Farmplan Cattle Manager about to become Herdwatch

[Cowpoke82]

Well at last i found time to try @Herdwatch Finally managed to make contact with them, which wasn't easy at a convenient time, and now have it up and running on my desktop and phone.
I know i need to give it a bit more time but first impressions are not at all good.
The desktop version is just the same as the app and it all appears rather limited compared to what i had with Cattle Manager. But my biggest complaint is that on the desktop you cannot call up a report and just view it on screen in the programme. Instead you have to enter the parameters for the report and it is emailed to you. What an absolute b***ache instead of a report just flashing up, i now have to open my mail programme, select the email and open the attachment ................... whovever thought that was a good idea?

What i have learned is just how good Cattle Manger was. If only they had continued to invest in it. All it wanted was a phone app that would allow on farm recording of events that would synchronize with the programme when you could link them together. I will persevere a little longer until they have the cattle manager history data transfer up and running on Herdwatch so i can see how all the functions work and more of the report structures. However i really think it's time to look at alternatives, not that there are many of them. Guess it's a case of Sum-it Total Cattle, Farm Matters or @Breedr for the requirements i have although none of them seem a perfect fit for my criteria.

Ther has been plenty of good recommendations on here for Farm Matters, anyone using Summit that wants to extol its virtues?

I’m having the same headache , Drawn to farm matters for the desk top layout but have been asked to explore every possibility before making a decision so far @Herdwatch have been pretty useless in the customer service departments

 

[Downtrodden Dad]

I haven’t persued the swap yet because I don’t like change, so I am following this thread with interest. Just because herdwatch is being pushed by farmplan as the option doesn’t make it the best, it just means they paid them the most.

 

[Breedr]

@Breedr for the requirements i have although none of them seem a perfect fit for my criteria.

Be great to know what you think we're missing, happy to jump on a call and talk it through. Our UK based support team is available to get you started and is on the end of the phone for any issues.

Our mobile phone app can be used on iPhones, iPads, tablets and Android phones, you can view your reports from anywhere in the world on our web app.

 

[Cowpoke82]

Well we are going with farm matters , couldn’t get a herd watch advisor to talk sense or indeed call me , Neil at farm matters has been nothing but patient with my lack of tech knowledge and is always on the phone to assist , call me old fashioned but these packages are nothing without reliable customer service .

 

[Exmoor Farm]

Be great to know what you think we're missing, happy to jump on a call and talk it through. Our UK based support team is available to get you started and is on the end of the phone for any issues.

Our mobile phone app can be used on iPhones, iPads, tablets and Android phones, you can view your reports from anywhere in the world on our web app.

I'm using Breedr and it works with our large herd with multiple staff entering information on their phones. However the reporting is dreadful, really really dreadful... to the point where I have considered changing to other software.

Breedr is releasing new features (albeit slowly) but the reporting really needs an urgent overhaul. Cattle manager's reports are a good place to look for inspiration - emulate those and you'll encourage a lot of farmers to sign up.

 

[moo-baa]

Sorry if this has been asked before - Can Farmplan be imported into farm matters? I have used cattle manager for 17 years and struggle with technological change. Prefer to be able to use desktop with I phone for in the field possibly. Currently do not have a tablet.

I won’t look into it until after the school holidays now but will need to find some new software. In September when I get around to it. Only a small cattle farm so doesn’t need anything to fancy but does need to comply with Farm
Assurance. TIA

 

[Cowpoke82]

Sorry if this has been asked before - Can Farmplan be imported into farm matters? I have used cattle manager for 17 years and struggle with technological change. Prefer to be able to use desktop with I phone for in the field possibly. Currently do not have a tablet.

I won’t look into it until after the school holidays now but will need to find some new software. In September when I get around to it. Only a small cattle farm so doesn’t need anything to fancy but does need to comply with Farm
Assurance. TIA

It took Neil an myself about ten mins to transfer data across from farm plan to farm matters , he is extremely helpful I would urge people to at least give it a try before signing up to anything

 

[An Gof]

Well, having started this thread it seems only right that i should report back.
I have questioned many people and looked at some of the main alternatives. Earlier this week i made my final decision and concluded that the best value for money combined with personal service and back up was offered by Farm Matters.
I would really urge anyone considering a change to speak personally with Neil. tell him what is important to you and you will probably find that what you require is already included in the system. Here are some of the factors that influenced my choice.

