When you download the iLivestock app, you can sign up and be given access to the iLivestock Demo Farm.

In demo mode you can add animals, connect weighing kit and test the functionality of the app to see if it suits you.

Please note the demo resets every 24 hours, so please expect any added data to be gone if you are looking for it next day!

If you want to go ahead and set up your farm on iLivestock, you'll need to create a subscription.

To do this, first open the app in demo mode and then tap the RED BANNER as shown below, to create your farm subscription

Once you Subscription is created and you've setup your farm as per the guidance below, you can also head to the iLivestock Dashboard for your account; to log in (using the same credentials as the mobile device), view and download data, as well as access your regulatory reports; such as Movements, Flock and Herd books and breeding reports.

Once you've created your subscription, you'll first be prompted to add your holding details.

Here you can specify your Primary Holding and add a herd and flock number, so this is applied automatically when creating new births. You can also add any additional holdings you own.

You should also add any other holdings that you send animals off too or bring them in from, such as the markets, slaughter houses or other farms to support the movement logging process for your animals.

Step 1: Go to and select 'Admin' on the bottom menu and then select the 'Manage Holdings' option found in the top middle of the screen.

Step 2: The Holdings screen will now appear and you can see headings for 'My Holdings' and 'Third Party'

Step 3: From here tap 'Add New Holding'

Step 4: Add your primary holding first, make sure you slide the Primary Holding option to ON

Step 5: This will then generate a confirmation box for you to confirm you want this as a primary holding - now tap 'Confirm' to set this as your primary holding

Step 6: Complete the CPH details and for a Primary Holding, you'll see 2 data fields, one for your Herd Number and one for your Flock Number - add the details and this will automatically add your herd or flock number to the beginning of new births VIDs.

Finally add the holding address

Step 7: Once you've completed the holding details press 'Save'

You are now ready to add your animals!

Whether adding sheep, cattle or both, adding your animals once your holding info has been set-up, is the next step to get going.

There are a few ways to do this, so choose the best way for you, from the list below.

Step 1: First select the 'Animals' option on the bottom menu and then select the species you wish to add in the top menu (we'll come to batches and unassigned in a moment) next tap the 'Action button', which is the iLivestock cow logo, in the bottom right corner.

Step 2: Tap the 'Add Animal' plus button

Step 3: The animal details page will be generated for you to complete and save.

If you have your stick reader connected you can scan the EID of your animal and this will add the EID to the EID field and generate a corresponding VID if you are adding sheep. This is the only way to add the EIDs when logging individual animals in this way.

Complete the empty fields for VID, DOB, Gender, Birth Weight and Breed, add the Holding the animals are situated on from the picker wheel that will appear when you tap this field and then tap 'Record' to save the animal.

Note: If you don't see the breed of cattle you need in the breed drop down, you can add a breed of your choice in the 'Admin' section found in the bottom menu of the app.

Step 4: When adding cattle, you can scan the physical cattle passport to add the VID, (cattle passport number) just tap the long blue button that says 'Scan Cattle Passport' and this will open your camera on your device, to scan the bottom left barcode of the passport and bring across the following animal data:

Complete the rest of the information as above, then tap 'Record' to save the animal

Note: If you don't see the breed of cattle you need in the breed drop down, you can add a breed of your choice in the 'Admin' section, found in the bottom menu of the app.

Scanning and importing new or existing animals to create groups, then subsequent actions, is fast and effective way of adding and managing your animals to the app.

You can do this as an initial import of your animals and then create subsequent groups of existing and/or new animals to manage and organise animals.

Step 1. Once your EID reader is connected (see How to pair your EID Reader to iLivestock) and you are on the Equipment page, you'll see an option to 'Get Groups' this is where you can import animals from your stick reader from the scanning sessions

Tap 'Get Groups'

Step 2. This will generate a list of your session names on a new screen

Step 3. Tap the session you wish to import to select it. A blue tick will appear next to the selected session

Next tap 'Import' at the top right of the screen

Step 4. Now confirm the species - this workflow is more relevant for sheep as the EID is the unique identifier, where as cattle are likely identified by their passport number - see Adding Cattle for best practice for adding cattle.

Step 5. Now confirm if you want these animals to go into a New or Existing group. If this is your first import you may need to choose New Group as no other groups may exist

Step 6. If you choose Existing Group a list of your groups will appear for you to select from.

Step 7. If you choose New Group a new page will appear on the screen for you to complete the Group Name and add any relevant group notes.

Step 8. Once you have completed the relevant fields, press 'Save' at the top right of the screen, to start the import.

Step 9. An Import confirmation notice will pop up upon completion and will advise of any necessary import details

The grab number 9, confirms 12 of the 14 animals selected were added to the group

the next notification should give me an indication of why.

Step 10. If any animals were not imported or added to the group for any reason a notification will pop up to explain why.

The grab number 10, shows 2 animals were not imported as they were already on my account and registered as cattle, so can not be added to a sheep group.

