Customer Success Story: Texas Department of Criminal Justice
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice is one of
CattleMax's largest active customers. The department
oversees twelve prison farm units, which
collectively run approximately 16,500 head of
commercial cattle, reaching from Palestine, Texas,
to the Gulf Coast.
Laura Dean, Administrative Assistant for the
Department of Criminal Justice, oversees the use of
CattleMax for these ranching enterprises. She said
the prison farms have experienced a steady growth in
recent years.
Dean said they have used CattleMax software
for the past three years to improve the consistency
of record keeping methods among the twelve units.
"It's such an easy program to use," she said,
"I hardly ever have to ask questions."
Before learning about CattleMax at the Texas
A&M Beef Cattle Short Course, the department did not
keep detailed records on their cattle.
"We didn't have the capability," Dean said,
"They were all kept by the individual units and they
were all different."
She said that CattleMax has allowed them to
store their cattle records in a centralized
database. It has brought all of their information
together and each unit now uses the same record
keeping methods.
Although they are trying to centralize the
information, Dean said that each manager still has
his own preferences when formulating reports.
"I really like the new version and its
flexibility," she said, "I am able to customize
reports that are unique to the needs of the State of
Texas. I use the custom reports feature for every
report I make. Each unit has its own individual use,
and the managers ask for different reports."
Dean said that she most appreciates the ease
of use of the program, and enjoys many of the
features that make her job easier. She said that one
feature she has found to be particularly helpful is
the ability to track the history of each animal as
it is moved from one ranch to another.
CattleMax has allowed the Texas Department of
Criminal Justice to consolidate their records while
maintaining the flexibility needed to facilitate
each of their twelve units.