• I downloaded a trial of the programme and once i understood the basic operating structure found it quite intuitive
• There is a function included in the programme that enables existing Farmplan Cattle Manager (and some other programmes) data to be transferred so it is up and ready in farm matters.
• The ability to use my existing bar code scanner for importing passports from purchased animals into the system via my desktop ( I did not want to have to use a phone to scan and upload bar codes)
• The reporting structure was excellent, quite the best of anything i compared it with. Transport documents as you have with Cattle manger are included as are a number of delivery notes for major abattoirs. Farm Matters includes a Kepak delivery note template....... something i had been asking Farmplan for for years.
• I was concerned about the lack of a phone app to record and upload data on farm and reduce duplicate entry from notes on the phone. Working through the instructional videos that Farm Matters provide online and together with a practice session with Neil over the phone i can see that the web app function will meet my needs and prove very useful
• Full NOAH animal health database included for animal health products.

I have to say that i have been quite disappointed in the "solution" Farmplan provided as they attempted to liquidate their position in the livestock software market. It has been apparent for years that they have put little investment into Cattle Manger but, speak as you find, i have always found their support line excellent when i had problems or issues with any of their programmes that i run. I did not not get the same experience from Herdwatch when trying to contact them and understand their system.

I would agree with @Exmoor Farm that in my opinion the reporting facilities on Breedr are its achilles heel. I used the programme when it first came out and particularly liked the ability to record medicine treatments non farm with the app. The Cattle manager phone app was next to useless. The predictive weight algorithms on Breedr were also excellent and when they first started the feedback and helpline support Breedr gave was phenomenal. They acted very quickly on suggestions that i made to them. For me their pricing point when they decided to charge (there's no free lunch ) was a little strong although in fairness some "help" with that was offered.

In conclusion if you read this thread all the way through and also search history on TFF on Cattle software you will find that time and again the key recommendation is for Farm Matters and in particular the support that Neil gives to his customers. Its not just one or two that say it it is everyone. In fact i can't recall seeing any negative comments. I was a little suspicious at first and thought it would not do what i wanted. However my only criticism of Neil is that he might hide his light under a bushel. When i spoke with him i realised just how much it did do and how comprehensive it is and all for £225 per year.

Excellent value for money, if you are wavering give Neil a call


To give you an idea of the service level Neil gives i registered and downloaded a trial version of Farm Matters on a Sunday to see how it worked. Neil was on the telephone to me within an hour to introduce himself and offer any help i needed. At no point was there any "hard sell" just genuine concern to help me understand and use the programme.

 

[An Gof]

Sorry if this has been asked before - Can Farmplan be imported into farm matters? I have used cattle manager for 17 years and struggle with technological change. Prefer to be able to use desktop with I phone for in the field possibly. Currently do not have a tablet.

I won’t look into it until after the school holidays now but will need to find some new software. In September when I get around to it. Only a small cattle farm so doesn’t need anything to fancy but does need to comply with Farm
Assurance. TIA

The farm Assurance reports in Farm Matters are excellent

 

[An Gof]

I haven’t persued the swap yet because I don’t like change, so I am following this thread with interest. Just because herdwatch is being pushed by farmplan as the option doesn’t make it the best, it just means they paid them the most.

You need to find the right solution for your farm. When you are in the position to compare new systems it would be a good use of your time to look at Farm Matters and speak with Neil as a possible alternative.

 

[Happy]

I haven’t persued the swap yet because I don’t like change, so I am following this thread with interest. Just because herdwatch is being pushed by farmplan as the option doesn’t make it the best, it just means they paid them the most.

Same.
Haven’t had time to look at other options yet and time of year means I’ve had no need to register calves, sell stores etc since change was announced but really must get looking seriously soon.

Certainly seems like Farm Matters is the most user friendly one.
Get the impression from here that is mainly down to the excellent backup support provided by Neil.

