Is this a mandatory program?
No. BIXS is strictly voluntary.
Can I participate if my farm Internet connection is dial-up?
Yes… but with a caveat. If your dial-up connection is slow or intermittent, access to BIXS may be problematic. At this time it’s felt that a minimum dial-up connection rate of 56.6 baud uninterrupted will be the baseline. If you are on dial-up and access is problematic then accessing through a third party may be the best approach.
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Do I need a premise ID to participate in BIXS?
At present you do not need a premise ID… however, it is strongly recommended.
How can I use the individual animal and carcass data I get back?
A vast amount of the individual animal/carcass data and information you get back through BIXS can be scrutinized to identify opportunities or shortcomings in cow-calf and feedlot management, performance and profitability… Beef software and IT companies, some of which are partnered with BIXS, can take the analysis much deeper and evaluate trends and possibilities that may otherwise be missed were the data not captured and exchanged via BIXS.
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Why would I choose to upload management, health, genetic and other specific information on my cattle?
It enables you to add further description of your cattle to potential buyers, differentiating unique aspects of your animals featuring specific information on your cattle, breeding program, animal health protocols, management, feedlot performance and much more. In time, the negotiated settlement of cattle trade up and down the chain will be based in large part on data on performance, health, genetics, carcass quality and more.
Can I age verify my cattle through BIXS?
Yes. When you enter your animal’s birth date information into BIXS, BIXS automatically forwards this information to your CCIA account. After entry of the birth date information into BIXS you can log into your CCIA account and see your animal birth date information and print off a birth certificate.
