Built around New Zealand systems
Most cattle scoring tools are written for northern-hemisphere housed herds on a 1–5 scale. New Zealand runs differently: pasture-based, seasonal calving, and a 1–10 body condition scale published by DairyNZ. Herd Scan reports on the New Zealand scale by default, in kilograms, against the calving and mating targets Kiwi farmers actually work to.
For beef, the same photo gives an estimated liveweight and growth weight, so you can see how a mob is tracking between weigh days without yarding stock off a hill block.
What New Zealand farmers use it for
- Pre-calving BCS checks against DairyNZ targets for mixed-age cows and heifers
- Drying-off decisions and identifying which cows need preferential feeding
- Mating condition checks ahead of the spring rotation
- Estimating liveweight of store and finishing cattle between weigh days
- Tracking growth on run-off and lease blocks that never see the yards
- PDF reports for your vet, farm consultant or bank
Condition scoring standards and targets are published by DairyNZ and Beef + Lamb New Zealand. Herd Scan produces estimates to support those decisions, not a substitute for a certified weight or a vet assessment.
Works where New Zealand farms work
Herd Scan runs on the phone already in your pocket — iPhone, Android or any browser. There are no scales, no tags and no extra hardware to buy. Assessments capture offline and sync later, so poor coverage on the back of the farm isn't a blocker.
If you also want the detail on scoring itself, see the dairy body condition scoring guide or the beef liveweight estimation page. Farming across the Tasman as well? There's a page for Australian herds.
Common questions
- Is there a cattle weighing app for New Zealand farms?
- Yes. Herd Scan estimates liveweight and body condition from a phone photo, and is built around New Zealand systems — the DairyNZ 1–10 body condition scale, kilograms, and pasture-based dairy and beef herds. It works on iPhone, Android and any browser.
- Which body condition scale does it use in New Zealand?
- The DairyNZ 1–10 scale, which is the standard used across New Zealand dairy herds and differs from the 1–5 scale used in the United States and the 1–8 scale used in Australia. Herd Scan reports on the scale that matches your country.
- Does it work on hill country with no coverage?
- Assessments can be captured offline and sync when the phone next reaches coverage, which matters on New Zealand hill blocks and back paddocks where signal is patchy.
- Does it suit both dairy and beef in New Zealand?
- Yes. Dairy mode focuses on body condition score against calving and mating targets. Beef mode focuses on estimated liveweight, growth weight and breed for finishing and store decisions.
- What does it cost in New Zealand?
- Herd Scan is a single flat plan — see the pricing page for the current figure. There is no hardware to buy, no weigh crush and no tag readers required.