CattleLedger field guide
How to organize cattle records on a Mac
A cattle record system is most useful when every event can be traced back to one stable animal tag. The goal is not to make more paperwork; it is to make the next pasture check, report or migration easier.
1. Start with a stable animal identity
Use the ranch tag as a unique key and keep breed, sex, birth date and status in separate fields. Record any external identifier separately instead of combining several values in one note.
2. Keep pedigree as relationships
Link sire and dam to existing animal records when they are known. This is more reliable than retyping names into every calf record and makes later pedigree review possible.
3. Append events instead of replacing them
Weights, calving events, treatments and sales should be dated entries. Preserving the sequence lets you understand what changed and prevents the newest value from erasing the history.
4. Keep portable copies
Use printable field sheets for work away from the Mac and structured CSV or JSON exports for migration. Keep the encrypted local archive as the source and record what each export contains.