Cactus Feeders Turned a Slowing Legacy System Into a Faster Way to Run the Yard

CattleView, the legacy cattle management platform used by Cactus Feeders, was rebuilt to keep pace with daily feedlot operations, bringing cattle activity, feeding, inventory, shipments, and veterinary workflows into a faster, more responsive web and mobile experience for teams across the operation.

Summary

Cactus Feeders had the scale and ambition, but its existing system was holding operations back. Disconnected workflows, sluggish response times, and a cumbersome user experience added friction to everyday feedlot work. A full rebuild of CattleView changed that, turning a growing operational bottleneck into a faster, more connected way to run the yard.

About

Founded in 1975, Cactus Feeders is a major U.S. cattle feeding company headquartered in Amarillo, Texas. The employee-owned business operates large-scale feedyard operations and has built its reputation around disciplined cattle management, operational efficiency, innovation, and using data to improve how cattle are managed and marketed.

Solutions Built

Industry

Feedlot & Cattle Feeding

Geography Served

United States

Technology

.NET Framework • React JS • React Native

Measurable Outcomes

1 Platform

Cattle, feeding, inventory, shipments, and veterinary workflows managed through one connected operational platform.

7–10x

Faster system performance, reducing 7–10-second screen loads to near-instant access across operations.

~$30–50

Additional profit potential per head through better lot management, ration decisions, and operational visibility.

The Challenge

Legacy Software Was Costing Cactus Feeders More Than Just Time

CattleView had become part of the problem it was meant to solve. Disjointed systems interrupted information flow, routine data views could take 7–10 seconds to load, and a complex interface added effort to even simple cattle-management tasks. As operations grew, the platform also needed greater scalability to keep pace.

System Too Slow to Keep Up

Every data pull took 7–10 seconds to load. Across every screen and every shift, that lag was slowing the entire operation down.

Difficult-to-use Interface

Routine tasks required more steps than they should. The complexity of the system was adding effort where there shouldn't have been any.

Disconnected Across the Yard

Cattle movement, feed management, inventory, and vet workflows all lived separately. Nothing was connected. Nothing gave a single view of the operation.

No Room to Scale

As operational demands grew, CattleView couldn't keep pace. The platform was built for where the business had been, not where it was heading.

The Solution

From Legacy Friction to a System the Whole Feedlot Could Rely On

The new CattleView was structured around the decisions teams make throughout the cattle lifecycle. Lot assignments and pen moves could be managed against yard conditions, ration activity could be tracked down to fed, mixed, and loaded pounds, mill inventory could be reconciled daily, and veterinary feed directives could be handled electronically.

Our Approach

Fixing the Experience Meant Rethinking CattleView as a Whole

Rather than addressing isolated screens or performance issues, CattleView was modernized across the full product experience. The web and mobile applications were revamped together, new functionality was incorporated into the core system, and the underlying technology was updated to support a simpler user experience and greater scalability as operational demands grew.

Simplified the Experience

Reworked navigation, screens, and everyday user flows so yard teams could reach information and complete routine tasks with fewer steps.

Rebuilt Web and Mobile

Modernized both applications together, creating a more consistent experience whether teams were working from the office or across the yard.

Restructured Core Workflows

Reworked how cattle, feeding, inventory, shipment, and veterinary activities moved through CattleView so information flowed more naturally between daily processes.

Expanded Platform Capability

Added functionality around cattle lifecycle management, feed activity, mill inventory, and veterinary feed directives without creating another layer of disconnected tools.

Built for Growth

Updated the technology foundation with .NET, React JS, and React Native to support better performance, easier evolution, and future operational scale.

The Platform

From Pen Moves to Pounds Fed, CattleView Tracks the Work That Runs the Yard

CattleView gives yard teams the operational detail they need to manage the feedlot with precision, from tracking cattle movements between pens and understanding why they occurred, to managing ration quantities, reconciling mill inventory each day, and processing veterinary feed directives electronically. Every workflow reflects the decisions feedlot teams make in the course of real yard operations.

Lot & Pen Management

Assign cattle to lots and pens, manage placements, and keep current yard locations visible throughout the feeding cycle.

Cattle Movement Tracking

Record cattle movements between pens with the reason behind each move, creating a clearer operational history across the yard.

Mortality Records

Capture dead cattle records within the same system, keeping mortality information tied directly to the relevant lot and cattle history.

Shipment Management

Track cattle leaving the yard and maintain shipment activity alongside the operational records built throughout the feeding period.

Ration Management

Maintain ration masters, feeding details, and ration comments so teams can manage what each group of cattle receives.

Feed Weight Tracking

Track fed, mixed, and loaded pounds to give feed teams greater control over ration delivery and daily feeding activity.

Mill Inventory Control

Reconcile feed usage each day and monitor mill inventory so ingredient and feed balances stay current across operations.

Veterinary Feed Directives

Manage veterinary feed directives electronically, including veterinary signatures, to keep medicated feed approvals documented and accessible.

Turning System Performance Into Operational Performance

With critical feedyard activity managed through one system, teams could get to information sooner, keep cattle and feed records current, and follow daily activity with far less friction. The result was better visibility into what was happening across the yard and a stronger foundation for faster, more informed operational decisions.

7–10x

Faster system performance reduced delays between routine tasks and gave yard teams quicker access to operational information.

1

Cattle activity, feeding, inventory, shipments, and veterinary workflows became visible through one operational environment.

$30–50

Additional profit potential per head through better lot management, ration decisions, and tighter feed oversight.

100%

Veterinary feed directives could be documented, signed, and accessed electronically instead of relying on paper records.

40%

Reduction in workflow friction as teams moved between cattle, feeding, inventory, and related daily activities.

2x

Greater operational capacity supported by a modern platform built to handle increasing users, data, and workflows.

Is Your Feedlot System Working For You or Against You?

If disconnected workflows and outdated tools are getting in the way of daily yard operations, it’s time to rethink the system behind them. Talk to our team about building a feedlot platform that supports faster decisions, better visibility, and tighter operational control.