28 July 1984 Livestock recording system software offered for purchase by the Kellogg Farm Management Unit

Entering an ear tag number on a computer keyboard is the entry into a livestock recording system developed by Kellogg Farm Management Unit at Lincoln College to handle production and pedigree information over many years.

And the KFMU is now offering the livestock recording system software, known as LRS, for sale to farmers.

LRS is a microcomputer-based package for on -farm recording of the specialised data required for analysing the management of stock.

Basic to the system is the key tag number, usually that on the ear tag, giving all the information about an individual animal.

Up to 100 pieces of information about the animal can be recorded and retrieved.

This can include measurements, calculated values based on measurements such as live weight gain, dates of birth, sale and fate, coat colour and comments.

Detailed production and breeding information can be kept, and this can be easily sorted and analysed.

The system has been designed so that signals from digital scales or other computerised equipment can be accepted.

LRS can store information on up to 4000 animals, and for a typical 320K disk machine is capable of keeping stock records of 200 animals over 20 years.

The system can be tailored to the hardware already owned by a farmer, but this must have 64K of storage Random Access Memory, and 80-column screen and printer, and dual disks with about 600K total storage.

The KFMU offers a definitive and comprehensive user guide and trial data for farmers to teach themselves.

Two levels of LRS software are available : Level One allowing users to access one year's data at a time, although many years data can be stored, and Level Two allowing reports on data to be created accessing many years, for example pedigree reports.

The first level costs $390, including a user guide, while level two costs $610.

Programs can be used by commercial bureaux, at a higher cost for the user licence ; all users sign a

copyright agreement and the program carries the name of that user.

The LRS package was originally prepared by a specialist livestock graduate who had practical farming experience.

He has now returned to his farm in the Western District of Victoria, in Australia.

Now the KFMU is modifying and updating the program from feedback from those already using the program.

LRS can record names, comments, parents, measurements, and dates for individual animals.

Coded information can be stored, and recorded information can be used to calculate results, such as adjusted weights and indices.

Information on large numbers of animals, and many years of records can be stored on each disk.

Selected information can be readily searched and sorted, and information for use in the field or reports for sending elsewhere can be achieved easily.

LRS can be used for any animal, and several sets of records can be kept on one system.

The user selects the items to be recorded, reports can be changed at any stage, and recorded data can be corrected.

Information about animals can be added or deleted, and codes can be changed, added or deleted.

LRS is designed for entering data rapidly, and all entries can be checked for accuracy and new tags checked against duplication.

The user also controls the structure of reports, and formats stored for frequent use can be easily changed.

LRS can provide a summary of items, and can select information on animals greater than, less than, between and equal to chosen values.

Pedigree and ancestor details can be printed, inbreeding coefficients produced, as well as sire and dam reports.

Sheeplan and Beefplan input forms may also be displayed or printed on LRS.

The system can be used for the recording and analysis requirements of any species ; records for deer can be kept as well as those for sheep, cattle, horses or pigs.

And the user can decided the items to be recorded for each animal, and can easily expand or contract the information recorded.

Simple lists of animals in sorted order of wool production, milk production, or whatever is required, can be produced.

A user might seek 10 items on the progeny produced by a selected sire over five years.

The user can control selecting, searching and sorting any items, and present these in any order.

Calculating ratios, estimating indices, determining growth rates and many other formulae-related capabilities can also be controlled by the user.

Further information from Dr Peter Nuthall, Kellogg Farm Management Unit, Lincoln College, Canterbury, New Zealand.