Cattle management method and system

• US 5,673,647 A
• Filed: 10/31/1994
• Issued: 10/07/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: MWI Veterinary Supply Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Micro Chemical Inc.
• Inventors: Pratt, William C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Swiatek, Robert P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shaw, Elizabeth
• Application Number:
  US08/332,563
• Time in Patent Office: 1,072 Days
• Field of Search: 119/51.02, 119/502, 119/511, 119/840, 119/841, 119/842, 348/89, 452/52, 452/53
• US Class Current: 119/51.02
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 1/0023 Sorting gates
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 1/0209 Feeding pens for pigs or cattle
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 11/006 Automatic identification systems for animals, e.g. electronic devices, transponders for animals identification systems for access to feeding pens A01K1/0209; ear tags with electronic identification means A01K11/004
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 29/00 Other apparatus for animal husbandry
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 29/005 Monitoring or measuring activity, e.g. detecting heat or mating
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 5/02 Automatic devices automatic identification devices for stock A01K11/006
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0858 involving measuring tissue layers, e.g. skin, interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0637 Strategic management or analysis, e.g. setting a goal or target of an organisation; Planning actions based on goals; Analysis or evaluation of effectiveness of goals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/10 Tax strategies
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting

Abstract

A highly automated method and system for providing individual animal electronic identification, measurement and value based management of cattle in a large cattle feedlot. Through the use of (1) a computer system integrated with (2) automatic individual animal identification (3) multiple measurement and remeasurement systems with automatic data input and (4) a cattle handling and sorting system, animals are individually (a) identified and (b) measured by weight, external dimensions and characteristics of internal body tissue. With this information together with animal physiological characteristics and historical data, the computer system calculated the optimum (c) slaughter weight, (d) economic end point and (e) marketing date for shipment to a packing plant. After measurement, individual animals are (f) sorted by direction of the computer in response to calculations from the measurements. The computer system also calculated from individual animal data and other data (g) each animal'"'"'s pro rata share of total feed intake for the animal'"'"'s feed group fed. The computer system (h) stores individual animal measurement, performance and location data, which is used by management to (i) select animals for shipment from the feedlot for slaughter at the optimum time. Following an animal'"'"'s shipment to a slaughter facility, its identification in the computer system is used to (j) correlate the live animal physical characteristics and performance data to the measured and evaluated carcass characteristics data obtained during the slaughter process and (k) build a data base to more accurately identify and measure value-based characteristics in subsequent animals produced and fed for more effective value-based selection and management of the animals.

Claims

1. A method of individual animal management in which groups of animals are normally retained and fed in pens to prepare them for slaughter comprising:

entering into and storing in a computer system characteristics relating to a group of animals;

directing animals to a measurement location;

directing said group of animals at the measurement location, through a one-way single-file chute which has an animal station including gates for separating one animal at-a-time;

monitoring the location of each animal within the single-file chute by the computer system in communication with animal position sensing devices;

measuring various individual animals at the measurement location and entering the measurements in a system computer to record various measured characteristics, including at least (a) weight (b) measured external animal dimensions and (c) measured internal animal tissue dimensions or texture, the data entry means being operable without requiring operator visual measurement interpretation and keyboard measurement entry;

operating gates in the single-file chute by the computer system in response to computer monitoring of animal locations by position sensor and completion of a measurement at the location so that animals may move forward from station to station at the appropriate time;

calculating in the computer system from the characteristics data and in response to entry of the individual measurements, a projected optimum point (weight/date/EEP) of marketing for slaughter for each individual animal;

attaching to each animal before exiting the chute, an identification device enabling the computer system to identify each animal and distinguish it from every other animal in the feedlot;

entering into the computer the identification of each animal from the ID for that animal;

correlating the characteristics data, measurement data and projection data for each animal with its ID in the computer system;

directing the measured animals from the chute and measurement location to one or more feed pens, and there feeding a group of animals for a given feeding period;

calculating in the computer system the projected rate of gain for each measured animal from at least the said characteristics data, individual animal measurement data, ration data, and health care or growth promotion products data;

calculating a projected feed intake for each animal from at least its measured weight;

