics, such as suspicious links and urgent messages, and by utilizing security features like two-factor authentication, we can better protect ourselves and our communities from falling victim to these deceitful schemes. Remember, if something seems too good to be true or prompts an immediate reaction, it's likely a scam. Together, through education and proactive measures, we can navigate the digital landscape with confidence and safeguard against the ever-present threat of Facebook scams.

Essential Tips for Calving Record Submission

cstallo@gmail.com (Chris Stallo) — Fri, 01 Mar 2024 21:06:49 GMT

ESSENTIAL TIPS FOR CALVING RECORD SUBMISSION

In the dynamic landscape of modern agriculture, effective record-keeping is the backbone of successful cattle management. When it comes to calving, maintaining accurate and up-to-date records is a strategic necessity for cattle producers. Timely and precise calving record submission not only ensures accurate data is being submitted to the Angus Association but also empowers you with valuable insights for making informed decisions.

Calving records can be submitted through Submit Data > AHIR/Performance > Calving Book. In this article, we will dive into some essential tips to streamline the process of calving record submission, enabling you to manage your herds more efficiently and maximize productivity.

Understanding the "Get Dam by Tag/Tatt" Feature:

The "Get Dam by Tag/Tatt" button is a powerful tool designed to fetch essential information about a dam based on either its tag number or tattoo. This feature aims to simplify and expedite the process of calving record submission, allowing you to retrieve data with just a few clicks. However, as convenient as this tool may be, it comes with a caveat that demands careful attention.

One common pitfall that producers may encounter when utilizing this feature is the potential for mismatched tags and tattoos. The tool pulls up dam information based on either the tag number or tattoo, and if these identifiers are not kept consistently updated, discrepancies may arise. In particular, if the dam tags have not been synchronized with the dam tattoos, there is a risk of the wrong dam being displayed on the entry screen.

A quick inspection of the dam tag, followed by scanning the animal's name, often provides initial insights into the accuracy of your records. If you observe discrepancies, such as the display showing one of the dam's heifer calves instead of the correct dam, a simple solution exists. By clicking on the name of the animal, you can access the EPD/Pedigree screen. Here, you can verify the accurate dam, copying the registration number with the Ctrl+C command.

After closing this window, return to the entry screen and select the incorrect dam registration number. Use the Ctrl+V command to paste the correct dam registration into the designated field. As you tab through the fields, you'll notice that both the birth date and the dam's name update to reflect the accurate information.

Consistency is Key: Using uniform Sire Tags

Efficiency in calving record management begins with a simple yet powerful practice – using the same sire tags consistently. When multiple team members contribute to calving book entries, having a standardized set of sire tags eliminates confusion and reduces the likelihood of errors.

Upon typing the first few characters of the sire tag, AAA Login employs an auto-fill function. This feature dynamically suggests previously used sire tags that match the entered characters, creating a shortcut for the you.

As you begin typing in the Sire Tag field, take a moment to pause after entering the initial characters. The auto-fill feature will then display a dropdown list of sire tags that correspond to the entered characters. Using the arrow keys, scroll down to select the appropriate sire tag from the list. Once selected, the system works its magic, automatically populating not just the sire tag but also the associated registration number and the sire's name.

Tracking Purchased Bred Replacement Females

Is the sire information for the bred replacement females that you purchased absent from your calving book?

The first step is to access the My Herd section. Navigate to Animal Lists and select Registered Herd Inventory. Here, input the tattoo of the female in question and initiate the search. If the dam is part of your inventory, it will appear in the result set.

Upon locating the female in the result set, shift your attention to the right side, where a Transfer Info link awaits. Clicking on this link opens a screen showing the transfer details submitted for that specific female in question.

Here you can gain insights into what AI and Natural Sires were used complete with their respective dates. This is an easy way to look up what sire to use on those bred replacements. If you encounter multiple AI dates and a turn-out date, causing uncertainty about which one to report, you can utilize the Gestation Calculator on the Association’s website. Access it through this link https://www.angus.org/Animal/GestationCalc

To pinpoint the approximate breeding date, enter the calf's birth month and day into the Gestation Calculator, select the Due radio button and then click Submit. This tool will allow you to check if the calculated service date aligns with an AI date or falls within the Natural Service Sire's beginning and ending exposure dates.

In situations where the determination is too close to call or requires further clarification, consider submitting the information as a Sire Group. DNA testing can be conducted to definitively establish parentage, ensuring the accuracy and reliability of your records.

In some instances, the dam tag noted in the calving book may be the sale tag used during the purchase indicating who you purchased it from. For instance, if the purchase was made from Stallo Farms, the tag might read something like SF 76 denoting Stallo Farms, Lot 76. If you find yourself in this situation, there are ways to narrow down which dam it is.

The first option would be to use the Purchase/Transfer History > Sale Data & History > Animals Purchased History option to find the dams purchased from that specific producer. If you have purchased one or two replacement females this may work for you.

However, if you've acquired several females from the same producer, all identified by their lot tags, and you find it challenging to pinpoint the specific dam using the Animals Purchased History option, a second approach is available. Refer to the producer's previous sale catalogs and cross-reference the lot numbers. This method can help you make sense of the information and accurately identify the dam associated with the sale tag in your calving book.

If you are leaving Sale Tags in your purchased Females, I would suggest thinking about cutting those out and placing the tattoo of the dam in there.

Beyond the Checkout Button: Leverage the Sortable Grid for Assurance

If you’ve successfully completed your calving book records, congratulations! Before proceeding to the final steps of checking out and submitting the data to the association, to a moment to review your submission for any potential missing information.

Before going through the motions of checking out and submitting the data to the association, take a few more minutes and check to see if there are some missing information from your submission.

Have you noticed that when you go to check out, there is an option for viewing the information in a grid? Have you explored this feature, which provides a comprehensive overview for ensuring completeness and accuracy in your submission?

Utilizing the sortable grid at the checkout stage offers a powerful tool for reviewing your calving records. This feature allows you to access all entries in a comprehensive grid format, facility easy sorting by clicking on the headers. By toggling between ascending and descending order, you can quickly identify any discrepancies or missing information. This user-friendly interface is designed to empower you in guaranteeing the precision and reliability of the information you provide.

Take advantage of the sorting capabilities in the grid to enhance the accuracy of your submitted data.

For instance, if you categorize first calf heifers and mature dams separate in your birth contemporary groups, sorting by Dam Birth Date provides a quick overview. Scan the Birth Group column to ensure all first calf heifers are correctly placed in their contemporary group. A review might reveal instances where one has been inadvertently missed, as illustrated in the accompanying image.

Utilize the convenient 'Edit' option on the left to make necessary adjustments. Return to the grid, click the column header again, and repeat the process until all first calf heifers are appropriately grouped, ensuring correct contemporary groups.

Sorting the grid by tattoo in ascending order provides an effective means to cross-reference your calving book records. As you scan down through the sorted list, this method allows you to systematically check for any potential omissions or discrepancies from the records you initially worked with. This helps provide an additional layer of assurance that your records align with the information in your calving book.

Every type of information submitted to the Association has a sortable grid.

For registrations, sorting by sex facilitates a seamless check to confirm that names follow the appropriate sire or dam line. When tattoos play a role in naming conventions, sorting by tattoo in ascending order allows for a scan to ensure the tattoo is indeed part of the name.

Similarly, if dealing with weaning weights and culling, sorting by relevant criteria streamlines the identification of specific data points, such as easily making sure all calves had hip heights records.

For those proficient in Excel, the added capability of exporting the data to an Excel file opens up a realm of possibilities for further customization and advanced sorting. This export feature empowers users to leverage the full range of Excel's sorting and analysis tools, providing an additional layer of flexibility and efficiency in managing and validating data.

In closing

In the ever-evolving realm of modern agriculture, the significance of record-keeping cannot be overstated. As the cornerstone of successful cattle management, precise calving records not only fulfill the strategic imperative of submitting accurate data to the Angus Association, but also serve as a powerful tool, providing invaluable insights that empower cattle producers to make informed and strategic decisions. In this dynamic landscape, the commitment to maintaining up-to-date records becomes not just a necessity but a key driver of efficiency and success.

Unlocking Customer Engagement: Leveraging AAA Login Tools for Lasting Connections

cstallo@gmail.com (Chris Stallo) — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 22:55:16 GMT

UNLOCKING CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT:

LEVERAGING AAA LOGIN TOOLS FOR LASTING CONNECTIONS

As the sales season gains momentum countywide, seedstock producers should prioritize cultivating strong relationships with their customers. The AAA Login platform introduces significant upgrades to its Buyer Contact Info & History feature, enhancing its capabilities to better serve your needs.

This update introduces several new features designed to provide users with an enriched and streamlined experience, offering a fresh perspective on managing buyer information during this bustling season of sales.

This new flexibility allows users to refine their search criteria significantly. One of the standout features is the introduction of a sale date range filter, marking a departure from the previous approach that yielded results spanning the last five years in a single search.

With this latest update, users can now target their desired information by selecting the radio button for Sale Date Range, unlocking the option to specify Beginning and Ending Dates. This empowers users to focus on a specific period, such as their most recent sale, streamlining the retrieval of pertinent buyer data. To leverage this feature, users can simply enter the dates around their previous year's sale and initiate the search, enhancing the efficiency and precision of their buyer contact information management.

Upon executing the search within the designated date range, users will find their results tailored to the specific timeframe, offering a more targeted and refined dataset. Another notable enhancement is the inclusion of two distinct columns to the right, indicating the number of Bulls Sold and Cows Sold in the previous year's sale.

Prior to this update, users had to drill into each buyer in order to determine how many bulls or cows were purchased during that timeframe. Now at a glance, users can now have a quick overview of the sales dynamics for that specific period.

Another noteworthy update is the incorporation of the buyer's phone number directly into the result set. This addition streamlines the communication process, offering users immediate access to crucial contact information. Now, with a single glance at the search results, users can not only discern the volume and type of cattle sold but also readily access the buyer's contact details.

These refinements collectively contribute to a more comprehensive and user-friendly experience within the Buyer Contact Info & History feature.

The versatility of this grid is further amplified by its sortable nature, providing users with the ability to organize the information according to their preferences. Simply click on the labels across the top, and the grid will rearrange itself based on the selected column. In the accompanying image of the results, you'll see a down arrow beside the "Bulls Sold" label, signifying that the grid is presently sorted from the highest to the lowest number of bulls sold. This feature facilitates a quick and intuitive understanding of sales trends for the period selected.

Additionally, located at the top left, just above where the labels start, is an option to export the data to Excel. This export functionality ensures that users can seamlessly integrate the information into their preferred tools for further analysis or record-keeping.

As you navigate through the data at your fingertips, the potential uses become apparent. Whether strategizing outreach efforts or tailoring your offerings, this enhanced Buyer Contact Info & History feature equips you with the insights needed to engage with specific buyers proactively.

Consider reaching out to these buyers prior to the sale, initiating meaningful conversations about your offerings and aligning your services with their unique preferences and needs. This newfound depth of information not only streamlines your approach but also enhances your ability to forge stronger connections with your customers.

Taking it to the next level

Taking data analysis to the next level, I've discovered an additional step that has proven highly beneficial in maximizing the use of the Buyer Contact Info & History.

Once you've obtained your result grid, consider exporting it to Excel for more in-depth analysis. The exported file will be downloaded into your designated downloads folder. Navigate to this file and open it to unveil a spreadsheet containing all the details of the buyer contacts and sales history.

