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Documentation · Welcome to Herdy · Register your first animals

Register your first animals

Step-by-step guide to registering your first animals in Herdy -- individually, via TVD import, or via CSV file.

Last updated · February 19, 2026· 1 min read

Register an animal manually

The quickest way to get to know Herdy is to register a single animal. Follow these steps:

  1. Open the Animals tab (on your phone in the bottom bar, on a computer in the sidebar).
  2. Click Register new animal.
  3. Fill in the form (details below).
  4. Click Save animal.

The animal now appears in your animal list and has its own profile.

Required fields

To save an animal, you must fill in at least these fields:

  • Species -- Select the species (sheep, goat, or cattle).
  • Ear tag -- The official Swiss ear tag in the format CH XXXX.XXXX.XXXX (e.g. CH 1234.5678.9012).
  • Breed -- Select the appropriate breed from the list (e.g. White Alpine Sheep, Saanen Goat, or Brown Swiss).
  • Sex -- Female, Male, or Castrated.
  • Date of birth -- The animal's date of birth.

Optional fields

You can fill in these fields now or later:

  • Name -- An individual name for the animal (e.g. "Bella").
  • Location -- Where the animal is currently located (farm, pasture, alp, or barn).
  • Dam / Sire -- If the parent animals are already registered, you can assign them here. This helps later with the pedigree.
  • Colour/markings -- Free text to describe the appearance (e.g. "White, brown patches").
  • Horn status -- Horned, Polled, Scurs, or Dehorned.
  • Notes -- Additional notes about the animal.

Tip: You do not need to fill in all fields at once. Start with the required fields and add details later via Edit in the animal profile.

Import animals from the TVD

If you already have animals registered in the animal traffic database (TVD / agate.ch), you can import them directly into Herdy. This saves a lot of typing.

  1. Open the Actions tab and navigate to Import.
  2. Select Import from TVD.
  3. If you have not yet stored your TVD credentials, you will be prompted to save them first under TVD settings. These are your agate.ch username and password.
  4. Herdy loads your animal data from the TVD. You see a preview of all animals found.
  5. Select the animals you want to import.
  6. Click Import.

Herdy automatically creates a profile for each imported animal with all available data.

Tip: The TVD import is the recommended approach if you already have animals on your farm. It ensures that ear tags and master data match the TVD exactly.

Import animals via CSV file

If you manage your animal data in a spreadsheet (e.g. Excel), you can import it as a CSV file. You do not need TVD credentials for this.

  1. Open the Actions tab and navigate to Import.
  2. Select Import CSV file.
  3. Download the template to see the correct format.
  4. Fill the template with your animal data and save it as a CSV file.
  5. Drag the file into the upload area or click to select it.
  6. Herdy validates the file and shows a preview. Invalid rows are highlighted.
  7. Click Import animals.

Tip: The CSV file must use a semicolon (;) as the delimiter. It is best to download the template first -- this avoids formatting issues.

What next?

Once your first animals are registered, you can:

  • Browse and filter the animal list
  • Create groups (e.g. by pasture or breeding group)
  • Create TVD notifications for births or departures
  • Record treatments and health events
  • Document matings and births

The next section explains the structure of the app so you can find your way around quickly.