Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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TRACKING SYSTEM FOR ANIMALS AND CARCASSES
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention pertains to the field of tracking animals and carcasses. More
particularly, the invention pertains to tracking animals and carcasses by the
use of a coded
tag that can survive the normal activity of livestock and the initial
processing of the carcass
in a slaughterhouse.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the meat industry there is a need for better information regarding the
value and
composition of meat supplied to the meat packers by feedlots and form
individual suppliers.
Generally, speaking animals are supplied and slaughtered in large groups such
that it is
extremely difficult to track the value of the meat provided by an individual
animal. While
to outward appearances two animals may appear similar and may weigh the same,
the value
of the meat provided by each animal may vary widely.
Meat value is determined by a number of factors including: fat to muscle ratio
(%
lean), tenderness, and marbling. The purchasers of meat products are willing
to pay
relatively high prices for meat products that show excellent qualities.
Likewise, meat with
poorer grades can only command very poor prices. Under current practices there
is no way
to track which suppliers are providing the animals that result in the highest
meat value.
Even if the suppliers can be identified, there is no way to let the supplier
know, which lines
or animals resulted in either poor or high quality meat products. Furthermore,
there are
emerging trends for co-mingling groups of young pigs, such that reference to
lot numbers
would also not provide the necessary information for the breeding and feeding
programs.
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Sophisticated technology exists for ultrasonic evaluation of animals and
carcasses.
Most of the characteristics valued by consumers can be determined by
ultrasonic analysis of
a portion of the carcass or animal. Therefore, the producers can use this
information to
determine hvw to cut a carcass to optimize the value. For example, the meat
packer might
mark an entire carcass for lower quality products if the ultrasonic analysis
revealed a low
quality scores. This can save the packer the expense of meticulously cutting a
carcass only
to send each cut to processing to lower grade products. Similarly, feedlots
can use
ultrasonic evaluation of animals to determine a feeding program for the
animals to optimize
production. While all of this information exists on site for the producers and
packers, there
is currently no reliable way of sharing this information.
Currently the meat packers bear most of the risk for the quality of the meat
products obtained from the animals slaughtered. By paying flat rates to
suppliers, those
that provide excellent conditions while raising the Livestock are at a severe
disadvantage.
Thus the current system rewards the suppliers whose animals provide poor
quality meat
products. This is unlikely to improve the quality of the meat products. The
meat industry
needs a way to track animals from the producer farms through the feedlots and
into the
slaughter houses.
Radio collars have been used for years to identify dairy cattle to track milk
production, however, these collars are very expensive and are not economically
feasible for
tracking animals that will be reared for a short time and then slaughtered.
Others have
suggested the use of bar-coded labels or tags. The problem with these
relatively delicate
labels is the rather harsh environment of the feedlots and the sterilization
process at the
beginning of the meat processing process often corrupts the identification
symbols. Human
readable tags require an operator to read the tag and key-in the information
which both
increases cost and allows for typing errors. A Lagging system is needed that
can survive the
abuse the animals may inflict upon it and the initial processing at the meat
packing plant.
Identifecation of animals is also a concern for health issues. Tracking
individual
animals will allow packers and suppliers to identify diseased animals and
trace any problems
discovered fatter back to the packer and supplier. The National Pork Producers
Council
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has continued to support a unique animal identification system. However,
current practices
have fallen short of satisfying this need.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The work of the present inventors has shown that tracking of animals is one of
both
cost and mechanics. Once the animal is slaughtered and the carcass is cleaned
and the hide
or skin removed, the carcass can generally be tracked by the hook number. All
that is
needed is a way to match-up the information obtained at the packing plant with
that
provided by the supplier.
The present invention is an economical and reliable tracking system for
animals and
carcasses. The tracking system of the present invention was discovered after
many
attempts at developing a reliable means of identifying animals through the
feedlots and
initial processing at slaughterhouses. Many types of tags were tried and
either the animals
or the water at the packing plant destroyed them. Eventually, the inventors
discovered that
a 2-D symbology code etched on an injection molded tag provided an economical
and
reliable identification system.
