Loading and Dropping
A successful feeding cycle begins with loading and mixing ingredients and then dropping it to one or more pens. Using the FeedComp mobile app ensures that your rations are mixed accurately and delivered to the right pens.
⚠️ IMPORTANT: Do NOT lock your device while using FeedComp. Keep the app running on the screen at all times while actively feeding. Avoid closing the app or opening other apps while feeding.
Loading and dropping can only be completed in the mobile app. To get started:
- Tap Feed at the bottom of the mobile app
- Select Feeding Schedule to view the required feedings for the day. To manage or edit the feedings in your list, see Create and Schedule Feedings.
- Select a feeding to begin loading.
⚠️ IMPORTANT: Avoid connectivity changes while a feeding is in progress or while the app is syncing data.
- If your feeding route passes through areas with WiFi coverage, consider disabling WiFi on your device before starting a feeding. WiFi auto-reconnect can trigger a data refresh that may interrupt an active feeding.
- Do not switch the device to offline mode while the app is still refreshing or syncing data, even if the refresh is taking longer than expected. Interrupting a sync mid-process can result in inconsistent local data and may prevent you from starting a mix.
Expand the topics below to learn more.
- Tap the first feeding to mix.
If a feeding is too large for the selected mixer, FeedComp displays an overcapacity warning
. If you start the mix, it will be split into multiple feedings and you may need to reorder the feeding schedule.
- Tap Start Mix at the bottom of the screen.
- Load the first ingredient. During loading, you can:
- Ignore
: Remove the ingredient from the feeding. You may want to do this if the ingredient isn't stocked.
- Advance
(or Advance this Ingredient): Move to the next ingredient when you've loaded enough, even if you didn't load to the exact target. See Load Tolerance to learn more.
- Skip
: Move the ingredient to the end of the queue and load it later.
- Abort : Stop the feeding. Feeding data is not saved. These are identified with an Aborted icon
on the Feed History Report and the feeding data is not saved.
- Pause
: Put the feeding on hold. Press the Play button to resume the feeding.
If an ingredient’s weight falls below the mixer threshold during mixing, FeedComp alerts you before the next ingredient can be added. Tap Acknowledge to confirm the ingredient's actual amount and continue mixing. Acknowledged ingredients are identified with an ACK icon 
on the Feed History Report.
- If a timer was set for the ingredient to mix or a time delay was set between ingredients, you can tap Skip to immediately move to the next ingredient in the recipe.
- Load the rest of your ingredients, then proceed to Drop the Mix.
IMPORTANT: If you have Loader View on a loading device, the loading device is automatically disconnected from your device once all of the ingredients are loaded.
- After all ingredients are added to the mixer, tap Start Dropping at the bottom of the screen.
- Drop the mix at the first pen. During the drop, you can:
- Ignore : Remove the pen from the feeding.
- Advance (or Advance this Drop): Move to the next pen manually, even if you didn't drop to the exact target. Use this option sparingly, as incorrect usage leads to drop errors or flagging the load as incomplete. See Manual Advances to learn more about this option and Best Practices.
💡TIP: Whenever possible, allow the app to auto advance. This ensures the most accurate data is captured based on your scale's real-time weight.
- Skip : Move the pen to the end of the queue and drop feed later.
- Abort : Stop the feeding. Feedings started but not completed are identified with an Aborted icon on the Feed History Report. Incomplete loading or dropping activities can affect how FeedComp classifies a feeding. See Complete vs. Incomplete Loads to learn more.
- Pause : Put the feeding on hold. Press the Play button to resume the feeding.
- Once the mix is dropped, FeedComp automatically advances to the next pen. Drop the mix at the rest of the pens until all of the drops are complete.
- When the feeding is completed, tap Continue if FeedComp doesn't automatically display a feeding summary. Tap View Report Card to view additional details for the ingredients dropped and pens fed for the feeding.