You should always enter a new status when an animal's status changes, rather than editing the current status entry. This allows for the previous status to be closed and properly reflected in reports and other functions.

To change an animal's Status, go to its Status page and click the "Change Status" link. To help ensure your Status changes flow accurately from the last Status to the next, the Status drop-down will only display selections that make sense based on the animal's last Status.

What happens to a record for an animal when it is no longer your herd

When you update your animal's Status to Sold, Culled, Slaughtered or Deceased the animal's Folder will be archived. Archiving the Folder allows you to continue to access and add information to the animal's record, but hides it in your herd management interface so it doesn't clutter up the views and lists and removes any reminders for the animals from the Dashboard. Being able to continue maintaining a Folder for an animal that it is no longer in your herd can be important to other animals in your herd (such as their progeny), to your herd's overall performance and production statistics (such as milk production and show records), as well as generating accurate and comprehensive reports (such as purchase and sales). Additionally, the animal's records remain completely intact should the animal ever return to your herd, allowing you to reactivate the animal's Folder.

Recording back-to-back "Away from my Herd" Statuses

There may be times when an animal that is currently in Leased Out or Boarded Out status will change to another away status without the animal ever physically returning to your herd. In these cases you'll need to return the animal to your herd and then add the new status for the same date. You may want to record in the notes that the animal was not physically returned. These cases include:

• Leased Out to Leased Out. To start a new lease with a new leaser, add an End Lease status change then a Leased Out status change.
• Leased Out to Boarded Out. To start a boarding period directly following a leasing out period, add an End Lease status change then a Boarded Out status change.
• Boarded Out to Leased Out. To start a lease period directly following a boarding out period, add an End Boarding status change then a Leased Out status change.
• Boarded Out to Boarded Out. To start a new boarding period with a new facility, add an End Board status change then a Boarded Out status change.