Patent ID: 7827934

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, collects characteristic data for individual animals, collects measured data and characteristic data including at least weight measurement characteristic data, determines from at least in part the measured data and characteristic data a projected condition for the individual animals, stores the projected condition for the individual animals and correlates the projected condition with at least the weight measurement characteristic data for the individual animals, determines for the individual animals a projected feed intake, a projected gain and an estimated time required to reach the projected condition, from at least in part the measured data and characteristic data, the projected condition, feed ration information, and if used, growth promotants, stores a predetermined 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, into which the individual animals are sorted based at least in part on the estimated time required to reach the projected condition, and records a feed pen destination.