Not wishing to sound morbid about things but what happens should Neil be in a situation where he is not able to provide his same near round the clock backup/advice service to users in future? It’s surely not just him alone that’s there?

Been with Farmplan 25 years so not wanting to find myself in a similar situation a few years down the line.

 

[An Gof]

Same.
Haven’t had time to look at other options yet and time of year means I’ve had no need to register calves, sell stores etc since change was announced but really must get looking seriously soon.

Certainly seems like Farm Matters is the most user friendly one.
Get the impression from here that is mainly down to the excellent backup support provided by Neil.

Not wishing to sound morbid about things but what happens should Neil be in a situation where he is not able to provide his same near round the clock backup/advice service to users in future? It’s surely not just him alone that’s there?

Been with Farmplan 25 years so not wanting to find myself in a similar situation a few years down the line.

You make a good point. The “risk” is that at present Farm Matters appears as a “one man show”. Companies House does identify another director for Farm Matters who has software experience.
But, as all long term committed, Farmplan Cattle Manager users found out you can have the rug pulled from underneath your feet with what was perceived as a market and sector leading company.

 

[Sheridankw]

Just changed from Farmplan Livestock Manager to Farm Matters and can highly recommend it, the customer service we have received from Neil has been absolutely A1.
Although Livestock Manager sold out to Herdwatch, Herdwatch is not in my opinion anywhere near as comprehensive as Farm Matters.

 

[Bury the Trash]

The 'Console'page in FM's is so good. Our main handling (ovine) is done indoors so laptop can be set up nearby the race /handling area/ weigh crate weigh head and eid reader sends the tag number and weight into the laptop and the console gets it and any other info you might want to add/ see can be done there and then. or just move next animal on ,Previous weights / DLWG is done/shown automatically by the program as you go. can even add vet /med treatment record at that point as well if it had needed to be done.
non eid can just be inputted via keyboard like in the Cattle Console ,but its all there to veiw ,and gets loaded back into the program as you save /finish . Brilliant

when starting up, It loads quick to,no faffing like some software does.

see, theres really no need for that expensive apple gear

 

[Oldmacdonald]

Same.
Haven’t had time to look at other options yet and time of year means I’ve had no need to register calves, sell stores etc since change was announced but really must get looking seriously soon.

Certainly seems like Farm Matters is the most user friendly one.
Get the impression from here that is mainly down to the excellent backup support provided by Neil.

Not wishing to sound morbid about things but what happens should Neil be in a situation where he is not able to provide his same near round the clock backup/advice service to users in future? It’s surely not just him alone that’s there?

Been with Farmplan 25 years so not wanting to find myself in a similar situation a few years down the line.

I think this is a good question. @Farm Matters Ltd , can you tell us if there are more than just yourself responsible and able to provide support?
Thanks.

 

[JJT]

So a few months on, getting nearer to actually having to make a decision on what to use after cattle manager. The 2 front runners seem to be Herdwatch and Farm Matters. Whats everyone else moved to?

 

[Stw88]

I’m on herdwatch, jumped ship right at the start so this years calves were all in the system. It’s good for some things but not for others. Really miss having good print outs with lots of information on to work off when planning turn out and bull selection. I have suggested a few improvements which they have acted on a couple of them. The jury is still out tho.

 

[Hilly]

I’m on herdwatch, jumped ship right at the start so this years calves were all in the system. It’s good for some things but not for others. Really miss having good print outs with lots of information on to work off when planning turn out and bull selection. I have suggested a few improvements which they have acted on a couple of them. The jury is still out tho.

Farm matters is awesome backup is great as well, try a trial run neil will show you everything hes dead good at helping .

 

[Stw88]

Farm matters is awesome backup is great as well, try a trial run neil will show you everything hes dead good at helping .

I did look and consider it but I want something app based, have poor signal where the main pens/ sheds are so the web based system wont really work. Might have to take another look at it tho.

 

[An Gof]

I’m on herdwatch, jumped ship right at the start so this years calves were all in the system. It’s good for some things but not for others. Really miss having good print outs with lots of information on to work off when planning turn out and bull selection. I have suggested a few improvements which they have acted on a couple of them. The jury is still out tho.

And that’s why Farm Matters is SO much better.