In short: a herd management software centralize the tracking of your animals — registry, identification, reproduction, performance, and health — instead of scattering it across notebooks and files. In Quebec, it also helps comply with mandatory traceability. This guide is intended for breeders of beef cattle, sheep and goats.
In this article:
What is herd management software?
It is a platform that gathers, in one place, all the information about your animals: who is who, their genealogy, their births, their treatments, and their performances. Where a farm management software While it covers the entire farm, the herd management tool focuses on the livestock aspect and individual animal monitoring.
What does it actually allow you to do?
Depending on the tools, you can:
- maintain the herd register: headcount, identification, and movements (entries, exits, sales); ;
- track reproduction, from mating to birthing, including fertility; ;
- measure performance using weighing and weight gain (GMQ); ;
- Health notes: treatments, vaccinations, and waiting periods; ;
- keep the pedigree to better choose your breeding stock; ;
- manage traceability, namely identification and movement declarations.
The point isn't to record everything just for the sake of recording it, but to turn that data into decisions: identify the lowest-performing animals, adjust their feed, and prepare for the next breeding season.
Traceability in Quebec: what the law requires
In Quebec, the identification and traceability of livestock are regulated and entrusted to Attestra (formerly ATQ). Cattle, sheep, and cervids must be identified at birth with two official identifiers, an RFID electronic tag and a visual panel, bearing the same 15-digit ISO number. Declarations (tag application, arrival, movement) are made in the provincial system. SimpliTRACE.
For goats and bison, obtaining a site number remains optional for now. Good herd management software makes these reports easier by keeping your identification information and animal movements organized.
Cattle, sheep, goats: the nuances
Needs are similar, but every production has its priorities: tracking weight gains and calvings in beef cattle, prolificacy and lambing management in sheep, and tracking does and bloodlines in goats. Several tools exist, mostly in English, such as CattleMax, Performance Beef, or RanchBoss for cattle, ewePro for sheep, and EasyKeeper for goats. Few are designed for the reality of Quebec and local traceability.
The Relationship Between Livestock and Forage
A herd's performance depends first and foremost on its diet. Monitoring the animals without linking that information to their feed means missing half the picture. That is the logic behind My Forage System one herd management module is expected in 2026 to connect animal tracking to the forage system already covered by MSF, for beef cattle, sheep, and goat farmers.
How to Choose the Right Tool
The criteria are similar to those of any agricultural tool: a tool suited to your production, a French-language interface, compliance with Quebec traceability requirements, mobility in the field as well as in the barn, and ownership of your data. Our guide how to choose farm management software Detail the method. For neutral technical benchmarks, the CRAAQ is a good reference.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does it differ from farm management software?
The farm software covers the entire operation (fields, feed, finances); the herd tool focuses on animal tracking. Ideally, they communicate to link nutrition and performance.
Is traceability mandatory?
Yes, for cattle, sheep, and deer (identification at birth, reporting via SimpliTRACE). For goats, the facility number is optional for now.
Do you need one tool per species?
Not necessarily. Some mixed-crop farms manage multiple species within the same system; the important thing is that it be suited to your crops.
Is the MSF herd module available?
It is in development, expected in 2026. It will be integrated into the MSF forage system.
In summary
Herd management software takes animal tracking from a notebook to a clear, actionable view: registry, traceability, reproduction, and performance. In Quebec, it helps meet Attestra's requirements. And linked to forage, it finally provides a complete picture of the farm — that is the direction taken by My Forage System with its herd module expected in 2026.