Midcon Feeders Optimize Feedlots Across Iowa with Performance Livestock Analytics

June 26, 2017, 2:34 pm

≫ Next: Performance Livestock Analytics Adds Software Sales Executive Weigel

AMES, IOWA - June 26, 2017 - Midcon Feeders, LLC signs with Performance Livestock Analytics Inc. to deploy Performance BeefTM software across all Midcon customer feedlots to help producers and nutritionists introduce time and cost savings by automating the capture of feed data. PLA’s Performance Beef leverages real-time feed ration information to help Feedlot Operators and Producers manage all financial, operational, and performance data about their cattle operations.

“Midcon Feeders operates across more than twenty feedlots and for the first time, we have real-time performance and financial information for all our sites.” said Jay Dekkers, Co-Owner of Midcon Feeders. “With the Performance Beef bluetooth technology we no longer will have to manually enter feed data and we have access to more precise and up to date information.”

Performance Beef is the premier business operating system in the livestock industry. The software subscriptions service helps livestock producers automate their feed process and eliminates data entry. Performance Beef unlocks decision analytics through simple, easy-to-use software apps and allows livestock producers to manage all financial, operational, and performance data about their cattle operation.

“Performance Beef aims to be the premier livestock operating system in the industry and gaining a customer such Midcon Feeders is a step in that direction.” said PLA’s CEO Dane Kuper. “At PLA, our team of farmers, computer and data scientists have developed a scalable, high-performance solution that combines the power of big data and analytics to optimize livestock management. Profitability for cattle feeders is about making the best and most precise decisions on your operation, our platform empowers producers by providing up to date performance and financial information on every pen of cattle on feed in a real-time manner by automating the data flow.”

Performance Livestock Analytics provides software subscription services to livestock producers, brokers, risk managers, nutritionists and animal nutrition companies. Performance BeefTM is a product of Performance Livestock Analytics Inc.

About Midcon Feeders
Midcon Feeders LLC is a Sioux Center, IA based organization. Midcon Feeders opened its doors in 2010 and operates more than 20 feedlots across NW Iowa.

About Performance Livestock Analytics
For more information please visit www.performancelivestockanalytics.com
© 2017 Performance Livestock Analytics Inc. All rights reserved.
Performance Livestock Analytics Inc. (PLA), Performance Beef, and any other PLA products and services mentioned herein, as well as their respective logos, are trademarks or registered trademarks of PLA.

Contact
Performance Livestock Analytics
Dane Kuper
CEO
641-420-9944

↧

Performance Livestock Analytics Adds Software Sales Executive Weigel

September 8, 2017, 9:18 am

≫ Next: Getting Started with Performance Beef

≪ Previous: Midcon Feeders Optimize Feedlots Across Iowa with Performance Livestock Analytics

Ames, Iowa--Performance Livestock Analytics (PLA), the leader in livestock analytics, today announced the appointment of Chad Weigel as General Manager to run its sales organization.
“Our Performance Beef™ and Cattle Krush™ product lines have been exceeding expectations and we are excited to have Chad join us to help manage the rapid growth,” said Dane Kuper, CEO of PLA. “With the agriculture analytics experience Chad brings to the table, we look forward to accelerating our growth under Chad’s management.”
Mr. Weigel is a veteran business executive with more than 10 years of experience leading teams and products in the digital agriculture and emerging technology markets. He joins PLA from mnubo, a provider of IoT solutions, after having previously worked with Climate Corporation and Iteris ClearAg.
“With its unique and automated cattle management technology, PLA has grown to become a recognized brand throughout the livestock industry.” said Mr. Weigel. “I am very excited to join the Performance Livestock Analytics team to help accelerate growth and innovation.”
About Performance Livestock Analytics
Performance Livestock Analytics Inc. (PLA), Performance Beef™, and any other PLA products and services mentioned herein, as well as their respective logos, are trademarks or registered trademarks of PLA, or more information please visit www.performancebeef.com. © 2017 Performance Livestock Analytics Inc. All rights reserved.

Contact
Performance Livestock Analytics
Dane Kuper, 641-420-9944

↧

Getting Started with Performance Beef

October 25, 2017, 8:22 am

≫ Next: Building Your Operation In Performance Beef

≪ Previous: Performance Livestock Analytics Adds Software Sales Executive Weigel

No matter the size of your operation, the best feeling is a feeling of total control. Are you ready to empower your entire operation, and make big data a small problem? Know how you can improve productivity, tracking every pound of feed and every dollar. We will walk you through several simple steps to revolutionize your operation.

Getting More Information
Our support team is here to get you started. If you haven’t worked with a Performance Beef specialist yet, nows the time. We will go over our software in great detail to get the feel if it’s going to work for your operation. Your Performance Beef specialist will cover basic operating procedures, what scales you may need to work with our system, any additional operating costs, and any other questions you may have.

Contact our support line at (515) 337-2187

What Equipment do I Need?

Scale: Our program requires a Digi-Star scale, equipped with our proprietary bluetooth device. To ensure you have the proper equipment you can send up a picture of you scale head, from several angles: front, bottom (unplug wires to ensure port visibility), and back. If you have a Digi-Star scale, you should also send a picture of the manufacturing label with date (some older scales are not compatible). You can email these pictures to the Performance Beef specialist you’ve been working with or to sales@cattlekrush.com.

Cellular iPad: You will need a CELLULAR iPad to accurately capture data. When choosing an iPad it doesn’t need much storage, as our software runs in the Cloud. The iPad does need to be added onto your cellular plan. Each cellular iPad only uses an estimated 0.1 GB of data per month. We recommend a regular Cellular iPad, 32G. No need to upgrade your data plan or to buy the Pro version of the iPad. (They may try to sell you those!)

Performance Beef Subscription: Your Performance Beef account will be specific for your operation, allowing you to keep all your data at your fingertips. The subscription has no setup fees. Your Performance Beef account can be billed monthly at $150 or yearly at 1,620 saving you 10%.

How much Is this going to cost me?
Each TMR will need a compatible scale with bluetooth device and a cellular iPad. Many producers will have an additional cellular iPad for the loader, so they don’t have to carry iPad back and forth. As well as a Performance Beef subscription.

