Neckband Association Using the eShepherd Mobile App

What You’ll Need (prep):

• Mobile phone with eShepherd Mobile installed and logged in.
• Charged neckbands and animals physically ready.
• Cow visual ID (VID) tags visible/readable.
• Stable cell or Wi-Fi connection for uploading (recommended).
• Notebook or digital log (optional) for backup records or notes on errors/mistakes
• Recommended- Print out a spreadsheet of your neckbands to have a physical record of pairings chute side as a backup. To do this, access your web app> go to animals> + Create> Select "Bulk Create- Download file". This will provide you with an Excel spreadsheet that you can print off and hand write notes on as a back up or incase of emergency.

Recommended Naming & Session Conventions (helps later)

• Session name format: YYYYMMDD_Location_Batch# (e.g., 20251124_PastureA_B1)
• If pairing many neckbands in one run, keep batches/sessions to 25–50 to reduce errors.
• Record any anomalous neckband numbers or duplicated last-4 digits immediately.

Full Step-by-Step Workflow

1 — Open the App & Start a Session

1. Launch eShepherd Mobile on your phone.
2. Tap the three horizontal rows (menu) in the top-left of the app.
3. Choose “Sessions.”
4. Tap the “+” to create a new session.
5. Select “Scan Session.”
6. Rename the session using your convention (example above) and tap “Start.”

Why this matters: a named session keeps uploads organized in the eShepherd Web App and makes audits simple.

2 — Locate and Enter the Neckband Number

1. Pick up a neckband and locate the serial printed above the solar panel (or where your neckbands show their ID).
2. In the app, under the Neckband row, enter the last 5 digits of that printed number.

Note on last-5 digits: entering just the last four speeds entry. If you encounter two neckbands with the same last-5 digits, the app will usually present the full numbers so you can pick the correct one. This duplication is rare but possible.

3 — Verify & Select the Full Neckband ID

1. After you type the last 5 digits, the app automatically populates the matching full neckband number(s) below the field.
2. If the automatically populated full number matches the physical neckband, select it.

4 — Add the Cow VID (visual ID tag)

1. Enter the animal’s Cow VID (visual tag number) into the VID field.
2. Tap “Add.”

Confirmation: your phone will either vibrate or emit a tone when the pairing is successful. If you don’t feel/hear it, recheck the app and the neckband placement.

5 — Confirm Pairing in the Session

1. After adding, look at the top left of the session screen — check “total fitment” (count of paired NBs).
2. Also confirm the correct tag # appears beside the neckband entry.

6 — Finish the Session and Upload

1. When you have paired all animals in that batch, tap “End session.”
2. Choose “Upload to eShepherd.”
3. Tap “Upload.”
4. Wait for the confirmation screen. When you receive confirmation, the pairings are successfully uploaded and will appear in your eShepherd Web App.

Quick Troubleshooting & Fixes

No vibration/tone after Add:

• Ensure phone volume or vibration is enabled.
• Retry “Add”; confirm you chose the correct full neckband number.

Duplicate last-5 digits appear:

• Use the full neckband number from the printed serial if available.
• If two identical full numbers show (very unlikely), physically inspect the neckband and note serials, skip and pair later if unsure.

Upload fails / “No connection”:

• Move to a location with cell/Wi-Fi.
• End session, then retry “Upload to eShepherd.”
• If still failing, export or photograph your session screen as a temporary backup and contact support.

Wrong VID paired to a NB:

• Immediately delete that entry in the session (if possible) and re-pair the correct VID.
• If already uploaded, correct the mapping in the eShepherd Web App or contact your admin to fix records.

Neckband not detected or won’t populate:

• Ensure the neckband is powered/charged.
• Bring phone physically closer and avoid interference.
• Try re-entering different groups of digits if problem persists.

Practical Tips for Faster, Safer Pairing

• Work with one helper: one person holds/reads tags, the other enters info.
• Keep your phone screen active and set brightness high when outdoors.
• If doing many animals, pause every 20–30 to verify counts and avoid cumulative errors.
• Use the session name convention for easier auditing of who/when/where pairings were done.

Quick Reference Checklist

• Phone: eShepherd app installed & logged in
• Phone: Charged, vibration on, network available
• Neckbands: Visible serials, charged, unhibernated
• Session named per convention
• For each animal: enter last 5 digits → verify full ID → enter VID → Add → feel vibration/tone → confirm in total fitment
• End session → Upload → Confirm upload succeeded

What to Log After Pairing (recommended)

• Session name & date/time.
• Number of animals paired and any skipped items.
• Any duplicate last-5 events, failed neckbands, or animals that required re-pairing.
• Photos of problematic neckbands or tags (timestamped).

In this guide you will learn how to pair your mobile phone to a handheld reader, such as the Gallagher HR4 or HR5 and then use that reader to firstly scan the RFID tag inside the neckband and then scan the EID tag in the animal's ear to 'associate' that neckband with the animal.

Please download and follow the instructions in the eShepherd Mobile App PDF Guide here

Updated on: 01/12/2025