Tag: lambing

This article will teach you how to record you lambs, a process called birth-notify, on the Grassroots system. This is a new process for us, because our old system only allowed us to record lambs when we registered them. Most of us probably record birth information for our lambs when they are born or soon after using a notebook, spreadsheet, or software. We decide later which ones to register, and in our old system, this is when we would finally go to the computer.

The birth-notify feature allows our members to record this information in the system with no transaction fee, rather than on paper, in a spreadsheet, or in separate software. Members can still decide later which lambs to register and then pay the fees. You can also register and transfer simultaneously.

While members can still follow the same procedure of only entering the lambs you’ve decided to register, there are several benefits to recording all lambs, even those left unregistered. First, you can tag those birth-notified sheep for sale in the system, so you can sell them as unregistered if desired, and their pedigrees are still visible and searchable. Second, by recording all lambs, your ewes’ production records will be more accurate, and you can easily share them with potential customers. Finally, by recording lambs earlier, you are less likely to mix up lambs later. That means you avoid parentage issues.

The good news is that it’s super easy to birth-notify your sheep and it’s a free benefit for our members. If you have lambs on the ground now, you should get started now!

Steps to birth-notify your lambs:

1. Log in to the Grassroots System.
2. Click the pancake stack on the upper right corner of your dashboard.
3. Click Births.
4. Fill in the birth information (date of birth, conception type, number born, etc.).
5. Select the sire and dam from your flock, or search for them in the system if they are owned by another member. If you rented a ram or purchased bred ewes, you must send in a breeding certificate before you can register the lambs.
6. Decide if you want to log all births from this lambing or not. You are not required to do so, but we recommend that you do.
7. Click the orange Next button.
8. Fill in the information for each lamb you wish to birth-notify. All fields are required except Alt. No., Individual Name, Weight, and Scrapie. We strongly suggest you include an accurate weight if known.
9. Select the transaction you wish to use. You can Notify for free, register for $8.00, or register & transfer for $16.00.
10. Click the orange Add To List button.
11. Check your list, then click the orange Next button.
12. Tick box to acknowledge the declaration statement, then click the orange Submit button.
13. If you chose to only notify lambs, you are done!
14. If you chose to register any lambs, select your method of payment. We strongly suggest you use Paypal to complete payment immediately.

That’s it! If you need help, contact us. Please note that it can take up to 14 days for your birth-notified lambs to appear in your list of sheep.

Here is a video that walks you through birth-notifying your lambs:

Learn how to use all the features of the Grassroots System by attending our Annual Meeting on October 28th, or by subscribing to our YouTube channel and watching the How to Use the SCHSB Registry System playlist.