In third grade, my teacher gave out superlatives at the end of the year. I received the “most organized.” Upon finishing undergrad, I received the same superlative. And in grad school, I maintained this reputation.
Being a reigning organizer, you might think my farm records would be perfectly pristine. Ha! As I write this, they are, in fact, a bit of a mess.
When it comes to anything for school or work, I am a master of organization. There are folders inside folders and documents named with such detail you’d never pull the wrong file. But when it comes to the farm, things get a little more complicated. There are a lot more hands and minds involved, and something I’ve learned from working in a range of settings – from the hospital to a tractor store to remote desk jobs – is that everyone has a different system.
Take the men in my family and network, for example. I would argue they have no system at all! Don’t get me wrong, they know pretty much every detail. But having that information locked up in their brain does the rest of us no good when we aren’t all together.
You might be shaking your head, nodding in agreement, or maybe even chuckling because you’ve been in similar situations. And honestly, I can’t say I have a magic fix. I think this dilemma may just be an unspoken time-honored tradition. Sometimes, life just gets messy, right? And when you’re busy living and working on a farm, you need systems that support that lifestyle, not add another layer of stress.
Despite the inherent messiness of multiple hands on deck, most dairy producers – and other types of farmers – utilize a range of recordkeeping techniques and systems to manage their operations. I encourage you to take time to enjoy some bought air this summer and update yours.
Many people rely on herd management software like DairyComp or PCDart to track individual cow health, breeding, and production. These systems are powerful for analyzing trends and making data-driven decisions.
But recordkeeping doesn’t have to be fancy. Beyond software, you’ll find everything from detailed paper ledgers to personalized Excel spreadsheets for financial records, crop inputs, and equipment logs. I’m partial to Excel myself. Each approach has its merits, often depending on the farm size, technological comfort, and the specific information you need to keep track of. Technological comfort – that’s where I recommend making use of those young minds who are a part of your operation.
Then there’s the world of breed association records and paperwork. For registered cattle, maintaining accurate pedigrees, birth registrations, and performance data is crucial, not just an option. This often involves specific forms, online portals, and diligent attention to detail to ensure your animals are properly documented for genetic improvement and sales. It’s a layer of recordkeeping that’s divergent from day-to-day farm management but equally vital.
The task isn’t just picking or having a system; it’s having one that works for everyone involved and staying consistent where you can. It’s linking the systems, so all that valuable information isn’t just in someone’s head but is accessible to make your farm run even smoother, allowing you more time to simply live – messily.
Samantha StammSamantha Stamm is the 2025 Hoard’s Dairyman editorial intern. She co-owns and manages an Angus seedstock and commercial cow-calf operation with her family in northeast Kentucky. Stamm earned a master's degree in agricultural communications from Oklahoma State University and a bachelor's degree in agribusiness with a dual major in animal science from Morehead State University.