Before delving into the analysis, here are a couple of Excel tips that can enhance your experience. If you find the information is a bit small, you can easily zoom in for better visibility. Located at the bottom right of the Excel sheet, there's a plus sign for zooming in. Click on it twice to set the zoom level to 120%, making the data more readable.

If you're dealing with a substantial number of buyers, there's a likelihood that the list may extend beyond the visible screen. To address this, go to the top menu, select "View," then choose "Freeze Panes," and finally, click on "Freeze Top Row." This practical step ensures that the column headers, detailing crucial information, remain visible as you scroll down through the list of buyers. I've found these two features—zooming in and freezing the top row—to be very helpful when working with Excel, providing a smoother and more efficient experience.

Now, let's take the file a step further. In the existing dataset, the last two columns represent Bulls Sold and Cows Sold. Start by relabeling these columns to 2023 Bulls and 2023 Cows. Once modified, highlight these columns, copy them, move to the adjacent field, and paste them in. Adjust the labels to reflect the previous year, 2022.

Repeat this process for each additional year you wish to include in your analysis. At this point you should have your previous years information for the bulls and cows both and then blank columns going back a set number of years.

As you proceed, you'll notice that the initial effort may take some time, especially in the first year. However, the subsequent years become notably easier, as the groundwork laid in the first iteration sets the template for future use.

By completing this process, you'll establish a comprehensive historical record, with columns dedicated to Bulls and Cows for each year. This structured format enables you to easily compare and analyze sales data across multiple years.

After clicking the "Search Again" button at the top of the results, you'll be redirected to the main search screen. Adjust the year to the previous one and initiate a new search, in our case 2022. Now, you'll have the data needed to update the 2022 columns in your primary Excel file.

As you locate names on the screen, cross-reference them with your Excel file and proceed to update the corresponding columns for Bulls and Cows. Methodically working through this list ensures that your Excel file stays current and reflective of recent transactions.

While updating, if you encounter a buyer for the current year who did not make a purchase in the previous one, it's crucial to add this information to your main Excel file. To do this, you have two options. You can manually type in the details, or for a more efficient approach, highlight from the beginning of the buyer number to the end of the phone number field using your mouse and then clicking Ctrl+C.

Then, navigate to your Excel file. Caution is necessary during the pasting process. Right-click in column A on the first empty row. The third menu item down is "Paste Options." Hovering over it will reveal two icons. The first says "Keep Source Formatting," and the second says "Match Destination Formatting." Opt for the latter option. By doing so, the information will seamlessly integrate into the file, maintaining the same fonts and formatting for consistency across your data set. This process ensures the accuracy and uniformity of your buyer information in the Excel file, allowing for a comprehensive and well-organized record of your sales history.

Continuing this iterative process backward allows you to compile a comprehensive Excel file that delineates each buyer's purchase history, including the number of bulls and/or cows acquired in each year. The chronological organization of this data provides a valuable overview of customer buying patterns over time.

Leveraging Excel's Sum formula further enhances the utility of this dataset. With a simple use of the Sum function, you can aggregate the total number of bulls and cows purchased by a customer across the specified timeframe. This feature proves invaluable for conducting comprehensive analyses and deriving insights into customer behavior, facilitating strategic decision-making.

One of the noteworthy advantages of managing this information in Excel is the flexibility it offers for sorting and customization. Whether sorting by the previous year or arranging data from the most bulls bought to the least, Excel allows you to tailor the presentation of information to your specific needs. This dynamic functionality not only streamlines data interpretation but also opens up avenues for targeted marketing strategies, personalized client interactions, and informed business decisions.

Printing out this well-organized Excel file becomes the foundation for a proactive outreach strategy. By dividing and conquering, your team can systematically reach out to producers, extending personal invitations to your sale. This personalized approach not only strengthens existing relationships but also fosters a sense of connection and loyalty among your customer base.

The comprehensive buyer history compiled in Excel serves as a valuable resource for identifying patterns and trends. Recognizing when a customer has skipped a couple of years of bull purchases prompts further investigation. A simple, sincere phone call to these individuals allows you to understand their circumstances and potentially address any concerns they may have. This outreach not only rekindles relationships but also demonstrates a commitment to customer satisfaction and support.

Beyond sale invitations, strategic phone calls offer an excellent opportunity to connect with customers post-calving season. Understanding when your customers are calving allows you to time these calls effectively. By reaching out after calving, you can inquire about the performance of the bulls they purchased, address any feedback or concerns, and offer support. This proactive communication not only strengthens your rapport with customers but also positions your business as a reliable and attentive partner in their success.

In Conclusion

In conclusion, the strategic utilization of data within Excel combined with latest features added to the Buyer Contact Info & History option in AAA Login, proves to be a great tool for fostering lasting connections and enhancing the success of your program.

As you embark on reaching out to producers, armed with a comprehensive understanding of their purchasing patterns, you not only extend invitations to your sales but also reaffirm your commitment to their success. This thoughtful and proactive approach positions your operation as more than just a supplier but as a trusted partner in the journey of your customers. By staying attuned to their needs, offering support, and fostering meaningful relationships, you not only drive business growth but also contribute to the enduring success of the entire cattle community.

Unleash the Power of AAA Login to help Create Reports for Sale Day

cstallo@gmail.com (Chris Stallo) — Mon, 01 Jan 2024 22:43:57 GMT

UNLEASH THE POWER OF AAA LOGIN TO HELP
CREATE REPORTS FOR SALE DAY

As the calendar pages turn and daylight extends its grasp, the eagerly awaited spring sale season begins to stretch its wings. Peering into this moment from an outsider's perspective fails to capture the extensive investment of time and effort poured into its preparation. The journey begins two years prior with meticulous mating selections, and the ensuing tasks—ranging from the attentive care of feeding to the precision of clipping—creates a whirlwind of activity that can parallel the swift gusts of wind sweeping across the pastures.

Simplify part of your preparation process by tapping into the efficiency of AAA Login's feature that allows you to effortlessly add Lot Numbers to your sale cattle and use them in a multitude of ways. Don't miss out on this valuable functionality that can significantly ease a portion of your tasks.

Within the Purchase / Transfer History > Sale Data section, you can easily assign lot numbers to your sale cattle using a variety of criteria options.

You have the flexibility to search by registration number or tattoo if you prefer to manage your cattle individually. For a more efficient approach, I typically create a set using 'My Herd > Animal Groups > Animal Sets' that includes all the sale cattle.

For users that are comfortable with Excel, consider leveraging the import functionality to pull in all lot numbers in single file upload. At a very high level, you can do this by defining an Animal Set containing the animals in the sale. Then using the Custom Animal Report, export an excel file that contains the registration number in the excel file. From there you can put this excel file in the necessary format to allow you to add Lot Numbers to it and once you have worked through getting all of those added, you can use the Import feature at the bottom of the Sale Data Edit screen.

It may take you a couple of tries to get the import file in the correct format, but I’d recommend it if you have quite a few lots that you’d like to add. It’s quicker than pulling them up one at a time and adding them.

For each animal listed, you can click on the Add/Edit icon, which will open a form where you can input the Lot Number, Sale Date, and other relevant details. There is a section where you can include any footnotes you wish to include in the sale catalog as well.

Like many features in AAA Login, if you can't complete all the lots at once, you can easily return later and resume from where you left off.

Now that you've got the lot numbers added, how do you use them?

Adding lot numbers proves especially useful when it's time to share information with the individual responsible for creating your sale catalog. Using the Create Custom Animal Report option, which can be found under Reports > Interactive, you can easily export the information needed for the sale catalog.

This information can include Registration Number, Name, Birth Date, Tattoo, 3 Generation Pedigrees, performance measurements, EPDs and $Values to name a few. When selecting the information, be sure and choose the information under the Sale Data section that you’ve added to your sale animals.

Once you have the information selected that you’d like to return, you can elect to have it saved into an Excel Spreadsheet. This is what you can share with the designers working on your sale catalog. By having the lot number in the excel file it allows you to easily sort the information by lot number to look at the data. Within Excel, I’ve found it makes it easier to move the Lot Column to the first column in the file. When sorting by Lot Number, you can scan across to look at the different data points.

Sale Day Uses for Lot Numbers

Defining a set of sale cattle with lots also serves as an excellent method for generating a sale order sheet.

Again, by using the Custom Animal Report option and exporting the information to Excel, it can easily be used to arrange and sort the lots.

Here's a handy tip: in your excel column create an additional 'sort' column next to the Lot Number. When the person that is responsible for providing the sale order gives it to you, then you can find the lot number, and type in which order they are in the sale. Afterward, simply sort the file by this column to generate your sale order report. It’s been my experience that all you really need on the sale order report is just the lot numbers in the order that they will sell. There’s no need to have registration numbers or tattoos, etc as it just sort of adds clutter to the sale order sheet.

By using excel, you can arrange the lot numbers in multiple columns for even distribution on the page. At the bottom of the sale order sheet is a good place to list the lots that are out of the sale. Go all out and add a title across the top and put a border around it and fill it in with some light shading. It’s amazing at how a little formatting can change up the report.

Should you need to address additional lots, you can include them in the set and then extract the relevant data using the Custom Animal Report, allowing you to produce your Added Lots sheet the same way you would create the sale order sheet.

If you're dealing with a female sale consider utilizing the Comments Field for additional information to supply for the sale. An example of this use would be to put preg check data in with estimated due date and exposure information. I’ve used this area as well when new calves were born before the sale and we wanted to give the new born calves information on a Supplement sheet.

If you do decide to use the comments field for additional information, then you would use the Custom Animal Report to pull that information and create any Supplement Sheets.

More tips:

Once you are done adding all of your lot numbers to your sale cattle, click on the Lot label at the top of the grid. This will sort your sale cattle by that. It makes easy to scan down through and make sure one didn’t get missed.
If you ever have ‘A’ Lot Numbers and try to sort them in Excel you will see that they don’t sort together. To get around this, add another helper column and take those A Lots and remove the A Portion. For the lots that don’t have an A, simply copy those into the sort column. Once you have that, you can then sort the Excel Sheet by your new sort column and then the Lot Number. Now the ‘A’ lots should be right after their respective lots.
The Sale Data information can also be used on Data Sheets. This is useful if you have some bulls you would like to sell Private Treaty. You can put the price on them and create a report to give to potential buyers.

In Conclusion

In conclusion, using AAA Login to master the art of creating sale orders and supplement sheets helps for a seamless and successful cattle sale. When sale day arrives, you need to be more focused on the cattle and getting everything ready to go than creating a sale order report or supplement sheet. Allow AAA Login to simplify this task for you.

Inventory Reporting Re-enrollment: Secure Your MaternalPlus Status

cstallo@gmail.com (Chris Stallo) — Mon, 04 Dec 2023 23:31:19 GMT

INVENTORY REPORTING RE-ENROLLMENT:

SECURE YOUR MATERNALPLUS STATUS

For those of you who are part of the Association’s Inventory Reporting program, it's time to begin the re-enrollment process in the coming weeks. The re-enrollment period will be open until January 15th

If you are enrolled in Inventory Reporting, you have two options:

1. Re-enrollment to meet Inventory Reporting requirements.

2. Re-enrollment to meet both Inventory Reporting requirements and the MaternalPlus designation requirements.

For inventory reporting, each female should have one of the following submitted:

1. If she had a calf, report the calf.

2. If she did not have a calf but is still in your herd, provide the reason why.

3. If you no longer have her in your herd, specify the reason for her culling.

In order to be eligible for the MaternalPlus designation, you must fulfill the Inventory Reporting requirements and, additionally, provide heifer breeding records and weaning weights for the all calves out of the inventoried females.

