A highly automated non-confining system to continuously, or at selected
time intervals identify, measure, monitor and manage the consumption
behavior, substance intake, body weight and growth of individual animals
in their usual production environment including range, pasture, feedlot,
dairy and farm without disruption to typical behaviors in order to
determine, analyze, model and predict a variety of conditions relating to
animal health, productivity, efficiency and quality. A transmitter
generally attached to the animal identifies the individual animal by a
unique individual code. A weighing device measures animal weight while an
animal is consuming substances. An antenna receives the unique signal from
the transmitter and a transmitting and receiving device sends acquired
signals to a computer and receives instructions from a computer. A
computer acquires signals and modification factors incorporated in the
computer generate an event or interval measurement of an animal's weight
and gain, growth rate and substance consumption, and the animal behavior
affecting the measurement. A visual identification mechanism marks cattle
that the computer system has determined require intervention. The system
models and predicts animal health and growth, performance, carcass
characteristics, feed utilization, manure and methane output.