for a first feeding period, calculating in the computer system the production cost for allocation to each animal in the group utilizing at least the projected feed intake for each animal, totaling the projected feed intake for all the animals in the group, calculating the pro rata share for each animal in the group, comparing that total to the actual amount fed to those animals in the group, and allocating the actual amount fed to the group on the pro rata basis to each animal in the group and storing that amount in the computer;

remeasuring individually at least some of the group of animals previously measured utilizing the computer system to record and store at least weight;

calculating in the computer system from data (group and individual) and in response to each animal'"'"'s measurements and remeasurements a projected optimum point of marketing for slaughter for each remeasured animal;

directing each remeasured animal from the measurement location to one or more feed pens for additional feeding;

calculating in the computer system the projected feed intake for each animal from at least individual remeasured weight;

for a second feeding period calculating in a computer the production cost for allocation to an individual animal utilizing at least the projected feed intake by individual animal, totaling the projected feed intake for all the animals in a group, calculating the pro rata share of each animal, comparing that total to the actual amount fed to those animals and allocating the actual amount fed on the pro rata basis to each animal and storing that amount in the computer;

selecting for removal individual animals or groups from the feedlot for shipment to slaughter utilizing the group and individual projection data;

reading the identification device on each animal at the slaughter plant and matching the identification of the live animal to the corresponding animal carcass identity;

collecting carcass data characteristics of each animal following its slaughter;

matching the carcass data characteristics to the live animal in the computer system and storing in the system utilizing the individual animal identification;

storing in the computer system by individual animal identification an animal'"'"'s live growth performance data and carcass data;

calculating by computer adjusted formulas for improving over time the accuracy of projecting of optimum slaughter dates of future animals from the animal or group historical data, individual animal live measurement data, and the individual animal growth performance data and carcass data.

2. A method of individual animal value management in a livestock feedlot in which groups of animals are normally retained and fed in pens to prepare them for slaughter comprising:

entering into and storing in a computer system historical information relating to a group of animals;

directing animals to a measurement and sorting location;

directing said group of animals at the measurement and sorting location, through a one-way single-file chute which has multiple animal holding stations including gates for holding one animal at-a-time in each station;

monitoring the location of each animal within the single-file chute by the computer system in communication with animal position sensing devices;

at different holding stations within the chute, measuring various individual animals utilizing the computer communicating with measurement devices to record various measured characteristics, including at least (a) weight characteristics (b) measured external animal dimensions and (c) measured internal animal tissue dimensions or texture, the data entry means being operable without requiring operator visual measurement interpretation and keyboard measurement entry;

operating gates in the single-file chute by the computer system in response to computer monitoring of animal locations by position sensor and completion of a measurement at the location so that animals may move forward from station to station at the appropriate time;

calculating in the computer system from the historical data and in response to entry of the individual measurements, a projected optimum date of marketing for slaughter for each individual animal;

attaching to each animal before exiting the chute, an electronic identification device (EID) enabling the computer system to identify each animal and distinguish it from every other animal in the feedlot;

entering into the computer the identification of each animal from the EID for that animal;

correlating the historical data, measurement data and projection data for each animal with its EID in the computer system;

directing the measured animals from the chute and measurement and sorting location to one or more feed pens, and there feeding a group of animals for a given feeding period;

calculating in the computer system the projected rate of gain for each measured animal from the said historical and individual animal measurement data;

calculating a projected feed intake for each animal from its measured weight and projected rate of gain;

for a first feeding period, calculating in the computer system the production cost for allocation to each animal in the group utilizing the projected feed intake for each animal, totaling the projected feed intake for all the animals in the group, calculating the pro rata share for each animal in the group, comparing that total to the actual amount fed to those animals in the group, and allocating the actual amount fed to the group on the pro rata basis to each animal in the group and storing that amount in the computer for billing to the animal owner;

removing at least some of the group of animals previously measured from their feed pen and remeasuring those animals individually utilizing the computer system to communicate with the measuring devices to measure in the single-file chute, record and store at least (a) weight and (b) measured internal animal tissue characteristics;