After logging into AAA Login, you'll find the Inventory Reporting – AHIR Angus Herd Improvement Records prominently displayed on your screen. Look for the 'Manage Herd Inventory' button, which will open the interface to review any remaining tasks for your female inventory. Note that the Association has recently updated the Inventory Reporting Manual so give it a look for any questions you may have.

After clicking the 'Manage Herd Inventory' button, you can easily track your progress by checking the right side of your screen. You'll notice a blue box labeled 'Enrollment Due Date: January 15, 2024.' This box provides an overview of your status for both Inventory Reporting and MaternalPlus.

One thing to note that is new for this year is the age at which females are considered heifers has been lowered, so females will appear on the list the enrollment before they are bred.

With this change to age, heifers will not be assessed the $2 enrollment fee. These changes will not affect how the data can be submitted but enroll the females earlier to help ease submission of their breeding records as they are bred for the first time.

Above the female inventory, you'll find filter options that allow you to refine the list. The two filters I frequently use are 'Requirements Met/Not Met' for Cow Inventory and MaternalPlus. You can locate these options just above the 'Search' and 'Clear' buttons.

You can choose to examine both the Cow Inventory and MaternalPlus designation concurrently, or, like my personal preference, you can first concentrate on getting the Cow Inventory in order before turning your attention to MaternalPlus.

The results grid contains the essential information to assess why a particular female hasn't met the re-enrollment guidelines.

Within the grid, you'll find the last reported calf birth date and the corresponding calf tag. As you review the females, you can pose questions to pinpoint the reasons they remain in this category.

Was the cow sold or culled? If so, report that using the Disposal column.
Did the cow get moved to the next calving season or did she lose her calf early? If so, use the Reason No Calf column.
Was the cow used as a donor or a recipient? You would use the Reason No Calf column to report that.
Did the cow have a calf for the current calf crop, but for some reason it didn’t get reported? Clicking on the ‘Calf Required’ link will open up the Calving/Weaning entry screen to allow you to submit the calf information.

To submit any information, proceed through the checkout process and allow the Association to process the data. You can return the following day to review your progress. This approach is particularly valuable when working through a substantial number of items, as it allows you to break down the task into manageable segments. For instance, if you have a list of culls that were not removed, locate them in the list and handle their disposal. After entering all the necessary data, complete the checkout process. You can then revisit the list to identify which items remain outstanding.

Take a look at the icons under the Lookup Links. These icons serve as shortcuts to access Cow Production Data, Breeding Data, and Cow Data. They prove valuable when you require more comprehensive information about a particular female.

Now let's look at earning the MaternalPlus designation

The two items that separate out re-enrolling in Inventory Reporting and earning the MaternalPlus Designation are needing heifer breeding records and weaning weights for the calves out of the females enrolled.

As with the way I work through projects, I break things down into smaller chunks. I start with the filters at the top to show Heifers only to make sure that the breeding records have been submitted for them.

If a heifer breeding record is required, there will be a link under the MPlus Requirement Met column. You can use this link to open the breeding entry screen for that female.

If you have a group of heifers that has the same breeding you can use the ‘Select Cows’ option on the left side and then the ‘Update Breeding Records for Selected Cows’ button. For example if the heifers were all artificially inseminated to the same bull and then turned out to be exposed to a clean up bull later you can make one pass to enter this for all of the heifers.

Clicking the button ‘Update Breeding Records for Selected Cows’ will open up the same breeding entry screen, except this time whatever information is entered will be applied to all of the cows that you selected. You won’t have to do them one at a time.

For the next step, clear any of the criteria and select the “Requirements Not Met” in the dropdown for Maternal Plus. This will just return those females that have not met the requirements.

If you look closely at the results grid, you will see columns labeled “Last Rptd Calf Birth Date”, “Cow Inventory Requirement Met” and “Mplus Requirement Met”. By using these columns you can scan and see if there was a calf that was missed from being reported. Look under the calf birth date and it shows you the tag for the last calf as well. If you select the chart icon to the left of the calf birth date, it will take you to the AHIR data page for the calf.

If the calf is for the current year, take a look and see if it has a weaning weight. There could be a missing weaning weight. The other thing that I’ve seen happen is the calf die before weaning. You can contact the Association and they can add a disposal reason for that calf. This will satisfy the requirement when not having a weaning weight.

What heifers are you retaining?

Once all the requirements are met, it’s a good idea to look at the heifers that will be enrolled for next year.

Using the filters at the top for the “Cows/Heifers” or the Birth Year Range, you can narrow down the cow inventory to just showing those younger females. Once you have it narrowed down, spend some time going through them to make sure you are only keeping the ones that you have retained in your operation.

For the ones that you have not retained use the Disposal drop down to remove them from your list. Once a disposal reason is selected, the disposal date will be filled in. As a reminder, these go into your cart in AAA Login. You will need to proceed through the checkout process for the Association to begin processing them for you.

If you had some inventoried cows wean calves that year but were culled, you will want to remove them from the list as well.

Ready to Accept the Cow/Heifer Inventory

Once you have worked through the inventory and have met all of the requirements, the blue box that you have seen on the right will show an “Accept Cow/Heifer Inventory” button. You can click that, and it will take you through the payment process. Be sure to go through this in order to submit the enrollment.

You will pay a $2 upfront fee for each cow enrolled. This will cover the cost of submitting a calving record for her next calf which would normally be $3. There is no charge for the heifer to be enrolled.

More tips:

If you can’t get through all of it at one sitting, don’t worry about it. It’s set up to allow you to save your work and if needed you can even start over.
The Inventory Reporting Manual available in AAA Login has been updated recently to reflect changes to the interface.
Did you add some calving / weaning records that were missed? Be sure to put a note in the checkout comment to move them to the right contemporary group.

As you work through the re-enrollment, be sure to allow yourself enough time to navigate the tasks required. Start by tackling what I like to call the 'easier' tasks initially, such as culling any necessary dams. Once those are culled, complete the checkout process. Then turn your attention to processing the list of heifers that are retained. By completing tasks in stages, you can focus on one aspect at a time, making the overall process more efficient and less overwhelming.

ADS #006: Angus Data Services – Inventory Reporting, Parentage Exclusions, Adding Lot Numbers

cstallo@gmail.com (Chris Stallo) — Mon, 16 Oct 2023 23:35:22 GMT

ADS #006: Angus Data Services – Inventory Reporting, Parentage Exclusions, Adding Lot Numbers

Navigating Inventory Reporting Enrollment

Earlier this year, I assisted my dad in the process of weaning calves. We gathered them from various pastures to wean them together. As I carefully backed up the trailer for the final load, it occurred to me how similar this was to the enrollment process for Inventory Reporting. Odd connection, I admit, but just like weaning calves, you shouldn't rush through it and with a bit of patience, everything falls into p lace.

Open enrollment for Inventory Reporting kicks off on November 1 and continues until January 15th.

By enrolling and consistently reporting your entire calf crop each year, you'll elevate the visibility of your top-notch calves within their peer group. This, in turn, ensures that the weaning ratios provide a true reflection of their performance.

Click here for a full article on Navigating Inventory Reporting Enrollment.

Parentage Exclusions: Your Roadmap to Resolution

Let's be candid: how often have you logged in after receiving DNA Results only to find "Parent Excluded" listed for multiple calves, leaving you with a sinking feeling in your stomach? Creating a strategy to address these parentage exclusions can help alleviate your concerns and streamline the resolution process.

I've come to realize that calf swaps occur more frequently than I initially anticipated. If you find that several dams have been excluded as parents, it's worth creating a file specifically for these excluded dams and conducting tests against the other dam exclusions. Especially when the calves share the same birth date, there's a strong likelihood that a calf swap could account for the parentage exclusions.

Click here for a full article on Parentage Exclusions: Your Roadmap to Resolution

Adding Lot Numbers to Your Sale Cattle

If you haven't yet explored the AAA Login's feature for adding Lot Numbers to your sale cattle, you're overlooking valuable functionality. Within the Purchase / Transfer History > Sale Data section, you can easily assign lot numbers to your sale cattle using a variety of criteria options.

For each animal listed, you can click on the Add/Edit icon, which will open a form where you can input the Lot Number, Sale Date, and other relevant details. Additionally, there's a section where you can include any footnotes you wish to include in the sale catalog.

Similar to many features in AAA Login, if you can't complete all the lots at once, you can easily return later and resume from where you left off.

This feature proves especially useful when it's time to share the information with the individuals responsible for your sale catalog. You can easily export this data using the Custom Animal Report, making it simple for them to incorporate it into their design program.

Defining a set of sale cattle with lots also serves as an excellent method for generating a sale order sheet. You can export this set of sale cattle, including the required sale data, using the Custom Animal Report. This export results in an Excel sheet that can be easily used to arrange and sort the lots. Here's a handy tip: create an additional 'sort' column next to the Lot Number and provide this to the person responsible for the sale order. When they return it to you, you can input the numbers in the sort column. Afterward, simply sort the file by this column to generate your sale order report.

Should you need to address additional lots, you can include them in the set and then extract the relevant data using the Custom Animal Report, allowing you to produce your Added Lots sheet.

If you're dealing with a female sale and you wish to offer the most current breeding information, consider utilizing the Comment Field to include the breeding data. Once again, you can export this data using the Custom Animal Report to simplify the creation of Supplement sheets.

Odds & Ends

Consider starting your buyer numbers in a different numbering scheme than your lots. If your lots go to 120, start your buyer numbers at 200. It makes for less confusion on the transfers.

The World Angus Evaluation was released on Friday, October 13th. Participating groups – the American Angus Association®, the Canadian Angus Association and Angus Australia – have analyzed the breed’s genetics globally to create an international tool for genetic comparisons. The evaluation also uses data from the three groups to improve accuracies for 11 expected progeny differences (EPDs). Click here for the full press release.

The international animal identification letter for 2024 is the letter M. Click here to see other years.

When you are ready, here are 3 ways I can help:

I provide personalized one-on-one training sessions for AAA Login and Excel usage. I can tailor the training to your specific needs and adjust the level of instruction based on your experience.
Require support for a one-time project? Allow us to assist you in catching up, enabling you to concentrate on your other priorities.
If you're interested but not quite ready yet, feel free to reach out when you have some free time, and we can have a conversation to provide you with a better understanding of how we can assist with your needs.

Navigating Inventory Reporting Enrollment

cstallo@gmail.com (Chris Stallo) — Sun, 15 Oct 2023 17:30:13 GMT

NAVIGATING INVENTORY REPORTING ENROLLMENT

Before we realize it, the holiday season will have passed, and spring calving operations will be in full swing. Approximately 75% of Angus Producers are involved in spring calving operations, making this the perfect opportunity to decide whether you'll be enrolling in Inventory Reporting for the upcoming calendar year.

Open enrollment for Inventory Reporting kicks off on November 1 and continues until January 15th.

In essence, every female in your inventory should have one of three things reported. Did she have a calf? If so, report the calf. If she didn't calve, but you've retained her, provide the reason? Was she open? Did she get moved to the next calving season, etc. And if she was culled, what was the reason?

Once you've completed your initial enrollment, you'll gain access to new reports that were previously unavailable, including the Female Age Distribution Report and Genetic Trends for Enrolled Females. If you take the additional step during re-enrollment of earning the MaternalPlus designation, you'll unlock even more reports and receive CED, BW, and WW EPDS data for your unregistered calves, aiding you in making informed decisions about which ones to register.