Our specialist encourage a few additional materials such as a RAM mount, and an Otterbox for the iPad. The RAM mount allows the iPad to be displayed in your feed truck, while the Otterbox provides extra protection. Both are not sold by Performance Beef and can be purchased reasonably from Amazon.com

Ready to order, now what?
Once a Performance Beef team member has received the pictures of your scales we will generate an official estimate. After getting the “green light” an order will be placed and ship the equipment to you directly. This will take 3-4 days if you are in the continental US.

A Performance Beef specialist will be in contact with you to schedule either an on-farm or remote training/setup session.

↧

Building Your Operation In Performance Beef

October 27, 2017, 6:27 am

≫ Next: How To: Move Cattle in Performance Beef

≪ Previous: Getting Started with Performance Beef

If you are ready to get started with the Performance Beef software, you can go online to performancebeef.com to get your account registered. Select New User and follow the prompts to enter information in each corresponding line.

in To ensure a timely and thorough set up, it’s important to have the following information ready for your setup/training consultation. We’ve provided step by step instructions to enter your information.

Step One: Adding Feed Ingredients
This includes all the different feeds you use (ex. dry corn, earlage, silage, hay, etc.).

In the Sidebar Click "Feed", Then click "Add Feed" in the top right corner.

Enter Feed Name, Cost Per Ton, and Percent Dry Matter
Optional: Weight Remaining- enter how much of feedstuff you have left
Inventory Alert- receive a notification you when you have specified pounds of feed left.

Step Two: Entering Rations
Enter all rations you are currently using.

In the Sidebar Click "Rations" Then click "Add Ration"

Enter the Ration Name (Ration 1, 2 3.. Finisher etc.)
Then enter each feedstuff in Percent As-Fed.

Step 3: Pens
Pens are the names of the physical location around the farm NOT groups of cattle in them. Any location on your farm that you feed will need to be entered as a pen. For example, if you feed any cattle on pasture, you can simply enter that pen as “Pasture”.
Note* Enter all pens on your farm now, even if there are no cattle in them.

In the sidebar click "Pens" Then click "Add Pens"

Give each pen a Pen ID and a Pen Type

Step 4: Entering Cattle (Group IDs)
This will be each group of cattle on your farm. For each group you will need the following information:

Group ID (ex: Red Tag Black Heifers 2017)
Incoming Date
Rate of Gain (expected) – lbs/hd/day
Yardage - $/hd/day
Management Fee (If any) - $/hd/day
Interest - %
Cattle Condition (Green, Medium, or Heavy Flesh)
Breed(s)
Gender(s)
Pen(s) – The pen or pens that group is currently in
Owner(s) – The owner or owners of that group in a percentage
Headcount – Total that came in
Total Purchase Cost
Total Purchase Weight
Trucking Cost (If any)
Source (ex: Ranch Name, Cattle Buyer Name, Sale Barn, City, etc.)
Origin State

In the sidebar click "Overview" Then click "+/- Head" Then click "Added"

Select Added to add the current cattle on your operation. You will also use this selection when purchasing or when you bring new cattle to your feedlot.

Enter the information in the corresponding sections
*Enter all the grey sections before "Pen Select" and "Group Ownership"*
Then click "Save"

Step 5: Ration & Targeted Feed Amounts:
In the sidebar click "Overview"

Here you should have the current Pens you are feeding displayed.

Under Ration you will enter the day’s ration for the first feeding in that pen.
Under Delivery 1 the you will enter the Feed amount in pounds.
*Note* A feed sheet from the previous day will work when entering this information.

Step 6: Delivery Load Order:
This will be the order of pens feds, you will load feed in this order. You can also deliver to multiple pens in a single load.

In the Sidebar Click "Delivery" Then click "Add Load"
Select what pen you are delivering feed to > Then select what drop it is that day (1st or 2nd)

Entering all the information in the descending order will allow for easy and organized data input. This is a one time entry but you can always go back and add or edit any of your information. This information is critical for ensuring proper feed delivery, and tracking of cattle. Once you have this data entered, you are now ready to begin feeding!

↧

How To: Move Cattle in Performance Beef

October 30, 2017, 2:11 pm

≫ Next: Testimonial: Fox Creek Cattle

≪ Previous: Building Your Operation In Performance Beef

Knowing where your cattle are and have been is critical on a feedlot operation. Tracking inventory, and detailed overview pages, allow you to see when and what pens your cattle have been. Below we’ve laid out step by step instructions for moving cattle in Performance Beef.

Step One:
Select the "Overview" page Then click "+/- Head" in the upper right-hand corner.

Then Select “Moved”

Step 2:
Enter the date cattle moved, and what group they are from.

Then enter what pen that group is being moved from, and what pen they’re moving to.
Enter How many cattle from that group you are moving to this new pen.
In the last section you can make any notes relevant to these cattle and their move.
Then click "Save"

Keep in mind when you are moving cattle you feed by pens and not the group ID. This means if you have one group of cattle in several pens, you must take into consideration what ration each pen will receive.

Step 3:
View where cattle have been moved by selecting “Sheets”
Then In the upper left-hand corner select "Group ID" and "Moved Head" in the two drop down tabs.

From this point, you can see the history of that group of cattle. If there are any errors, in the upper right-hand corner select "Edit" and make the appropriate adjustments.

From the “Overview” page you can buy, sell, move and remove deceased cattle around the farm. For example, if you want to remove dead cattle, click the overview page and select “+/- Head” then click “Death”. From here fill in the information into the corresponding cells.

You will follow the same steps for "Added" and "Sold" head.

Having a clear overview of your feedlot is important. Performance beef records those details with just a couple clicks.

To see an entire overview of each group, go to the “Sheets” page
Then in the two drop down tabs you will select the "Group ID", Then click “In/Out Head”
This will give you a detailed overview of that group’s history, such as added cattle, deaths and moves.

Performance Beef allows you to ease of tracking and viewing your cattle inventory. It's important that information gets entered correctly to keep your operation running smoothly. If you notice any errors reach out to our support line (515)-337-2187, as soon as possible and a specialist will help with any lingering adjustments.

