↑↓ Navigate ↵ Select Esc Close
CHAPTER
[04]

Individual Animal vs. Animal Mobs

Before creating your first animal record, understand that Kora supports two approaches (covered in detail in Chapter 2.2).

Individual Animals:

  • Tracked with complete lifetime histories
  • Every health observation, treatment, movement, and weight measurement recorded
  • Use for breeding stock, high-value animals, endangered species, clinical patients, any animal requiring detailed records

Animal Mobs (Groups):

  • Managed as collective units
  • Track total population, demographics, and group-level health
  • Use for commercial livestock, large flocks, wild herds where individual tracking is impractical

This section covers creating individual animal records. Animal mob creation follows similar principles but focuses on group data rather than individual details.

Who Creates Animal Records

If you have Standard permissions or higher, you can create animal records. Common users who create records:

  • Farmers adding livestock
  • Zoo keepers adding new arrivals
  • Wildlife managers documenting individual animals
  • Conservation organisations tracking endangered species
  • Veterinarians creating patient records
  • Paraprofessionals managing day-to-day animal care

Desktop:

  1. Click "Animal Management" in side navigation (or access via App Launcher)
  2. Click "Create Animal" or "Add Individual Animal" button

Mobile:

  1. Tap App Launcher in bottom navigation
  2. Tap "Animal Management"
  3. Tap the FAB (Floating Action Button) with + icon
  4. Select "Create Individual Animal"

Basic Information Required

Every animal record needs minimum information.

Essential Fields:

  1. Animal Type (Species) - What kind of animal
  2. Name or ID - How you identify the animal
  3. Current Location - Where the animal is

Highly Recommended: 4. Sex - Male, Female, Unknown 5. Date of Birth - Or approximate age 6. Acquisition Date - When animal entered your care 7. Acquisition Method - How you obtained the animal (birth, purchase, rescue, transfer, capture)

Optional (can be added later):

  • Breed or subspecies
  • Colour/markings
  • Sire and dam (parents)
  • Weight
  • Identification methods (tags, microchips, RFID)
  • Photos

Step-by-Step: Create Your First Animal

1. Select Animal Type (Species)

Click or tap the animal type selector. Choose from:

  • Livestock: Cattle, Sheep, Goats, Pigs, Horses, Poultry, Alpacas, Llamas, etc.
  • Wildlife: Elephants, Lions, Rhinos, Birds, Reptiles, Amphibians, Fish, etc.
  • Zoo/Exotic: Any species (comprehensive species database)
  • Other: Custom animal types

Example selections:

  • Cattle (for dairy cow)
  • African Elephant (for zoo or wildlife reserve)
  • Domestic Cat (for veterinary clinic)
  • Koi Fish (for aquaculture operation)

The animal type determines:

  • Available fields (species-specific information)
  • Validation rules (age ranges, breeding eligibility)
  • Regulatory requirements (species-specific compliance)

2. Enter Name or ID

Name:

  • Individual name for the animal (e.g., "Daisy", "Thunder", "Simba", "Raja")
  • Common for pets, breeding stock, zoo animals, individual wildlife

ID:

  • Unique identifier (e.g., "A001", "COW-2024-15", "ELE-F-042")
  • Common for livestock, managed herds, identification systems
  • Can use national ID systems (NLIS in Australia, EID in EU, etc.)

Both:

  • You can use both name and ID (e.g., "Daisy" with ID "A001")
  • Name for daily reference, ID for official records

Auto-generated IDs: Some Kora instances may auto-generate IDs based on organisational conventions. Check with your instance administrator.

3. Select Current Location

Choose where the animal is right now:

  • Location: Main property (e.g., "Riverside Farm")
  • Subdivision (if applicable): Specific area (e.g., "North Paddock")

Use the location you created in Section 6.2. If you have not created locations yet, you can assign "Unknown Location" temporarily and update later.