The Enrollment Process for Inventory Reporting

Once you've logged in to AAA Login, you'll see the initial enrollment process right in the center of the page in the ‘Inventory Reporting – AHIR Angus Herd Improvement Records’ section. The Association has structured the enrollment process to follow a step-by-step wizard approach, allowing you to navigate through it using the ‘Previous' and 'Next' buttons. In case you can't complete the entire process in one go, there's no need for concern. The system is configured to enable you to save your work, and if required, you can restart at any time.

In the second stage of the wizard, you'll have the opportunity to choose the owner codes that you are authorized to submit for enrollment in the Inventory Reporting system, along with your own code. If there are any codes that won't be included in your inventory reporting, simply deselect the corresponding box. Once you've made your selections, click the 'Next' button.

Making Your Female Inventory Selection

The third step is the central part of the process and will require the most time and attention. This is where you'll be deciding which female items should be classified as active in your inventory and which should not.

Depending on your Excel proficiency level, there are two approaches for choosing active dams. First, we will explain how to do it within the Wizard itself. We'll discuss the second Excel-based option later.

The interface is set up with 2 different listings. One for Active Inventory and one for Inactive Inventory.

The Wizard is programmed to analyze the calf records submitted for the dams over the past few years and provides an initial classification as either 'Active' or 'Inactive.' Dams listed in the Inactive Inventory are those that have not been associated with any calves born in the last 24 months. Donor cows and ET Recipients that have been used in the last 24 months will show up in the Active Inventory.

You have the option to scroll through the list and use the arrows to switch a dam's status between 'Active' and 'Inactive' as needed. When you click the arrow, you'll observe the dam transitioning to the respective list. The count displayed will reflect these changes as you move dams between 'Active' and 'Inactive.'

I recommend beginning with the Inactive Inventory. In the 'Last Calf Birth Dt' column, you'll be able to quickly identify when the last calf was reported for each female. If the dam is still present for any reason, you can return her to the Active Inventory by clicking the arrow.

After you've finished reviewing the Inactive Inventory, you can follow the same procedure for the Active Inventory. If your calving operation involves an ET Program, make sure to keep donor dams and recipients in the Active Inventory to ensure they are included in your Active Dam list.

Within this area, you have access to multiple filtering options that facilitate the search for a specific Tag/Tattoo or Registration Number. An additional choice is the birth year range, which is particularly helpful when targeting a specific age bracket, like your heifers.

Restricting your search to the birth year range will narrow your scope to your heifers exclusively. After entering your criteria, just hit the Apply button. Now you can use the arrows to move the heifers to the Active or Inactive list as needed. Once you've completed your tasks with that group, clicking the Clear button will restore the display to show all female records.

Levering Excel for Streamlined Enrollment

If you have a substantial number of females to manage, using Excel can simplify the inventory setup. You can start by selecting the 'Export File' button located on the right side of the third step. Clicking this button will enable you to download an Excel file, which you can use to sort and designate the active ones.

Go to the directory where the file was saved and open it without changing the filename.

Begin by opening the Excel file and then choose View > Freeze Panes > Freeze Top Row as your initial action. This ensures that when you scroll through the page, the headers remain visible.

Now that you've finished that, organize the data by starting with the oldest dams. Go to Data > Sort, and you'll see a Sort dialog box. Select Birth Date and set the sorting order to Oldest to Newest.

The Excel file is now arranged, placing the oldest dams at the top and the heifers at the bottom. You can start reviewing and updating the Active Y/N column to 'N' for inactive and 'Y' for active entries.

Be careful not to get confused as to the birth date of the dam versus the last calf birth date as those 2 columns are right beside each other.

Make sure to save your file as you make progress and keep track of its location. Keep in mind that you don't have to complete everything in one sitting; you can save your work and return to it later.

After you've finished processing the dams in Excel, return to AAA Login. Navigate to the Wizard and advance to the third step. Then, on the right side, click on the 'Import File' button.

Follow the instructions to import the file you've recently updated. After the file has been successfully imported, you'll need to click on a button labeled 'Return To Cows.' This will bring you back to the same area where you initially exported the file, and you'll now see the changes you made reflected in the Active Inventory list.

Everything looks good. Finalizing the Enrollment Process.

Whether you've utilized the wizard interface or worked with Excel, if everything appears in order, move down to the bottom of the page and select the 'Next' button. Here is where you can make the necessary payments for the enrollments and finish the process.

Be sure to go through everything until you get to where it says complete.

You will pay a $2 upfront fee for each female enrolled. This will cover the cost of submitting a calving record for her next calf which would normally be $3.

More tips:

Be sure to include any donor dams and recipient dams up front. It will save you time when submitting ET calves.
You pay $2 upfront for each female enrolled which will cover the cost for each calf reported.
Don’t wait until the last week to get enrolled or work on your re-enrollment. Allow time and take it in smaller chunks to make it easier on you. You can use the ‘Save Work’ button at anytime in the wizard to save your progress
When submitting calving records and you realize you accidently canceled a female, email the Association and they will get it back into your inventory. For these cases you will pay the $3 fee at the time of the calf submission.
Worried that you won’t be able to see production data on dams that are not activated? Reports > Dam Reports > Produce of Dam Report has an option to include previously owned dams. Checking that box will bring back dams that have been transferred to someone else or dams that were not made active. This same option exists in the Mobile App.

Another consideration of why to enroll now into Inventory Reporting is to get access to the Functional Longevity (FL) EPD. The research EPD for Functional Longevity (FL) is on track for a 2023 release on high accuracy sires and on females for members in Inventory Reporting. Work will begin on how to eventually incorporate this EPD into Maternal Weaned Calf Value($M).

Enrolling into Inventory Reporting is a strategic move for any Angus Producer looking for efficient and data-driven inventory management. By participating in Inventory Reporting, you gain access to valuable insights and data that can help you optimize your operation, improve overall productivity and identify trends. And remember, just like weaning calves, don’t rush through it and have a bit of patience. Before you know it, you will be enrolled.

ADS #005: Angus Data Services – Update those Dam Tags, Working with TSUs, Previously Owned Dams

cstallo@gmail.com (Chris Stallo) — Sat, 16 Sep 2023 15:49:24 GMT

ADS #005: Angus Data Services – Update those Dam Tags, Working with TSUs, Previously Owned Dams

Update those dam tags!

Have you determined which heifers you'll be retaining for the next calving season? If you've completed the pregnancy checks and have a list of replacement females, it's a good idea to update their dam tags and remove any heifers that are no longer part of your operation.

When adding a calving book entry, have you ever encountered an issue with the Get Dam by Tag/Tatt button, where the wrong dam is displayed? This often occurs when the dam tags for the retained heifers haven't been updated to match their tag as a parent.

Calf tagging practices can vary from producer to producer. What I've commonly seen is the placement of the mother's tag in the calf's ear upon birth for initial identification. Later, the calf receives a tattoo. When the time comes to choose which calves will serve as replacement heifers, the original dam tag is removed, and a new tag is inserted to match the calf's tattoo.

In the image below, you can see that the tag that was used was 0801 but the birth date is 2022. In this situation this heifer was kept back out of the 0801 cow but was not the correct one to pull up. You can see it even better when you go to My Herd > Animal Lists > Active Dams and search for 0801.

Once you’ve compiled the list of heifers to retain, it simplifies matters if you proactively head to the Active Dam List and edit their tags to reflect the new ones. Just click on the 'Edit Tag' link for each heifer and make the necessary changes. In this scenario, we'll be aligning it with the tattoo, as that was the tag designated when the decision was made to retain her.

Aside from tag editing, the Active Dam List serves as a valuable tool for culling heifers that weren't chosen for retention. A useful strategy is to employ a birth date range filter on the criteria screen, which streamlines the list and makes it easier to handle.

Tips for working with Tissue Sampling Units

Everything around us is constantly evolving. From the tractors that we drive to the equipment we pull, there seems to be new models coming out every other year. When Tissue Sampling Units, TSUs, first became available there were a lot of questions surrounding them. Is the sample just as viable as a blood card? Will the sample keep like blood cards? Are they re-useable like blood cards?

Click here for the full article on Tips for working with Tissue Sampling Units.

Previously Owned Dams

Have you considered tidying up the records for dams that are no longer active on your operation but still want to retain access to their production data? You can still achieve this on canceled dams.

Simply go to Reports > Dam Reports > Produce of Dam. On the criteria screen, you'll find a checkbox labeled 'Include previously owned dams.'

Selecting this checkbox will bring up information for dams that are no longer active in your herd but continue to be of importance. Once the Produce of Dam report is displayed, you can conveniently access the AHIR data submitted for each dam by clicking on their respective birth dates.

So go ahead and clean up those dams and it might be a good time to explore the benefits of signing up for Inventory Reporting. https://www.angus.org/Performance/MaternalPlusInformation

Odds & Ends

When was the last time you reviewed who you were Authorized to Submit For and who can submit on your behalf? Navigate to My Account > My AAA Member Information. Scroll down towards the bottom and review the listings.

Tired of getting paper invoices? Opt out through My Account > Billing Preferences.

Have you checked to make sure your next sale is on the Angus Calendar? Take a look and submit it if it’s not. https://www.angus.org/AngusProductions/AngusCalendar

Until Next Time

If you have questions specific to your operation on ways that we can assist, feel free to reach out.

Parentage Exclusions: Your Roadmap to Resolution

cstallo@gmail.com (Chris Stallo) — Thu, 14 Sep 2023 19:51:54 GMT

PARENTAGE EXCLUSIONS: YOUR ROADMAP TO RESOLUTION

You can access DNA Results by navigating to the DNA Tab > Test Results > View Results. My initial step is to check for any samples that require resubmission, indicated by the red text in the Notes section. When examining individual animal results, the same red text will be visible. It's essential to make a note of these cases so that when you work with the cattle next, you can collect and send in new samples. Additionally, in the case of twin calves, remember to indicate whether a TSU or hair sample is needed.

It might seem like an unusual comparison, but I've started to see working with DNA Exclusions as akin to painting. Using a roller allows you to cover a large area efficiently, but when it comes to the finer details around windows, it requires a bit more time and practice, which eventually makes the process smoother.

Does your operation have an Embryo Transfer portion to it?

I begin by directing my attention to the ET (Embryo Transfer) calves. In situations where multiple donors were involved during that calving season, it raises the question of whether there might have been a mix-up with the embryos placed in the recipient cow, or if there could have been an error in recording which embryo went into which recipient.

I establish a text file and typically label it as "2023DonorsUsed.txt." Within this file, I record the registration numbers of all the donor dams utilized during the year. In a similar fashion, I create another file named "2023SiresForDonorsUsed.txt" to compile the information pertaining to the sires utilized in the embryo transfer procedures for the same period. This process ensures we maintain a systematic record of both donor dams and their corresponding sires for the year 2023.

Once you've dived into the results for a closer look, you can utilize the Edit Icon located within the Parentage column to add Alternate Parentage information. Upon opening this screen, you'll have the options to Upload Dam File and Upload Sire File. After selecting the respective file, click the corresponding Upload File button, and don't forget to repeat this process for the other file. There's no need to close out after completing the Donor Dam file and then return for the Sire file; you can efficiently handle both simultaneously. Just remember to scroll down and hit the submit button after adding both files to ensure the changes are saved.

The next file that I will create for the ET Calves that have a dam parentage exclusion is for any registered recipients. You can use the same interface to upload and test against any registered recipient cows.

Once the results are available, if the calf is a match to a recipient, it's likely a walking sire, so you should proceed to test against them as the clean-up sires as well. Additionally, follow up on any necessary adjustments to the ET status for the calf.