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Testimonial: Fox Creek Cattle

October 31, 2017, 6:39 am

≫ Next: How To: Add and Edit Loads

≪ Previous: How To: Move Cattle in Performance Beef

If you mix feed to feed to cattle, Performance Beef will make your operation better, if you have employees that feed for you some, or all, of the time Performance Beef is essential. Performance Beef is an irreplaceable component of our operation.

Recently, my wife took over management of a feedlot that was failing, cattle health was low, gains were down, and more importantly, profits were down. Upon taking over Fox Creek Feedyard, there were no employees remaining on who were feed wagon operators, and my wife was busy enough dealing with cattle health that she was unable to feed on a regular basis. We purchased Performance Beef and hired a person with no farming or equipment-operating experience. It took about two weeks to train him to run the equipment with Performance Beef, from which point he has been autonomous and excellent.

"We purchased Performance Beef and hired a person with no farming or equipment-operating experience. It took about two weeks to train him to run the equipment with Performance Beef, from which point he has been autonomous and excellent."

Performance Beef manages exact ration ratios, ensuring a perfectly mixed load each time. Additionally, each pen is fed the exact amount daily because of the app and scale system, ensuring cattle are cleaning up all of the feed and are not over or under fed. The ration mix is exact each day (as Performance Beef does the math for the loader operator) ensuring consistency in feed, with a well-balanced diet the cattle’s appetite remains high ensuring consistent weight gain.

Within two weeks from implementing Performance Beef, we saw big gains, as the cattle were eating a lot while becoming nutritionally balanced. After the adjustment period, we have seen consistently better gains with minimal health issues.

How does Performance Beef enable this? It’s simple, each day the manager scores the bunks, Performance Beef automatically calculates both lbs/hd fed and DMI (dry matter intake), this allows the manager to get the near perfect amount from the beginning. When cattle arrive at the lot, we input the number of head in the correct pen, and input the feed to the nearest 10 lbs, matching the DMI to desired amount. As the cattle grow and appetites increase, we increase the feed. Performance Beef allows multiple rations, we start the cattle on hay and a starter ration, transition them from hay to straight starter and then from starter to grower. The DMI calculation is critical to these transitions as we use it to ensure the cattle continue to receive the requisite nutrients so they are not over or under eating.

"In my opinion, many facets of Performance Beef will increase your situational awareness and allow you to, track and identify trends to ensure maximum profitability."

As the cattle grow, and we increase their feed, it is easy to estimate the cattle weight average based on the amount of feed they are eating. With a glance, you can see which pen needs to come in for weighing and final prep for shipment. Additionally, Performance Beef captures all our costs, real-time, so we are always up-to-date on our cost of gains and breakevens.

The end of month reports detail total amounts of individual ration components fed during the desired period, calculate death loss, feed costs, total yardage, and many other financial and performance information. In my opinion, many facets of Performance Beef will increase your situational awareness and allow you to, track and identify trends to ensure maximum profitability.

Performance Beef does not do anything you cannot do yourself already, but it does it automatically, and continuously with very little effort from management personnel. Performance Beef works in the background as you feed and manage the cattle relentlessly tracking and assigning costs to groups of cattle always ensuring you are working with latest information.

Final note, Dustin Balsley and the Performance Beef team are very quick to provide assistance and advice to my questions, as quickly as they come up. I could not ask for a better team to run this great management tool.

"Performance Beef is an irreplaceable component of our operation."

↧

How To: Add and Edit Loads

November 1, 2017, 1:29 pm

≫ Next: How To: Edit Feed Ingredients

≪ Previous: Testimonial: Fox Creek Cattle

One of Performance Beef’s largest benefits is the ability track feed accurately. A scale head with our bluetooth, hooks up with the Performance Beef Scale app and tracks exactly how much of each feed you are adding when loading your feed wagon. This is displayed with the scale app, once the program is up and running for your operation.
After all your cattle are set up into their pens, you need to assign each pen a ration. If your operation is set up in the system this should be done already. If you haven’t yet set up your pens in Performance Beef, check out our blog for step by step instructions.

Next is building loads for each pen. We will walk through each step for building and editing your loads. After you build these loads you are all set to start feeding with the Performance Beef system.

Step One:
Make sure all pens on “Overview” page have a ration and targeted feed amount. If not- give them one based on the group of cattle in the pens.
*Please Note* In this example I have 500 head from the same group of cattle, but split between two different pens.

You can see I will feed them Ration 4 and 5500 pounds twice a day.

Step Two:
Go to the “Delivery” page
Select the notification on top of the screen to see where and what loads need placing.
In this example, you will see that I have 6 loads that need to be placed.

After viewing the “Notification” tab to see what loads you have to add you can make the determination to add a drop to an existing load, or create a whole new load.

**When you are placing your loads you can only add/combine loads (or drops) to pens receiving the same ration and the same drop.**

I am going to start by creating a new load for my North Lot and South Yard. I want them to both be "Drop 1", for my morning feeding.

Select "New Load" in the upper right-hand corner
Enter "Pens" and "Drop"
Then click "Save"

The system pulls the information from the overview page to enter how much i am feeding. Then after I click "save" you can see it sets the ration for those two drops.

As I look at my loads to be placed, I have one Finisher ration for the first drop in the West Yard as you can see in the notification panel.

I have drop 2 already in a load for the West Yard, but I want to add this to my morning feedings, or my first drop.
Load 1 has a Finisher ration going to the East Yard and drop one so I am going to add the West Yard Finisher ration to load 1.

Start by clicking “Edit” on Load 1
Then enter I’ll enter West Yard in the “Add Pen” drop down tab
“Select Drop” (drop 1 for this example)
Then Click “Save”

As you work through creating new loads or adding drops to existing loads, it's relatively subjective based on your operation, how many times a day you are feeding, and what rations are going to what pens.

Once all your loads are placed, you can reorder your loads to have your drops in order. Simply select “Reorder” in the upper left-hand corner, drag into your correct order then click save.

As you move or bring cattle onto your feedlot you will make edits to your Delivery screen. For a more detailed view of adding, editing, and rearranging loads in Performance Beef check out the video attached below or give one of our specialists a call at (515)-337-2187.

