Method and system for manual entry of data into integrated electronic database for livestock data collection

• US 6,211,789 B1
• Filed: 01/21/2000
• Issued: 04/03/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aginfolink Holdings Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Aginfolink Holdings Incorporated
• Inventors: Curkendall, Leland D., Oldham, Courtney A.
• Primary Examiner(s): MULLEN, THOMAS J
• Application Number:
  US09/489,382
• Time in Patent Office: 438 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573.3, 340/573.1, 340/825.34, 340/10.1, 340/505, 340/691.1, 340/815.65, 128/903, 119/51.02, 235/487, 283/74, 40/300, 40/301
• US Class Current: 340/573.3
• 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 11/007 Boluses
• 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

Abstract

An efficient method and system for manual data entry into an integrated livestock management and data collection system is described to provide quality assurance source verification data and performance tracking for individual animals throughout the production cycle. The preferred embodiment includes a data card having a unique animal identification bar code for each animal; code cards showing abbreviated codes to be used when completing the data card; an individual animal radio frequency identification device having a unique code for the animal which corresponds to the unique animal identification bar code for the animal contained on the data card; a visual identification tag that contains a unique code to uniquely identify an animal; a bar coded event/detail listing; a bar code scanner for reading the bar codes on the data card; and BEEFLINK™ software as the integrated electronic database or system for processing and keeping track of the information.

Claims

1. An apparatus to permit manual entry of information related to an individual animal into an integrated electronic database for livestock management and data collection, the apparatus comprising:

a container including

a livestock producer identification means for identifying a livestock producer location;

an individual animal radio frequency identification device;

at least one bar code label, wherein said bar code label is correlated with a particular individual animal radio frequency identification device such that one individual animal is uniquely identified by both said bar code label and said radio frequency identification device;

at least one animal data card, said animal data card containing data fields in which characteristics specific to an individual animal may be recorded on the animal data card; and

a visual identification tag having a visual identification code, wherein said visual identification code is correlated with a particular individual animal radio frequency identification device such that one individual animal is uniquely identified by both said visual identification tag and said radio frequency identification device.

2. An apparatus to permit manual entry of information related to a group of animals into an integrated electronic database for livestock management and data collection, the apparatus comprising:

a livestock producer entity identification means for identifying a livestock producer location;

a group information worksheet for recording characteristics common to the group of animals;

a plurality of containers, each container including

an individual animal radio frequency identification device;

at least one bar code label, wherein said bar code label is correlated with a particular individual animal radio frequency identification device such that one individual animal is uniquely identified by both said bar code label and said radio frequency identification device;

at least one animal data card, said animal data card containing data fields in which characteristics specific to an individual animal may be recorded on the animal data card; and

a visual identification tag having a visual identification code, wherein said visual identification code is correlated with a particular individual animal radio frequency identification device such that one individual animal is uniquely identified by both said visual identification tag and said radio frequency identification device.

3. A method for manual entry of data into an integrated electronic database for livestock management and data collection comprising:

assigning a processing office identification code to each processing office, thereby identifying a processing office with a processing office identification code;

completing a registration form whereby a non-automated livestock producer is enrolled into an automated system, said registration form containing fields for identifying information and contact information for said livestock producer;

processing the registration form through a processing office;

assigning a livestock producer identification code to each livestock producer location being registered, thereby identifying a livestock producer with a livestock producer identification code;

generating a livestock producer identification bar code label for each livestock producer location;

applying the bar code label for the livestock producer to the corresponding registration form;

generating a data card and at least one code card for each animal to be registered at a livestock producer location;

completing a data card by supplying pertinent information on a particular animal, said data card having a unique animal identification bar code for identifying the animal;

identifying said animal with a unique individual animal radio frequency identification device having a unique electronic identification code which corresponds to the unique animal identification bar code on the data card;

identifying said animal with a visual identification tag having a unique visual identification code which corresponds to a particular radio frequency identification device, such that one animal is uniquely identified by both the visual identification tag and the radio frequency identification device; and