AI Sires versus Walking Sires

Typically, relying on pregnancy check data provides us with a high degree of certainty in distinguishing between the AI Sire and the walking sire used as part of the breeding program. What if you are using multiple clean up sires in the same pasture?

When dealing with scenarios involving multiple clean-up sires in the same pasture, consider utilizing the Sire Groups feature. You can access this feature by navigating to the My Herd tab, then selecting Animal Groups and finally Sire Groups.

Here's how to use it effectively: Create a sire group that includes both the AI Sires you used and the walking sires within the same group. When adding Alternate Parents using the same interface, use the Sire Group Drop Down and click the Add Group button to include the sire group.

By doing this, you can efficiently test against the entire Sire Battery in one go for any calves where there's a Sire Parentage Exclusion. This approach not only aids in identifying situations where a walking sire was used behind AI but also helps uncover potential errors, such as the use of the wrong straw on a female.

Unraveling the Mystery of Calf Swaps in Parentage Exclusions

No SNP DNA on file to compare

If you find yourself in a situation where only one or two dams are exhibiting parentage exclusions, there's a possibility that a calf swap might have occurred involving a dam without DNA records. To begin an investigation into this possibility, you can isolate the excluded dams and test them against any calves for which the dam has no SNPs on file. If a match is found, the next step is to look at the calving records to find out whether the dam without DNA was present in the same location and calved on or around the same date, helping to determine if a calf swap indeed took place.

Organizing Alternate Parentage Submissions for Clarity

When you have just one or two exclusions, it's straightforward to stay organized and keep track of your alternate parent submissions. However, when you're dealing with a substantial number of exclusions, it's advisable to create a document for better management.

Maintain simplicity in this document. On the first line, I note the tattoo/tag of the animal with the issue, and underneath, outline whether you need to address the sire, dam, or both in certain cases. If there are cases still pending results, include those on the document as well. This approach serves as a helpful reminder for follow-up tasks and ensures you don't overlook any cases later on.

After I've submitted alternate parentage information for the animals in question, I make a note of the date when I sent these changes. When I return the following day, it becomes simpler for me to identify the cases that were submitted by referring to that date. If a match is confirmed at that point, I use a green color code to indicate that the animal has been cleared up.

DNA Tab > Test Results > Animals with excluded parentage

Make sure to explore the "Animals with Excluded Parentage" feature, accessible via the DNA Tab > Test Results > Animals with Excluded Parentage. If you've submitted multiple files throughout the calving season, your DNA Exclusions might be scattered across those files. Utilizing the "Animals with Excluded Parentage" option consolidates all these exclusions into a single result set. This approach simplifies the process, eliminating the need to toggle between different files while searching for exclusions.

I recommend keeping this list clean after each calving season. By this, I mean that if you encounter an exclusion that remains unresolved despite contacting AGI, and there are no further tests or qualifications to pursue, consider removing it from the list. A typical example might involve a neighbor's unregistered bull inadvertently got in with your cows during the breeding season. To do this, simply tick the box under the "Remove" column and click the "Remove Selected Rows" button.

More tips:

After adding your alternate parents, be sure to proceed through the checkout procedure to signal AAA to begin their processing.
Make it a practice to name your sire groups based on the year they were used, streamlining your access to them within the AAA Login platform.
Handling a significant number of exclusions? Consider generating a Word document or Excel spreadsheet to assist you in monitoring the submission of alternate parents.
Submitting your alternate parents by 3:30 PM CST is recommended. This timing typically ensures that you'll have access to the results the following morning.
As results change, it's important to regularly review the birth/weaning contemporary group and make necessary adjustments. For instance, if there is a change from ET to Natural or vice versa, ensure that it's accurately reflected in the birth/weaning contemporary groups.

In conclusion, crafting a well-thought-out action plan for addressing parentage exclusions is crucial in maintaining the accuracy and integrity of your breeding program. By following the strategies and practices outlined in this article, you can navigate the challenges posed by parentage exclusions with confidence and efficiency.

Remember that while these situations can be complex, they are also opportunities to fine-tune your record-keeping, testing procedures, and overall herd management. Stay proactive, stay organized, and don't hesitate to seek assistance when needed.

ADS #004: Angus Data Services – Email Notifications, Custom Animal Report, Productivity Ideas

cstallo@gmail.com (Chris Stallo) — Wed, 16 Aug 2023 16:21:24 GMT

ADS#004 - Angus Data Services - Email Notifications, Custom Animal Report, Excel How To Videos, Productivity Ideas

Did you know you can receive emails / text messages when the Angus Association processes work?

Go to Message Center, using the Red Envelope icon at the top right. Once there, on the right side there is an option for Notification Preferences. Click on that and you will see options for sending you an email or even a text message.

I’ve found this very helpful to get notifications of work that went through processing the day before or if samples were received by AGI, etc.

You can also access Message Center to send messages to Association Staff 24/7. It’s one option to communicate with them when you are outside all day and not able to call.

Custom Animal Report, The Tractor of AAA Login

Have you ever thought about just how versatile a tractor is? In the winter it can be used to pull a grinder for feeding cows. In the summer it can be used to bale hay, and in the spring, the same tractor can be used to plant crops. It’s the same piece of equipment but depending on what is connected to it, serves a different purpose.

The Custom Animal Report (found at Reports > Interactive > Custom Animal Report) in AAA Login is the same way. Here are 6 ways that I use the Custom Animal Report for different projects.

Click here for the full article on the Custom Animal Report.

Productivity Ideas

When I’m ready to dive into a big project such as entering registrations, working through DNA Exclusions, etc., there are certain things I do to focus more and not get distracted.

I shut down unnecessary browsers. Typically, I will have my email open in a dedicated tab but for these projects I close it. I don’t want to constantly see the email tab open and be looking to see if the number of unread messages has changed.
This one will seem odd, but I will use timers on my phone. Depending on the project, it could be for 30 minutes or up to an hour. Knowing that I’m working against the timer helps create a sense of urgency and helps me stay on track.
Focus on one task at a time. There is a time for multitasking and there is a time not to. If I have multiple projects for a client, I will decide which one I am going to work on and then only focus on that one. I won’t jump back and forth. It makes me feel a sense of accomplishment when one of the projects gets done and usually there is a sequence to the projects that makes the most sense.
Some days I have several projects that I’m working on for multiple clients. On those days, I make it a habit to stay off social media except at certain times. When I have lunch, I will allow myself to take a look and then at the end of the day. I’ve found that if I don’t do this, it can lead to mindless scrolling and not completing projects.

Excel Videos

I use Excel a lot in my daily work. I’ve found ways to make things easier when working with data and want to share with you some that I’ve taken the time to create videos for.

Working with TSUs? Check this one out Creating Sequential Sample Bar Codes Using Excel
Ever lose the leading 0 for a tag? Here is one on how to Format as Text to show leading 0s (zeros) Using Excel

Odds & Ends

Delegates to the 2023 Annual Convention have been tabulated. The complete list can be found here - https://www.angus.org/General/Delegate

Until Next Time

If you have questions specific to your operation on ways that we can assist, feel free to reach out.

Tips for working with Tissue Sampling Units

cstallo@gmail.com (Chris Stallo) — Mon, 14 Aug 2023 20:20:59 GMT

TIPS FOR WORKING WITH TISSUE SAMPLING UNITS

The purpose of this article isn’t to advocate the use of TSUs over blood cards or hair samples, but instead give ideas to producers that are using them about ways I work with them.

Each TSU contains a unique sample bar code that is associated with that specific sample. It’s that unique bar code that is needed by AGI to keep the data organized and tied to that animal.

When you go to submit a genomic profile test using a TSU sample, AGI needs a spreadsheet uploaded for processing. The spreadsheet can be obtained at the top of DNA > Order Tests > Create New Testing Order page.

My old way of processing test requests with TSUs was to pull the animal up through the test request area and submit it. Then I would have the excel sheet open and type in the tag and the sample bar code. Then repeat for each animal that needed tested. This process worked, but I’m constantly looking at processes and trying out different ideas to see if there is a more efficient way. This goes back to the concept that things are constantly evolving.

Here is what I have been doing over the last several months. I will download the template spreadsheet and re-name the spreadsheet by changing the ‘YourCustomerCode’ portion of the file name to the AAA Member Code. Once it’s renamed, I will open the spreadsheet and get all the TSUs off to the side of my desk.

Most of the time I am working with the boxes that the TSUs come in. I will write a number 1 on the box somewhere in a different color to indicate that was the first box I entered.

Starting in the excel spreadsheet, I will enter the unique sample bar code of the very first one in the box. Then using the excel drag feature, will drag it down so the next 10 are filled in automatically for me. In sequential order. To do this, hover in the lower right-hand corner of the cell where you typed the first one. Notice the icon changes from a white cross to a little black cross. When you get the little black cross, hold down your left mouse button and drag your mouse down 10 rows and then let go of the mouse button. Now you will have 10 rows of bar codes filled out in sequential order.

To see a video of how this is done, go to https://www.stalloconsulting.com/videos

Once those 10 are in the spreadsheet, I will go back to the first bar code entered and type the tags that are associated with the bar codes. When doing this, enter the first one and then press the enter button on your keyboard. You will automatically be moved to the next row where you can type the next tag. Repeat the process for the 10 tags.

Once I am done with a box, I will repeat the process with the next box.

Done entering the bar codes and tags into the spreadsheet, what next?

Once you are done entering all the information into the spreadsheet you have to go through the AAA Login ordering system (DNA > Order Tests > Create New Testing Order) to order the genomic profile tests.

If the calves haven’t been turned in yet, you would need to create the calving book records and order the test for each one that you want to test. For this article, I am working with calves that already exists with a calving record. Again, this is my process for handling the calving records is enter them after the calving season is over so that those records exist when it comes time to wean them or send in the DNA.

I plug in the birth date range for the calves and return the results to the screen. From that screen I will sort it by tattoo or tag and look down through the listing to find the first one in the excel sheet. Once I find it, I will order the profile test and any conditions that are needed by clicking the appropriate checkboxes. After that I will go to the excel sheet and I will highlight that row in green. Green for me means good to go, as if I’m at a stop light waiting for it. I know that one in green has been ordered.

Once the genomic test has been ordered and the excel row is green, I will remove the TSU from the box and lay it in a separate pile to send to AAA. It sounds cheesy but I’ve find using a paper towel laying on my desk is the best way to keep those from rolling around very much.

I will repeat this process for the next row and so on. A note, I like to submit the test requests a few times while I’m working through the excel file. Just in case something happens to my internet connection, I at least have the ones I’ve already taken care of. This can be done by using the submit button at the top or at the bottom of the listing. Once you submit it, the same result set should still be there allowing you to continue working your way down through the others.

Have some rows left that aren't green? Now what?

When you are finished working through your spreadsheet and you have rows that aren’t green, now you get to start diving into why those animals didn’t come up in the list? Did the calving information not get reported? If so, create a calving record and add the test request on that.

Did whoever work the calves put unknown or ??? beside the barcode? I’ve seen that where the calf has lost its tag and we have to do more work to determine who it is. If you just have one that way and all of the other calves are there, you can make a logical guess of who it is and submit it that way. Just be sure to check when the results come back to make sure it matches the parentage.

Not so lucky and have a couple of unknowns? I’ll take those and send those in using a calving record and put the sire in as a sire group and the dam in as unknown. When the results come back, I will work on submitting the alternate parents to see who it is. Make a note that when you do figure out what the parents are, you need to have the sample moved to the record that has the weight information on it.