calculating in the computer system from historical data and in response to each animal'"'"'s measurements and remeasurements a projected optimum date of marketing for slaughter for each remeasured animal;

sorting each remeasured animal into one of multiple sort groups based on a selected animal characteristic as determined at least in part by measure and recorded data for each animal;

directing each remeasured and sorted animal from the measurement and sorting location to one or more feed pens according to its sort group for additional feeding;

calculating in the computer system the projected feed intake for each sorted animal from at least projected individual weight and gain;

for a second feeding period calculating in a computer the production cost for allocation to an individual animal utilizing the projected feed intake by individual animal, totaling the projected feed intake for all the animals in a group, calculating the pro rata share of each animal, comparing that total to the actual amount fed to those animals and allocating the actual amount fed on the pro rata basis to each animal and storing that amount in the computer;

selecting for removal and removing individual animals or groups from the feedlot for shipment to slaughter utilizing the group and individual projection data;

reading the electronic identification device on each animal at the slaughter plane and in the computer system matching the electronic identification number of the live animal to the corresponding animal carcass identity;

collecting carcass data characteristics of each animal following its slaughter;

matching the carcass data characteristics to the live animal in the computer system and storing the data in the system utilizing the individual animal electronic identification;

storing in the computer system by individual animal electronic identification an animal'"'"'s live measurement data, growth performance data an carcass data;

calculating by computer adjusted formulas for improving over time the accuracy of projecting of optimum slaughter dates of future animals from the animal or group historical data, individual animal live measurement data, and the individual animal growth performance data and carcass data.

3. A method of managing cattle in large feedlots for optimum beef production, comprising:

(a) after arrival of an animal in the feedlot, identifying the animal through an identifying device attached to the animal that distinguishes the animal from every other animal in the feedlot, and recording the animal'"'"'s identification;

(b) in a first measuring step, measuring and recording at least one physical characteristic of the identified animal, such measurement including a first weight measurement, and matching the recorded first weight measurement and any other measurements taken, with the animal'"'"'s recorded identification;

(c) feeding the identified and measured animal with a group of other animals in a pen for a feeding period;

(d) in a subsequent measuring step, measuring at least one physical characteristic of the identified animal including a second weight measurement, and matching the recorded second weight measurement and any other recorded measurements with the identified animal'"'"'s recorded identification and with the first recorded weight measurement and any other first measurements;

(e) recording for the identified animal a projected limit or optimum target condition for the identified animal and matching the recorded condition with the recorded identification for the animal;

(f) calculating and recording the estimated time required for the identified animal to achieve the projected target condition using data for the identified animal that includes at least measurement data obtained from the first and subsequent measuring steps, and matching the recorded time with the recorded identification of the animal; and

(g) selecting the identified animal for further processing based at least in part on the estimated time.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the first and subsequent measuring steps are performed at a measuring station remote from the feed pen.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the measuring station comprises a single-file chute subdivided into separate measuring substations by gates, with the downstream end of the chute being in communication with sorting pens, the identified animal after the subsequent measuring step being directed into one of the sorting pens as determined at least in part by its recorded first and second measurements.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein after the second measuring step, the identified animal is sorted into a group of animals determined at least in part by its recorded first and subsequent measurements, the group being directed to a feed pen for a second feeding period, the second feeding period being determined at least in part by the estimated time.

7. The method of claim 3 including during the feeding period, calculating the amount of feed consumed by the identified animal using a feed allocation formula that takes into account the animal'"'"'s first weight measurement, recording the calculated consumption, and matching the recorded consumption with the recorded identification of the animal.

8. The method of claim 6 including during the feeding period immediately following the first measuring step, calculating the amount of feed consumed by the identified animal using a feed allocation formula that takes into account the animal'"'"'s first weight measurement, recording the calculated consumption, and matching the recorded consumption with the recorded identification of the animal;

and calculating the amount of feed consumed by the identified animal during the subsequent feeding period using a feed allocation formula that takes into account the animal'"'"'s first and subsequent weight measurements, recording the recalculated consumption, and matching the recorded recalculated consumption with the recorded identification of the animal.

