These reports should be compared to other reports on a weekly, monthly or yearly basis. Examples of these reports are shown in Table 5. In selecting a dairy management record keeping system, a producer should select a system that has professionals who understand the computers and are willing to provide backup support to the record keeping system. It is also important to select a system which has professionals who will train the producer to enter daily events such as calving, cows bred, diseases, etc., and allow him to tailor the custom reports to the specific needs of the dairy. By the end of the training session, the producer should feel confident using the records and know that trained professionals are available to assist him if he has problems.
All computers can store, list and print data.
However, many software programs now include graphic displays for ease in evaluating the information and to assist in decision making. You may obtain graphs of individual cows, groups of animals within the herd or the entire herd. These graphs are not essential in a record keeping system but are sometimes much easier to understand, evaluate and use than data tables. For example, in the graph above you can immediately see that conception rates are lower in the summer months than winter months. Breeding and health information displayed graphically quickly shows if the reproductive performance of a group of cows or an individual cow is within the goals established by the dairy producer.