KraalBook › Cattle management app

A cattle management app built for South African farmers

What to look for in a livestock records app, and how KraalBook does it.

KraalBook is a cattle management app for South African farmers. You record every animal and every event, births, vaccinations, treatments, weights, movements and sales, from your phone at the kraal, even with no signal. It then gives you the paperwork you need to move and sell stock: §6/§8 removal certificates, vaccination records and a full history for every animal. Your first 20 animals are free.

What to look for in a cattle management app

Most farmers choose an app for a few practical reasons. Here is what matters, and how KraalBook handles each one.

It works with no signal

Half of farm work happens where there is no reception. In KraalBook, capturing events in the field works offline. Records are saved on your phone straight away and sync by themselves when you are back in range.

Vaccination records that stand up to a state vet or a buyer

Every vaccination records the date, the product, the batch number, the expiry date and the authorised vet. FMD vaccinations also record the fridge temperature. KraalBook shows which cattle are due or overdue, and it warns you when an animal is still inside a medicine withdrawal period before you sell it. Read more in our guides to FMD record-keeping and the FMD control measures.

The paperwork, not just the data

When you build a sale, KraalBook produces the §6/§8 removal certificate as a PDF with your farm details, brand, animal list and tag numbers, ready to share on WhatsApp or email, or to print. Every animal also has a fact sheet with its full history, which you can send to a buyer. §6/§8 certificates and FMD paperwork are included free on every plan.

It fits the way your farm really works

The owner, the manager, the stockmen and the vet each get what they need. Stockmen see simple field screens for capturing events, and the owner sees the reports and the costs. It works in English, Afrikaans and isiZulu, and with standard electronic tag (EID) readers, so one scan records one animal.

It handles all your livestock

KraalBook is not only for cattle. It handles cattle, sheep, goats and pigs, as individual animals or, where it suits you, as batches.

It helps you catch losses early

Count a camp in the app and KraalBook shows what is missing against your records, and keeps a history of every count. If animals are stolen, you can report them from the app. See stock theft records for how good records help.

Reports and costs when you need them

In the office web portal you get reports on vaccinations, growth, breeding, mortality, stock counts and grazing, and a farm health scorecard. Reports download as PDF or Excel. You can also see what medicine and feed cost per animal.

It is easy to get your herd in

Add animals one at a time by scanning, or load your whole herd from a spreadsheet.

What it costs

You pay for people, not for cattle. The free plan is not a trial: it is the whole product for a farmer who runs the place alone.

• Small Farmer: free. Up to 20 animals, just you. No card needed.
• Commercial: R199 a month. Up to 500 animals. You, your stockmen and your managers. Send stock to auction.
• Large-scale: R299 a month. Up to 5,000 animals. You, your stockmen and your managers. Send stock to auction.
• Corporate: R399 a month. Up to 15,000 animals, across more than one farm. Send stock to auction.

Prices include VAT at 15%. Yearly billing saves two months. See the pricing page for the full plan details and any current offer.

Who KraalBook is for, and who it is not for

KraalBook is for South African farmers with cattle, sheep, goats or pigs who want records they can trust and paperwork they can produce on the day. It suits a small farmer on a phone, a farm with stockmen in the field, and a larger operation with an office.

KraalBook is a record-keeping and compliance tool. It does not replace your breed society's registration or performance recording, and it is not a government system. The free plan cannot send stock to auction. Reports, costs and downloads are in the office web portal, and the phone is for capturing in the field.

How to start

1. Go to kraalbook.co.za/install on your phone. It sends you to the App Store (iPhone) or Google Play (Android).
2. Open KraalBook and tap Create account to register your farm.
3. Add your animals, by scanning or by loading a spreadsheet, and start recording.

Common questions

What is the best cattle management app in South Africa?

There is no single best app for every farm, so choose by what you need. Look for records that work with no signal, vaccination records that carry the batch number, expiry date and vet, the paperwork you need to move and sell stock, and a price that fits your herd size. KraalBook is built for South African compliance: FMD vaccination records and §6/§8 removal certificates.

Does KraalBook work without a signal?

Yes. You can capture events at the kraal or in the veld with no signal. The records are kept on your phone and sync automatically when you are back in range.

Is KraalBook free?

Your first 20 animals are free, with no card needed. Paid plans start at R199 a month including VAT and are for larger herds and for bringing stockmen and managers onto your farm. Statutory documents are included free on every plan.

Does it work for sheep, goats and pigs as well as cattle?

Yes. KraalBook handles cattle, sheep, goats and pigs, as individual animals or, where it suits you, as batches.

Can I use KraalBook for FMD vaccination records?

Yes. Every vaccination records the date, product, batch number, expiry date and authorised vet, and FMD vaccinations also record the fridge temperature. KraalBook also shows which cattle are due or overdue.

Can KraalBook produce §6/§8 removal certificates?

Yes. When you build a sale, KraalBook produces the §6/§8 removal certificate as a PDF filled with your farm details, brand, animal list and tag numbers, which you can share on WhatsApp or email, or print.

Can my stockmen use it?

Yes, on the paid plans. You invite a stockman by phone number. Stockmen see the field screens for capturing events, and owners see the reports and costs.

Does it work with EID readers?

Yes. KraalBook works with standard ISO 11784/11785 electronic tag readers that connect to your phone as a keyboard, by USB or Bluetooth. One scan records one animal.

Can I load the herd I already have?

Yes. Download the blank spreadsheet template from the Load your herd page, fill it in, and import it.

Which phones does it work on?

iPhone (App Store) and Android (Google Play). There is also an office web portal for computers, where you run reports and costs.

Is KraalBook a government system?

No. KraalBook is an independent, privately owned business. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or representing any government or government department.