Method and system for tracking and managing animals and/or food products

Abstract

Embodiments of a method and system are described for tracking and managing animals and/or food products. Identification data and location data for animals is entered into a computer system. A data service provider may collect this data and transmit it to a data trustee. The data trustee may filter the data into official and non-official data, and send official data to an official database. When a public health issue arises, the government may use an identifier for a diseased animal or a location identifier to request a trace report. The data trustee may then use the official data to provide a report showing, for example, which animals have commingled with the diseased animal. Based on this report, other animals can be treated, quarantined, or slaughtered. The disclosed embodiments also may be used to facilitate commercial transactions by providing data that validates an animal's health and food quality.

1 - 2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . A method for tracking animals, comprising:
 receiving, from a shipping premises, a group of animals at a receiving premises;   entering information relating to the group of animals into a computer system;   entering into the computer system a group identifier for the group of animals, enabling the computer system to distinguish animals in the group of animals from animals in every other group;   entering into the computer system location data for the group of animals for a location or locations occupied by the group of animals, wherein the location data includes a premises identifier for each location;   correlating in the computer system the location data for the group of animals with the group identifier;   storing data for the group of animals in a database;   filtering confidential information from the data stored in the database to provide filtered data for the group of animals, wherein the confidential information includes at least one premises identifier for a previous premises location occupied by the group of animals;   allowing a user to view a confirmation report that includes information regarding the shipping and receiving premises without disclosing premises identifiers of previous premises locations.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  where the information relating to the group of animals comprises prior history data. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3  where the group identifier represents a premises arrival date. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3  where the group identifier is combined with the premises identifier to form a combined identifier. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 3  where the group identifier for each animal in the group of animals is the same. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 3  where the group identifier for each animal represents a pen where the animal is contained. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 3  where the group of animals is received at a feedlot, and the group identifier for each animal at the feedlot is the same. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 3 , where the database is maintained by a data trustee. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 requesting a trace report from the data trustee upon discovering a diseased animal;   generating a trace report that filters confidential information; and   identifying locations of identified animals that have commingled with the diseased animal.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  where requesting the trace report from the data trustee comprises:
 determining an animal identifier for the diseased animal; 
 performing a data look-up in a public sector database to retrieve a data record address that stores animal data for the diseased animal; and 
 retrieving the animal data for the diseased animal from the data trustee using the data record address. 
 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  where generating the trace report comprises:
 performing a search on official and non-official data stored at the data trustee for location history data, wherein the search is performed using the animal identifier of the diseased animal; 
 compiling location history data for the diseased animal; 
 comparing the location history data of the diseased animal to the locations of the identified animals; and 
 generating a report of shared locations where the diseased animal commingled with the identified animals and wherein non-official information is filtered from the report. 
 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  where performing the search further comprises using a group identifier of the diseased animal to identify animals that commingled with the diseased animal. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  where the group identifier comprises a premises arrival date. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13  where the report further includes locations occupied by the identified animals after exposure to the diseased animal. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13  where the report further includes present locations of the identified animals without providing premises identifiers of the identified animals. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising providing the premises identifiers of the identified animals to an authorized user upon request. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 requesting a trace report from the data trustee upon discovering a diseased animal;   generating a trace report that filters confidential information; and   identifying locations that the diseased animal previously occupied.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 determining a premises identifier for a location previously occupied by the diseased animal; and   performing a data look-up in a public sector database to retrieve a data record address for each animal associated with the premises identifier for the location previously occupied by the diseased animal.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  where the trace report provides an indication that certain animals occupied the location at certain times without providing the animal identifier for each of the certain animals. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising providing the animal identifier for each of the certain animals to an authorized user upon request.