↧

How To: Edit Feed Ingredients

November 6, 2017, 11:55 am

≫ Next: How To: Feeding With The Scale App

≪ Previous: How To: Add and Edit Loads

The Performance Beef System tracks all your information behind the scenes while you are at work on your farm. There are manual changes you have to make however like; adding and deleting feeds, keeping your feed prices and percent dry matter. These are east but important factors to maintain in the Performance Beef System.

Step One:
To view your feed prices and dry matter for all your feeds, login to your Performance Beef account. Select the “Feed” tab in the grey sidebar on the left-hand side.

Here you can see all your feed ingredients.

Now if the cost per ton or dry matter percentages change for any reason, you can make the appropriate changes by clicking the red tab of the feed that needs to be changed.

For this example, I will select “Silage”

Here I can make the needed adjustments by clicking into the corresponding cells for cost per ton, and percent dry matter.

You can see which rations are currently using the feed ingredient at the bottom of the page. Once this page is updated, click "Save" in the upper left-hand corner.

If you happen to forget to update the system right when your prices changed, you will come into this same screen, update your prices, but before you save, you will select “Batch Update”. This will allow you to backdate these prices.

For example, if my prices changed 2 weeks ago, but I am just now updating them. I can simply set the dates back two weeks, to today.
Click “Confirm” and this will update my prices for the last two weeks. Then once your feed is completely updated, click "Save".

After you select save, you can see the system updates the ration dry matter and cost per tons on the “Rations” and “Overview” page, where those values are displayed.

If any feeds need to be added, from the "Feed" tab select “Added” in the upper right-hand corner
Enter the feed name, cost per ton, and percent dry matter. In addition, you may fill in the weight remaining, and inventory alert to receive a notification when you are low on that feed ingredient.
Then click “Save” in the upper left-hand corner.

These instructions will allow you to make any future changes to your feed ingredients. Changing the cost per ton, percent dry matter and adding feeds will keep your operation running smooth and accurate. If you have any additional question about editing your feeds, don't hesitate to reach out to the Performance Beef team at (515)-337-2187.

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How To: Feeding With The Scale App

November 10, 2017, 7:31 am

≫ Next: Cargill enters agreement with Performance Livestock Analytics to create proprietary advanced feedlot analytics

≪ Previous: How To: Edit Feed Ingredients

Once you have your operation set up with your, feeds, rations and loads entered into Performance Beef, and have your scale set-up. You are ready to begin feeding with The performance Beef Scale App.

Scale App Overview
Using your Cellular iPad, Open the Scale App. While you get the app opened, make sure your scale head is on and ready to go.

Once you are logged in, you will view the scale apps overview page. Once the app is open, you will have an overview of all of your loads, if you tap web view in the upper left-hand corner you can access your entire performance beef account. Click the green “Scale App” tab in the upper left-hand corner to bring you back to the scale app’s overview page with all your loads.

Loading Overview
From here you will click “Select” in the upper right-hand corner of the load you are ready to fill.
This page will show you what ration is being loaded, and what pen will be delivered to and how much is being delivered to each pen.

For this example, you can see I am feeding two pens the north lot and south yard from this load.

In the upper right-hand corner, you will have a “Load” and “Delivery Tab”. When you are ready to load your feeds, click the “Load” Tab in the upper right-hand corner.

You can see the ration and total targeted weight above the green box on the left-hand side. All the feeds in the ration will be displayed at the bottom of the page.

Before you load feed you want to make sure the correct scale is in sync with your iPad. by selecting the white box with the Wifi symbol, you can select your scale.

Loading Feed
Once your scale is connected you are ready to load your ration.

You can load these feeds in any order that works best for you, just be sure the feed you are loading is highlighted green before you begin. You will see the countdown on the left side of the screen will start off green, showing you what you have left to load.

Once you get within 10% the Load screen will change from green to yellow as a warning. As you reach your targeted weight of that feed, your screen will flash red. If you overload any feed the left-hand side will show a negative number.

On the bottom of the screen, the feed will show exactly what you loaded in the white space under what your targeted amount was. Once you have your feed ingredient loaded, on the bottom you will select the next feed to load, and load the rest of the feed this same way. *Note: They do not need to be in order*

The white box on the right hand side will show you your total weight loaded for all your feeds.

Once all your feeds are loaded (they may not be exact to what your target amount was) you will select "Confirm" in the upper left hand corner. This will save what you have loaded into your whole Performance Beef system and direct you back to your load overview.

Delivering Feed
Select "Delivery" in the upper right-hand corner.

You will then drop feed to the pen or pens in each load by selecting the pen at the bottom of the page. As you drop feed, if you overloaded any feed it will show a negative number on the right side of your screen, since your feeding more than your targeted feed amount. Both panels countdown showing how much you have left to feed on the left side, and how much you have left in the feed truck on the right.

Once you have fed all your pens, you will click "Confirm" in the upper left-hand corner. This will take you back to the load overview page. From here you can go back to the overview page to see what loads have been loaded, and fed.

Using the scale app will help keep you from overloading feed, and eliminating any data entry. Once you feed, and click confirm, the system automatically stores that data for you, in real time.

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Cargill enters agreement with Performance Livestock Analytics to create proprietary advanced feedlot analytics

November 10, 2017, 10:20 am

≫ Next: How To: Added Costs

≪ Previous: How To: Feeding With The Scale App

Cargill Partners with Performance Livestock Analytics

(MINNEAPOLIS) November 8, 2017 - Cargill and Performance Livestock Analytics, Inc. (PLA) are partnering to bring new data analytics to cattle production. PLA’s Performance Beef™ is now enhanced with the Cargill MAX® system for beef, creating an advanced and more robust feedlot system, Performance Beef™ MAX®. This new version is exclusive to Cargill and its customers. Performance Beef™ MAX® leverages real-time feed ration information, backed by growth models from Cargill Animal Nutrition, to help farmer-feeders and feedlots introduce greater performance predictability and improved efficiency into their feeding program.

“We are excited for the opportunity to bring the power of real-time data analytics and performance prediction to the industry,” said Duane Theuninck, director of feedlot nutrition, Cargill Animal Nutrition. “Combining our MAX® system with the Performance Beef™ platform creates a unique and proprietary set of tools that will empower producers to know more about cattle feed efficiency and performance with unprecedented accuracy and ease of use.”

