Livestock management has gone to the web. Cattle have been sold over the internet through online auctions for several years now, but the latest trend is simply a listing much like a classified advertisement that allows the owner to retain control over prices, terms and conditions. With mandatory source verification just around the corner, companies are working diligently to create web based animal record systems that will allow all livestock to be tracked from farm to supermarket.
Two examples are The Cattle Range (www.cattlerange.com) and ScoringAg.com (www.ScoringAg.com). The Cattle Range, one of several cattle marketing websites, which producers list cattle they have for sale on the website and potential buyers browse the listing at there leisure and contact the sellers if they find any cattle interesting to them. The seller does not pay a listing fee but a $2.00 to $5.00 per head fee upon the sale of their cattle. Some websites charges a listing fee that is deducted from the commission which is a percentage of the total selling price. Each website's charges may be different, so be sure to clarify how a website charges before you list your cattle on their website to avoid any misunderstandings once the cattle are sold.
ScoringAg.com is an up and running web based livestock record system. The producer opens an account, creates a secure username and password, and purchases the number of locations and commodity records they will use within a twelve month period. A location can be any place a producer wants to specify where a commodity is kept. A commodity is any item that a producer wants to develop a record for. A picture of the commodity can be placed with the record so a visual ID is available. The producer then uses the system as any other record keeping software. From the website an individual can go to public search, type in an EID number and a record page of the commodity will appear containing a 3D and 2D bar code, a picture, location changes, identifying information such as brands or tattoos, or any health records put on the record page. This system is a traceback from "farm to fork", literally, a copy of the bar code can be placed on each individual package of meat allowing the consumer to use certain models of Nokia camera cell phones and the record will appear right on the phone screen. The market can also provide a scanner and screen and when the customer scans the bar code, the record will appear on the screen. The customer knows exactly where the meat originated from before leaving the market. Many countries have chosen the ScoringAg.com's system as their official National ID program requiring all producers to use only this system to ease complications of traceback if a nationwide problem ever exists. Most other record systems keeps the data on the premise and then the data required for public search is either downloaded or typed into the national database.
The web based marketing and record keeping systems are now beginning to work hand in hand. Meat packers have realized the importance of selling value enhanced meats so buyers are paying premiums for animals that are naturally grown and source verified. The buyers are now turning to websites such as The Cattle Range to find the type of cattle that feed yards and packing houses are requesting. The Cattle Range like the other marketing websites, are placing special influence on cattle that are on a database such as ScoringAg.com. The marketing websites have criteria that animals must meet to be listed as value enhanced. A special symbol is placed by the listing that meets the criteria for value enhanced.
The internet has now become a major tool for cattle management in the 21st century and beyond.
Two examples are The Cattle Range (www.cattlerange.com) and ScoringAg.com (www.ScoringAg.com). The Cattle Range, one of several cattle marketing websites, which producers list cattle they have for sale on the website and potential buyers browse the listing at there leisure and contact the sellers if they find any cattle interesting to them. The seller does not pay a listing fee but a $2.00 to $5.00 per head fee upon the sale of their cattle. Some websites charges a listing fee that is deducted from the commission which is a percentage of the total selling price. Each website's charges may be different, so be sure to clarify how a website charges before you list your cattle on their website to avoid any misunderstandings once the cattle are sold.
ScoringAg.com is an up and running web based livestock record system. The producer opens an account, creates a secure username and password, and purchases the number of locations and commodity records they will use within a twelve month period. A location can be any place a producer wants to specify where a commodity is kept. A commodity is any item that a producer wants to develop a record for. A picture of the commodity can be placed with the record so a visual ID is available. The producer then uses the system as any other record keeping software. From the website an individual can go to public search, type in an EID number and a record page of the commodity will appear containing a 3D and 2D bar code, a picture, location changes, identifying information such as brands or tattoos, or any health records put on the record page. This system is a traceback from "farm to fork", literally, a copy of the bar code can be placed on each individual package of meat allowing the consumer to use certain models of Nokia camera cell phones and the record will appear right on the phone screen. The market can also provide a scanner and screen and when the customer scans the bar code, the record will appear on the screen. The customer knows exactly where the meat originated from before leaving the market. Many countries have chosen the ScoringAg.com's system as their official National ID program requiring all producers to use only this system to ease complications of traceback if a nationwide problem ever exists. Most other record systems keeps the data on the premise and then the data required for public search is either downloaded or typed into the national database.
The web based marketing and record keeping systems are now beginning to work hand in hand. Meat packers have realized the importance of selling value enhanced meats so buyers are paying premiums for animals that are naturally grown and source verified. The buyers are now turning to websites such as The Cattle Range to find the type of cattle that feed yards and packing houses are requesting. The Cattle Range like the other marketing websites, are placing special influence on cattle that are on a database such as ScoringAg.com. The marketing websites have criteria that animals must meet to be listed as value enhanced. A special symbol is placed by the listing that meets the criteria for value enhanced.
The internet has now become a major tool for cattle management in the 21st century and beyond.
