Individual Animals (IA) - User Guide

This guide is designed to help you get the most out of the Individual Animals (IA) module in agCommander.

While IA uses some configuration items from LS, the two modules are generally separate.

Records entered in one module do not affect the other. This was done deliberately to avoid the many issues we

faced in PAM trying to keep LS and IA in sync with each other.

A stock class can be assigned to an animal by adding an IA reclass record. First, the stock class needs to have its “Maintain Individual

Animal Records” value ticked.

When you add a breed, you are required to specify its Livestock Type. Each stock class is also linked to a livestock type via its category. This becomes important in IA because you can only assign breeds to an animal that match the livestock type of the stock class currently assigned to it. See below for more information.

Categories, Treatments & Feeds, and Produce Items configuration items are also shared between modules.

These are the lifetime traits recorded for an animal. You can configure as many traits as you wish.

There are 5 different types of traits you can add. These are: True/False, Date, List, Numeric and Text.

Here are the fields you can set when adding a trait:

You can give meaningful names to weights that are recorded when an animal is a certain age.

Here are the fields you can set when adding a weight name:

⚠ if you assign Type, then only animals assigned to stock classes of that type will display this weight name

To view animals, you need to select one of the options under the “Filter Animals” menu.

The animals that match your selection will appear.

You can show, hide, reorganise, or sort columns to suit your needs. Columns can be filtered to further refine which

animals are displayed; multiple columns can be filtered at the same time.

Press the “Add” button to add a new animal.

To edit an animal, press the pencil icon next to the animal you want to edit.

Similarly, to delete an animal, press the x icon next to it. If the x icon does not appear next

to an animal, it means that the animal cannot be deleted because it has records, traits or

weights associated with it.

Here are the 5 tabs where you can enter the animals’ information:

Here you can enter the basic information about the animal.

Warning: You must enter a value for Visual ID.

Notes

Allows you to enter more information about the animal.

Breed Composition

This is where you can enter the breed information for the animal.

Traits

View, add or edit traits for this animal. This can also be done from the IAR Home screen, as explained later.

Weights

View, add or edit weights for this animal. This can also be done from the IAR Home screen, as explained in

sections below.

Lists the stock class history of the selected animal. You can move between animals by using the arrows.

Lists all records for the selected animal.

Shows the financial information for the selected animal.

Displays the breed information for the selected animal. You can also add, edit, or delete breed composition.

Displays the traits for the selected animal. You can add, edit, or delete traits from this tab.

Displays the weights recorded for the selected animal. If you have weight names configured, the relevant weight

name(s) will be displayed. You can add, edit, or delete weights from this tab.

All IA records are date sensitive. Before you can save a record, it will check that the animals selected are eligible

for selection. This happens because you can select animals and then change the record’s date.

An animal is ineligible for selection if the record date is before its date of birth or recorded date of purchase. The

same applies when the record date is after the date the animal was recorded as sold or dead. Basically, if the

animal could not have been alive and on the property at the record date, it is ineligible for selection.

Reclass

This is where you can change the stock class of the selected animal(s). Select the date the new stock class will

take effect from (“Reclass Date”). The animal will have that stock class until a later reclass transaction changes or

removes the stock class.

Select Animals (applies to all records)

Lists the animals that are eligible for selection, at the current record date. The list can be further filtered using

the similar options to those found on the Animal List’s filter button. The stock class column shows what the stock

class of the animal is at the date you have selected for this record.

Matings

Keep track of animals that have been mated. Select date, the male and female animals that were mated, and

costs.

Edit Sire Mating Details to specify the Mating Type, select specific dams for the sire, and the Sire Out Date.

Pregnancy Tests

Record details about whether females are pregnant.

Veterinary Treatments

Record treatment details for animals.

Supplementary Feedings

Record supplementary feedings for animals.

Purchases

Record purchase details for animals. You can also assign a stock class to the incoming animals.

Sales

Record animal sales. When you sell an animal, its status in the animal list will change to “sold”.

Fates

Record when an animal is dead, rationed or lost. If you are using causes of death, you will be asked for that

information too.

Production

Record livestock production. Production items are configured in LS configuration (see “Configuration items

shared with LS” above).

the IAR Module, click the Import Data from CSV File

Then from the first dialog screen, click next, then you will be at the dialog where you select the CSV file

Select a csv file and you should see a screen where you can map the fields from the csv file to agCommander as below:

(Important Note: you must provide a Default Date, generally just select today’s date.)

Also in regard to date format, ensure it is matching the date fields (I.e. Date of Birth) format from the source csv. 

Lastly you can match IDs with animals currently in the system to multiply update their details or you can create new records. Click the Import button when you are done.