Livestock producers run on competitive margins. The Performance Beef™ MAX® software application provides the automation and the decision analytics needed to help Cargill customers become more successful cattle feeders. Cargill customers can now completely automate data input and collection of their feeding programs interfaced with Cargill’s MAX® feeding system. These enhancements save time, increase accuracy, and improve cattle performance. Performance Beef™ MAX® utilizes the automated on-farm data and growth modeling to create accurate, easy to use performance reports resulting in more informed and timely decisions regarding diet changes, feeding protocol, and market timing.

“The experience of our in-house staff of farmers, computer, and data scientists allowed Performance Livestock Analytics to develop Performance Beef™ into a scalable, high-performance solution that automates data collection and provides real-time analytics,” said PLA’s CEO Dane Kuper. “Partnering with Cargill Animal Nutrition gives our customers more options and shows the power and flexibility of the Performance Beef platform. The predictive performance analytics of Performance Beef™ MAX® gives cattle feeders the information they need to optimize feeding and marketing of their cattle.”

The Performance Beef™ platform is a leading business operating system in the livestock industry. The software subscription service helps livestock producers automate their feed process and eliminates tedious data entry. Performance Beef™ MAX® unlocks decision analytics through simple, easy-to-use software apps, allowing livestock producers to manage all financial, operational, and performance data relative to their cattle operation.

Coupled with best-in-class nutritional consultation services from Cargill Animal Nutrition, producers will now be better equipped for improved cattle performance and business success. This partnership with PLA is another example of the commitment by Cargill Animal Nutrition to using technology, data and analytics to better serve its customers. Over the last few months, Cargill has introduced Dairy Enteligen™, TechBro Flex™ for broilers, and Reveal®, a real-time forage analysis system.

About Cargill
Cargill provides food, agriculture, financial and industrial products and services to the world. Together with farmers, customers, governments and communities, we help people thrive by applying our insights and 150 years of experience. We have 150,000 employees in 70 countries who are committed to feeding the world in a responsible way, reducing environmental impact and improving the communities where we live and work. For more information, visit Cargill.com https://www.cargill.com/> and our News Center<https://www.cargill.com/news>.

About Cargill Animal Nutrition
Cargill's animal nutrition business has more than 20,000 employees at more than 275 facilities in 40 countries. Fueled by our innovation and research, we offer a range of products and services to feed manufacturers, animal producers, and feed retailers around the world, helping put food on the plates of nearly one billion people around the world every day. Cargill's animal nutrition business offers a range of compound feed, premixes, feed additives, supply chain and risk management solutions, software tools and animal nutrition expertise that is unmatched in the industry. For more information about Cargill Animal Nutrition, visit: http://cargill.com/animal-nutrition.

About Performance Livestock Analytics
Performance Livestock Analytics provides software subscription services to livestock producers, brokers, risk managers, nutritionists and animal nutrition companies. Performance BeefTM is a product of Performance Livestock Analytics Inc. For more information please visit www.performancelivestockanalytics.com

© 2017 Performance Livestock Analytics Inc. All rights reserved.
Performance Livestock Analytics Inc. (PLA), Performance Beef™ , and any other PLA products and services mentioned herein, as well as their respective logos, are trademarks or registered trademarks of PLA.

Contact
Cargill Animal Nutrition:
Mollie Dreibrodt, 830-456-5886
or
Performance Livestock Analytics:
Dane Kuper, 641-420-9944

Mollie Dreibrodt
Marketing Communications Lead
U.S. Beef
Cargill Animal Nutrition
150 years of helping the world thrive

↧

How To: Added Costs

November 15, 2017, 2:25 pm

≫ Next: How To: Generate Reports

≪ Previous: Cargill enters agreement with Performance Livestock Analytics to create proprietary advanced feedlot analytics

Tracking your costs is critical for having accurate closeouts for any feedlot operation. Performance Beef tracks all that data for you, and produces real-time closeout reports. Below are step by step instructions for entering any added costs to a group, or pens of cattle in the Performance Beef system.

Step 1: "Add Cost"
From the overview page, select “Add Cost” in the upper right-hand corner of the page.

Step 2: Enter Data
Here you will enter the information in the corresponding sections.
In the first box you have the ability to choose per pen or per group. Then you will select either the pen or the group of cattle.

Once you will select either pen or group, you will enter which pen or group that cost will be delivered to. Then you will select the date of this added cost, and what that added cost is, whether it be Vet, processing, bedding, interest etc.

Step 4: Splitting Costs
Next you will enter how much that cost was and how it will be dispersed. Here you will have the choice for it to be equal cost or split/head.

By selecting "split/head", you can break up that cost over an entire pen, and if there are multiple groups of cattle in that particular pen it will divide the entered cost evenly over all those groups of cattle. If you select equal cost, it will add the amount entered to each group of cattle.

Once that information is entered you may make any notes in relation to that added cost. Then click “Save” in the upper left-hand corner.

From here, you can see the information displayed on your sheets page.

In the first drop-down tab in the upper left-hand corner select the pen, then in the second drop-down, select Added Cost. There you can view all your added costs and what the costs we’re as well as edits by selecting “Edit”.
Click on the corresponding section make edits to the type, date or value of cost.
Then click "Save".

While there will always be user inputted data, Performance Beef minimizes so much of your bookkeeping. By tracking your costs through the system you get real-time, accurate closeout reports.

For more information or additional questions, you can contact our support specialists at 515-337-2187.

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How To: Generate Reports

November 20, 2017, 12:41 pm

≫ Next: Reordering Feed Ingredients, Rations, and Pens

≪ Previous: How To: Added Costs

One great feature of the Performance Beef system is the ability to generate accurate invoices and closeout reports. You can run invoices per owner if you're a custom feeder, per group, and run a whole farm invoice to see your total feed costs, yardage, added costs, total farm costs and more.
You can also set up to receive daily reports, for your feed inventory and delivery reports.
Below are step by step instructions for generating these reports, printing them off, and saving them as PDF's to your computer. Along with setting up your automated emails for daily delivery reports.

