METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR TRACKING AND MANAGING ANIMALS AND/OR FOOD PRODUCTS

• US 20110196691A1
• Filed: 10/11/2010
• Published: 08/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MWI Veterinary Supply Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Micro Beef Technologies Ltd (MWI Veterinary Supply Incorporated)
• Inventors: Pratt, William C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,037,846 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/1.1
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 29/00 Other apparatus for animal husbandry
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/02 Agriculture; Fishing; Forestry; Mining
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/40 for data related to laboratory analysis, e.g. patient specimen analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 15/00 ICT specially adapted for medical reports, e.g. generation or transmission thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/26 at least one of which is mobile
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 90/10 Information and communication technologies [ICT] supporting adaptation to climate change, e.g. for weather forecasting or climate simulation

Abstract

Embodiments of a method and system are described for tracking and managing animals and/or food products. Identification data and location data for animals is entered into a computer system. A data service provider may collect this data and transmitted it to a data trustee. The data trustee may filter the data into official and non-official data, and send official data to an official database. When a public health issue arises, the government may use an identifier for a diseased animal or a location identifier to request a trace report from the data trustee. The data trustee may then use the official data to provide a report showing, for example, which animals have commingled with the diseased animal. Based on this report, other animals can be treated, quarantined, or slaughtered. The disclosed embodiments also may be used to facilitate commercial transactions by providing data that validates an animal'"'"'s health and food quality.

Claims

1. A system for tracking an animal, comprising:

a computer system at a measurement location remote from a feed pen, the computer system comprising one or more various computers, the computer system operable for storing characteristic information concerning an individual animal, including at least weight, and utilizing the characteristic information to project for the individual animal a limit or condition and an estimated time or date for the individual animal to achieve the projected limit or condition;

a physical identifier to transmit animal data, wherein at least a portion of the animal data comprises an animal identifier;

a data reader to read transmitted animal data from the physical identifier;

a GPS device for transmitting location data for an identified animal;

a data service provider to store received data from the data reader, wherein the data service provider adds to the animal data a premises identifier that corresponds to a location, wherein the data service provider correlates the animal data according to an animal identification value; and

a data trustee to receive at least a portion of the animal data from the data service provider and to filter confidential information from received animal data, wherein the data trustee generates a trace report based on the received animal data and wherein the data trustee applies a filter to the received animal data to screen the confidential information.

2. A method for tracking animals, comprising:

receiving a group of animals;

entering information relating to the group of animals into a computer system;

directing animals from the group to a processing location and through a one-way chute which has gates for separating one animal at a time;

entering into the computer system an identification of each animal from a physical identifier for the animal enabling the computer system to identify each animal and distinguish it from every other animal in a group;

entering into the computer system data relating to individual animals and correlating the data with an identification of the individual animals in the computer system;

entering into the computer system location data for identified individual animals for a location or locations occupied by the identified individual animals;

correlating in the computer system the location data for each identified individual animal with its identification; and

allowing a user to review a record for an identified animal that includes a location identifier for the a present location of the identified animal and that the identified animal occupied a previous location without disclosing a previous location identifier.