PLA New Hire Announcement – VP of Strategy

January 24, 2019, 4:36 pm

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AMES, IOWA - January 24, 2019 – Performance Livestock Analytics (PLA), an industry leader in agriculture software, is pleased to announce the appointment of Justin Sexten as Vice President of Strategy. Justin is responsible for executing on the company’s strategic initiatives. This hire will enable PLA to explore new business opportunities in addition to their flagship product Performance BeefTM

“As the beef supply chain becomes more digitized, PLA has the opportunity to serve a new era of traceability, sustainability, and food safety that is technology enabled,” said Dane Kuper, CEO of PLA “The company is experiencing exciting growth and we are especially excited for Justin to join the leadership team as we enter this next growth phase.”

Sexten joins PLA with over 20 years of beef industry experience. Sexten brings cow-calf, stocker and feedlot segment knowledge and understanding to the PLA team from his graduate training at the University of Illinois to his research and extension program at the University of Missouri. Most recently as Director Of Supply Development with Certified Angus Beef, Sexten offers a perspective across the entire supply chain from ranch to end-user.

“I look forward to exploring business and data opportunities for the PLA community” said Sexten. “It’s an exciting opportunity to join a company leading the way in real-time data-based decision tools that empowers producers to improve profitability while addressing growing consumer demands”

Performance Beef is the leading business operating system in the livestock industry, a software subscription service that helps livestock producers automatically capture feed and veterinary information, essential to maximizing profitability. Performance Beef provides simple, easy-to-use software apps that allow livestock producers to manage all financial, operational, and performance data relative to their cattle operations.

About Performance Livestock Analytics Inc.
Performance Livestock Analytics provides software subscription services to livestock producers, brokers, risk managers, nutritionists, animal health and animal nutrition companies. Performance BeefTM is a product of Performance Livestock Analytics Inc. For more information please visit www.performancelivestockanalytics.com ©2018 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 Inc.
support@cattlekrush.com

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Software Update: Feed Batch Update

March 11, 2019, 1:58 pm

≫ Next: Performance Livestock Analytics Revolutionizing Livestock Management using Machine Learning

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AMES, IOWA - March, 2019 - Performance Livestock Analytics has released a new update to their Performance Beef app. Our new Feed Batch Update is designed to increase the efficiency of feeders by loading and delivering feed to the max capacity of their TMR mixer or feed wagon. This functionality will allow producers to maximize each load of feed, but never leaving with a wagon half full. With increased flexibility of the feed delivery process producers can spend less time building loads and more time more time managing their cattle. 

Full Batch eliminates any need to build loads in advance. Producers can now simply open the app, set their max load for the wagon and start loading feed. Simplifying the load change, when ration targets increase or ration changes are needed for individual pens. This allows the mid to large size feedlot to run as efficiently as possible.

Full Batch Scale App Screen Overview is organized by the overall ration weight needing fed.

The program will automatically select the most efficient pen selection based off the "Max Load", but maintains the ability to select which ever pens necessary.

This update restructures the Scale App page functions. Because of this shift, we ask that current producers interested in trying this new feeding feature reach out to the Performance Beef Success Team to ensure complete understanding of the update.
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Reach out to the Performance Beef Customer Success Team below for a demo or learn more information at 515-337-2187 or support@cattlekrush.com.

Interested in a Full Batch demo? Let us know and we will be in touch soon!

Performance Livestock Analytics Revolutionizing Livestock Management using Machine Learning

May 21, 2019, 8:31 am

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AMES, Iowa, May 21, 2019 – As global income and education levels increase, the demand for protein-based food grows. This demand for animal products puts a strain on traditional, mixed-farming practices and conventional decision making, adding risk to the ability to meet future animal protein production requirements. Livestock producers must continue to adapt and use resources to improve efficiency and profitability.

Performance Livestock Analytics (PLA) is helping producers better predict animal growth and capture maximum value using machine learning. The company’s newest patent, Adaptive Livestock Growth Modeling Using Machine Learning Approaches to Predict Growth and Recommend Livestock Management Operations and Activities, provides predictive technology with machine learning to PLA’s flagship product, Performance Beef™, to better forecast cattle growth, animal health and financials. The new intellectual property uses artificial intelligence, including machine-learning technology, to automatically access and learn from generated data without additional programming.

“With machine learning capabilities, our enhanced predictive growth models provide a smarter, more adaptive decision-making tool, enabling faster marketing decisions,” says Justin Sexten, vice president of strategy, Performance Livestock Analytics.

Performance Beef is the leading business operating platform in the livestock industry, providing data-driven solutions for the entire livestock production ecosystem. The cloud-based, subscription platform helps producers automatically capture feed and veterinary information, and now helps better predict future operational and financial outcomes. The real-time information is essential to maximizing efficiency, profitability and sustainability.
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“Our real-time data and analytics help producers, nutritionists and consultants analyze and optimize necessary nutrition, health and financial information,” says Sexten. “We’ll continue to innovate and help provide increased transparency and traceability in the industry.”

Newly patented predictive growth modeling uses machine learning to help the Performance Beef platform better forecast cattle growth, animal health and financials. 

