Patent ID: 8028657

Claim:
A method for managing animals, comprising: writing software for managing animals; and providing the software to a feedlot, wherein a computer system using the software stores information relating to a group of animals destined for commercial food production, collects characteristic data for individual animals, collects at least two measured characteristics including a measured weight, determines from at least in part the characteristic data and measured characteristics a projected condition for the individual animals, stores the projected condition for the individual animals and/or the group, determines for the individual animals and/or the group a projected feed intake, a projected gain and an estimated time required to reach the projected condition, from at least in part the characteristic data and measured characteristics, the projected condition, feed ration information, and if used, growth promotants, stores a predetermined feed pen animal quantity for multiple feed pens, determines a number of measured individual animals per feed pen so that the feed pen animal quantity is substantially achieved, determines a sort group, which is one of multiple sort groups of animals commingled by mixing animals from different original groups of animals, into which the individual animals are sorted based at least in part on the estimated time required to reach the projected condition, records a feed pen destination, and selects individual animals or groups for shipment to slaughter utilizing at least in part group and individual projection data.