Frequent, honest
answers.

Getting started

How do I get started with Herd Manager?+

Book a tour or message us on WhatsApp. We learn how your farm runs, quote a package that fits, then set up your farm account and help you load your animals and records. Most farms are live within two weeks.

Is there a free trial?+

There is no self-service free trial. Our team sets up your farm account after a short call, and demo access is available on request if you'd like to look around first.

Do I need to install anything?+

No. Herd Manager is a web-based platform that runs in any modern browser — Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge. Open your browser, log in, and you're ready. If you want an icon on your phone, you can install it as an app straight from Chrome or Safari, without an app store.

How long does it take to set up my farm?+

Basic setup — adding your sheds, pens, and first animals — takes a few hours for most farms. For farms with large existing records, we offer Excel bulk import so you can upload your current animal list at once. Every package includes hands-on onboarding from our team.

Can I import my existing farm records?+

Yes. Herd Manager supports Excel bulk import for animals, milk records, lactation history and past calvings, with a downloadable template for each. If you have records in a spreadsheet or another system, contact our team and we'll help you migrate your data so you don't have to start from scratch.

Features

What modules does Herd Manager include?+

Herd Manager is a single platform covering the main parts of a modern dairy operation:

• Milk production — daily recording, lactation curves, chiller management
• Health tracking — events, vaccinations, shed & pen management
• Breeding & reproduction — heat detection, AI, pregnancy, calving
• Stock management — feed, medicine, semen inventory
• Farm accounts — income, expenses, customer milk ledger
• HR & payroll — attendance, leave, salaries and advances
• Feed formulation — ration analysis against NRC-based nutrient requirements, and per-pen feeding plans
• Reports & analytics — activity, health, financial reports
• AI farm assistant — ask questions about your own farm records
• Embryo technology — embryo transfers recorded as breeding events; a full ET workflow is in preview

How does heat detection and breeding work?+

You record heat observations and AI (artificial insemination) events for each animal. The system automatically calculates expected pregnancy confirmation dates, monitors pregnancy status, and alerts you to upcoming calvings. It tracks full breeding history for each cow including insemination dates, bull/semen used, and conception rates.

How does milk recording work?+

Record milk production for the whole herd in a single table view — enter morning, afternoon and evening yields for each animal. The system automatically calculates daily totals, generates lactation curves, tracks production trends, and produces reports. You can also import milk data from Excel for farms with existing digital records.

What does the AI Farm Assistant do?+

The AI Farm Assistant, powered by DeepSeek, reads your own herd, milk, breeding, stock, finance and HR records. Ask in plain language — "Which cows are due for vaccination?" or "What is my best performing cow this month?" — and it answers from your farm's data. It can also record medicine use or approve staff leave after you confirm.

Can I export my data and reports?+

Yes. Most reports export to Excel or PDF directly from the platform — milk production, health activity, financial summaries, breeding records, stock ledgers. Your data is always yours to download.

What is the Embryo Technology module?+

Today you can record an embryo transfer as a breeding event, with the embryo's source, grade, stage and ID. A full embryo-technology workflow — donor and recipient management, OPU and flush sessions, embryo inventory and transfer outcomes — is in preview for advanced breeding operations and is not yet a finished module.

Data & security

Who owns my farm data?+

You do. Your farm data belongs to you at all times. We never sell, share, or use your data for any purpose other than running the platform for you. You can request a full export any time.

Is my data backed up?+

Yes. Your data is automatically backed up on our servers. In the unlikely event of a system issue, we can restore your data. We recommend also regularly exporting key reports to Excel as an additional personal backup.

What happens to my data if I cancel?+

Your data remains accessible for 30 days after cancellation so you can export everything you need. After that, your data is securely deleted from our servers. We notify you before deletion so you have time to download your records.

Can multiple people access my farm account?+

Yes. Every farm account includes 5 staff logins, and more can be added on request. You give each person view, edit or full access per module, so farm workers, veterinarians, managers and accountants each see only what is relevant to their job. Our team sets up the roles with you during onboarding.

Mobile & access

Is there a mobile app?+

Yes. Herd Manager installs on your phone straight from the browser — open herdmanager.co in Chrome on Android (menu ⋮ → Install app) or in Safari on iPhone (Share → Add to Home Screen). It opens full-screen from its own icon, updates itself, and has all core features, including milk recording, health events and, where enabled on your account, the AI assistant. It needs an internet connection. See the install steps.

Can I use it in the barn on my phone?+

Absolutely. The platform is designed for use in the field. The milk recording interface is especially optimised for quick mobile entry — you can record yields for the whole herd while walking through the barn. The screen layout adapts automatically to small screens.

Support

How do I get support?+

You can reach us through:

• WhatsApp: +92 339 111 0024 (fastest response)
• Email: [email protected]
• How-to help: [email protected]

Our team is based in Pakistan and responds during business hours (Mon–Sat, 9am–6pm PKT).

Is training available?+

Yes. Onboarding training is part of every package — we walk you and your farm staff through every feature relevant to your operation. After that, our support team is available on WhatsApp to answer any how-to question.