entering and storing the information from each animal'"'"'s data card into an integrated electronic database.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein

the registration form includes fields for

the date;

the billing address for the registering rancher;

the billing phone number for the registering rancher;

the fax machine telephone number for the registering rancher;

the name of the site where the animal is located;

the contact person at the site where the animal is located;

the phone number at the site where the animal is located;

the fax machine telephone number at the site where the animal is located;

indicating whether the data will be collected on individual animals or a herd; and

the livestock producer identification code that has been assigned to the livestock producer.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein

said data card is completed using abbreviations for animal data contained on at least one code card.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein

the data card includes fields for

the date said data card is being completed;

the ranch on which the animal is located;

whether group information is being given on the animal;

the visual identification tag number for the animal;

the animal'"'"'s sex as heifer, cow, steer or bull;

brand, method and dosage of medications and vaccinations for

Brucellosis,

Clostroidal,

IBR,

PI-3,

BVD,

BRSV,

Haemophilus somnus bacterin,

Pasteurella,

Leptospirosis,

Deworm,

Grub/Lice, and

Other,

brand of any implant;

treatments whereby the animal was branded, castrated, dehorned, or weaned;

an animal'"'"'s frame rated as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7;

an animal'"'"'s condition rated as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, or 9;

an animal'"'"'s breed code as such code is defined by the code cards;

an animal'"'"'s sire code as such code is defined by the code cards;

an animal'"'"'s dam code as such code is defined by the code cards;

an animal'"'"'s location;

an animal'"'"'s birth date;

an animal'"'"'s color as black, red, white, brindle, grey, black with white face or red with white face;

pregnancy checks performed on the animal at 1-2 months, 3-4 months, 4-5 months, 6-7 months, and 8-9 months;

whether a broken needle is observed on the animal;

whether a broken needle has not been observed on the animal; and

any incident other than a broken needle.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said data card is completed using abbreviations for animal data contained on at least one code card.

8. The method of claim 3 wherein the individual animal radio frequency identification device is a radio frequency identification ear tag transponder unit which provides a unique electronic identification code when queried by a radio frequency identification reader unit and that code identifies a particular animal.

9. The method of claim 3 wherein the individual animal radio frequency identification device is a rumen bolus.

10. The method of claim 3 wherein the individual animal radio frequency identification device is a radio frequency identification transponder implant which provides a unique electronic identification code when queried by a radio frequency identification reader unit and that code identifies a particular animal.

11. The method of claim 3 wherein entering and storing the information from each animal'"'"'s data card into an integrated electronic database includes the steps of:

scanning the animal'"'"'s unique animal identification bar code into an integrated electronic database with a bar code scanner; and

scanning the information contained on the data card into an integrated electronic database using a bar coded event/detail listing for predefined events.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein entering and storing the information from each animal'"'"'s data card into an integrated electronic database includes the additional step of:

key-entering information which is not predefined on the bar coded event/detail listing.

13. The method of claim 3 wherein entering and storing the information from each animal'"'"'s data card into an integrated electronic database includes the additional steps of:

verifying that the livestock producer identification code has been assigned and stored in a BEEFLINK™

data collection software program;

entering and storing the information from each data card into a BEEFLINK data collection software program, including

scanning the animal identification bar code;

re-scanning the animal identification bar code;

scanning the event/detail bar codes that correspond to the completed information on the data card.

14. A method for manual entry of data into an integrated electronic database for livestock management and data collection comprising:

assigning a processing office identification code to each processing office submitting a registration form from a livestock producer;

completing a registration form whereby a non-automated livestock producer is enrolled into an automated system, said registration form having fields for

the date;

the billing address for the registering livestock producer;

the billing phone number for the registering livestock producer;

the fax machine telephone number for the registering livestock producer;

the name of the site where the animal is located that the livestock producer is registering;

the contact person at the site where the animal is located that the livestock producer is registering;

the phone number at the site where the animal is located that the livestock producer is registering;

the fax machine telephone number at the site where the animal is located that the livestock producer is registering;

whether the data will be collected on individual animals or a herd;