The present invention includes a tracking system for animals and carcasses
comprising a tag to be attached to an animal that can be etched with a 2d
symbology code.
The 2d symbology identifying code etched on the tag indicates the source of
the animal. A
code reader is provided at the meat processing plant. The system also includes
a computer
for collecting and storing source information attached to the code reader at
the meat
processing plant such that the source information can be accessed to provide
the source
information for animals proccssed by the meat processing plant.
The preferred embodiment is a polyurethane button ear tag etched with 2d
symbology code. The ear tag includes a post for piercing an animal's ear and
an indicia
face attached to the post for etching an identifying code. The tag is secured
by a plate that
slips over a ridge at the end of the post. These tags will survive the abuse
from animals in
the feedlot and initial processing at the packing plant.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
Figure 1 shows an example of a button tag of the present invention with a
round
indicia face.
Figure 2 shows an example of a button tag of the present invention with an
elliptical
indicia face.
Figure 3 shows an operator scanning a tag 1 with a code reader 10 in meat
packing
plant.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
After studying various bar-codes and methods of providing computer readable
information on a tag to be attached to animals, the applicant has discovered
that most
computer readable indicia are destroyed by the relatively harsh conditions of
a feedlot and
packing plant. Animals often scratch or rub the tags, dirt and water are ever
present
concerns and sunlight can often cause discoloration or fading.
The applicant originally sought to provide an economical identification tag
for
animals that could be read by a scanner at the packing plant. Upon further
analysis of the
meat packing industry, the applicant discovered that the tag must survive at
least the
slaughter of the animal and the initial phase of processing. In the case of
pork, scalding
water is used in the dehairing process. Until the animal is ready to be placed
on a hook and
sent through further processing, it is relatively difficult to track an
individual carcass.
Therefore, the tag must be capable of surviving whatever treatment is applied
to the carcass
until it is placed upon a hook and heads further down the line for further
processing and
inspection. Once the animal is slaughtered and the carcass is cleaned and the
hide or skin
removed, the carcass can generally be tracked by the hook number. All that is
needed is a
way to match-up the information obtained at the packing plant with that
provided by the
supplier.
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Many meat packing plants install sophisticated ultrasonic evaluation equipment
to
analyze the carcasses. This can provide a wealth of information regarding the
percent lean,
muscle mass, marbling and tenderness. The packing plant can use this
information in a
variety of ways. Same plants determine how to cut the carcass based upon ibis
5 information. Others are attempting to institute a plan for paying suppliers
based upon the
value of the carcasses provided. While a group of animals can be slaughtered
and the
carcasses processed as a group such that the supplier may be known, it is
currently very
difficult to track an individual carcass or point of origin. The packing plant
generally is
only concerned with the value of the total shipment, however, the supplier may
have more
interest in tracking individual animals. Feedlots may receive calves from a
large number of
livestock farms and may wish to determine how much value is attributed to
animals
provided by various farms. This invention allows the farms to better design
their feeding
and breeding programs. Therefore, it was essential to provide an
identification system that
would be highly reliable, yet be a deminimus burden at the packing plant.
The present invention includes a tracking system for animals and carcasses
comprising a tag 1 to be attached to an animal that can be etched with a 2d
symbology code
2. Figure 1 shows an example of a button tag 1 of the present invention. The
tag 1 of the
present invention is intended to pierce the ear of the animal to be
identified. The preferred
embodiment is a polyurethane button ear tag 1 etched with 2d symbology data
matrix code
2. The ear tag 1 includes a post 3 for piercing an animal's ear and an indicia
face 4
attached to the post 3 for etching an identifying code 2. The tag 1 is secured
by a plate 5
that slips over a ridge 6 at the end of the post 3. Due to injection molding
concerns, the
post 3 is generally hollow and the indicia face 4 generally has a hole 7 in
the center. These
tags 1 will survive the abuse from animals in the feedlot and initial
processing at the
packing plant.
For hogs, many plants will leave the heads attached to the carcasses during
initial
processing so the tag would stay with the animal until scanned during
inspection or
ultrasonic evaluation. If the head was removed prior to scanning of the tag 1,
the post 3
could be clipped off and a retaining clip or string could be threaded through
the hole 7 in
the indicia face 4 of the tag 1 and attached to the carcasses or hook.