Software Update: New Analytic Charts

May 22, 2019, 11:29 am

≫ Next: All -New Look for Cattle Krush

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AMES, Iowa, May 22, 2019 - Performance Livestock Analytics has released new analytics updates within Performance Beef. The enhancements provide more granular performance data to each producer, as well as increase real-time data analytics for nutritionists who are providing management suggestions to beef producers through the Performance Beef platform.

“Daily intake of net energy of maintenance per head, when combined with dry matter as a percent of body weight allows customers to evaluate ration consistency over the feeding period,” explains Justin Sexten, Ph.D., vice president of strategy, Performance Livestock Analytics. “While the amount of feed delivered may not change from day to day, this new tool allows a quick evaluation of ingredient mixing.”
The update includes three new charts: “Amount As Fed & Dry Matter (per Body Weight)”, “As Fed & Dry Matter (per LB Gain)”, and “NEm (per Head)”.
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To access this new data:

1. Select the “Analytics” tab within Performance Beef.
2. Once you have selected a group of cattle, the options for “Dry Matter & As Fed (Per Body Weight)”, “Dry Matter & As Fed (Per Lb of Gain)” and “NEm (per Head)” will be available to select.

When selecting “Dry Matter & As Fed (Per Body Weight)”:

1. The displayed graph shows the amount fed as a percent of the per head body weight. This will be displayed on a dry matter and as fed basis.
2. Optional attributes include: Target per Body Weight percentage and Target Dry per Body Weight percentage.

When selecting “Dry Matter & As Fed (Per Lb of Gain)”:  

1. The displayed graph shows the fed amounts required to achieve one pound of gain.
2. Dry matter and As Fed values are shown in the graph along with To-Date As Fed/Gain and To-Date Dry Matter/Gain values. These two charts allow producers to track target amounts versus actual fed amounts in a new way.
3. Like all of the other charts within “Analytics”, producers have the option to export any new charts as a CSV file.​​

For producers using a growth model, there is a net energy for maintenance (NEm) per head chart. If you’re not currently using a growth model, contact us to learn how to get access to a growth model. The growth model helps you predict and see daily performance to make more informed decisions.
When selecting “NEm (Per Head)”:

1. Producers can view the NEm value per head for actual fed amounts and the Target NEm per Head.
2. This provides more visibility on how the cattle are maintaining their weight and helps producers better analyze how efficiently each group of cattle is gaining weight.

The NEm chart will be available per pen, while Dry Matter & As Fed (Per Lb of Gain), and Dry Matter & As Fed (Per Body Weight) will be available per group.

Dry Matter & As Fed (per LB Gain)

Dry Matter & As Fed (per Body Weight)

If you have questions regarding these new charts within the “Analytics” tab, please reach out to the Performance Livestock Analytics team at 515-337-2187 or at support@cattlekrush.com.

All -New Look for Cattle Krush

June 23, 2019, 10:00 pm

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June 24, 2019 - Performance Livestock Analytics introduces a dramatic new look to Cattle Krush. Providing the same powerful data and confidence to cattle producers, Cattle Krush is the premier advisory tool for real-time cattle marketing decisions. 

The application focuses on bringing back confidence when buying cattle. Whether you are sitting in an auction house or behind the computer, Cattle Krush uses real data and market prices from the Chicago Board of Trade, guiding producers towards more profitable decisions. Cattle Krush provides simple powerful tools including: Auction Advisor, Feeder Advisor, My Lots and Markets.

Auction and Feeder Advisors
The “Auction” and “Feeder” advisors empower producers with the ability to see profit margins change in real time based off real market prices as bids go up in the ring. While using the advisory tools, producers can start the bidding process off by entering the starting bid price of the cattle. Using the data inputs below and Live/Feeder market prices from the Chicago Board of Trade, the advisory tools will calculate a breakeven and profit. 

Auction and Feeder Advisor data inputs: Cost of Gain Rate of Gain Target Finish Weight Live Basis

My Lots
After the bidding process is over, Cattle Krush continues to add value by giving producers a way to track cattle on feed within “My Lots”. By entering the actual feeder price used to buy a group of cattle, producers can set their profit goals and stick to them. Once a group within “My Lots” reaches its profit goal, the producer will receive a text message and an email. ​

New Performance Beef Synchronization
Feedlots utilizing the Performance Beef feedlot platform will be able to integrate their cattle on feed to Cattle Krush with the click of a button. When in the “My Lots” tab, you will see two options: “Add New Lot” or “Sync Performance Beef Account”. By syncing your Performance Beef account, it will bring over all of the “Open Groups”.

The Cattle Krush overhaul provides users a better experience, easier functionality and increased data transfer to make smarter financial decisions. 

Current Cattle Krush subscribers need to update the application via the iTunes App Store on an iPad and/or iPhone. Select “Get” or update the application by clicking the cloud icon.  

For more information on how you can start making more profitable decisions at the auction house and in your own operation management, watch the video below. If you have any questions regarding Cattle Krush, please reach out to the Performance Livestock Analytics team at 515-337-2187 or email us at support@cattlekrush.com.