Owner Invoices:
Go to the Reports tab

In the first drop down in the upper left-hand corner select, "Invoice".
In the second drop-down, select the owner you wish to create an invoice for.
Select the date range you wish to run the invoice for.
Then select "Run Invoice"

To print or save a PDF of this invoice, select “Print” in the upper right-hand corner. This will bring up up a preview. Here you can make any adjustments if needed, once the page is ready to print or be saved select "Print" in the upper or lower right-hand corner.

Here you can either print this report to your printer of choice or select “Open PDF in Preview”.
File > Export as PDF > Enter Document Name > Save

Once any of these reports are saved to your computer, you can email them as attachments if needed.

Whole Farm Invoice:
To run a whole farm invoice you will follow the same steps as listed above, but instead of selecting an owner you will select “Whole Farm” in the second drop down tab.
You will print or save in the same way as an owner invoice.

Closeout Reports:
To run a closeout report on a group of cattle you will stay on the Reports page.

In the first drop down tab in the upper left-hand corner, select “Close out”, then select the group of cattle in the second drop down.

This will run the entire report for that group of cattle.
If you wish, you may select a second group of cattle in the third drop down. This will allow you to compare closeouts for two groups of cattle.

Daily Report Emails:
To set up your daily feed delivery and feed inventory reports you will go to your settings page by selecting the 3 horizontal bars in the upper right-hand corner.

Next, scroll to the bottom of the page until you see "Email settings"
Here you will simply enter an email address and select the green “Add” tab on the left hand side.
You may add as many people as you wish to receive this report.
Then you will select the time you wish the report to be emailed by clicking into the time slot. This report will automatically send at your designated time.

To preview this report or send it instantly, select the letter icon on the right-hand side of the screen. Scroll to the bottom and select send.
This report will show you feed overview, any manual changes in the system as well as moved head.

Performance Beef takes the work out of generating reports. It creates Invoices, and Closeout's automatically based the information it has collected while you have been feeding your cattle. As well as sending you daily summaries of your deliveries and any manual changes.

If you have any questions about the reports generated by Performance Beef, give our specialists a call at 515-337-2181.

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Reordering Feed Ingredients, Rations, and Pens

November 27, 2017, 9:04 am

≫ Next: How To: Share Your Account

≪ Previous: How To: Generate Reports

Performance Beef allows you to keep track of every pound of feed and every dollar. Ensuring you have an easy and organized system to work with is important to us. A couple weeks ago we released an update to the program allowing you to reorder your pens, rations and feed ingredients.

For example, your overview page may be defaulted to how you entered information into the program, but not in the ideal order for your operation. The changes you make to the order will be are reflected throughout the entire program.

Feed Ingredients:
Click into the “Feed” tab on the left-hand side of the screen.
Select “Reorder” in the upper left-hand corner.

Drag each feed into the order of your choosing.
Then click “Save”.

Reordering Rations:
Simply click the "Rations" tab on the left-hand side.
Then click “Reorder” in the upper left-hand corner.

In the red tab on the left hand side, click and drag the ration into the order you want.
Then click “Save” in the upper left- hand corner.

Reordering Pens:
Click the “Pens” tab on the left-hand side.

Here you have two options, you can manually reorder the pens in the order you prefer by selecting “Reorder” in the upper left-hand corner, dragging them into the order of your choosing, then click “Save”, the same steps for reordering feed ingredients and rations.

Or you have the option to order them by “Name” or “Head Count” in the drop-down tab in the upper left hand corner.

If you select “Name” it will put the pens in alphabetical order.

If you select “Head Count” it will put your pens in order from largest to smallest.

These changes will be reflected throughout the entire program from your overview page to the drop-down tabs.

For example, changing the order of the pens will change the list order on the overview page, as well as in the ration drop down of each pen.
The rations will also be reflected in the delivery page in the drop down tabs of each load.

Our goal is to keep the system running at it's best for each of our producers, reordering these allows you to keep your system organized in a way that works best for you. If you have any questions about reordering feed ingredients, rations and/or pens don't hesitate to give our support line a call at
515-337-2187.

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How To: Share Your Account

December 4, 2017, 11:47 am

≫ Next: How To: Set Up Feed Inventory Notifications

≪ Previous: Reordering Feed Ingredients, Rations, and Pens

Connecting with your trusted advisors is critical when running a feedlot operation. Performance Beef enables you to keep in closer contact with those advisors, like your nutritionist. If you choose to share your account with a nutritionist, for example, they can go in and make updates to your rations, feed ingredients, and how much you are feeding. Eliminating batch sheets, trips to your farm and a delay. Performance Beef is a cloud-based system meaning as soon as a change is made it’s reflected throughout your entire account. By sharing your account you can grant someone as much or as little access as you wish.

Step One: Go to Account Settings
Select the three horizontal bars in the upper right-hand corner.

Step Two: Enter Email Address
In the first section of account settings, under “Share My Account” enter the email address(s) of those whom you wish to share your account with.

Step Three: Determine Access
To the right of where you entered the email address, click in the drop-down tab and select how much access you want that person to have.

Step Four: Create a password
Next, you will select the green “Add” tab on the left-hand side of the screen.

This will bring up a box where you can enter a password for their account, or select “Default” to make their password, “password”.

They will log into Performance Beef using the email entered from the settings page, then use the password associated with that email when account access is given.

What Can They See When I share My Account?
Now your account is shared with someone you trust. You can always make adjustments to the information they have access to, but selecting the drop down tab to the right of their email address in the settings page.

Selecting “Full Access (Editable)” gives that person access and the ability to edit everything in your account including your financials.

Selecting “Full Access (Read Only)” gives them full access to view that account and not make any edits

Selecting “No financial (Editable)” enables that person access to your entire account, but will not allow them to see any financials throughout the entire program.

Selecting "No Financial (Read-Only)" gives them access to your account without being able to make any edits, or the ability to see and financials.

Sharing access to your trusted advisors eliminates batch sheets, eliminates data entry from the producers side, and all happens in real time. Meaning if your nutritionist changes a ration in your account, all you need to do is refresh the page and that ration change will be reflected throughout your entire system. Of course, we understand you may not want all your information shared with those advisors or even farm hands, which is why you have the option to block out financial views to certain accounts.

If you have any questions about sharing your account give our support line a call at (515)-337-2187.

