It seems impossible that a small, radio-frequency activated chip could tell someone enough about a cow to discover that it is sick. This seemingly magical chip, however, when utilized correctly in an RFID reader infrastructure, can automatically collect real time data at any given moment.
This means that a smart cattle herd can tag his entire group of livestock while he is raising them. The need for a visual tag or identification number is eliminated. No longer must any workers on the farm manually check animals or transcribe the data on certain livestock, because it is all constantly and automatically recorded in an online database.
These benefits in efficiency due to the digitization of the business are apparent, but the main reason for implementing an RFID system to track livestock is not for efficiency, but rather, for the cattle. It may even seem inhumane to plant RFID tags on cattle, but it is ultimately for interest in their health.
Compiling and analyzing data from RFID tags is perhaps the most important part of an asset management system. The entire purpose of asset management is to look at an overview of the supply chain currently (by analyzing current processes and data provided by RFID) and then improve on the weaknesses in the process. Analysis for improvement works the same way in an RFID system with cattle.
RFID boosts cattle lifespan significantly by increasing awareness of the animal’s current state of health. The RFID tags are placed on every cow, and normal movement patterns are quickly established. The establishment of typical trends in movement allows the decision-makers to distinguish between a healthy and a sick cow. A healthy one follows the movement patterns of the other cows, and an unhealthy cow is obvious upon viewing its movement patterns (or lack thereof).
By using RFID to identify sick cows more quickly, treatment is applied to the animals more rapidly, achieving a higher likelihood of recovery and at a greater speed. The heightened identification and response time ultimately provides a return on investment for a cattle herd that can’t be matched: a healthier herd of cattle.
AB&R provides cutting-edge RFID technology and hands-on collaboration with experienced professionals to ensure the ultimate customized solution for any business.
For more information about AB&R’s latest asset management and RFID technologies, go to http://www.abr.com/Solution/New-Asset-Management.