Did you get bulk TSUs not in boxes?
There are options when purchasing TSUs to get them in bags of 50 or so. If you plan on getting them this way in the future, then I would recommend looking into the purchase of a scanner to help read the sample bar codes.

I have purchased the Honeywell 1400G handheld scanner and it works well. It will attach to the computer via a USB cable and comes with a stand that it can rest on. Once you have your spreadsheet open click in the cell for the sample bar code. Now you can position the TSU under the scanner, and it will get a little red light when it’s on top of the TSU where the barcode. Once it’s read by the scanner, it will beep and then it will populate the cell with what it just read. Press enter and go to the next row.

It takes a bit to get familiar with where to position the TSU but once you do a few you will see how easy it is.

Done ordering all of the tests?

Now that you have finished ordering all your tests, you need to make sure and upload the excel file through the AAA Login website area. It doesn’t matter if you upload the excel file before or after you check out in AAA Login, just be sure and follow up on that part. Once you have checked out you will get a confirmation screen. Print that out and enclose it with the samples when you send them in.

I’ve found it easy to take all of the TSUs and put them into a Ziplock bag and fold the confirmation email page and place it inside. Depending on the number of samples, I will either use a padded envelope from the post office or a box to ship them to AGI.

Be sure and try to get those samples in the mail as soon as possible. Your test requests will be waiting for your samples and then be sent off to the lab for processing.

More tips:

Don’t mail TSUs in a regular envelope to AGI. Even if it’s a single TSU it should be in a padded envelope or a box as the postage machines will rip the envelope open and more than likely you will lose that TSU sample.
When mailing your samples to AGI, spend a little extra and put the tracking information on the package. It’s a good piece of mind knowing you can track the package.
Don’t forget to upload the TSU file when you are finished.
Ensure there is a tissue sample in the TSU vial.
Double check that you provide the correct tag with the animal in the spreadsheet.
If you do type the sample bar codes make sure it’s complete.
If you are using pre-printed tags/TSUs that you custom ordered, use that for the tag.

If you use TSUs experiment a little with how you are submitting the test requests and see which way works better for you. If you have any questions specific to your operation on using TSUs, feel free to reach out.

ADS #003: Angus Data Services – Working with DNA Results, Odds and Ends, Hire your kids?

cstallo@gmail.com (Chris Stallo) — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 21:23:51 GMT

ADS#003 - Angus Data Services - Working with DNA Results, Odds and Ends, Hire your kids?

Working with DNA Results

Does anyone ever get the notification that DNA results are in and when you drill into the results you see Parent Qualified listed for everything? I’ve gotten close a few times, but rarely have had them all come up the first time. I’ve been working on several DNA projects recently and wanted to share some things to hopefully help you out.

DNA Results can be found under the DNA Tab > Test Results > View Results.

The first thing I do is look to see if there are any samples that need to be resubmitted. This can be found under the Notes section in Red. When you drill into the results you can see the same red text for the individual animal tested. Make a note so that when the cattle are worked next, a new sample can be pulled and sent in.

Once I drill into the results and see that there are quite a few that we either didn’t know the parentage on or have excluded, I will start a document up on my laptop to help me keep track.

For the document it’s simple. I list the tattoo/tag of the animal that has the issue on the first line and then under it will list out if we need to work on the sire or the dam or in some cases both. If there are some still awaiting results, I will put those on the document too. It helps me remember to come back to them later.

Once I’ve submitted alternate parents for the ones in question, I will put the date that I sent the alternate parents. When I come back the next day it’s easier for me to check the ones that were submitted based on the date. If it’s matched up at that time, I will color code the animal green meaning it’s good to go.

Multiple Ways for Adding Sires

When sires have excluded, I will go about adding the possible sires in one of two different ways. If I have already submitted a sire group for that calving season, I will select that from the drop down and click the Add Group button.

If I haven’t done that, I will create a file to import by using the Custom Animal Report and plugging in a birth date range making sure I have the Sire Reg Number selected to return. I’ll download that to Excel, remove all columns but the Sire Reg Number, sort it by the Sire Reg Number and then remove duplicates.

I take the results and copy it into a text document and use it to upload the sires used that calving season. While this may seem like a lot of extra steps to submit alternate sires, it really does become second nature when you do it.

I use the same approach when I need to test against the donor dams used that year as well.

If you have samples that are awaiting results, you can look at the date on the main results listing to see the last time test results have been received.

Another nice feature that I use is the search criteria at the top of the results. You can search for a tag/tattoo or registration number, and it will filter the results down to files with those in it. When you drill into that file it will also have the one you are looking for highlighted. This makes it easier than drilling into multiple files and it draws attention to the animal in question you are looking for.

Odds & Ends

If you are submitting DNA on twins, make sure to send in a hair sample or TSU.
Did you know that a Sire can qualify as a parent and a Dam can qualify as a parent, but the mating may not qualify?
If the sire is unknown or there are multiple pasture sires, create a sire group and put that on the calving records. When the DNA results come back, it will automatically check against those versus you having to add them in at that time.
The more time you allow to get the DNA results the better. It can be as quick as 2 - 3 weeks or it can be longer depending on the volume the Labs have to get through.
Never mail a TSU in a regular envelope. The envelope will rip when going through the postage machine and the TSU will be lost. Use a padded envelope or box for the TSUs. I always recommend some type of tracking information on the samples when sending to AGI. I’ve seen one leave Missouri, go to Ohio first before making its way back to the offices at St. Joseph.
If you are sending in a sample for resubmission, you do not need to order the test again. Just make a note in the padded envelope you are using that it’s a resubmit.

Hire your kids?

Did you know that if you have kids above the age of 7 that you can hire them for your business? They need to be doing actual work for the business and not chores around the house. You can use this strategy to save money for the business and invest in your children’s future at the same time.

Each child can be employed by the business and paid an annual salary up to $12,000. Don’t go over this amount as it’s below the standard deduction for single individuals. Each child will file their own return and since they made $12,000 they will pay no federal income tax because it’s less than the standard deduction. Their taxable income is $0!!

The business gets to take the deduction and the children pay no federal income tax. Take that $12,000 and put half of it into an investment vehicle and watch it grow for your child’s future. And yes, you can still claim your child as a dependent on your tax return.

Please consult your financial advisor for information on this strategy.

Until Next Time

If you have questions specific to your operation on working with DNA results, feel free to reach out. Good luck with all of the DNA results coming back and hopefully you will always see Parent Qualified.

Custom Animal Report, the Tractor of AAA Login

cstallo@gmail.com (Chris Stallo) — Thu, 20 Jul 2023 23:16:43 GMT

CUSTOM ANIMAL REPORT, THE TRACTOR OF AAA LOGIN

The Custom Animal Report (found at Reports > Interactive > Custom Animal Report) in AAA Login is the same way. At first glance, one would say, there’s a lot of data that can get returned to look at. There is a lot of truth to that, but have you thought about other ways to use the Custom Animal Report to make your processes easier?

At a 10,000 foot view, there are different ways to narrow down the animals being returned and different options to check data you want returned.

Here a few ways that I’ve found the Custom Animal Report to be very useful.

Wanting all of your dams to have DNA on file?

Are you working towards having all of your dams with Parentage SNPs on file? By using a set that has your active dams in it, and using the Parentage SNPs checkbox under DNA Info you can easily sort your dams to find out which ones you need to get DNA sent in on. This makes it nice when the dams are going to be worked and you can create an easy list of the ones to grab DNA on when they are in the chute.

Needing to cull a few older cows?

After the weaning data is submitted use the Maternal section that allows number of calves and ratio’s returned for your Active Dams. Be sure to use the radio button for the Individual one. When the information is returned you can sort by clicking on the heading Ind Wean Avg Ratio. Now your dams will be in order of the highest weaning ratio to the lowest. You can use this as an aide to help make those tough decisions when it comes time for culling.

Sale Day Support

There is a Sale Data section on the Custom Animal Report that can be very useful.

Once you have a set of your sale bulls set up, you can use the Custom Animal Report to help you in a variety of ways.

Add the Lot Number by using Purchase/Transfer History > Sale Data & History and then Sale Data. You can pull the sale bulls up one at a time by using the set you created, or you can use the Custom Animal Report to create an excel spreadsheet that you can use to import the lot numbers in one batch. It’s much quicker if you use the import file option.

Now that you have lot numbers associated with the set you created you can use the Custom Animal Report to identify top lots. Select the checkboxes by the data that will be in the sale catalog such as birth weight, weaning adj weight, weaning ratio, yearling adj weight, and yearling ratio. Next select the EPDs that will be displayed. Before hitting search to return it all, check the box next to Show EPD/$Value Percentile Ranks. Be sure to also include the Lot number under the Sale Data section.

When the data is returned, you can sort the column headings to help identify top lots in the sale offering.

Sort it by WN Ratio to have the highest ratio sorted at the top to identify the top weaning ratios in the offering.
Sort it by YR Ratio to do the same by yearling ratio.
Sort it by CED EPD to identify heifer bulls
Sort it by WW %Rank to identify bulls in the top 25% of the breed for WW
Sort it by $C, $B, or $W to identify the highest ones.

By having the lot number returned, you can use this to help you write footnotes. Take it to the next level and export the data into an excel spreadsheet. Then use excel to do the same type of sorts and this time color code the columns you want to highlight after the sorts. When you are done, you can look at a glance by lot number to see what you want to highlight for that bull.

When sale day approaches you can use the Custom Animal Report to create an update to date EPD sheet for buyers to look at.

Verify all data is entered for a calf crop

Another thing that can be done after weaning or yearling weights have been submitted is to return the individual pieces of data for what has been sent in.

Once weaning data is submitted, return the birth weight, weaning weight, weaning adj weight, and ratio. You can sort it by weaning weight to make sure all of the calves have a weaning weight that you are expecting. This makes it easy to identify ones where data might not have been submitted.

This comes in handy if you process ultrasound and want to double check that the ultrasound data goes on after the tech is done.

This method can also be used to make sure the calves that are supposed to be registered are and that there has been DNA turned in on the ones that you needed to.

DNA Exclusions

Another way to use the Custom Animal Report is to create files that can be used to assist with DNA Exclusions. If you have a couple of animals that don’t qualify to the sire, you can return all sires for a calf crop and export it to excel. Using excel you can sort the results by sire and then remove duplicates leaving the individual sires that were turned in. You can then copy those into a text file that can be imported in as alternate parents.

Thought an animal was an ET but not sure now? Using similar logic, return all calves born in the last few years. Export it to excel and filter out all of the ones except the ET ones. Now sort by Recip information and remove duplicates to find a majority of the registered recips you have. You can now test the one you thought was an ET and see if maybe the embryo didn’t take and instead it’s the registered recip natural calf.

Customized Breeding Sheets

Using a combination of the custom animal report and excel, you can create customized breeding sheets. Start with a set of active dams or heifers that you want to breed. You can return certain EPDs and genomics and create a stacked report that then can be studied to decide which bull to breed them to.

More tips:

If you find yourself returning the same data over and over for something like footnotes, use the Save Selections and Display Selections option to name what you are returning. It will make it easier the next time you need that data.
Need to do more with the data, grouping it up, creating a custom report, etc? Download the information into an Excel spreadsheet and you can do pretty much anything with it.
If you want to return all of the fields for a specific section, you can just click on the bold heading and all of the checkboxes will check automatically.
Want to only see what animals aren’t registered? Use the select registered, unregistered or both option.

Next time you are using the Custom Animal Report take a close look at all of the options available and see what you can do.

