Essential Reports Every Livestock Farmer Should Use to Monitor Herd Health and Farm Profitability
- Joshua Brock
- 2 hours ago
- 9 min read
This is the seventh in a series of articles expanding on the original, “From Seed to Success: How KPIs Can Transform Your Market Garden”. With each article in the “Farm KPIs” series, we dive deeper into a specific metric (crops, livestock, financial, etc.) by defining what it is, why it’s important, how to track it, and how to put the data into practical use. This article specifically looks at those Farmbrite reports built for livestock operations.
The other articles in the series include:
From Fields to Finances: How Data Helps Crops Farmers Boost Yields and Margins
Farm Finances Made Simple: How to Read and Use a Profit and Loss Statement
Why Measuring Input Efficiency Should Be a Top Priority for Every Farm
Yield Per Acre: The KPI Every Farmer Should Track (But Many Don’t)
Running a livestock operation—whether beef, dairy, swine, sheep, poultry, or a mixed setup—requires more than good instincts and experience. Today’s successful farmers depend on data. Accurate, timely reporting not only improves animal health outcomes but also strengthens financial performance, enabling producers to make informed decisions instead of reactive ones.
For small and mid-sized farms, reports are even more critical. Margins can be tight, labor may be limited, and every misstep, from a missed breeding cycle to a spike in feed costs, can have outsized consequences. The right farm reporting system turns daily farm records into powerful insights that help farmers thrive in a competitive industry.
Below are the most important categories of reports livestock operations should be using, why they matter, and how they support long-term sustainability and profitability. And so, let's take a look at the Farmbrite reports that will be discussed in our latest article in the KPI series:
Livestock Inventory
Our collection of Livestock Inventory reports gives a real-time snapshot of all animals on the farm—by species, class, age, sex, and status. This is the foundation of nearly every management and financial decision.
Reports include
Deaths and Losses - A list of any animal that was marked, culled, or deceased within the past two years.
Inventory Summary - This report is grouped by animal type and shows you the last five years of births, purchases, sales, deaths, and butchered records.
Purchases - Any animal that was purchased in the last two years will be shown here. The date they were purchased and the purchase price are included as well.
Sales of Livestock - Any animal that was sold in the last two years will be shown on this report. The date they were sold, the age at which they were sold, who they were sold to, and how much was paid for them are also included.
Weaning - Shows you any animal born within the last 18 months and includes their target weaning date.
Yearlings - A list of any animal that is between 1 and 2 years old, with their weight, sex, weaning date, or targeted weaning date.
Why it matters
Accurate inventory data helps farmers:
Track growth in herd size or identify declines
Improve traceability for health, biosecurity, and audit compliance
Align feeding, housing, and labor needs with herd numbers
Produce accurate financial statements
Special importance for smaller farms
On small farms, a missing calf or miscategorized animal can materially affect revenue forecasts. Inventory errors also lead to over- or under-feeding, waste, or unexpected shortages during sales season.
Health and Wellness
Animal health is the backbone of a profitable livestock operation. Health reports document treatments, illnesses, vaccinations, and ongoing conditions.
Reports include
Feeding History - This is a complete history of every feeding for all of your animals. You'll see what they were fed, how much of it, and the total cost associated with it.
Measurements - This report is grouped by animal type. It displays all of your animals, with their last weight, average daily gain, and feed conversion ratio. You'll also find additional measurement details like height, condition score, and frame score.
Treatments and Vaccinations - A full list of all treatments given to your animals in the past year. You can customize this to get a different range if you need. You'll see what was given and when, along with how much. A cost is displayed, which compiles the cost of the inventory used and any additional accounting expenses added to the treatment. Retreat and Withdrawal dates are also shown.
Upcoming Treatments - A list of any livestock treatments that have a retreat date supplied and a scheduled booster is shown here.
Upcoming Withdrawals - Similar to the upcoming treatments, this shows you any treatments that have been applied that are still within the withdrawal period for the medication.
Why it matters
Health reporting allows farmers to:
Identify recurring problems (respiratory issues, lameness, parasites)
Track mortality rates
Evaluate the effectiveness of treatment protocols
Remain compliant with regulatory or processor requirements
Reduce costs by preventing disease before it spreads
For small farms
Small farms may lack on-staff veterinary support. Good records act as a guide, providing continuity over years and helping producers recognize early warning signs before they become costly crises.
Breeding and Reproduction
Efficient reproduction is one of the biggest drivers of profitability in cattle, goat, sheep, and swine operations. Breeding reports help farmers maximize conception rates, manage genetics, and plan calving or farrowing seasons.
Reports include
Births - A list of animals that were born in the last 2 years with details about their birth date, birth weight, and genealogy.
Breeding - All breeding records from your female animals in the last year, with their age, weight, breeding date, sire, cost, and status.
Breeding Surrogates - This performance report shows all female animals that have had a breeding record using the embryo transfer method. You'll see how many times an embryo transfer was attempted and how many were successful, with a conception rate percentage. Failures and failure rates are shown too, along with the average time between births and their average birthing ease. This report can help you decide which surrogates perform best and might be suitable for future breeding.
Dam Reproduction Performance - This report is similar to the Surrogate report above, but is not limited to embryo transfer breeding records. In addition, it will show you total offspring over the past two years and their average litter.