9. The method of claim 3 wherein from data including at least the first and subsequent recorded weight measurements for the identified animal, calculating and recording a rate of weight gain for the identified animal, and matching the recorded rate of weight gain with the recorded identification of the animal;

and in determining the projected target condition of the identified animal using data which includes at least the calculated rate of weight gain.

10. The method of claim 3 wherein a projected target condition for the identified animal includes a projected target weight, and determining the projected target weight using data for the identified animal that includes at least measurement data obtained from at least one of the first and subsequent measuring steps.

11. The method of claim 3 wherein the target condition is days to finish.

12. The method of claim 3 wherein the target condition is days on feed.

13. The method of claim 3 wherein the target condition is economic endpoint.

14. The method of claim 3 wherein the target condition is optimum end date.

15. The method of claim 3 wherein the target condition is optimum finish weight.

16. The method of claim 3 wherein the target condition is optimum back fat.

17. The method of claim 3 wherein the target condition includes a maximum back fat limit.

18. The method of claim 3 wherein the target condition includes an overweight limit condition.

19. The method of claim 3 wherein the target condition includes an underweight limit condition.

20. The method of claim 3 wherein the target condition is an internal measurement of the identified animal.

21. The method of claim 3 wherein the target condition is maximum value of the identified animal.

22. The method of claim 3 wherein the target condition is the maximum profit realizable from the identified animal.

23. The method of claim 3 wherein the target condition is the point at which the incremental cost of gain equals the economic value of the identified animal.

24. The method of claim 3 wherein the target condition is a desired economic value of the identified animal.

25. The method of claim 3 wherein the target condition is a desired physical characteristic of the identified animal.

26. The method of claim 3 wherein the target condition is a desired rate of change for any measurement of the identified animal taken multiple times.

27. The method of claim 4 including removing the identified animal from the feed pen at the end of the feeding period, directing the identified animal to the measuring station, and there measuring and recording at least two physical characteristics of the identified animal.

28. The method of claim 3 wherein the steps of identifying, measuring, calculating, recording and matching are all done electronically.

29. The method of claim 3 including, after the subsequent measuring step, directing the identified animal to a feed pen for feeding with a second group of animals for a second feeding period.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein the identified animal is selected and sorted into the feed pen with the second group of animals for the second feeding period according to predetermined criteria determined at least in part from a measurement taken during the subsequent measuring step.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein the selection and sorting of the identified animal into the second group for the second feeding period is accomplished electronically using a data processor.

32. The method of claim 7 including during a second feeding period following a subsequent measuring step, calculating and recording the identified animal'"'"'s feed consumption using a feed allocation formula that takes into account the first and subsequent weight measurements, and matching the recorded calculations with the recorded animal identification.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein the calculating, recording and matching of feed consumption using the feed allocation formula is done electronically.

34. The method of claim 3 including calculating a projected time remaining before shipment from the feedlot for the identified animal using data for the identified animal that includes at least measurement data obtained from the first and subsequent measuring steps.

35. The method of claim 34 including directing the identified animal to a feed pen for a subsequent feeding period, with the feed pen selected for the subsequent feeding period being determined using the projected time remaining before shipment.

36. The method of claim 34 wherein the identified animal is directed to the measuring station after the feeding period with a first group of animals for measuring during the subsequent measuring step, and wherein following the subsequent measuring step the identified animal is sorted from the first group into a subsequent group of animals having similar projected times remaining before shipment.

37. The method of claim 36 wherein the subsequent group is directed to a feed pen for feeding during a subsequent feeding period.

38. The method of claim 37 wherein the projected time remaining before shipment of the identified animal is recalculated after at least three measuring steps during each of which the identified animal is measured for at least weight.

39. The method of claim 37 wherein the identified animal is separated from the subsequent group of animals and selected for shipment after a final measuring step in which the identified animal is at least remeasured for weight.

40. The method of claim 3 wherein at least one of the measuring steps includes at least a weight measurement and an external dimension measurement of the identified animal.

41. The method of claim 3 wherein at least one of the measuring steps includes at least a weight measurement and an internal back fat measurement of the identified animal.

