Format of sections may vary from farm to farm, but the data recorded remains the same no matter what the form. Figures shown in the following sections should be viewed as a suggested format only. The content of the form is what is important. The key to the whole system is identification and the best time to identify an animal is at birth, before details are forgotten. Since management decisions, as applied to an individual animal, ultimately rely on proper identification, its importance cannot be overemphasized.
Identification is of two types, permanent and temporary.
Permanent identification includes pictures, tattoos and freeze branding. Every animal should have at least one form of permanent identification. Examples of temporary identification include neck chains, eartags and ankle straps. The next most important piece of information is the birth date. Nutritional requirements, breeding, show classes and genetic evaluations are all dependent on the age of an animal which is a function of birth date.