Getting Started

Set up your herd in about five minutes.

A short guide to getting HerdMaster running, from installing the app to importing your records and keeping up with the daily work. No prior setup needed.

~5 minutes5 stepsFree to start, no credit card

Install the app

At launch, HerdMaster is free on the App Store. It runs on iPhone with iOS 17 or later, with iPad support planned for a later release. First launch is quick: create an account, confirm your email, and you land on an empty herd ready for your first animals.

Free to startNo credit card and no commitment. The free tier covers up to 10 animals with full breeding records, so you can try the whole app before deciding.

Add or import your herd

However your records live now, there's a path in. Pick the one that fits, you can mix and match later.

Start fresh

Add animals by hand and link pedigrees as you go. Best for a small herd or a clean start.

From Evans

Export your Evans XML and import animals, winnings, and litters in one step. XPEDX and HTM work as fallbacks.

From paper

Snap a photo and let OCR pull the details into a 4-generation pedigree for you to review.

To add an animal by hand:

To import an Evans export:

Heads up: choose Beta/Other in EvansDon't pick Show Tails or All ACTIVE animals. Show Tails only exports full pedigrees for active animals. To include archived animals, choose Beta/Other, All animals (both Active and Archived), All Breeds, and All Other Items.

Imports are safe to repeatEvery import checks for duplicates before anything saves, so re-importing or merging won't create double entries. Not happy with the result? Roll it back, your existing records stay untouched.

Build your pedigrees

Set each animal's sire and dam and HerdMaster assembles the 4-generation pedigree for you. Scroll it full-screen to check your lines, see where a pedigree is complete or thin, and export a clean multi-generation PDF to print or hand to a buyer. Imported animals arrive with their trees already filled, so there's nothing to retype.

Export a PDFOpen any animal's pedigree and choose Share › PDF to print it or send it to a buyer.

Track the daily work

Once your herd is in, HerdMaster keeps the day running. Most of this happens in a few taps, right from the barn.

Record breedings. Log a pairing in seconds and HerdMaster tracks the timeline, so you know when to expect the next litter.
Log litters and kit weights. Record each litter as it's born, then track weights over time to spot your strongest growers early.
Set up health records. Keep weights, treatments, and notes attached to each animal, on whatever schedule you set.
Review what's coming up. Your task list and breeding calendar surface due litters, follow-ups, and to-dos so nothing slips.

Sync and use offline

Your records follow you, even where signal drops.

Turn on iCloud sync. Sign in with your Apple ID and HerdMaster keeps your herd in sync across every device you own. Add a litter on your phone in the morning, see it on your iPad that night, with no exporting and no manual backups.
Work offline anywhere. Out at the hutches with no signal, keep going. Record breedings, log weights, and update health notes; HerdMaster saves on-device and syncs automatically the moment you're back online.
Stay backed up. Because records sync to your own iCloud, your herd is protected even if you lose or replace your phone. Set up a new device, sign in, and everything is right where you left it.

That's the whole setup.

HerdMaster isn't on the App Store yet. Join the waitlist and we'll tell you the moment it's downloadable.

Join Waitlist Read the FAQ Contact us