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Customer Profiles
Customer Profiles - Star Creek Ranch, Darlene Aldridge of Somerville, TX
Darlene Aldridge, owner of Star Creek Ranch in Somerville, Texas, certainly knows her Longhorn cattle. Star Creek has been in operation for twelve years, and currently runs 120 cows.
Star Creek has always used artificial insemination in their herd, and five years ago they began incorporating embryo transfer in their breeding program. Today, they are taking the next step as they prepare to clone one of their Longhorn females.
"With an ET & AI program, record keeping is critical," she said. "I couldn't do it without [LonghornMax]."
Aldridge first learned of LonghornMax at the TLBAA World Show in 2001.
She said that when it comes to tracking embryos, she "Can't imagine going back," to her old system of record keeping.
Aldridge said that as soon as she heard about LonghornMax, she ordered it. She had previously used various programs to keep records, but found herself having to go back and forth between long, scattered documents.
She said she had also tried two other software programs, but was not satisfied with their performance.
"They were extremely difficult, they weren't intuitive and they didn't relate to Longhorns," she said.
Aldridge said she uses LonghornMax most often to keep track of breeding and calving dates and when her cows need to be palpated. She also said that keeping up with pedigree information has proved helpful to her ranch. She said it is very useful to be able to track family lines and see the relationships between her cattle.
Aldridge suggested the use of a custom report for others with an AI program. She sets up one report that shows each cow, the breeding date, the bull bred to and the projected due date. She then prints the report and posts it in the barn, so that employees know when each cow should calve, and they can be brought to the barn as that date approaches.
Star Creek also utilizes the sale catalog feature within LonghornMax to create a book that includes pictures and pedigrees. When they sell an animal, they also print a LonghornMax medical report to mail to the new owner.
Aldridge said she also appreciates the reciprocal relationship she has been able to develop with Cattlesoft.
"I really appreciate that I can give suggestions, and they're very receptive to incorporating them," she said. "They listen to feedback from customers."
In an ever-changing and growing Longhorn operation, Star Creek Ranch has found their record keeping match with LonghornMax.
Aldridge said, "LonghornMax is a vital tool in managing a cattle operation and I would recommend it to anyone, even new breeders with just a few cows."
For more information on Star Creek Ranch, visit them online at http://www.starcreekranch.com.
If you are a LonghornMax customer and would like to be featured in a ranch profile, please contact us.
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