The CowCalf5 performance programs involve adjustment factors which conform to the most recent Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) recommendations. The BIF is a cooperative effort among more than 60 state and national beef cattle improvement programs for seedstock and commercial producers. Through BIF recommendations, these groups standardize programs and methodology to improve and extend the use of performance testing. The BIF intends to show no preference for or discrimination against any individual breed of cattle or organization.

CowCalf5 is certified with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Integrated Resource Management Standardized Performance Analysis (IRM SPA) program.

Computerized Herd Records:

Management is a dynamic process requiring timely, accurate, and comprehensive information. Although many herd record systems are effective, computerized records allow fast access to large data sets and easily-retrievable, summarized reports.

The cow-calf production phase works best as a yearly production cycle, beginning and ending with the calving season. The purpose of keeping production records is to provide an accessible, accurate herd inventory and to store information related to reproduction, culling, selection, nutrition, health and other herd management data. The success of any cow-calf enterprise depends on manipulating many factors. Initiating, maintaining and using a good record keeping system is an essential ingredient of success. Effective records give direction and measure improvement.