Step 11. You can now go to Groups in the bottom menu and select sheep in the top menu to see the group you created, you can tap the chevron to view the animals in a list.

Step 12. Back on the Equipment screen (bottom menu), you now have the ability to CLEAR ALL SESSIONS from ETAG READER if so desired.

Note!: Please only do this if you are happy all sessions have been uploaded correctly and are now no longer needed on the stick reader.

The Import will also only show the EID number and wont contain the DOB, SEX, BREED which can be edited one by one to add this info

This is for bulk uploading new animals and is the quickest and most effective way of getting all your animal information into the app in one go!

You'll need Microsoft Excel (spreadsheet programme) or similar on your computer or handheld device, in order to download the relevant iLivestock animal templates, add in the animal information and then save the file for upload.

You can download our import template files from the links below, just click the relevant link and the template will automatically download to your Downloads folder on your computer/device👇

Cattle Import Template

Sheep Import Template

Groups Import Template

Holdings Import Template

Metrics Import Template

Flags Import Template

(Note!: you cant update existing animal details via a Sheep or Cattle .CSV Import, you can only add NEW animals. Add weights, flags, groups and holdings to existing animals 👍)

Step 1. Open the template you need and follow the instructions on the spreadsheet on how to add your data to the template.

(Note!: The Image above is the Sheep Import Template

Its very important NOT to delete or re-organise the columns or change the headers. If you don't have information for a specific column or line, just leave it blank)

Step 2. Be sure to delete the notes and the example data, so this doesn't get uploaded by mistake

Step 3. You may find columns that contain EID numbers default to unrecognisable formats if the column is set to 'General' in excel.

Highlight the column line under the header and select 'Number' in the format drop down on excel to see the correct EID formatting - as shown above

Step 4. You now will find there have been 2 decimals added to the EIDs - highlight the EIDs and decrease decimals with 2 clicks on the 'Decrease Decimal' icon in the excel tool bar as shown above.

Step 5. Your completed data template should now look similar to above.

Step 6. When you have added all the data correctly, save the completed template file as a '.CSV' under the file format option. File > Save as > File format = .CSV

Step 7. If you are using an iOS Apple (iPhone/iPad) device to run your iLivestock app, you can upload the template using your device.

Next, email the completed template .CSV template file to yourself, this must be an email you can also open on your device that has the iLivestock app on it.

**(Note!: If you are using an Android (Samsung etc) please email your completed template to [email protected] and we'll be in touch to import these **

Step 8. Open the iLivestock app and navigate to the animals screen

Step 9. Open your email and find and open the completed template .CSV

and tap the share button (the share button is usually a square with an upward pointing arrow in it)

Step 10. You now be taken to a list of sharing options - if you don't see the iLivestock app option straight away, tap the ... MORE option (as shown in screen shot 10 above)

Step 11. Scroll to find iLivestock and tap when found

Step 12. Your file will automatically start to import and show a confirmation when. the import is complete - please stay on the page until, you see this and then press OK.

Step 13. All CSV uploads are stored under AUTO in your Groups view - so you can always go back and see the exact group you imported.

Step 14. You uploaded animals will be available to view in a list view under ALL and also under the specific species tab (cattle / Sheep) - both can be found on the top navigation menu, when on Animals on the bottom navigation menu.

To get started quickly with your cattle, you can connect your iLivestock account to the British Cattle Movement Services CTS (Cattle Tracing System) and download your full herd list.

To do this you'll need your CTS Farm Software Credentials which can be requested from CTS specifically for connecting with Farm Software such as iLivestock

*** Please note these are different to your Government Gateway details ***

You can call BCMS to request these 0345 050 1234, Monday to Friday 8:30am to 5pm, just ask for your 'Farm Software credentials to connect with iLivestock'

Alternatively you can complete this BCMS CTS Web Services User ID and Password Request Form and then email it to [email protected], with the email title: CTS Web service user ID and password request.

BCMS will then send your User ID and Password in separate emails to you, usually within 5-10 working days.

Step 1: Select the 'Admin' menu tab on the bottom navigation bar and then tap the Reporting icon

Step 2: From the Databases menu, select 'CTS Operations'

Step 3: From the CTS Operations menu, select 'Get Cattle On Holding'

Step 4: A Defra CTS Login box will pop up and prompt you to add your Farm Software Credentials

Step 5: Please add in your specific Farm Software credentials as sent to you via BCMS

Next tap Download to begin the download of your herd from CTS

A pop notification will confirm the download is taking place and then another will confirm it is then complete.

Step 6: Navigate to Animals on the menu at the bottom of the app screen to to see your herd list downloaded

(Tip!): To view your cattle in Passport (Visual ID) order, go to (as shown below):

1.a Groups on the bottom menu, then select 1.b Permanent on the top group menu. Open the Cattle group by tapping the the chevron on the group card) and then tap 2.d Visual at the top menu of the screen

Online: Use the chat icon in Admin on the app or bottom right on the web dashboard