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How To: Set Up Feed Inventory Notifications

December 11, 2017, 8:34 am

≫ Next: How To: Run Detailed Reports

≪ Previous: How To: Share Your Account

Keeping track of exactly how much feed you are feeding, how much shrink you have is what Performance Beef excels at helping their producers.
A feed inventory alert sends you an email notification at a designated amount of your feed, letting you know you need to order more feed.

Step 1:
Go to the “Feed” tab on the left-hand side of the screen and select the feed ingredient you want to set an alert for.

Step 2:
Next, to the two grey sections, you will enter the “weight remaining” or how much you have left at this point in time. Then in “Inventory Alert” you will enter an amount at which you want to receive a notification you are low on that feed.

Step 3:
Click "Save" in the upper left-hand corner.

Then as you are loading and feeding each group of cattle it will pull from this inventory. As it reaches your designated weight, the system will automatically send a notification to you and anyone else you have subscribed to receive this alert.

Sending Inventory Notifications to Additional People:
You can set up this alert to go to more than just the email address associated with your account.
Step 1:
Go to your "account settings", by clicking the three horizontal bars in the upper right-hand corner, and scroll to the bottom of the page to "email setting". Here you will see the “Delivery Report” and “Feed Inventory” settings.

Step 3:
Under "Feed Inventory" you will enter the email address of whomever else you wish the report to be sent to.
Step 4:
Then select the time of day for the report will be sent out,
Step 5:
Lastly, select the green “Add” tab on the left-hand side.

This allows you to keep a tight record of exactly how much you are feeding, how much shrink you're experiencing, and helps alert the right people when you are running low on feed.

If you have any questions about your feed inventory alerts or another aspect of Performance Beef reach out to our support line at (515)-337-2187 to speak with a specialist directly.

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How To: Run Detailed Reports

December 19, 2017, 2:37 pm

≫ Next: Masterfeeds and Performance Livestock Analytics Signs Canadian Distribution Agreement

≪ Previous: How To: Set Up Feed Inventory Notifications

Keeping your billing accurate and up to date on any feedlot operation is critical. Performance beef will generate invoices and closeout reports for you with just a couple clicks. We recently updated the system so you could have more detailed reports.

Step One:
You make the change to get your system to run both reports. You will log into your account and go to your settings page by selecting the three horizontal bars in the upper right-hand corner.

Step Two:
Then scroll to the bottom of the page to “Report Layout” your account will be set up to run both default closeouts and invoices. Under both Closeout and invoice you will select “Default + Detailed Invoice/Closeout”. You have the option to select either one or the other if you only want either a detailed invoice or detailed closeout.

Running Detailed Reports In Performance Beef

Step Three:
Then go to the “Reports” page.
When you click on the first drop-down you will see the simple closeout as “Closeout A” detailed closeout as “Closeout B” same stands true for the invoices as well.

If I select “Invoice B” you can see it brings up a much more detailed invoice.
Then adjust the date range at the top and select “Run Invoice”

Then when you are ready to print or save this invoice select the green “Print” or button in the upper right- hand corner. You will follow this same processes when printing closeout reports.

These invoices may be beneficial for you to run for your contractors or you may just like to see a greater breakdown of your costs. Either way, you now know how to get your account to show you both detailed closeouts and invoices. If you have any questions about running invoices or closeouts call our support line at 515-337-2187 and talk to a Performance Beef Specialist.

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Masterfeeds and Performance Livestock Analytics Signs Canadian Distribution Agreement

January 22, 2018, 8:03 am

≫ Next: January 22nd, 2018

≪ Previous: How To: Run Detailed Reports

Performance Livestock Analytics Signs Canadian Distribution Agreement

AMES, IOWA – January 19, 2018 – Performance Livestock Analytics, Inc. (PLA) and Masterfeeds, an Alltech company, a leader in the Canadian animal nutrition industry, today announced a partnership to expand distribution of PLA’s fast-growing Performance Beef TM system in Canada. Canadian cattle feeders will now be able to benefit from having a real-time pulse on the data and financial risk of their cattle feedlot operations.

Masterfeeds will provide access to Performance Beef technology throughout Canada. The automated feed ration system and traceability reporting system is well suited to support Canada’s ongoing efforts to provide traceable beef and to bring efficiencies to cattle feedlot operations. Coupled with comprehensive performance analytics reporting, the cloud-based, Performance Beef system helps producers optimize cattle nutrition by ensuring better feed management and accuracy.
“Canadian Producers that seek to better the bottom line for their feedlot operation will benefit from the automated data collection, analytics, and useful insights provided by Performance Beef.” said Rob Flack, President and CEO. “From intake monitoring to feed time optimization, Performance Beef will help farmer-feeders and feedlots introduce greater performance predictability and improved efficiency into their feeding program”.

The Performance Beef platform is the leading business operating system in the livestock industry. The software subscription service helps livestock producers automate their feed process and eliminates tedious data entry. Performance Beef unlocks decision analytics through software apps, allowing livestock producers to manage all financial, operational, and performance data relative to their cattle operation.

“Our Performance Beef technology is able to support livestock producers with the critical tools and real-time information they require to optimally manage livestock.” said Dane Kuper, PLA CEO. “Producers benefit from the automated collection of ration data and real-time analysis critical to the successful management of cattle health and to the overall financial performance of the operation.”

About Masterfeeds, an Alltech company
Masterfeeds, an Alltech company, is one of Canada’s largest premium animal nutrition companies. Masterfeeds combines technology, research and on-farm modelling production to deliver greater value to farmers and ranchers. For more information please visit www.masterfeeds.com

About Performance Livestock Analytics Inc.
Performance Livestock Analytics provides software subscription services to livestock producers, brokers, risk managers, nutritionists and animal nutrition companies. Performance BeefTM is a product of Performance Livestock Analytics Inc., for more information please visit www.performancebeef.com © 2017 Performance Livestock Analytics Inc. All rights reserved.
Performance Livestock Analytics Inc. (PLA), Performance Beef, and any other PLA products and services mentioned herein, as well as their respective logos, are trademarks or registered trademarks of PLA.

