Herd View
This section describes the Herd View of MISTRO Farm
The “Herd” view window describes basic details of your herd and its past herd recording performance. Most of the information is supplied by your herd recording centre when you install the program.
The main section of the screen will, by clicking the appropriate tab, display additional Details on the herd and a range of performance data relating to Test days, Lactations, Test results and Calves born. You can also generate Graphs to display a range of graphs illustrating herd performance over recent years.
The Test Grid is a quick easy way to view all the recent test day information for your herd. Similarly, a “Wallchart” is a quick easy way to view mating and pregnancy test information. The Fertility and Mastitis tabs provide analysis of mating performance and mastitis control. In Australia, they provide InCalf and Countdown Down Under reporting.
Factory milk production information is entered through the “Diary” view discussed later in this manual on page 101. Herd test information used for constructing graphs is supplied from your herd recording centre. When you select the “Graphs” tab from the “Herd” view, you will see the following screen.
The type of graph you wish to view is selected using the tabs at the top of the view. Select from Herd test, Ten daily, or daily. Each graph gives the option of plotting different variables such as litres, fat, and protein. You select the variable to graph using the combo box at the top of the form. A combo box is a box with a space to type in the value you require, and an arrow at the right that can be clicked to view the valid entries for that cell. Click on the small arrow at the right of the combo box to obtain a list of the available options and make your selection by clicking on your choice.
The following screen is used to view your herd test results.
The “Herd” view window describes basic details of your herd and its past herd recording performance. Most of the information is supplied by your herd recording centre when you install the program.
To activate the “Herd” view:
Click the Views section title of the main menu, then click the second of the “View” buttons labelled Herd.
The “Herd” view provides a section at the left to locate the herd you wish to work with. The grid under “Locate your herd” lists all herds under your control and their owners.
The main section of the screen will, by clicking the appropriate tab, display additional Details on the herd and a range of performance data relating to Test days, Lactations, Test results and Calves born. You can also generate Graphs to display a range of graphs illustrating herd performance over recent years.
The Test Grid is a quick easy way to view all the recent test day information for your herd. Similarly, a “Wallchart” is a quick easy way to view mating and pregnancy test information. The Fertility and Mastitis tabs provide analysis of mating performance and mastitis control. In Australia, they provide InCalf and Countdown Down Under reporting.
An Add button is provided to add a new herd to the database. This should only be undertaken with assistance of your herd recording centre.
When you open the “Herd” view, your herd’s number should be highlighted. There will usually be other herd numbers listed. These herds contain the dams for some of the cows in your herd. If the incorrect herd is highlighted when you enter the “Herd” view, you need to specify the herd number for your herd using the Setup option (see page 125).
5.1 Herd details.
The herd details screen displays information identifying the herds on your farm. You should not need to modify this information as it is provided by your herd recording centre.
The Herd view.
5.2 Listing lactations, test results, and calves born.
The Lactations, Test results, and Calves born tabs on the “Herd” view provide a screen that can be used to create your own customised lists for each of the options.
The Lactations tab enables you to create a list of the lactations that have occurred in your herd. A lactation is a record of milk production for a cow during a single lactation. An example list might contain all the lactations in two year old cows where total production exceeded 5,000 litres.
The Test results tab enables you to create a list of the test results that have occurred in your herd. A test result is the record of an individual herd test result for a cow on a particular day. An example list might contain all the recorded individual cow cell counts above 500,000 after a particular date.
The Calves born tab enables you to create a list of the calves that have been born on the farm. A Calving record contains details of each calving on your farm. An example Calves born list might list all the calvings that required assistance during the last three years.
These lists are called user lists. User lists are provided in a number of sections throughout the program. Their use is described in the section entitled “Using User Lists” on page 33.
5.3 Viewing graphs of milk production.
Three sets of graphs are available to assist you in monitoring the milk production of your herd. You can plot daily or ten daily milk production figures provided by your milk factory, as well as milk production statistics measured during herd tests on your farm.
Factory milk production information is entered through the “Diary” view discussed later in this manual on page 101. Herd test information used for constructing graphs is supplied from your herd recording centre. When you select the “Graphs” tab from the “Herd” view, you will see the following screen.
Viewing graphs of milk production.
The type of graph you wish to view is selected using the tabs at the top of the view. Select from Herd test, Ten daily, or daily. Each graph gives the option of plotting different variables such as litres, fat, and protein. You select the variable to graph using the combo box at the top of the form. A combo box is a box with a space to type in the value you require, and an arrow at the right that can be clicked to view the valid entries for that cell. Click on the small arrow at the right of the combo box to obtain a list of the available options and make your selection by clicking on your choice.
Herd test graphs also enable you to graph production for a particular agegroup. Select the agegroup you require by clicking on the arrow of the second combo box.
5.4 Viewing the average results obtained at herd test.
The “Test days” tab of the “Herd” view is used to view the average production achieved by different groups of cows at your herd tests. This information is used to generate the herd test graphs discussed in the previous section.
The following screen is used to view your herd test results.
Viewing herd test results.
To view the results of a particular herd test, highlight the required herd at the left of the screen. Then highlight the date of the test in the “Herd test details” grid. This grid displays the number of animals that were tested on the particular day.
The lower part of the view provides a series of tabs that enable you to examine the average production statistics for the whole herd, two, three, four year olds, and mature cows.
5.5 Using the Test Grid.
The “Test Grid” tab of the “Herd” view provides a quick method for accessing all the herd test information for your herd. The grid shows the identity of each cow at the left of the screen, with her calving date and age at calving. The next 12 columns are devoted to displaying the results achieved by the cow at each of the last 12 herd tests.
The data displayed in the columns is determined by the drop down selection box at the bottom of the screen.You can view litres, protein, fat, solids, or cell count produced at each herd test for the cow by selecting the desired option.
The previous figure shows a screen displaying the production of milk solids for each cow at each herd test. The next two columns at the right show the total production in the current lactation, and the previous lactation. The last two columns show the number of clinical cases suffered by the cow.
When you select to view the cell count for each cow, the right hand columns show the peak cell count in the current and previous lactation.
The titles at the head of each column act as buttons as well. Clicking on the title of a column will sort that the cows in order of that column. This allows you to quickly view your best producing cows at any herd test, and then check the production at other tests. Similarly, you can quickly get a view of the highest cell cow cows, and see at a glance if their cell count has been hight at previous tests.
5.6 Using the Wall chart.
The “Wallchart” tab of the “Herd” view provides a quick method for accessing the mating, treatment, and pregnancy test information for your cows. It creates a list similar to the classic wallchart that hangs on the wall in the dairy.
Using the Wallchart.
The columns of the wall chart display each cow cow’s identity, calving date, age, the last five heats or matings recorded, the last five reproductive treatments recorded, the date and result of the last pregnancy test, and the due to calve date for the cow.
When you open the “Wallchart” tab, the report that is generated will include all cows that calved during the last 12 months, and will exclude replacement heifers. You can modify these settings using the “Min calving date” box at the bottom of the screen, or by clicking on the “View replacements” tick box. When you make changes to these settings, you need to click the Refresh button to regenerate the list on the screen.
Once you have the report you require, you can print it by clicking on the Print button.
5.7 Analysing fertility.
The “Fertility” tab of the “Herd” view provides access to an analysis of the reproductive performance of your herd. You need to select the twelve month period you wish to analyse and any other selections you require, and then click the Analyse button. This option provides access to the MISTRO Fertility report, as well as the InCalf Feritlity Focus Report.
5.8 Analysing mastitis.
The “CDDU” tab of the “Herd” view provides access to the Countdown Downunder Mastitis Focus report.