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Code readers 10 are commercially available and are provided at the meat
processing
plant. Figure 3 shows an operator scanning a tag 1 with a code reader 10. The
system also
includes a computer 11 for collecting and storing source information. The
computer 11
attached to the code reader 10 at the meat processing plant such that the
source
information can be accessed to provide the source information for animals
processed by the
meat processing plant.
The code could be read during ultrasonic evaluation of the carcass and the
information stored collectively in a database for later evaluation and
reporting. This may be
the extent to which tracking is necessary, but the present invention can be
used in
conjunction with other methods for tracking meat products once they leave the
packing
plant. The user could scan the tag 1 then scan a code 13 on the hook 14 to let
an internal
tracking system follow the carcass through later processing.
The code 13 on the hook 14 is matched up to the identifying code 2 on the ear
tag
I. The ear tag loan then be physically removed from the carcass, but still
tracked because
of the code 13 on the hook 14. The code 13 is preferably of the same 2d
symbology
technique as the identifying code 2 on the ear tag 1, but as long as, they are
both readable
by the same scanner the user can still read both codes quickly. A typical
gambrel hook 14
can be marked with a MECCO~'~'' marking machines or potentially etched with
lasers.
The 2d symbology identifying code 2 etched on the tag 1 should at least
indicate the
source of the animal but it is anticipated that individual animal numbers
might be assigned
in addition to other tracking codes that might be desired. At present a 3/8" x
3/8" square
I S x 15 dot matrix code provides a ten character alphanumeric code with over
a thirty
percent error correction/redundancy built in.
The method of providing the code is relatively important. Labels and ink can
be
washed off. Etching the code provides a durable and economical solution to the
problems
of retaining code integrity The code is laser etched onto a one inch diameter
indicia face 4
of the tag 1. For etching, the best results have been obtained with a StarMark
65 Watt Nd-
YAG laser marking system available from A-B Lasers, Inc.. To include more
characters,
the matrix can easily be expanded. The entire code 2 could be repeated on a
different
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section of the indicia face 4. The indicia face 4 could also be elliptical as
shown in Figure
2.
Data Matrix is a previously known and published code. Further information is
available in brochures from International Data Matrix, Inc. at 9 Townsend
West, Nashua,
NH 03063 and the brochures and information are incorporated herein by
reference. The
data matrix code is still highly accurate even with limited amounts of
degradation of the
cells. Other types of 2d symbology coding are gaining acceptance and can be
used in this
application. While PDF417 can require very accurate alignment with the reader,
it has
many advantages that make it work consideration. The readers are often capable
of reading
bar codes as well, so a standard bar-coding system could be used in
conjunction with the
PDF417 coding of the identification code 2. The alignment problems can be
solved by
shaping the tags to fit into an adapter to the reader lens, such that proper
regisration is
required.
Laser etching the matrix into an injection molded tag means that water does
not
interfere with image recognition as it would with a printed image.
Polyurethane is bit more
expensive that other forms of material (polyethylene, etc.) that could be used
for the tag,
but it is less susceptible to UV degradation and provides excellent contrast
in the laser
etched code. This is of greater concern when arumais will be wearing the tag
for long
periods of time outdoors, e.g. dairy cattle. In most applications, however,
less expensive
material can be used.
The present invention is an economical and reliable tracking system for
animals and
carcasses. The tracking system of the present invention was discovered after
many
attempts at developing a reliable means of identifying animals through the
feedlots and
initial processing at slaughterhouses. Many types of tags were tried and
either the animals
or the water at the packing plant destroyed them. Eventually, the inventors
discovered that
a 2-D symbology code etched on an injection molded tag provided an economical
and
reliable identification system.
Accordingly, it is to be understood that the embodiments of the invention
herein
described are merely illustrative of the application of the principles of the
invention.
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Reference herein to details of the illustrated embodiments are not intended to
limit the
scope of the claims, which themselves recite those features regarded as
essential to the
invention.
