Mexican cattle farms: silage, alfalfa and stover stocks
Mexican cattle farms often combine stored maize silage, cut alfalfa and crop residues, while the price of bought feed changes with the season. Give each feed its own name and record the real kilograms going into and out of the store. HerdMobile links these stocks with animal events, ration planning and daily expenses on an Android phone that works offline.
Compiled from open-access scientific sources.
Reference values and basis
| Parameter and basis | Value |
|---|---|
| Maize silage / ensilado de maíz | kg fresh silage, as fed |
| Maize stover / rastrojo de maíz | kg residue, as fed |
| Alfalfa / alfalfa | kg of stated fresh or dry product |
What goes on the daily forage list?
A field residue and a silage need separate stock entries, even when both come from maize. Record ensilado de maíz by the fresh kilograms actually fed, and note whether the alfalfa was cut fresh or came as hay. Give each batch of rastrojo de maíz a name you will recognise and enter its weighed amount. Always say what basis a weight is on, because the water in fresh silage or fresh-cut alfalfa changes what every kilogram means. If workers measure feed by the trailer load, note how the kilograms were estimated and check them at the next weighing. Your weekly stock count can then be compared with the ration that was really fed. HerdMobile keeps the feed list right beside each group's animal records, even when you are working far from a good connection.
How do costs and purchases fit the feeding plan?
Bought hay, oilseed meals and concentrates each need a dated purchase entry with real kilograms and the invoice amount. A promised truckload stays on the order list until it reaches the store; once weighed and accepted, it becomes stock you can use. Keep suppliers and lots apart when their price or make-up differs. If maize stover comes from your own harvest, mark it as home-grown rather than giving it an invented market price. Each week, compare deliveries with what was taken out, and write a short note on any spoilage or unexplained gap. That way you plan the next feed purchase around what is really left. Changes in herd size also change feed use, so make the comparison group by group. With feed stock and farm expenses in HerdMobile, these decisions rest on one tidy set of records.
How do herd records make the feed record stronger?
A herd is more than a headcount. Give every cow, heifer and calf one ear tag number, and record calvings, vaccinations, treatments and sales on the day they happen. When animals move between pens or feeding groups, update the group before the next ration comparison. When you start a new alfalfa batch or concentrate, write down the date and group so the history stays clear. Weekly checks catch animals entered twice, missing feed entries and payments not yet matched to deliveries. Where workers move between distant plots and sheds, an offline phone keeps the record close to the work. Save a backup regularly so your herd history stays with the farm when a phone is replaced.
Questions from the farm
Do maize silage and maize stover go in as one feed?
No. Keep ensilado and rastrojo as separate feeds and state the weight basis, since they differ in form and water content.
How do I record baled and fresh alfalfa?
Note the form and the real kilograms of each lot, so fresh cuts and hay are compared on a clear basis.
Can I enter purchases while offline?
Yes. HerdMobile keeps your animal, stock and cost records on the Android phone, and you can save a backup whenever you like.
How HerdMobile helps
Bring your animals, feed stocks and farm accounts together on your Android phone. HerdMobile keeps your daily work moving offline: record events, compare feed quantities and follow sales and payments in one place. Use your own feeds and herd information to prepare a ration, then keep a backup file under your control.
HerdMobile helps cattle keepers in Mexico keep animal records, forage stock, ration plans and farm cash entries together. Work can be entered in the corral, feed shed or field without a constant internet connection.