42. The method of claim 3 wherein the first and subsequent measuring steps include both an external dimension measurement and an internal back fat measurement.

43. The method of claim 3 wherein the first measuring step includes at least a weight measurement and an external dimension measurement of the identified animal.

44. The method of claim 3 wherein the subsequent measuring step includes at least a subsequent weight measurement and an internal back fat measurement of the identified animal.

45. The method of claim 3 wherein one of the measuring steps includes at least a weight measurement, an external dimension measurement, and an internal back fat measurement of the identified animal.

46. The method of claim 3 wherein the first measuring step includes a weight measurement, an external dimension measurement, and an internal back fat measurement of the identified animal.

47. The method of claim 3 wherein the subsequent measuring step includes at least a subsequent weight measurement and an external dimension measurement of the identified animal.

48. The method of claim 3 wherein the subsequent measuring step includes at least a second weight measurement and an internal back fat measurement of the identified animal.

49. The method of claim 3 wherein the subsequent measuring step includes at least a subsequent weight measurement, an external dimension measurement, and an internal back fat measurement of the identified animal.

50. The method of claim 39 wherein the final measuring step includes at least a weight measurement and an external dimension measurement of the identified animal.

51. The method of claim 39 wherein the final measuring step includes at least a weight measurement and an internal back fat measurement of the identified animal.

52. The method of claim 39 wherein the final measuring step includes at least a weight measurement, an external dimension measurement, and an internal back fat measurement of the identified animal.

53. The method of claim 39 wherein the final measuring step takes place in a pen sorter.

54. The method of claim 29 wherein the subsequent measuring step takes place in a pen sorter.

58. The method of claim 46 wherein the animal identification, measurement and remeasurement data for each identified animal are entered into a computer and the matching of the data with the animal identification is performed by the computer and the calculating step is performed by a computer, and wherein the sort group for each identified animal is determined by computer.

60. The method of claim 3 wherein during the first and a subsequent measuring steps, multiple identified animals are moved to a measuring station where they are measured for weight in the first and subsequent measuring steps, measured for external dimension in at least a subsequent measuring step, and measured for internal back fat in at least a subsequent measuring step, and then sorted into groups determined at least in part by the aforesaid three different measurements.

55. A method of managing cattle in large feedlots for beef production, comprising:

(a) identifying the animals in an original group of animals after their arrival at a feedlot and recording their identifications;

(b) in a first step, measuring at least the weights of the animals in the original group and recording the weight measurements, and matching the recorded weight measurements with the recorded identifications of the animals;

(c) after the first measuring step, directing the original group of measured animals to at least one feed pen for a first feeding period;

(d) after the first feeding period, in a subsequent measuring step, remeasuring at least the weights of the animals in the original group, recording the remeasured weights, and matching the recorded remeasured weights with the recorded identifications of the animals;

(e) after the subsequent measuring step, sorting the remeasured animals into at least three sort groups according to criteria determined at least in part by measurements taken in the first and subsequent measuring steps;

(f) after sorting, directing the animals in the three sort groups to different feed pens selected according to their sort groups for a subsequent feeding period;

(g) from the data recording for the identified animals in the three sort groups during the first and subsequent measuring steps, calculating for each identified animal in each of the three groups, a projected time remaining before shipment, and selecting identified animals from the sort groups for shipment based at least in part on their projected time remaining before shipment.

56. The method of claim 55 wherein at least one of the at least three sort groups is a flex sort group in which the identified animals in the flex sort group have identified criteria which allow them to be placed in either of the two other sort groups, the identified animals grouped within the flex sort group thereafter being resorted into one of the two other sort groups before being directed to feed pens for the subsequent feeding period.

57. The method of claim 56 wherein the animals sorted into the flex sort group are resorted into the two other sort groups so that the two other sort groups contain a desired number of animals.

59. The method of claim 57 wherein the sorting into the at least three sort groups and the resorting of animals from the flex sort group into the two other sort groups includes the use of computer-controlled sorting gates and wherein the sorting and resorting steps include operating selected sorting gates in response to a computer-determined sort group for each identified animal.