GEM Basics

GEM is a multiple-user system, so you must log into GEM from your Web Browser from this link https://www.benyshek-hough.com/GEM.

You must then enter your ID and password. This information is either supplied by GEM personnel or an administrator at your farm/ranch. If you enter your correct ID and password (both are case-sensitive) and nothing happens, chances are that your computer is blocking pop-up windows from the GEM server. Most browsers give you a warning message at the upper-right-hand corner of your window. Click that link and select Allow pop-ups from www.benyshek-hough.com.

Each animal is automatically assigned an internal GEM database number called a BHID. This is a unique number that differentiates all animals in the GEM database. You can think of a BHID as GEM's version of a registration number.

Embryos in GEM are nearly the same thing as a live animal. The main difference is that embryos do not have birth dates. When an embryo is assigned a birth date, that record is "converted" from an embryo to a live calf. Thus, GEM has the ability to track a live calf to when it was an embryo.

All embryo records should be entered into GEM when the donor dam is flushed, not when the embryo calf is born. When an embryo is born, simply give the embryo a birth date, weight, usually a new ID, etc. and now it is a live calf. Only natural calves are entered into GEM at birth.

All animals in GEM can have potential for three parents, a sire and dam, but also a recipient dam if it is an embryo transfer. Obviously all animal's do not have a recipient dam, only embryos. An exception is that a foster dam of a natural (non-ET) calf can also be stored as the recipient.

Animals are never deleted in GEM. They are simply made inactive. In normal searches or set building, only active animals are considered. You can certainly override search or set building defaults and consider inactive animals as well.

Current and historical animal locations are an important aspect of GEM. Locations are physical places where an animal resides, such as pastures or pens. Embryos are the same as animals therefore nitrogen tanks and canisters should be considered locations as well.

It is not a requirement in GEM, but most locations will be nested under another another location referred to as a parent location. For example, you main parent location is your Ranch Name. Nested under that could be the Smith Place and the Jones Place. Under the Smith Place you might have the North 80 and South 80. Under the North 80 could be the Creek Pasture, Calving Pasture and Barn Lots. Another example could be the Blue Nitrogen Tank and Blue Can 1 through Blue Can 6.

Locations should never be something like First Calf Heifers or Open Cows. You might well locate your Open Cows together, but that should not be the name of the location. Since a Calf (or gestating embryo) will automatically follow it's mother when she changes locations. An embryo's "mother" in this context, is it's recipient dam. This automatic following of the calf with it's mother is discontinued when the calf is weaned (a weaning date is entered), the calf reaches 9 months of age or the calf is made inactive.

Electronic IDs (EIDs) can be "turned ON or OFF" via Administration / Edit Client Settings. There are several places throughout GEM can can allow animal ID search and data entry via an EID reader.