Livestock management systems and methods

• US 20080077481A1
• Filed: 10/25/2007
• Published: 03/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• 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
• Application Number:
  US11/977,508
• Publication Number:
  US 20080077481A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/10
• 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 enabling a user to participate in a selected beef marketing program, said method comprising:

collecting information on a plurality of animals to be certified under said marketing program;

storing said collected information in a database;

querying said database to verify that individual animals of said plurality of animals are certifiable under said marketing program;

notifying said user that said individual animals are certifiable under said marketing program;

selecting said program from a plurality of programs;

providing said user with the capability to view the program requirements that are met; and

providing said user with the capability to view the status of the program requirements.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing said user with the capability to view the program requirements for said selected program.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining the expenses of a seller;

determining the benefits of a buyer; and

providing said user with a valuation comprising the expenses of said seller and the benefits of said buyer.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

providing said user with a value for said individual animals based, at least in part, on said valuation.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said collecting further comprises:

collecting information on said plurality of animals based on physical attributes, and collecting information on said plurality of animals based on process attributes.

6. A method of automatically selecting at least one individual animal out of a plurality of animals that qualifies for at least one branded beef program of a plurality of branded beef programs, said method comprising:

collecting information on a plurality of animals to be certified under said selected program;

storing said collected information in a central database;

comparing said collected information with the program requirements of said branded beef program of said plurality of branded beef programs;

notifying a user that said individual animals are certifiable;

providing said user with the capability to view the program requirements that are met; and

providing said user with the capability to view the status of the program requirements.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

determining the expenses of a seller;

determining the benefits of a buyer; and

providing said user with a valuation comprising of the expenses of said seller and the benefits of said buyer.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

providing said user with a value for said individual animals based, at least in part, on said valuation.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein said collecting further comprises:

collecting information on said plurality of animals based on physical attributes; and

collecting information on said plurality of animals based on process attributes.

10. A method of ensuring compliance with branded beef program requirements, said method comprising:

detecting that at least one of a product and a service from a distributor is used on a selected individual animal of a plurality of animals;

storing information based on said detection in a database; and

retrieving information from said database to verify that said selected animal complies with said program requirements;

detecting when a user purchases said at least one of a product and a service from said distributor;

enabling said distributor to provide information about said user purchase to said database; and

providing a compliance rating for said animal based, at least in part, on said stored information in said database.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said providing a compliance rating comprises:

providing a buyer with expected performance information of said animal;

obtaining performance data of said animal;

determining information on actual performance of said animal based on said obtained data; and

comparing said expected performance information with said actual performance information.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

enabling a user to view said branded beef program requirements;

calculating a value for said animal based, at least in part, on market information;

providing a user with access to said stored information in said database when said user purchases said animal; and

enabling an authorized user to verify the compliance of said selected animal.

13. A method of ensuring compliance with beef marketing program requirements, said method comprising:

monitoring a communication from a first computer concerning a selected individual animal of a plurality of animals;

comparing said communication with compliance enforcement criteria from a database located on a second computer;

verifying that said selected animal complies with said program requirements based at least in part on said comparison;

detecting when a user purchases said at least one of a product and a service from said distributor;

enabling said distributor to provide information about said user purchase to said database; and

providing a compliance rating for said animal based, at least in part, on said stored information in said database.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said providing a compliance rating comprises:

providing a buyer with expected performance information of said animal;

obtaining performance data of said animal;

determining information on actual performance of said animal based on said obtained data; and

comparing said expected performance information with said actual performance information.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

enabling a user to view said branded beef program requirements;

calculating a value for said animal based, at least in part, on market information;

providing a user with access to said stored information in said database when said user purchases said animal; and

enabling an authorized user to verify the compliance of said selected animal.

16. A system of enabling a user to participate in a selected beef marketing program, 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 a plurality of animals to be certified under said marketing program;

store said collected information in said database;

query said database to verify that individual animals of said plurality of animals are certifiable under said marketing program; and

notify said user that said individual animals are certifiable under said marketing program.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein said server is further configured to:

select said program from a plurality of programs.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein said server is further configured to:

provide said user with the capability to view the program requirements for said selected program.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein said server is further configured to:

provide said user with the capability to view the program requirements that are met; and

provide said user with the capability to view the status of the program requirements.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein said server is further configured to:

determine the expenses of a seller;

determine the benefits of a buyer; and

provide said user with a valuation comprising the expenses of said seller and the benefits of said buyer.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein said server is further configured to:

provide said user with a value for said individual animals based, at least in part, on said valuation.

22. The system of claim 16, wherein said server is further configured to:

collect information on said plurality of animals based on physical attributes.

23. The system of claim 16, wherein said server is further configured to:

collect information on said plurality of animals based on process attributes.