[MANKATO, Minn.] – CRYSTALYX® Brand Supplements, produced by Ridley, an Alltech company, has recently updated its Beef Cow Body Condition Score app. The free app helps beef cow-calf producers manage the nutrition program of their herd by tracking and monitoring body condition scores both individually and as a group.

The app offers producers the ability to snap profile pictures of their cows and compare them to reference photos of cows that represent body condition scores ranging from 1 to 9. The body condition score (BCS) that best describes each cow is saved, along with an ear tag number, within the app for future reference. Producers can then organize and track cows individually or by pasture group, view stats on animals and pastures over time and export data in CSV format via email for further analysis.

Cows can also be arranged by pasture within the app. Producers photograph a cow, enter the ear tag number and optionally assign it to a pasture. They then compare the individual photos to reference photos that are provided for each condition score (or producers can supply their own) and assign a score to the cow. The date and location are automatically recorded (if the app user allows GPS service).

These stored images can then be used as references at any point in the future in order to determine how best to manage nutrition programs and ensure that cows breed and calve in a timely manner.

Updates to the app include:

• An updated user interface that provides:
  • Faster data entry
  • Easier navigation
  • More robust help
• The ability to export records and email for more thorough spreadsheet analysis
• The ability to view BCS distribution graph for cows in each pasture in order to see a quick overview of the entire herd
• The distribution graph also shows average BCS for each pasture group
• An updated GPS tracking feature

“No one goes anywhere without their cell phone these days,” said Dan Dhuyvetter, director of marketing, research and nutrition services for Ridley Block Operations. “This is such an easy app to use and a great way to visually monitor how your nutrition program is meeting your cow herd needs. We have now made it easier to see and store your information.”

The CRYSTALYX® Beef Cow Body Condition Score app is available on iOS (iPhone/iPad) and Android platforms.