Why current location matters:

  • Tracks where animal is for field checks
  • Enables location-based observations
  • Supports movement tracking when animal relocates
  • Appears on maps for visualisation

4. Enter Sex

Select:

  • Male - Bulls, stallions, rams, etc.
  • Female - Cows, mares, ewes, etc.
  • Unknown - When sex has not been determined yet

Sex determines:

  • Breeding eligibility (cannot breed same-sex animals)
  • Reproductive record availability
  • Validation rules for pregnancy, lactation

5. Add Date of Birth or Age

Option A: Exact Date of Birth

  • If you know the precise birth date (common for animals born in your care)
  • Enter as day/month/year

Option B: Approximate Age

  • If exact date unknown (common for purchased or rescued animals)
  • Enter estimated age (e.g., "3 years", "6 months")
  • Kora calculates approximate date of birth

Why date of birth matters:

  • Calculates current age automatically
  • Determines breeding eligibility (age-appropriate breeding)
  • Tracks growth and development milestones
  • Regulatory compliance (age-restricted treatments, movements)

6. Record Acquisition Details

Acquisition Date:

  • When the animal entered your care
  • May be birth date (if born on your property) or purchase/transfer/rescue date

Acquisition Method:

  • Born on Property - Animal born in your care
  • Purchased - Bought from another owner
  • Transferred - Received from another facility (zoos, conservation programmes)
  • Rescued - Wildlife rescue, abandoned animal
  • Captured - Wildlife capture for management or research
  • Donated - Given to you by another party
  • Other - Custom acquisition circumstances

Acquisition Source (optional):

  • Where the animal came from (breeder name, farm, wildlife population, etc.)
  • Helps with traceability and biosecurity

7. Add Identification Methods

Identification methods help you verify individual animals.

Common Identification Types:

Visual Tags:

  • Ear tags (metal or plastic tags with numbers)
  • Neck bands (for birds, large animals)
  • Leg bands (poultry)
  • Paint marks or brands

Electronic Identification:

  • Microchips - Implanted chips with unique numbers
  • RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) - Electronic ear tags readable by RFID scanners
  • Bolus tags - Internal electronic tags

Natural Markings:

  • Distinctive colour patterns
  • Unique physical features (scars, horn shapes, etc.)
  • Photographic identification (for wildlife)

Adding identification to record:

  1. Click "Add Identification"
  2. Select identification type (Ear Tag, Microchip, RFID, Visual ID, etc.)
  3. Enter identification number or details
  4. Optional: Add photo of identification
  5. Save

Example - Cattle with Multiple IDs:

  • Visual ID: Yellow ear tag #A001 (left ear)
  • Electronic ID: RFID chip 982-000-123-456-789
  • Natural ID: White blaze on forehead
  • National ID: NLIS tag (Australia)

Multiple identification methods provide redundancy. If one tag is lost, others remain.

8. Optional: Add Photo

Photos help visually identify animals:

  • Full body photo showing distinctive markings
  • Close-up of face or identifying features
  • Photo of identification tags for verification

To add photo:

  • Desktop: Click "Upload Photo", select image from computer
  • Mobile: Tap "Take Photo", use camera to capture image directly

Photos are especially valuable for:

  • Wildlife with unique markings
  • Zoo animals shown to public or staff
  • Breeding stock with pedigree documentation
  • Verification of identification during inspections

9. Save Animal Record

Click or tap "Save" to create the animal record.

Your animal now exists in Kora with:

  • Unique record in database
  • Assigned to current location
  • Ready for observations, treatments, and history tracking
  • Searchable by name, ID, or species

After Creating the Animal

What you can do now:

Record Observations:

  • Document health status, behaviour, physical condition
  • Track symptoms, injuries, or concerns
  • Attach follow-up flags for veterinary review

Log Treatments:

  • Record medications administered
  • Track vaccinations
  • Document withdrawal periods

Track Movements:

  • Move animal to different location or subdivision
  • Record why and when movement occurred
  • Automatic traceability event logging

Monitor Weight:

  • Record weight measurements
  • Track growth curves
  • Identify underweight or overweight animals

Manage Breeding:

  • Record breeding events
  • Track pregnancies
  • Document births and lineage

Generate QR Codes:

  • Create QR code for the animal
  • Print and attach to ear tag or enclosure
  • Enable quick field access by scanning QR code

All of these features build on the animal record you just created.

