Uploading animal weights

How to upload a data file of animal weights

As well as recording weights via the FarmWizard App and manual entry on the website, you can also upload weights from a basic text file. This method of entering weights can save time when data has already been recorded on an electronic weigh head or on a spreadsheet.

The data file should be in comma separated value format (CSV).If you are sourcing the data by downloading from an electronic weigh head, you should have the option for this file type.Otherwise, if the data is stored in a native spreadsheet file e.g. Microsoft Excel workbook - .xls or .xlsx you will need to perform a "Save As" from the "File" menu and select the comma separated format (.csv).

Tip: it's useful to have Microsoft Windows show you the file "extension" so that you can easily differentiate between file types.To do this in Windows 10, open the "File Explorer" Desktop App, click on the View menu, and ensure that the check-box for "File name extensions" is ticked (see below).

The file should contain the following data columns in order (left to right):

Ensure that the first row in the file is blank or contains the column names. 

If you don't have Microsoft Excel, you can also use one of the free spreadsheet programs like "Open Office" or a CSV file editor, which make it easy to change the order of the data columns and remove any spurious data.

Data file viewed in a spreadsheet program:

...and in a text editor:

Once you have prepared the file, upload it to FarmWizard via the Data Import page as follows:

1 Change to the required herd

If your FarmWizard account contains more than one herd, use Herd Manager > Change Herd to change to the herd that contains the animal identities.

2 Select the file import type

Go to the Herd Manager > Data Import page

If the animal identifier in the file is the management tag or full government ear tag number, select the option "Weighing Events by Tag Number"

If the animal identifier is an electronic (EID) number, be sure to select "Weighing Events by EID"

3 Browse for the weigh file and upload

Click "Choose file" and browse to the folder location of the weight file.  In the following dialog box, select the file and click "Open". The file name will display to the right of the button.

Click "Import selected data".After a few seconds, a report will display showing the results of the upload.Take note of any animal identities that were not matched so that you can investigate further.