Livestock management systems and methods

• US 20080059264A1
• Filed: 10/25/2007
• Published: 03/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MWI Veterinary Supply Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Micro Beef Technologies Ltd (MWI Veterinary Supply Incorporated)
• Inventors: Crain, Scott, Stroman, Richard, Afimiwala, Khurshid, Gibb, James, Niedecken, Timothy, Brink, Philip
• Granted Patent: US 8,019,633 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06315 Needs-based resource requirements planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0635 Risk analysis of enterprise or organisation activities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06375 Prediction of business process outcome or impact based on a proposed change
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06395 Quality analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/018 Certifying business or products
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0203 Market surveys; Market polls
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange

Abstract

This invention relates to systems and methods for managing livestock, such as cattle, from conception to consumption. More particularly, this invention relates to systems and methods in which users, such as producers, feedlot managers, packers, buyers, sellers, and consumers, are brought together through shared information and improved communication. Users may access one or more applications, tools, and/or systems to increase the value of each animal, monitor and track each animal, and improve the efficiency of their operation.

Claims

1. A method of using an expert system to recommend to a user actions to be taken for an individual animal of a plurality of animals, said method comprising:

collecting information pertaining to said animal;

analyzing said collected information by implementing said expert system to determine at least one recommended action for said animal, said implementation including an assessment of risk associated with said recommended action and determining an expected outcome of said action;

providing said user with said recommendation;

enabling said user to provide actual outcome information pertaining to said recommended action to said expert system;

comparing said actual outcome information to said expected outcome; and

updating said expert system based on said comparison.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

predicting future trends based, at least in part, on said comparison.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing said user with a list of steps to perform said recommendation.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

interpreting said collected information using an artificial intelligence model.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

interpreting said collected information using a neural network.

6. A system of using an expert system to recommend to a user actions to be taken for an individual animal of a plurality of animals, said system comprising:

a server;

a plurality of computers coupled to said server; and

a central database coupled to said server;

wherein said server is configured to;

collect information pertaining to said animal;

analyze said collected information by implementing said expert system to determine at least one recommended action for said animal, said implementation including an assessment of risk associated with said recommended action and determining an expected outcome of said action;

provide said user with said recommendation;

enable said user to provide actual outcome information pertaining to said recommended action to said expert system;

compare said actual outcome information to said expected outcome; and

update said expert system based on said comparison.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said server is further configured to:

predict future trends based, at least in part, on said comparison.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein said server is further configured to:

provide said user with a list of steps to perform said recommendation.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein said server is further configured to:

interpret said collected information using an artificial intelligence model.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein said server is further configured to:

interpret said collected information using a neural network.

11. A method of enabling a user to evaluate risks related to livestock operations, said method comprising:

collecting information on at least one livestock resource to be evaluated;

storing said collected information in a database;

analyzing said collected information;

providing said user with cost estimates of said at least one livestock resource based at least in part, on said collected information;

obtaining information on said at least one livestock resource from another user;

comparing said collected information to said obtained information; and

providing said user with an assessment of said livestock operations based, at least in part, on said comparison.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said collecting further comprises:

collecting information based on a purchase of said livestock resource.

13. A system of enabling a user to evaluate risks related to livestock operations, said system comprising:

a server;

a plurality of computers coupled to said server; and

a central database coupled to said server;

wherein said server is configured to;

collect information on at least one livestock resource to be evaluated;

store said collected information in said database;

analyze said collected information;

provide said user with cost estimates of said at least one livestock resource based at least in part, on said collected information;

obtain information on said at least one livestock resource from another user;

compare said collected information to said obtained information; and

provide said user with an assessment of said livestock operations based, at least in part, on said comparison.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein said server is further configured to:

collect information based on a purchase of said livestock resource.