Beef performance and carcasses
Why use this guide
Section titled “Why use this guide”Beef pages follow cattle from on-farm performance through drafting and processor returns. Use them to preserve actual weights, carcass evidence and settlement separately from forecasts.
Find your task
Section titled “Find your task”| I need to… | Go to |
|---|---|
| Follow animals from arrival to returns | Beef workflow |
| Understand growth, finishing and dashboard actions | Beef overview |
| Register a purchased group | Bulk intake |
| Weigh animals or import scale readings | Weight sessions |
| Compare cattle costs and returns | Performance economics |
| Plan drafting, print a yard list or record exits | Drafting lists |
| Import and review processor feedback | Carcass imports |
| Inspect accepted carcasses | Carcasses |
| Set a dated carcass price schedule | Carcass pricing |
| Configure deduction/bonus types and settle an animal’s carcass | Carcass settlement |
The Beef area follows cattle from weighing and growth to drafting, carcass feedback and settlement. It is most useful when animals have at least two dated weights; a forecast cannot be calculated from one measurement.
The Beef page and action guide maps every Beef left-menu destination to its controls and result. The designated screenshot farm is dairy-only, so Beef screenshots await a Beef or Mixed test farm.
Start at Overview. Use Bulk intake for an incoming group, Weight sessions for measured weights, Drafting lists for working animal selections, Carcass imports for processor files, Carcasses for accepted results, Carcass pricing and Carcass settlement for valuation rules, and Performance economics to inspect the outcome. Staging an import does not record an animal exit; committing approved rows can automatically record Slaughtered exits for matched active animals. A price rule alone never records an exit.
Bring in several animals
Section titled “Bring in several animals”Open Bulk intake when a group arrives. Enter shared consignment information, then add rows individually or use Import CSV. An upload fills the draft grid; it does not register cattle. Review every row and select Register intake only when the data matches the arrival sheet. The registration either accepts the valid load or rejects it with row errors. Follow the Bulk intake guide for every control, CSV behavior and result check.
Record weights
Section titled “Record weights”Open Farm → Beef and choose Record weight, or go to Weight sessions → New session. Enter the weighing date and measured weights for the correct animals, then save. If the scale supplies a supported file, choose Import and inspect its mapping and unmatched identifiers. The Weight sessions guide explains methods, limits and what happens when a same-day reading is imported again. Review the session list and individual animals afterward. If a weight is implausible, inspect the source rather than trusting the forecast.
Prepare a drafting list
Section titled “Prepare a drafting list”Open Drafting lists → New list for the animals you intend to sort for sale, slaughter or a pen move. Give it a name, pick animals and choose each disposition. A list is a working selection; it does not by itself record a sale or farm exit. Open it to edit or print. When Sell/Slaughter animals actually leave, use Record exits on that list; Move uses the separate pen-assignment workflow. Follow the Drafting lists guide for every control, partial-failure recovery and closing rules.
Carcass feedback and settlement
Section titled “Carcass feedback and settlement”If a processor sends the same file layout repeatedly, open Carcass format profiles → New profile and define its column mappings, formulas or constants. At least one mapping, formula or constant is required. A profile belongs to the file format; it does not create carcass records. Use Edit when the processor changes its layout, then verify a sample import before reusing it.
Use Carcass imports to upload feedback from a processor. Check format and mapping in the staged review before confirming; open the import to inspect unmatched or rejected rows. Follow Carcass imports for file limits, row corrections, approvals and commit effects, including possible automatic Slaughtered exits for matched active animals. Carcasses shows accepted records and their farm-wide summaries. Configure Carcass pricing and settlement types as applicable before reviewing proceeds. Performance & economics compares outcomes across saved data. A price or settlement rule does not correct an animal identity mismatch in an import; resolve the mapping first.