the livestock producer identification code that has been assigned to the livestock producer;

processing the registration form through a processing office;

assigning a livestock producer identification code to each livestock producer location being registered;

generating a livestock producer identification bar code label for each livestock producer location;

applying to the corresponding registration form the livestock producer identification bar code label for the livestock producer;

generating a data card and at least one code card for each animal to be registered;

completing a data card by supplying pertinent information on a particular animal, said data card having a unique animal identification bar code for identifying the animal and fields for

the date said data card is being completed;

the ranch on which the animal is located;

whether group information is being given on the animal;

the visual identification tag number for the animal;

the animal'"'"'s sex as heifer, cow, steer or bull;

brand, method and dosage of medications and vaccinations for

Brucellosis,

Clostroidal,

IBR,

PI-3,

BVD,

BRSV,

Haemophilus somnus bacterin,

Pasteurella,

Leptospirosis,

Deworm,

Grub/Lice, and

Other.

brand of any implant;

treatments whereby the animal was branded, castrated, dehorned, or weaned;

an animal'"'"'s frame rated as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7;

an animal'"'"'s condition as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, or 9;

an animal'"'"'s breed code as such code is defined by the code cards;

an animal'"'"'s sire code as such code is defined by the code cards;

an animal'"'"'s dam code as such code is defined by the code cards;

an animal'"'"'s location;

an animal'"'"'s birth date;

an animal'"'"'s color as black, red, white, brindle, grey, black with white face or red with white face;

pregnancy checks performed on the animal at 1-2 months, 3-4 months, 4-5 months, 6-7 months, and 8-9 months;

whether a broken needle is observed on the animal;

whether a broken needle has not been observed on the animal;

any incident other than a broken needle;

identifying said animal with a unique individual animal radio frequency identification device having a unique electronic identification code which corresponds to the unique animal identification bar code on the data card;

identifying said animal with a visual identification tag having a unique visual identification code which corresponds to a particular radio frequency identification device, such that one animal is uniquely identified by both the visual identification tag and the radio frequency identification device; and

entering and storing the information from each animal'"'"'s data card into an integrated electronic database.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the individual animal radio frequency identification device is a radio frequency identification ear tag transponder unit which provides a unique electronic identification code when queried by a radio frequency identification reader unit and that code identifies a particular animal.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein said data card is completed using abbreviated codes for animal data contained on at least one code card.

17. A system for manual entry of data into an integrated electronic database for livestock management and data collection comprising:

a data card, said data card having a unique animal identification bar code which corresponds to a particular individual animal, the data card including fields for animal information including;

the animal'"'"'s sex, breed, vaccination events, treatment events, and frame and condition scores;

at least one code card to assist the livestock producer in completing the animal information onto the data card;

an individual animal radio frequency identification device having a unique electronic identification code which corresponds to the unique animal identification bar code on said data card;

a visual identification tag having a visual identification code which corresponds to an individual animal radio frequency identification device, such that the individual animal radio frequency identification device and the visual identification tag identify one particular animal;

an integrated electronic database;

a bar coded event/detail listing to assist in transcribing information to the integrated electronic database; and

a bar code scanner.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the integrated electronic database is maintained using BEEFLINK™

data collection software.

19. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

group information worksheet for recording characteristics common to the group of animals.

20. A process for packaging a system for manual entry of data into an integrated electronic database for livestock management and data collection comprising:

connecting a printer to a serial port on a compatible data processor;

connecting an electronic identification reader to a serial port on a compatible data processor;

formatting the incoming data from the electronic identification reader to the format required by the printer;

generating a bar code label from the reading of an individual animal radio frequency identification device on the printer such that the bar code label can be used to identify a particular animal;

applying the bar code label used to identify a particular animal to a data card;

placing a data card, at least one code card containing abbreviations for animal data to be completed on the data card, the individual animal radio frequency identification device, and a visual identification tag for identifying the same animal, into a container such that the data card, said at least one code card, the visual identification tag and the individual animal radio frequency identification device are secured within the container.