Cow/Calf Production Records

Justification, Gathering, and Interpretation

Abstract

The use of records in a production medicine program can vary from the simple to the complex. Regardless of the degree of sophistication in the system, records should accurately document events occurring in the herd. Historians and politicians frequently use the phrase. "How do we know where we are going, if we don't know where we have been?" Records leave a written documentation for others to follow.

The development of production medicine programs depend to a large degree on informaton transfer between the producer, veterinarian, and various resource people involved in production agriculture. This exchange of ideas and concepts should result in cost efficient beef production for the enterprise. Each person plays a significant role. The producer establishes goals for the operation and provides day-to-day observations and documentation. The veterinarian provides documentation, technical and decisionmaking skills. Resource personnel provide the latest economic and technical information. The use of production records allows all parties involved to evaluate the operation's performance from a production and economic perspective while taking advantage of available technology.