Breeding & fertility

How do I detect silent heat in Nili-Ravi or Kundi buffaloes?+

Buffaloes often show weak or no outward signs of heat, especially in summer. Watch each animal at least twice a day — early morning and late evening — for clear mucus discharge, frequent urination, restlessness, bellowing and a swollen vulva. A teaser bull helps where one is available. Record every heat and service so you can spot animals that are overdue for a cycle, and ask your vet to examine buffaloes that have not been seen in heat.

What is a good calving interval?+

Around 12–13 months (365–400 days) for cows and about 400–450 days for buffaloes. Longer intervals mean fewer calves and fewer days at peak milk over the animal's life, and usually point to missed heats, late first service or poor conception.

How many days after calving should I start breeding?+

Most farms wait 50–60 days after calving for cows and 60–90 days for buffaloes — the voluntary waiting period. Breeding much earlier tends to give poor conception; waiting much longer stretches the calving interval and cuts lifetime milk.

What is a normal conception rate?+

As a rough guide, aim for 40–50% or better at first service in cows, and higher in heifers. For buffaloes, 40% or better is a reasonable target. If your rates are well below this, look at heat detection, timing of insemination, semen handling, AI technique, body condition and uterine health with your vet.

What is Ovsynch and when is it used?+

Ovsynch is a timed-AI programme: GnRH on day 0, prostaglandin (PGF2α) on day 7, GnRH again on day 9, and insemination about 16–20 hours later — without needing to see heat. It is used where heat detection is poor, including buffaloes with silent heat. Your vet should choose the protocol and products. Our sync protocol builder lays out the dates.

How long should the dry period be?+

Usually 50–70 days, with about 60 days before the expected calving date being common. The rest lets the udder tissue renew for the next lactation. Dry-cow therapy at drying off, chosen with your vet, helps cure existing udder infections and protect against new ones. The gestation calculator gives the dry-off date.

Udder health

What is the difference between clinical and subclinical mastitis?+

Subclinical mastitis is invisible without an SCC test or California Mastitis Test — the udder looks normal but the milk is inflammatory. Clinical mastitis shows visible signs: a swollen quarter, abnormal milk (clots, blood, watery appearance), and sometimes illness such as fever.

How do I reduce Somatic Cell Count (SCC) in my herd?+

Dip teats before and after every milking, wear gloves, use one clean towel per cow, replace liners on schedule (rubber liners roughly every 2,500 milkings), use dry-cow therapy at drying off, keep bedding clean and dry, treat clinical cases promptly, and consider culling cows that stay high despite treatment. Our mastitis guide covers each step.

Feeding & profit

How do I estimate Dry Matter Intake (DMI) for a milking cow?+

A common shortcut is DMI (kg/day) = 0.0185 × body weight (kg) + 0.305 × 4% fat-corrected milk (kg/day). For a 600 kg cow giving 30 kg of milk, that is about 20 kg of dry matter a day. Intake is lower in early lactation, in heat stress and in first-calf heifers.

What is Income Over Feed Cost (IOFC)?+

IOFC is daily milk income minus daily feed cost, per cow or per group. Because feed is usually the biggest cost on a dairy farm, it is one of the most useful profit checks. A cow whose milk barely covers her feed is a candidate for a ration review or culling. Try the IOFC calculator.

What crude protein level should a dairy ration have?+

As a general guide, on a dry-matter basis: about 17–18% in early lactation, 16–17% in mid lactation, 14–16% in late lactation, and 12–14% for dry cows. Buffaloes usually need somewhat less protein than high-yielding cows. Have a nutritionist balance the ration against your own feed analysis.

How much concentrate does a milking buffalo need?+

A common farm rule of thumb is about 1 kg of concentrate for every 2 litres of buffalo milk, on top of good green and dry fodder; some farms add 1–2 kg for maintenance when fodder quality is poor. Adjust for body condition and stage of lactation, and use a feed recipe calculator once you know your feed analysis.

Which feed by-products are common in Pakistani dairy farming?+

Common by-products are cottonseed cake (binola khal), wheat bran (chokar), rice polish, maize gluten, mustard cake (sarson khal) and molasses (sheera). They are fed alongside fodders such as corn silage, berseem, oat fodder and lucerne (alfalfa).

How is Holstein milk different from Nili-Ravi buffalo milk?+

Holstein cows give more milk — often 20–35 litres a day on well-run farms — at about 3.5–4% fat and 3.0–3.3% protein. Nili-Ravi buffaloes give less, commonly 6–12 litres a day, but at roughly 6.5–8% fat and 4–4.5% protein. That higher solids content is why buffalo milk is prized for ghee, dahi and paneer.

Heat & housing

How do I prevent heat stress in dairy cattle and buffaloes?+

Give shade, fans and sprinklers or soakers, plenty of cool clean water, and feed in the cooler hours. High-yielding cows start to suffer from a temperature-humidity index (THI) of roughly 68–72. Buffaloes have dark skin and few sweat glands, so in hot weather they need shade and wallowing or sprinkling. See our shed design & cooling guide.