Free herd management
software for cattle ranchers.
HerdBook is free herd management software that helps cattle ranchers track health records, weight history, breeding events, and expenses for every animal — replacing paper notebooks and spreadsheets.
Built by a working mini cattle breeder · Fredericksburg, Texas · Updated April 2026
What is HerdBook?
HerdBook is free herd management software designed for small cattle ranches. It gives every rancher a digital record system for their animals — tracking health events, vaccinations, weight progress, breeding history, and per-animal costs — all in one place, accessible from any device.
Most small ranchers track their herd in paper notebooks, spreadsheets, or memory. HerdBook replaces all of that with a structured, searchable system built specifically for the cattle ranching workflow. It is free forever for individual ranchers with no animal limits and no record limits.
HerdBook was built by the team at Ranch Hero — a verified miniature highland cattle marketplace in Texas — because we kept seeing ranchers lose track of vaccination dates, struggle to prove their animals' history to buyers, and guess at their true cost basis when pricing calves. HerdBook solves all three problems.
What you can track
Everything your herd records need, in one place.
HerdBook covers the full lifecycle of a ranch animal — from first vaccination to final sale price.
Health & vaccination records
Log every vet visit, vaccination, deworming treatment, injury, and medication with dates, costs, and vet notes. Full health history per animal.
Weight tracking with growth charts
Record weights over time and visualize growth with an automatic trend chart. Average daily gain (ADG) is calculated for every animal automatically.
Breeding & calving records
Track breeding dates, sire information, expected calving dates, and birth outcomes. Never miss a due date again.
Per-animal expense tracking
Log feed, vet, medication, equipment, transport, and registration costs per animal. Understand your true cost basis before selling.
Herd-wide analytics
See your entire herd at a glance — composition by sex and status, monthly expense trends, weight distribution, and health event breakdowns.
Lineage & pedigree visualization
Store sire and dam information for every animal. HerdBook automatically builds a visual pedigree tree when both parents are in your herd.
How does HerdBook work?
Add your animals
Create a profile for each animal with breed, sex, date of birth, color, and photos. Import directly from your Ranch Hero marketplace listings with one click.
Log health & weight events
Record vaccinations, vet visits, weights, breeding dates, and expenses as they happen. Each record is timestamped and attached to the specific animal.
View charts & insights
See weight growth curves, expense breakdowns, and herd-wide analytics automatically. Know the full cost history of every animal before you set a sale price.
Free forever — with a Pro upgrade coming soon.
The free tier covers everything a small ranch needs. Pro adds power-user features for growing operations.
Everything you need to manage your herd digitally.
- Unlimited animals
- Health & vaccination records
- Weight tracking + growth charts
- Breeding & calving records
- Per-animal expense tracking
- Herd analytics dashboard
- Lineage & pedigree tree
- 1-click Ranch Hero listing
For growing ranches and serious breeders.
- Everything in Free
- Breeding & health calendar
- Automated vaccination reminders
- CSV & PDF export
- Vet-share health reports
- Multi-herd management
- AI health trend insights
- Priority support
Frequently asked questions about HerdBook
Is HerdBook really free?
Yes — HerdBook is completely free for individual ranchers with no animal limits, no record limits, and no time limit. A Pro tier with advanced features is planned but the free tier will always remain available.
What animals does HerdBook support?
HerdBook supports all cattle breeds but is built deepest for miniature cattle — Highland, Hereford, Jersey, Dexter, Zebu, Belted Galloway. It handles chondro testing, size classifications (micro-mini through standard), color genetics, and multi-generation pedigree. Works beautifully for any cow-calf operation.
Do I need to be a Ranch Hero seller to use HerdBook?
No. Any rancher can create a free account and use HerdBook to manage their herd. The marketplace integration is optional — you only need a seller account if you want to list animals for sale.
Can I track breeding and calving dates?
Yes. HerdBook includes a breeding records module where you can log the breeding date, sire name, expected calving date, actual birth date, and outcome for every pregnancy.
Does HerdBook track vaccination schedules?
HerdBook tracks every vaccination you log — CDT, BVD/IBR, and any other protocol — with dates and vet information. Automated reminders are on the roadmap for the Pro tier.
Can I see expenses per animal?
Yes. Every expense (feed, vet, medication, equipment, transport, registration) is logged per animal. HerdBook shows a running total and a visual breakdown by category so you always know your cost basis.
Built by ranchers, for ranchers.
HerdBook was built by a working miniature cattle breeder in Fredericksburg, Texas — so every feature comes from actually running a herd, not a whiteboard. It covers health, weight, breeding, pedigree, and finances without requiring a monthly subscription or a tech degree.
For authoritative cattle health and management guidance, we recommend resources from the USDA Livestock resources and the Texas A&M AgriLife Beef Cattle program.
Start managing your herd for free.
No credit card. No limits. Just a better way to track your animals.
Last updated: April 2026 · About Ranch Hero · Trust & Safety