ADS #002: Angus Data Services – Animal Sets, Custom Animal Report, Customized Breeding Sheets, Odds and Ends, Workspace

cstallo@gmail.com (Chris Stallo) — Wed, 28 Jun 2023 17:59:22 GMT

ADS#002 - Angus Data Services - Animal Sets, Custom Animal Report, Customized Breeding Sheets, Odds and Ends, Workspace

Animal Sets

How many times do you get a list of cattle with a request, can you pull this information? When I get those types of requests, I am usually given a list of Tags or Tattoos.

99% of the time I’m using the Custom Animal Report to pull the data. I used to try and narrow down the animals by using the criteria on Custom Animal Report for the birth date range or sex options. I’ve since found a quicker and easier way using a combination of Animal Sets and Custom Animal Report.

My Herd > Animal Groups > Animal Sets - There is an option on the animal set criteria when creating it to create an empty set. This is where my requests to pull information starts at. Name the set something meaningful so you can refer to it later.

It will seem strange at first, but all you need to do is name the set, click the box that is labeled ‘Click here to create an empty set.’, scroll down and click the Find Animals Button. Now what to do with the empty set?

Now that the animal set is empty, I use the option Add Animals. There are quite a few options on the add animals screen to find animals to add to your set. I use the option near the bottom, Include Animals With.

Depending on if I am given a list of Tattoos or Tags I will change the drop down to that specific one if I know it. If I don’t, I will leave it both Tattoo(s)/Tag(s).

In the example below, I go through and unselect a few older dams that haven’t been cleaned up from the herd. I will do these in small batches of 10 – 12 animals at a time. I’ve found it’s easier to work through them to create my animal set than trying to type all of them at one time and finding them in the list.

My process is to put a checkmark beside the ones that do come up and a question mark by the ones that don’t. After I have made the initial pass through I will circle back and look into why the ones with a question mark didn’t come up.

Once you’ve got them all checked for that batch, click the Save button. You will now be taken back to the newly created set and it will have the animals in it that you selected. Repeat the Add Animals process as many times as needed. Trust me, you will get much quicker at it once you start doing a couple this way.

Once I have all of the animals in the animal set (that started off as an empty set) I will use Reports > Interactive > Create Custom Animal Report and use the Animal Set criteria to get the data I’m looking for.

For this project I was creating customized breeding sheets that displayed certain EPDs and the genomics associated with those for replacement heifers. Along with Animal Sets, Custom Animal Report and Excel the following report was able to be created for the producer to use for breeding decisions.

Custom Animal Report is such a powerful tool. I plan on dedicating a newsletter to it in the future. Here are a few projects that I have used this approach to extract data and to make entering data easier.

Customized breeding sheets
Sale Day Supplement Sheets
Creating Footnotes
Pulling files for Sale Catalog
Creating Active Dam lists to clean up for inventory reporting
Replacement Heifer lists
Split Dams by Ranch location for easier calving entry options

Odds & Ends

Reminder – Inventory Reporting Enrollment is now open and will close on July 15th. See my previous article for more information.

When you sell bulls, do you retain interest and get tired of them showing up in your inventory lists? Take a look at My Herd > Animal Lists > Show/Hide Registered Angus Bulls. You can mark ones to take off your list but not cancel them.

Enrolled in inventory reporting and have some unregistered heifers that went to the sale barn or feedlot? Use the My Herd > Animal Lists > Cancel Unregistered Calf List to remove them. Doing this as they get culled makes life easier come enrollment time.

Workspace

How long do you sit at your desk when you are working on your computer? Next time you are there for a few hours, take inventory of what would make it a little easier for you.

I’ve moved to a 32 inch curved monitor and did this reluctantly. It was one of the best decisions with my workspace. It makes it so much easier to have multiple applications like AAA Login, Email, and Excel open at the same time. Later this fall, I plan on selling mine and upgrading to an even larger one.

Have you made the move to a wireless keyboard / mouse combination? It takes cords off your desk and allows for a cleaner, more organized work area.

Work off a laptop? Next time you upgrade to a new laptop consider getting a 9 key on the right side. It’s amazing how much time you will save versus hunting across the top when entering registration numbers, weights, tattoos, etc.

Until Next Time

Hopefully this topic sparked some ideas of how you can use Animal Sets and Custom Animal Report to help make it easier to get to data and to submit data as well. If you have questions specific to your operation on using Animal Sets, feel free to reach out.

Would you like to see something specific covered in a future newsletter? Shoot me an email and I will add it to the list of ones I'm considering.

ADS #001: Angus Data Services – Introduction, Calving Records, Inventory Reporting, Website & Social Media, Future Topics

cstallo@gmail.com (Chris Stallo) — Mon, 22 May 2023 23:10:05 GMT

ADS#001 - Angus Data Services - Introduction,
Calving Records, Inventory Reporting,
Website & Social Media, Future Topics

Introduction

The goal of this newsletter is to provide timely information and ways of working with Angus Data that allow you to get out and do what you do best – raise high quality angus cattle.

I recently started to write articles about Angus Data Services – Leveraging Login and have expanded into this newsletter.

Whether you are new to working with Angus Data or a seasoned veteran it’s my goal to put something useful for everyone in these newsletters.

Before you simply hit delete, I would challenge you by asking if this newsletter isn’t for you, who do you know that would benefit from it? Take a moment, scan the newsletter looking at the topics and then forward this on.

Now is the time to take care of your calving records.

I have always loved this time of year in Missouri. The grass has greened up, leaves are back on the trees, flowers are blooming and of course, baby calves are running around in the pasture.

Some producers will wait until the calves are weaned to submit calving records and weaning weights at the same time. There is a little window between calving season ending, planting wrapping up and hay season starting. This is when I tell folks to think about taking care of their spring calving records. Doing it now makes it easier to work through any issues before weaning time.

Click here for the full article on taking care of your calving records.

Breaking down Inventory Reporting

Do you have a fall calving operation? If so, enrollment into Inventory Reporting is now available and could be a benefit for you.

Are you already enrolled with your Fall Herd now is the time to make sure you get re-enrolled so you don't lose any benefits.

Reminder the enrollment deadline for Fall Herds is July 15th.

Click here for the full article on Breaking down Inventory Reporting.

Website / Social Media Updates

Now is a good time to make sure your website is updated.

Update with next sale date / location
Add in new herd sires / donors
Update around the farm pictures

Been thinking about building a website? Now is the time to get pictures for it with the cattle and the green grass.

Social Media Ideas for posting

Moving Cattle to a new location
Planting / Harvesting Crops
Putting up Hay
New baby calves

The idea isn't to just connect with your customers leading up to your sale,. Try and stay engaged throughout the year to keep your brand in front of them.

Future Topics (in no specific order)

Here is a list of a few topics that are planning to be covered over the next few months.

Timing of Data Submission
Using Excel and how to take advantage of it
Genomic Testing using TSU's
Working through DNA Exclusions
Login and Sale Data - how to make it work together
Sale Day Support
Animal Sets versus Pastures
Custom Animal Report
Data Sheets
Sire Groups

Until Next Time

If you have questions specific to your operation on entering calving records or Inventory Reporting, feel free to reach out.

Would you like to see something specific covered in a future newsletter? Shoot me an email and I will add it to the list of ones I'm considering.

Found this useful? Shoot me an email or text to let me know. Consider forwarding to someone else that you think might as well

Calving Records

cstallo@gmail.com (Chris Stallo) — Thu, 11 May 2023 16:29:16 GMT

NOW IS THE TIME TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR CALVING RECORDS

I have always loved this time of year in Missouri. The grass has greened up, leaves are back on the trees, flowers are blooming and of course, baby calves are running around in the pasture.

Life on the farm is something new each day. You get up with all the intentions of fixing the water gap or moving the cows to a new pasture, but who gets up thinking they are going to knock out their calving records for that season? I hope this article helps you take care of the data in an efficient fashion so you can get outside and do what you enjoy the most.

Think about your contemporary groups

Before you begin to work on your calving records, consider how your contemporary groups will be set up. Do you keep your first calf heifers off by themselves and are they managed differently? Did one group have access to different feed resources? Your birth contemporary group is the largest that any of your contemporary groups will be. The weaning and yearling contemporary groups begin their definition with the birth contemporary groups. As you work through entering the records, you can use the Birth Group to separate your groups accordingly.

You enter your calving records through Submit Data > AHIR/Performance > Birth/Weaning/Yearling > Calving Book.

There are multiple ways to bring up a list of dams to submit calving records from. One option is to use Animal Sets if you have taken time to break down your active dams into different sets such as calving seasons. The option that I use most of the time is All Eligible Dams.

This will bring up a list of all dams that meet the calving age criteria. You have options here to scroll down the page, finding the dam that has the calf you want to submit and clicking the plus icon on the left.

The option that I use most of the time is the button ‘Get Dam by Tag/Tatt Add Dam’. You plug in the dams’ tag or tattoo and then click the button. Login will then go through your list of eligible dams and if it finds that dam, it will pull it up on the entry screen with her information filled in. If there are more than 100 eligible dams, the listing is broken down into multiple pages. I like using this option because it will go through all eligible dams, not just the ones visible on the page, and try to find that dam.

Once the entry screen comes up, there are fields for you to enter the animal information into such as the Sire, Calf Tag, Sex, Tattoo, Birth Date, Birth Weight and Birth Group. If you are moving your hand back and forth between the mouse and the keyboard, try using your tab key and shift+tab keys to go back and forth between fields.

Once the screen pulls up, I will click in the Sire Tag field and start typing the Sire tag and wait for the auto complete to come up. Then I use the down arrow to select it and it moves to the Calf Tag field. From here, I tab through the remaining fields. If you come to a field that has a drop-down arrow, you can use the up and down keys to move through the options.

Do you use multiple sire pasture? Do you AI and then kick out immediately with a herd bull and know you will need to do DNA work to determine the correct sire? If so, go ahead and establish a Sire Group for the calving season now. Yes, you can add your AI sires in your sire group as well. You submit sire groups by using My Herd > Animal Groups > Sire Groups. When you send in the DNA, it will make it easier to test against all the sires in that Sire Group.

One nice thing about entering the calving records is that you can submit them all at once or as you go along through calving season. When you go through the check out process there is a question asked to see if these are the last birth weights to submit for the calving season. If they are, select yes, if they aren’t select no. Selecting yes will trigger the birth contemporary group to be defined.

Don’t Forget

If by chance you do forget to submit a calving record and your birth groups are already established, be sure and follow up with the Association to ask that the calf gets put into the correct group. Otherwise, it will be in a group of one for weaning, yearling, etc and will have no other contemporaries to compare against.

Don’t forget you can register the calf and submit Genomic Profile tests from the calving book.

If you sell bulls and your commercial customers are spring calving too, it’s a great time to reach out to them and ask how their calves look. You can follow up with them about when they plan on marketing those calves and offer any assistance to them. Remember, it’s easier to keep an existing customer than get a new one and the little things add up.

More tips:

If a calf dies, go ahead and submit the calving record. This helps keep the calving interval correct for the dam and if you are enrolled in Inventory Reporting, helps meet the necessary requirements.
Name your Sire Groups with a 2-digit year in front along with a season, location, etc. to make it more descriptive. For example, 23-Spring-Sires or 23-Home-Place
If you use the Angus Mobile App, you can enter calving records into the calving book under the My Herd option and they will show up inside of AAA Login when you get on your computer later.
If you start to use the ‘Get Dam by Tag/Tatt Add Dam’ button, try pressing enter after typing the tag/tattoo versus using your mouse. It ‘triggers’ that button to fire.
When you go to check out, use the option ‘Click here to view a grid of all calving book entries’ to see in a sortable grid all of your calving book entries. You can check to make sure you have group codes correct and double check the tagging convention you use.
If you enter from a calving book, use a different colored pen and on a successful save, make a mark next to the calf. This makes it easy to go back through and see which ones you need to follow back up on.

