Ranch Smart: How Missouri Ranchers Have Simplified Cattle Management with Herdwatch

Kayla Wieczorek, a first-generation hay and cattle rancher from Perry, Missouri, took a leap of faith that transformed her life. After a successful career in finance, the pressures of the corporate world, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, began to take a toll on her mental health. In 2020, she left her job to join her husband Jason full-time on their ranch, Wieczorek Farms, which had been their dream project since 2007.

Together, they run a thriving operation focused on small bales of hay and raising cattle. Kayla, despite having no prior experience in ranching, quickly mastered animal husbandry, calving, and hay production, contributing to the success of their farm.

Overcoming Challenges and Inspiring Others

Starting as a blogger, Kayla’s online presence has grown into a thriving platform on YouTube and TikTok, where she shares insights on ranch life and inspires the next generation of farmers. Her content blends practical advice with a message of resilience, showing that starting small can lead to big accomplishments.

Herdwatch: Revolutionizing Ranch Management at Wieczorek Farms

At Wieczorek Farms, innovation is key to managing the daily demands of a busy hay and cattle operation. While Kayla and Jason honor the hard work and traditional values that have defined ranching for generations, they’re not afraid to embrace modern tools to make their lives easier. One of the most transformative tools they’ve adopted is Herdwatch, a livestock management app that has revolutionized the way they keep track of their ranching operations.

Running a farm comes with a mountain of paperwork, from recording animal health treatments and calving data to keeping track of feed supplies. Before adopting Herdwatch, Kayla and Jason found it difficult to juggle all these responsibilities while maintaining the physical labor required on the ranch. But with the app, they’ve simplified their record-keeping and made their operation more efficient than ever.

Streamlined Record-Keeping

Herdwatch offers Kayla and Jason the ability to manage all their ranch data in one place, accessible from their phones or tablets whether they’re out in the pasture or tending to the cattle. The app provides real-time access to essential information, allowing them to track the health, growth, and performance of each animal in their herd.

For example, they can instantly log:

• Calving and breeding details: The app allows them to record every stage of a cow’s reproductive cycle, from insemination to birth. This helps them keep on top of calving dates, ensuring they are prepared when the time comes. With Herdwatch’s calving alerts, Kayla and Jason can also receive notifications on expected due dates and monitor the health of both the cows and the newborn calves, reducing stress and guesswork.
• Health and veterinary treatments: Keeping up with vaccinations, treatments, and overall animal health can be overwhelming. Herdwatch simplifies this by providing a digital health record for every animal. Whether it’s a routine vaccination or a more complex treatment plan, Kayla can log and access the information on the go, ensuring that every detail is tracked and easily retrievable for future reference.
• Feed and weight tracking: Herdwatch helps them monitor their feeding schedules and track animal weight gain. This ensures their herd is growing as expected and allows for adjustments in nutrition or feed efficiency when necessary. For a cattle operation, where the well-being of animals directly impacts profitability, having access to this data in real time helps them make informed decisions.

Want to try out Herdwatch? Download the Herdwatch app today and get your FREE Digital Calving Book by clicking the button below!