All forms in one place: Tony Fitzgerald

For many commercial cattle producers, there is an extra step in the value chain before their cattle reach the processor – feedlots. With thousands of cattle going through NH Foods’ Whyalla Beef feedlot every week, General Manager Tony Fitzgerald is grateful for a simpler solution with the eNVD Livestock Consignments app.

"For lot feeders, trying to coordinate over 2,000 head of cattle every week using multiple trucks, the eNVD app allows clear communication for everyone involved."

Benefits for lot feeders

Digitalising consignments through the eNVD app makes the documentation process faster and easier for feedlots, providing:

• insight into consignments ahead of their arrival, enabling earlier and more streamlined management
• no more blank fields in the documentation (the app prevents users from continuing to the next section until all necessary questions are answered, helping to avoid delays along the supply chain)
• all required documents – including National Feedlot Accreditation Scheme (NFAS) forms – accessible in one place
• labour efficiencies by avoiding transfer of hard copy information to internal systems.

However, the most benefit comes from the efficiency of creating consignments. With multiple consignments leaving a feedlot daily, using the template function can ease work for reoccurring consignments and save time in the creation process. eNVDs can also be created ahead of time in the office and then completed at the yards on the app once stock have been loaded and individual head counts are known.

“The eNVD app provides even more flexibility, allowing us to have all the necessary forms in one place and update and edit our consignments without a fuss,” Tony said.

“Digital consignments greatly add to the accuracy of NVDs as they cannot be submitted incomplete and can be edited for some time afterwards.

“I know a few producers that have received the dreaded 4:30am calls from a vet because they’ve missed a signature or filled out their NVD incorrectly. The eNVD app will go a long way in eliminating these problems.”

Using the app as a lot feeder 

The eNVD app is the new, complete offline solution for livestock consignments – designed to overcome connectivity challenges and enabling eNVDs to be shared along the entire supply chain journey.

Lot feeders can use the eNVD app for receiving or dispatching  livestock:

1. If receiving livestock, the consignment will be immediately available to you once it is submitted by the producer. Please note that the consignment will not appear in your app until the producer is back in service.
2. If transferring livestock, you can use the app to create a consignment and submit it directly to your receiver and transporter. If you are offline, you can use the QR code feature to transfer      information to your transporter.                                                        

Before downloading the app, please ensure you have created a myMLA account and have your LPA and NLIS accounts linked. This streamlines the handover process and ensures you can easily receive the consignment online.

Tony particularly appreciates the app’s capacity for pre-filling information from the PIC register and previous records – meaning that any information on all livestock entering or exiting the feedlot can now be immediately transferred.

“For feedlots, digital consignments allow for a much more efficient system. We ship a lot of cattle every week and, prior to using digital consignments, you had to write down dockets for consignments, which was very time consuming,” Tony said.

Value along the supply chain

While Tony acknowledges that the benefits are greater for larger operators, he believes that the value flows along the entire supply chain – and that everyone has the capacity to get on board.

“Smaller farming operations that are only sending out one or two consignments in a year may have a little more trouble getting used to the app because they are not using it as often as major producers, but they can still get a lot of value out of the app.”

“Almost everyone has a mobile phone – it doesn't matter whether you’re 15 or 85, there's not many people that don't use a mobile phone and every time a new phone update comes out, you've got to spend time familiarising yourself with how it works. Digital consignments are no different – you just need to get in there and have a go.

The app is available for download for free through the Apple Store and Google Play Store.