If you have questions specific to your operation on entering calving records, feel free to reach out. Would you like to see a future article written on a specific topic about Angus Data Services and Leveraging Login? Shoot me an email and I will add to the list of ones I’m considering.

Inventory Reporting/MaternalPlus

cstallo@gmail.com (Chris Stallo) — Sat, 06 May 2023 18:20:00 GMT

BREAKING DOWN INVENTORY REPORTING

Do you have a fall calving operation? If so, enrollment into Inventory Reporting is now available and could be a benefit for you.

By enrolling and submitting your entire calf crop each year, it will help your better calves stand out from their contemporaries. Once you have initially enrolled you will have access to reports that you didn’t have before such as Female Age Distribution Report. If you go the extra step and earn the MaternalPlus designation, you get more reports and CED, BW, and WW EPDS on your unregistered calves to help you decide which ones to register.

Ready to Enroll?

Whether you are working on the initial enrollment or re-enrollment, it may seem a little overwhelming. Like a good steak dinner, take it one bite at a time and before you know it, you will be finished with your enrollment.

The Association has the enrollment process set up in a wizard-like format using Previous and Next buttons. Don’t worry, if you get into it but can’t finish, you can save your work and if needed you can even start over.

Depending on the number of active dams you have, the next step can be done in two ways. The interface is set up with 2 different listings. One for Active Inventory and one for Inactive Inventory. You can scroll through these lists and use the arrow buttons to move the dams from one list to the other.

Depending on the number of females, you may find it to be easier by using the ‘Export File’ button. Clicking on this will download an excel file for you to be able to sort and mark which ones are active.

Open the Excel file and the first thing to do is select View > Freeze Panes > Freeze Top Row. This will allow you to scroll down the page and the headings will stay there for you to see.

Now that you have that done, let’s sort the data by the oldest dams first. Select Data > Sort and Sort box will come up. Select Birth Date and then for the order Oldest to Newest.

Now the excel file should be sorted with your oldest dams at the top and your heifers at the bottom. You can begin to go through and change the Active Y/N column to a N for the ones not active and a Y for the ones active. Be sure to save your file as you work through it and know where it’s located at.

Keep any donors and recips marked as active otherwise they will not show up in your Active Dam list. Once you have worked through the dams this way, go back to AAA Login and using the same interface select the ‘Import File’ button. Follow the prompts to import the file you just updated. Once the file has been imported, you will click a button labeled ‘Return To Cows’. This will take you back to the same area where you initially exported the file. The changes you made will now be reflected in the Active Inventory list that you see.

If everything looks good, scroll down to the bottom of the page and click the ‘Next’ button. This is where you will be able to pay for the enrollments and finish up the process. Be sure to go through everything until you get to where it says complete.

You will pay a $2 upfront fee for each female enrolled. This will cover the cost of submitting a calving record for her next calf this fall which would normally be $3.

Already enrolled? Needing to-re-enroll?

As your re-enrollment period comes back around, you will need to work through your herd inventory to make sure all of the requirements are met. To do this, you can use the Manage Herd Inventory button. Enrolled into MaternalPlus? This button will be just a little bit different but still the same idea behind it.

You can use the interface given to do filters and sorts to see which females have not met the requirements. If you have a large amount of females in your inventory you might find it helpful when working on re-enrollments is to export the file to Excel to create categories to work through. There is a Click to Export to Excel option above your inventory.

From here, the first thing I do is rename the tab to All-Data by double clicking on it. Next freeze the top row so you can scroll without losing the headers - select View > Freeze Panes > Freeze Top Row. Now go ahead and create 4 different copies of the exact same tab, but name them differently. Do this by right-clicking on the All-Data tab and select ‘Move or Copy’. Select the option move to the end and the checkbox that says Create a copy and hit the OK button.

Now you should have 4 tabs. Rename the 2nd one NewHeifers-Kept, the 3rd one HeiferBreeding, and the last one MatureCow.

Again, using the sort features in Excel and the 2 columns labeled Cow Inv. Requirement Met and MPlus Requirement Met we can copy information from the All-Data tab to the appropriate one.

Scroll down towards the bottom of the listing and look for the heifers where Cow Inv. Requirement Met has an N/A. Highlight those rows and then copy and paste those into the NewHeifers tab. This would be any of the breeding age heifers that are in your inventory. If there are heifers listed that you are not keeping as replacements, be sure to cull them.

Go back to the All-Data tab and scroll until you see ‘Heifer Breeding Records Required for MaternalPlus’ in the last column labeled. Again, highlight the rows with this and then copy and paste into the HeiferBreeding tab. If you want to earn the MaternalPlus designation, these are the ones that you need to submit breeding records on.

Now copy and paste the rows that you haven’t done yet into the MatureCow tab. Depending on your level of re-enrollment and what you are looking for, you can use the 2 columns to help narrow down quickly which females you need to look into more. You may need to submit additional calving records if some were forgotten or cull some cows that weren’t taken off from the inventory throughout the year.

More tips:

Submit your calving records as soon as your calving season is over. This helps to identify the those females needing to look into sooner than later.
After preg checks and you’ve decided which ones to cull, go ahead and submit those so they come off of the list then. If you are thinking about earning the MaternalPlus designation, go ahead and submit the heifer breeding records after you preg check.
Keep up on your inventory throughout the year and not just when the re-enrollment comes up.
You pay $2 upfront for each female enrolled which will cover the cost for each calf reported.
Don’t wait until the last week to get enrolled or work on your re-enrollment. Allow time and take in smaller chunks to make it easier on you.

If you have questions specific to your operation and enrolling into Inventory Reporting, feel free to reach out. Would you like to see a future article written on a specific topic about Angus Data Services and Leveraging Login? Shoot me an email and I will add to the list of ones I’m considering.

stallo-consulting

What’s Your Foundation Made Of? Building Stronger Angus Operations from the Ground Up

What’s Your Foundation Made Of? Building Stronger Angus Operations from the Ground Up

Hitting the Wall: How Ranchers Find the Strength to Keep Going

Hitting the Wall: How Ranchers Find the Strength to Keep Going

Understanding the Produce of Dam Report: A Valuable Tool for Angus Producers

Understanding the Produce of Dam Report: A Valuable Tool for Angus Producers

Private Treaty Bull Sales: Using Data Sheets to Attract Buyers

Private Treaty Bull Sales: Using Data Sheets to Attract Buyers

Lost Tags: Why DNA Testing is the Detective of the Cattle World

Lost Tags: Why DNA Testing is the Detective of the Cattle World

Simplifying Calf Registration: Registrations and DNA Status at a Glance

Simplifying Calf Registration: Registrations and DNA Status at a Glance

Efficiency and Accuracy: The Rise of Electronic ID Tags in Livestock Management

Efficiency and Accuracy: The Rise of Electronic ID Tags in Livestock Management

Unlocking Efficiency: Managing Your Data Submissions and Account History with Ease

Unlocking Efficiency: Managing Your Data Submissions and Account History with Ease

ADS #007: Angus Data Services – Optimizing Your Contemporary Groups

ADS #007: Angus Data Services – Optimizing Your Contemporary Groups: A Timely Reminder for Fall and Spring Calvers

Staying Efficient: How to Keep Your Inventory Current

STAYING EFFICIENT: HOW TO KEEP YOUR INVENTORY CURRENT

Taking a deeper dive into Account Settings

TAKING A DEEPER DIVE INTO ACCOUNT SETTINGS

Efficient Strategies for Organizing and Managing Transfers

EFFICIENT STRATEGIES FOR ORGANIZING AND MANAGING TRANSFERS

Beware the Bull: Unveiling Facebook Scams Targeting Cattle Ranchers

BEWARE THE BULL: UNVEILING FACEBOOK SCAMS TARGETING CATTLE RANCHERS

Essential Tips for Calving Record Submission

ESSENTIAL TIPS FOR CALVING RECORD SUBMISSION

Unlocking Customer Engagement: Leveraging AAA Login Tools for Lasting Connections

UNLOCKING CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT: LEVERAGING AAA LOGIN TOOLS FOR LASTING CONNECTIONS

Unleash the Power of AAA Login to help Create Reports for Sale Day

UNLEASH THE POWER OF AAA LOGIN TO HELP CREATE REPORTS FOR SALE DAY

Inventory Reporting Re-enrollment: Secure Your MaternalPlus Status

INVENTORY REPORTING RE-ENROLLMENT: SECURE YOUR MATERNALPLUS STATUS

ADS #006: Angus Data Services – Inventory Reporting, Parentage Exclusions, Adding Lot Numbers

ADS #006: Angus Data Services – Inventory Reporting, Parentage Exclusions, Adding Lot Numbers

Navigating Inventory Reporting Enrollment

NAVIGATING INVENTORY REPORTING ENROLLMENT

ADS #005: Angus Data Services – Update those Dam Tags, Working with TSUs, Previously Owned Dams

ADS #005: Angus Data Services – Update those Dam Tags, Working with TSUs, Previously Owned Dams

Parentage Exclusions: Your Roadmap to Resolution

PARENTAGE EXCLUSIONS: YOUR ROADMAP TO RESOLUTION

ADS #004: Angus Data Services – Email Notifications, Custom Animal Report, Productivity Ideas

ADS#004 - Angus Data Services - Email Notifications, Custom Animal Report, Excel How To Videos, Productivity Ideas

Tips for working with Tissue Sampling Units

TIPS FOR WORKING WITH TISSUE SAMPLING UNITS

ADS #003: Angus Data Services – Working with DNA Results, Odds and Ends, Hire your kids?

ADS#003 - Angus Data Services - Working with DNA Results, Odds and Ends, Hire your kids?

Custom Animal Report, the Tractor of AAA Login

CUSTOM ANIMAL REPORT, THE TRACTOR OF AAA LOGIN

ADS #002: Angus Data Services – Animal Sets, Custom Animal Report, Customized Breeding Sheets, Odds and Ends, Workspace

ADS#002 - Angus Data Services - Animal Sets, Custom Animal Report, Customized Breeding Sheets, Odds and Ends, Workspace

ADS #001: Angus Data Services – Introduction, Calving Records, Inventory Reporting, Website & Social Media, Future Topics

ADS#001 - Angus Data Services - Introduction, Calving Records, Inventory Reporting, Website & Social Media, Future Topics

Calving Records

NOW IS THE TIME TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR CALVING RECORDS

Inventory Reporting/MaternalPlus

BREAKING DOWN INVENTORY REPORTING

What’s Your Foundation Made Of?

Building Stronger Angus Operations from the Ground Up

Understanding the Produce of Dam Report:

A Valuable Tool for Angus Producers

Efficiency and Accuracy:

The Rise of Electronic ID Tags in Livestock Management

Unlocking Efficiency: Managing Your Data Submissions

and Account History with Ease

BEWARE THE BULL: UNVEILING FACEBOOK

SCAMS TARGETING CATTLE RANCHERS

UNLOCKING CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT:

LEVERAGING AAA LOGIN TOOLS FOR LASTING CONNECTIONS

UNLEASH THE POWER OF AAA LOGIN TO HELP
CREATE REPORTS FOR SALE DAY

INVENTORY REPORTING RE-ENROLLMENT:

SECURE YOUR MATERNALPLUS STATUS

ADS#001 - Angus Data Services - Introduction,
Calving Records, Inventory Reporting,
Website & Social Media, Future Topics