Creating Multiple Animals

For multiple animals:

Option 1: Create Individually

  • Repeat the process for each animal
  • Best for small numbers (under 10 animals)
  • Allows detailed information entry for each

Option 2: Bulk Import (if available)

  • Some Kora instances support CSV import for bulk animal creation
  • Prepare spreadsheet with animal data
  • Import multiple animals at once
  • Contact instance administrator for import assistance

Option 3: Use Animal Mobs

  • For large groups where individual tracking is not needed
  • Create one mob record representing 50, 100, or more animals
  • Track group demographics instead of individuals
  • Covered in Chapter 8.2

Individual Animal vs. Mob - When to Choose Which

Create Individual Records For:

  • Breeding stock (bulls, stallions, stud animals)
  • High-value animals (show animals, elite genetics)
  • Endangered species (every individual matters for conservation)
  • Zoo animals (public interest, individual care plans)
  • Clinical patients (veterinary diagnosis and treatment)
  • Animals with unique identification needs
  • Animals requiring detailed lifetime tracking

Create Mob Records For:

  • Commercial livestock sold in groups
  • Large flocks or herds (100+ animals)
  • Wild animal populations (estimated counts)
  • Poultry operations (thousands of birds)
  • Aquaculture (fish populations in ponds)
  • Animals managed collectively without individual distinction

Mixed Approach (Common):

  • Breeding cows: Individual records
  • Calves destined for market: Mob record (group of 30 calves)
  • Replacement heifers: Individual records (potential breeding stock)

You can create both individual animals and mobs within the same Kora instance. Choose the approach that matches each animal's management needs.

Practical Animal Creation Examples

Example 1: Dairy Farm - Breeding Cow

  • Animal Type: Cattle
  • Name: Daisy
  • ID: COW-A001
  • Sex: Female
  • Date of Birth: 15 January 2020
  • Acquisition: Born on property
  • Current Location: Riverside Farm → North Paddock
  • Identification: Yellow ear tag #A001, NLIS tag 982-000-123-456-789
  • Photo: Full body photo showing white blaze

Example 2: Zoo - African Elephant

  • Animal Type: African Elephant
  • Name: Tembo
  • ID: ELE-M-007
  • Sex: Male
  • Date of Birth: Approximately 2015 (estimated age 9 years)
  • Acquisition: Transferred from another zoo (2021)
  • Current Location: City Zoo → African Savanna Exhibit
  • Identification: Microchip 985-123-456-789-012, photographic ID (tusk shape unique)
  • Photo: Side profile showing tusks and ear shape

Example 3: Wildlife Reserve - Individual Rhino

  • Animal Type: White Rhinoceros
  • Name: Juma
  • ID: RH-F-003
  • Sex: Female
  • Date of Birth: Approximately 2018 (6 years old)
  • Acquisition: Captured for translocation (conservation programme)
  • Current Location: Savanna Wildlife Reserve → Northern Territory
  • Identification: GPS collar (tracking movements), horn notch pattern (photographic ID)
  • Photo: Front and side view for horn identification

Example 4: Small Animal Veterinary Clinic - Cat Patient

  • Animal Type: Domestic Cat
  • Name: Whiskers
  • ID: CAT-2024-089
  • Sex: Male (neutered)
  • Date of Birth: 12 March 2022
  • Acquisition: Client-owned (not owned by clinic)
  • Current Location: City Vet Clinic → Exam Room 2
  • Identification: Microchip 956-000-987-654-321
  • Photo: Face photo for client records

Common Questions

Do I need to enter everything at once? No. Create the animal with minimum required information (type, name/ID, location). Add details (weight, photos, identification) over time as you collect information.

Can I edit animal records later? Yes. All information can be updated. Animals grow, identification changes, locations update. Records are living documents.

What if I do not know the exact date of birth? Enter approximate age. Kora calculates an estimated date of birth. You can update later if you learn the exact date.

Can I delete animal records? Depends on your permissions and whether the animal has associated history. Generally, animals are marked as "Exited" (sold, died, transferred) rather than deleted. This preserves historical data for traceability.

How do I move an animal to a different location? After creation, use the "Record Movement" feature. This creates a movement record with date, reason, and traceability event (covered in later chapters).

WORDS
[1,943]
READ TIME
[10m]