Questions
Questions farmers ask
Straight answers about Herdtrail and about keeping livestock and poultry records, including what Herdtrail does not do yet.
What is Herdtrail?
Herdtrail is an app for keeping livestock and poultry records on small and mid-size farms. It works in the web browser of any phone, tablet or computer, including offline in the field.
Is Herdtrail really free?
Yes, for up to 25 animals, with no card needed. Bigger farms pay $5 a month for up to 50 animals, $10 for 100 and $25 for 500. A whole poultry flock counts as one animal.
Which animals can I keep records for?
Sheep, cattle, goats, pigs, horses, alpacas and other livestock individually, and chickens, ducks and other poultry as flocks.
Does Herdtrail work without phone signal?
Yes. Your phone keeps a copy of your farm, so you can look up animals and record weights, treatments, births and egg counts with no signal. Changes send themselves when you are back in signal.
Can my family or helpers use it?
Yes. Add helpers to your farm with their own login. A helper who works on several farms uses one login and switches between them. Helpers do not see your money records.
How do the QR ear tags work?
Herdtrail prints a QR code for each animal on labels you stick to ear tags or collars. When you scan it with your phone camera, the animal’s record opens. If anyone else scans it, they see a simple card and can tell you they found the animal, and where.
Can I export my records if I leave?
Yes. You can download all your records at any time, as a spreadsheet or as one file of everything.
Does Herdtrail report movements to BCMS, ARAMS or ScotEID?
Not yet. Keep making movement reports through the official systems. Herdtrail keeps the rest of your records alongside them.
Does Herdtrail work with EID stick readers or weigh scales?
Not yet. Weights and tag numbers are typed in, or found by scanning the Herdtrail QR tag.
What records do I legally need to keep for sheep and goats in the UK?
A holding register of the animals and their movements, a medicine book, movement reports to your nation’s system, and the annual inventory on 1 December. See our sheep record keeping guide for details and official links.
What is a farm medicine book?
A record of every veterinary medicine you buy, give and dispose of for food-producing animals, including wormers, kept for at least five years.
How long do I have to keep animal records?
In the UK, medicine records for at least five years, and the sheep and goat holding register for at least three years after the last animal leaves.
Can I keep my farm records on my phone instead of paper?
Yes. UK guidance accepts digital records such as a spreadsheet, as long as all the required information is there and you can show it when asked.
What is a withdrawal period?
The minimum time after the last dose of a medicine before an animal, its milk or its eggs can be used for food. It is on the product label and in the NOAH Compendium; under the cascade your vet sets it.
How do I know when an animal is safe to sell after treatment?
Count the withdrawal period from the last dose. In Herdtrail, record the withdrawal end date with the treatment and the animal shows “In withdrawal until …” until then.
Do I need to register my backyard chickens?
In England and Wales, all poultry keepers must register their birds, even a few hens, since October 2024. Check GOV.UK for the current rules where you live.
How do I calculate my hens’ lay rate?
Divide the eggs collected by the number of hens times the number of days, then multiply by 100. Ten hens laying 56 eggs in a week is an 80% lay rate.
Why has my egg production dropped?
Often because of shorter days, moulting, age, stress, broodiness, parasites or a change of feed. A daily egg log shows when the drop began and what changed at the time.
Is an app better than a spreadsheet or notebook?
A notebook works until you need to find something. An app on your phone is with you in the field, reminds you what is due, counts withdrawal periods and egg rates for you, and can be shared with helpers.
Is my data private?
Yes. Other farms cannot see your animals or your money, we do not sell data or show adverts, and you can delete your farm at any time.