Drying Off - A list of female animals who have recently given birth, with their last offspring birth date and last weaning.
Due Dates - Animals that are currently exposed or pregnant, along with their expected due dates for the pregnancy.
Eligible Females - Any female animal that is currently open or exposed but not confirmed pregnant. You'll also see their age and last weight to help you determine breeding suitability.
Maternal Performance - This comprehensive report shows you all female animals with key breeding performance data. You'll see the total number of offspring they've birthed and the average birthing ease. The offspring's average weight and BCS are included, too, with additional details on survival rates and those that were culled or deceased.
Pregnancy Checks - Almost all animals are currently pregnant or exposed with their breeding date and expected due date.
Reproduction Summary by Type - This report shows you cumulative totals by animal type. You'll see how many total dams of that type were bred and how many total offspring they had over the past 2 years. You'll also find an offspring rate, which is the total number of offspring born divided by the number of dams that give birth to new animals.
Why it matters
These reports help farmers:
Improve conception rates
Reduce open cows (a major financial loss)
Identify underperforming sires or dams
Schedule labor and housing during birthing seasons
Build stronger genetic programs
For small farms
Small producers often rely on a few animals to drive production. Missing a heat cycle or breeding window can materially reduce the year’s income. Breeding reports help prevent such losses.
Production Performance
Monitoring animal performance is essential for determining profitability.
Reports include
Accounting Transactions - You'll find any accounting transaction that is associated with a livestock record here. This might be sales or purchases, or just everyday expenses and income. The amount is displayed, as well as the category and payee/customers.
Feed Performance - This is a comprehensive performance report to help you see how your feedings are translating into weight gained. Every animal that has been measured or fed in the past year is shown here, with their last weight. You'll see the total amount fed and weight gained over the date range supplied, and those numbers are divided to get your Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR). For any animal that you've yielded from, you'll also see a yield ratio. This takes your total yield and compares it to the weight gained, showing you how your food is translating into yielded harvests.
Input History - A list of all input records and costs added to your animals in the past year. You might find things like bedding, enrichment items, and other non-feed/non-medication items here.
Livestock Breakeven - Livestock records have a concept of "breakeven", which is the amount you've spent on expenses for the animal or plant, along with the income you've generated. This is similar to the profit and loss, but it also takes into account the value of inventory items used in feedings and inputs in the total amount spent on the animal.
Notes - A full list of any notes you've written on livestock records over the past 2 years.
Yield History - This report shows all of your yield records from the past 3 years. This includes the amount harvested, its grade, the trace/batch number associated with it, and the animal it came from.
Yield Details by Day/Month - These reports show you every animal you harvested from within a date range, with the total harvested, lost, and the net amount for every day or month. A total with the estimated cost to produce and estimated revenue is also shown. The daily report might help you track yields for egg-laying chickens or milk-producing cows.
Yield Summary by Type - This is similar to the Yield Details reports, but instead of individual animals, you'll see totals by animal type. This can help you see how productive your animals are overall as a group.
Why it matters
Performance reports allow producers to:
Identify top and bottom-performing animals
Evaluate feed program efficiency
Make culling and selection decisions
Estimate future inventory value
For small farms
Every animal matters. A single underperforming cow or sow impacts overall profitability. With good reporting, farmers can make data-driven culling decisions earlier.
Grazing
Get a comprehensive history and understanding of the grazing history (fields, moves in and out, current animal location, etc.) for all your livestock.
Reports include
Fields Being Grazed - This report is a shortcut to the Grazing section, showing all the fields that are currently being grazed.
Grazing History - Each grazing move in or out of a location is shown here. Each move shows where they were moved from and how long they were in the location.
Grazing Summary - This report is grouped by location, showing all the grazing moves in and out of each of your grazing fields. This also displays the animal units, which are used to calculate the average animal days per acre
Current Animal Location - Use this report to see where each animal is, whether that is a building, enclosure, or grazing location.
Location History - See all of the moves in and out of any location, including buildings, enclosures, and grazing locations.
Why it matters
Grazing reports enable producers to:
Identify which fields need to be allowed to rest, and which will become available
Track each and every location livestock has occupied over their lifetime
Calculate average animal days per acre
For small farms
When available grazing space is at a premium due to land constraints, small farms can better plan and implement best practices for grazing and crop rotations to improve the health and vitality of both livestock and the long-term sustainability of their fields and soils.
Bringing It All Together: The Importance of an Integrated Farm Management System
A well-run livestock farm blends operational data (health, feeding, breeding) with financial data to create a holistic view of performance. Most farmers begin with simple spreadsheets and record books, but gradually move toward farm management software that automates much of the reporting: enter Farmbrite!
Whether your operation is 20 head or 2,000, the right reports improve:
Profitability
Animal welfare
Long-term sustainability
Decision-making confidence
For small farms, the impact is even more significant. Good records aren’t just helpful; they are a competitive advantage!
Joshua, his wife Jenn, and their dog Rooster live in North Central Pennsylvania. Joshua is the owner and operator of Hoffman Appalachian Farm, where they grow Certified Naturally Grown hops. Joshua has over twelve years of experience in growing crops, including growing in an organic system. In his spare time, he enjoys trail running, backpacking, and cycling.