Cattle management system and method
View Patent ↗A cattle management system and method are provided for managing numerous routine and non-routine management activities. The system and method incorporate a data processing system wherein comprehensive data is gathered and maintained on each individual animal as well as on selected groups of animals. Preferably, a central database is used which allows enhanced functionality with respect to not only data entry and data transfer, but also with respect to providing system generated management recommendations. Some significant functionality of the present invention includes the ability to track the location of each individual animal by utilizing unique identification data for each animal, recording all monitored events that take place at each location during the animal's production cycle, and reporting the events and locations as required to government entities, financial institutions, and other entities within the cattle industry.
1. A system for managing cattle, said system comprising:
a data processor;
data storage associated with said data processor;
programming instructions residing in said data storage for executing instructions based upon user data input;
said programming instructions including a plurality of recommended actions for management based upon mathematical relationships applied to a plurality of criteria corresponding to selected animal data;
a data input device for inputting data into said data processing system;
means for outputting information reflective of the recommendations said outputting means including at least one of a printed report and a user interface screen prescribing details on the recommended action; and
wherein data input into said data processing system is stored in a central database of said data storage, and subsequent data inputs made to the system result in providing an updated recommendation action taking into account a change in value of the mathematical relationships based upon subsequent data inputs that differ from initial data inputs.
2. A system, as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
one recommended action of said plurality of recommended actions includes prescribing a change of ration for the animal.
3. A system, as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
one recommended action of said plurality of recommended actions includes prescribing a change of location of the animal.
4. A system, as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
one recommended action of said plurality of recommend actions includes prescribing a treatment for the animal.
5. A system, as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
one recommended action of said plurality of recommended actions includes prescribing a method of administering a ration for the animal.
6. A method of generating a recommended action in a data processing system for cattle management, said method comprising the steps of:
establishing a plurality of criteria corresponding to individual animal data and group animal data;
generating at least one mathematical formula incorporating at least one criteria; and
determining a value for the at least one formula corresponding to a recommended management action, said recommended management action including at least one of a change of ration for an animal, a change of location of the animal, a treatment for the animal, and a method of administering the ration to the animal.
7. A method, as claimed in claim 6 , wherein:
said criteria include a feeding of the day, a percentage of how much to feed an animal during a particular feeding, a ration code identifying a type of ration, and an amount of ration per head of cattle.
8. A method, as claimed in claim 6 , wherein:
said at least one mathematical formula includes a plurality of mathematical formulas.
9. A method, as claimed in claim 6 , wherein:
said value of the at least one formula comprises a range of values.
10. A method, as claimed in claim 6 , wherein:
said criteria include at least one of a weight of the animal, a breed of the animal, and a sex of the animal, wherein a change of location of the animal is determined by the at least one mathematical formula that sorts cattle according to the criteria.
11. A method, as claimed in claim 6 , wherein:
said at least one criteria includes previous drugs administered to an animal and a current diagnosis of the animal for determining the treatment for the animal.