Contact:
Masterfeeds, an Alltech company
Peter Peacock, 519-685-4300

Performance Livestock Analytics Inc.
Dane Kuper, 641-420-9944

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January 22nd, 2018

January 22, 2018, 2:07 pm

≫ Next: Performance Beef Software Update: "Distribute"

≪ Previous: Masterfeeds and Performance Livestock Analytics Signs Canadian Distribution Agreement

Performance Livestock Analytics is excited to host the first Performance Beef Winter Conference. This conference will discuss a market outlook and how to use data to make better decisions to increase your bottom line.

We are welcoming all producers and nutritionists to join us on February 22, 2018, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. We have invited two industry specialists to speak, Glynn Tonsor and Alfredo DiCostanzo, providing deeper insight into the data behind cattle feeding. As well as Performance Livestock Analytics CEO and Co-founder, Dane Kuper.

Where:
Sheraton Sioux Falls & Convention Center
Fontenelle Ballroom
1211 West Ave. North
Sioux Falls, South Dakota 57104

When:
Thursday February 22, 2018
9:00 am - 4:00pm

Dane Kuper
Performance Livestock Analytics
CEO/Co-Founder

Glynn Tonsor
Kansas State University
Prof. Dept. Agricultural Economics

Alfredo DiCostanzo
University of Minnesota
Prof. Dept. Animal Science

Click Here to RSVP

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Performance Beef Software Update: "Distribute"

March 1, 2018, 1:01 pm

≫ Next: Conference Recap - Performance Beef Settings Review

≪ Previous: January 22nd, 2018

Performance Beef has released a new update to the Scale App that now includes a "Distribute" button for adjusting the feed totals.

If you select “Distribute” it will take the weight in the wagon, and assume a perfect ration for the ration currently selected, and distribute it among all the feed ingredients.

This update is a solution for any errors made while loading, or any feed left in the wagon. This is also a great way to eliminate any hand calculations for those who load a full wagon at night dropping half that night and the other half in the morning.

To download the update to your iPad, go to the Apple App Store, in the lower left hand corner select the "Updates" tab. Here you should see the Performance Beef App and you simply need to select "Update" next to the Performance Beef App. Then, when you open up Performance Beef you will see the "Distribute" button to the right of select scale in the load screen. If your iPad has "Recalibrate" you can update you app this same way and it should change that button to say "Distribute". Please note that whenever you are updating your app, you may need to log out and back in to ensure a full connection to the application. If you have any further questions about how the distribute button works, reach out to a Performance Beef specialist at 515-337-2187.

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Conference Recap - Performance Beef Settings Review

March 1, 2018, 10:00 pm

≫ Next: Purina Animal Nutrition and Performance Livestock Analytics relationship delivers precision data and performance insights

≪ Previous: Performance Beef Software Update: "Distribute"

Thank you to all who were able to make it out to the 2018 Performance Beef Winter Conference. The Performance Beef team appreciates the constant support and hope that everyone found the conference to be beneficial.

Following a great presentation by Glynn Tonsor, COO and Co-Founder, Dustin Balsley, gave a detailed review of the settings page and how they can alter the view of the system.

To get to your account settings select the three horizontal bars in the upper right-hand corner. First thing to note is that if you click on the setting sections, it will collapse it, so if there is a particular section you are not seeing in the settings, click on the section name to see if its collapsed.

Account Sharing:

Sharing your Performance Beef Account in your settings

“Share My Account”: The Share My Account function is allows the people you share your account with to view all aspects of your account, with the possible exception of financials and the ability to make edits. This function is great for sharing with hired hands and nutritionists.

“Owners”: The owners function allows for those who are custom feeding to share access to their account so that specific owner can login and see only their groups of cattle. You can manage whether they see any financials or have the ability to make edits.

Account Settings/Password/Payments:
In these sections you can update any of your personal information, credit card information, and change your password.

System Settings:
“Number of Feed Deliveries/Day”
Here you can change how many times a day you will drop feed. Depending on the number you select you will see two different views on the overview page. If you have your account set on “2 (Default View)”, you will only see the pen names, bunk score, ration and target feed amounts. Whereas if you have just “Two” selected, you will see what groups are in each pen, and how many from that group are in the pen along with the bunk score, ration and feed calls.

Performance Beef Overview - (Default Two)

View: "2 (Default View)

View: "Two"

“Delivery Behavior”:
Here you have two options. “Delivery Page + Overview Target Backup” and “Delivery Page Only”. If you account is on Delivery Page + Overview Target Backup the system will record what happens on the Scale App while you are feeding, but it will also pull the targets (listed on the overview page) even if you do not use the Scale App to feed.

“Rounding Options”:
Here you can adjust how the weights are displayed and rounded throughout the system. “Currency”,
“Feed Weights/Large Weights”, “Gain Weights/Small Weights”, “Delivery/Scale App Weights”.

“Label Settings”:
The label settings are for changing to different metrics such as changing currency to the Canadian dollar, or from pounds to kilograms.

“Overview Settings”:
These settings will also change the amount of information on the overview page. Your “Simple (Default)” views of health and financials will only give you information on a per group basis, while your “Detailed” view will give you both on a per pen and per group basis.

View: Simple (Default) "Health Per Group"

View: (Detailed) "Health Per Group"

Report Layout:
The report layout includes both detailed invoices and closeouts. The reports labels “A” are going to be your standard layouts while reports labeled “B” are the detailed version of these reports.

Invoice (A)

Invoice (B)

Email Setting:
There is two functions under the email settings. First being the delivery report. This report sends out at the end of everyday (default at 7pm). To set this up to be sent out, simply enter the email address to the person(s) you wish to receive this email, Then select “add”.

This works the same way for the Feed Inventory notifications.

Performance Beef Delivery Report Setting

Manual New Day:
The Manual New day button is one that should only be used sparingly. This function will put all of the load data from that day into the sheets tab, and reset all loads to 0, and cause all changes made to be considered changes for the next day. This function is great for changing rations at the end of the day, without losing any feed data, as well as other reasons. It’s always best to double-check with a Performance Beef Specialist if you are unsure about selecting the manual new day button.

The settings has a lot of information, and allows for a lot of customization within the Performance Beef software itself. If you have any questions about what the changes the settings will make reach out the Performance Beef Support team at (515)-337-2187.

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