Hassle-free data entry

Orchid FarmWizard uses a simple set of screens for data entry and reporting, and can be used on PC, Mac or tablet computer like the iPad.  You can also record information while on the move using your iPhone, Android, or Blackberry smartphone.

Some of the animal events that can be recorded and retrieved are:

• animal purchases and sales
• medicine treatments
• individual animal weight and age

And there’s no problem if your smartphone loses its Internet connection because it holds a set of your cattle records, which are synchronised when you connect to the Internet again.

If you don’t have a smartphone, information like price, weight, and age can be recorded and retrieved via simple text messages.

Farm Assurance & Cross Compliance Recording

Orchid FarmWizard gives you peace of mind for cross compliance checks and inspections:

• Keep ahead of BCMS deadlines – automate your passport applications and movement notifications.
• Reduce the risk of financial penalties – check for discrepancies by running a comparison check between your records and the CTS any time you choose
• Produce an official Herd Register report

Beef Farm Assurance Scheme inspections:

• Record cattle medicine purchases, animal treatments and purchased feedstuffs
• Record grassland inputs
• Perform NMax calculations
• Show a list of animals on your holding at any given time
• Orchid FarmWizard is regularly updated to handle any changes in legislation

 
Herd Costings and Performance

• Suckler breeding records – record cow breeding events for the suckler herd
• Enterprise costings – you can set up per-head and per-day costs for the whole herd or selected groups. This will allow you to create what-if scenarios to calculate break-even costs over different time periods
• You can easily make use of price and weight data to analyse daily live weight gain and turnover per head
• Record carcass information from the abattoir to monitor carcass quality for your herd and individual animals

Customised reports to suit your management needs

Orchid FarmWizard provides powerful “rule based” reports that let you select your required data columns and define the criteria, which will select only the animal records that you are interested in.

Compatibility with EID tagging systems

EID is beginning to be seen as an efficient way to gather animal performance data, which will allow you to make better management decisions.  In conjunction with an EID scanner, FarmWizard offers the ability to integrate with Gallagher, TruTest and Iconix weighing equipment so that you can view and growth performance data.

Most of the Orchid FarmWizard functions come as standard, but there are a few modules that can be added for a single, one-off charge:

• Smartphone App for recording and viewing animal records on iPhone, Android, Blackberry smartphones and tablet computers
• Field recording – record grassland inputs on a field-by-field basis
• Accounts – record bills and invoices, run VAT and Profit/Loss reports.  The option links in with the Orchid FarmWizard Farm Assurance feed and medicine records

For further please contact Orchid for further details on 01536 443300

To get started, how can I get my cattle records into Orchid FarmWizard?

There are two ways to load your animal IDs into the system:

• download your “cattle on holding” file from CTS Online.  This is a simple comma separated text file that contains ID, Sex, Breed, Date of Birth, Genetic Dam, date of on movement
• Spreadsheets or database files (e.g. Microsoft Excel or Access).  The Orchid Support team may be able to load these data into the system – please contact us to discuss your particular situation.

Are there regular improvements and updates for the system?

Yes, development of Orchid FarmWizard is on-going to keep the system up-to-date with changes in legislation and farm assurance requirements.  Best of all, there’s no software to install – simply login and you’ll first see a message telling you about the new features that have been added.  Simple!

Can I apply for cattle passports and movements?

Yes, you can apply for passports and notify On, Off and Death movements through Orchid FarmWizard

Can I cross-check my cattle records against the CTS?

Yes, there is a “one-click” function to instantly compare your farm records with your data on the CTS and show you any differences

What types of hardware can I use to work with Orchid FarmWizard?

Any type of computer can be used – PC, Mac or Tablet computer – as long as an Internet connection is present.  For data access on the move, you can use an iPhone, Android or Blackberry smartphone.

What sort of dairy records can I record on my smartphone?::
Currently the events that can be recorded are: calving, bulling, AI service, Bull service, PD Result, Dry-off, Medicine Treatment, Death and Sale.

What happens if my mobile device loses its Internet connection?

If you move out of range of your wi-fi connection or are in a poor reception area for mobile broadband (3G), there’s no problem.  Just perform a data synchronisation while you’re connected to your wi-fi or 3G network.  Your cattle records will be downloaded onto your smartphone.  You then work with the local data, so if your Internet connection is lost, there’s no problem.  Once you’re connected again, you can review your changes and synchronise again to update your Orchid FarmWizard account.

Is my herd data safe and secure with Orchid FarmWizard?

Yes. Your cattle records are held on a centralised system that is backed up regularly in a secure data centre.  Your data is protected by the same level of security that comes with your online banking.