Vaccination Protocols
When setting up vaccination protocols, there are generally 2 flavors. Vaccines that are always done at the time of another event (preg checked preg, dry check of preg, a certain hoof trim event, etc), and vaccines that are done at stages of lactation, pregnancy, or age.
- Vaccinations that are always done at the time of another event, and the user doesn't need prompting for the vaccination: These should be setup as automatic enrolls, with auto-complete of the vaccines done at the time of the event.
- Vaccines that are usually/always done at the time of another event, and the user need prompting for the vaccination: These should likely be setup as a criteria enroll for animals with that chore scheduled in the near future. This will create the chore just ahead of time, allowing it to prompt the user and be completed at the time of the vaccination.
- Vaccines that are done at a stage of life, lactation, pregnancy, or other group of animals: These should be done as criteria protocols. The report should be setup for a period of time prior to the desired set of animals, and use the delay option to set the chores on the correct day. This will ensure all animals show up on the list ahead of time and are not missing on a report that is downloaded early in the day, or a phone that is not synced yet for the day.
Boosters can be setup to occur upon completion of the first. But if done this way, the first vaccination must be done on time. Boosters can also be setup based on dates. However, if this is done, not giving the first shot on time will result in the two being done too close together. You need to be aware of the two way to schedule booster can become incorrect and use the best method for that farm.
Reproductive Protocols
Reproductive protocols will almost always be setup on a weekly/biweekly schedule using the breeding date to define when the protocol occurs. In cases of protocols that do not have a breeding day, they should be scheduled for the protocol start date.
For resynch GnRH shots, it generally makes the most sense to use criteria protocols, so it can be more easily changed at a later date. The built-in protocol looks for the next preg check date, so if the preg check is changed, it will automatically update the GnRH list.
When setting up protocols, all chores for shots must make sense at all times. The chores will show up on animal pages and on the phone, the ability to filter in the paper reports shouldn't be used to filter down a range of shots to the right group of animals. Don't allow protocols to be enrolled on bred animals that you don't really want and just use paper lists and filters to remove them from the list.
Have another person, or BoviSync support, review changes you make to reproductive protocols, just to double check everything is correct.
Setting up a new protocol
To setup a new protocol, you first need to understand: the sequence of chores to be done; when the chores are actually being done (with what other tasks, what day of the week, etc), when the chores should be discontinued (if ever), and what animals are eligible for the protocol. Long series of chores need to be broken up into individual protocols. And protocols that are based on other things happening or being recorded, should be set off of them happening. Additionally you need to be aware of what will happen if a user fails to record a particular chore, does it go away, does it stay for later completion, does it mess up the next protocol that it is supposed to trigger.
Articles with help on setting up new protocols:
Starting a protocol
After a protocol is setup, you may need to use the 'apply protocol' feature to get animals in the future enrolled. After doing this, you should verify the proctocol enrolled the desired animals and that the protocol is setup properly. Animals that are starting this week, or started in the past may need to be manually enrolled, depending on the circumstances
Replacing a protocol
When replacing a protocol with a different protocol, you need to take special care to remove future enrollments of the old protocol, and properly start all animals in the new protocol. Similar to the starting a protocol procedure. After you have all the enrollments changed, you need to review all the animals to ensure they are enrolled properly and there are not duplicate enrollments or animals enrolled that already started/completed the old protocol.
Modifying a protocol
- When modifying protocols, you need to consider impacts on current and future enrollments, and potentially replace future enrollments.
General Tips
- Every treatment and vaccination should have a short note to code the chore for use in the app. The app should be setup with that vaccination/treatment note to filter it, making it explicit which lists chores will show up on. You may want to do this with other chores as well, in particular; paint and move chores.
- You need to understand what treatments/vaccines/chores are done together on the farm. The app needs to have those chores grouped together into a chore list that matches the work being done on the farm. Keep this in mind when setting up protocols, so you can 'code' and split up similar chores into different chore lists. (Example: the same vaccine is given to heifers and cows, they need to have different 'coding' so you can separate the chores in the app.
- First chore should always start on day 1.
- Protocols must be setup so that chores only appear when they should be done. Reports that filter by animal criteria can print a correct list, but the app and the animal page will show you are supposed to do that chore. If the chore needs to go away if the animal is open/preg, a certain age, or anything else, the protocol must be setup to add/remove the chores when they are actually to be done.
- Don't complete past due chores. If there are changes that are made, it makes it very difficult to change and fix. It also adds a whole layer of complexity and confusion when things in the past are recorded as done that may or may not have been completed. The user can easily recognize chores that are not completed as being before use of BoviSync started. It may be necessary in some cases, especially vaccinations, but deleting it usually preferable over completing.