Press Release

AgInfoLink Global Inc. Granted US Patent for CattleCard™ Data Collection Method

Longmont, CO - August 20, 2001 - No Computer, No Problem! These words are music to the ears of thousands of ranchers throughout the United States who may recognize the importance of maintaining the identity and production history of every animal in their herd. Recent outbreaks of foreign diseases and consumers’ increasing demands for food information have prompted the cattle industry to take a closer look at some form of a National Cattle Identification system. Most options point toward electronic systems that require the use of a computer, a machine growing in popularity but certainly not prevalent on the open range. AgInfoLink Global Inc. was recently granted a US Patent for an affordable manual identification and data collection method that is compatible with computerized systems and as easy to use as pencil and paper.

US Patent No. 6,211,789 was issued to AgInfoLink Global Inc. for Cattle Card™, a product that has been successfully used by ranchers as an individual animal management solution. The product package consists of an electronic identification (EID) eartag and corresponding data collection card. The producer puts the EID tag in the animal’s ear and fills out a data card with the animal’s information such as birth date, birth weight, color, sex, vaccinations and any additional information he chooses to record. The data card is returned to AgInfoLink Global, Inc. where the information is electronically entered into the BeefLink™ software program and reports are generated. This gives the producer the advantages of an electronic system without having a computer or technical expertise of their own.

Cheyenne Cundall of the Montana Beef Network, states, “The CattleCard™ product allows producers who normally would not tag their cattle to reap the benefits of our program. Montana is a huge state; we just can’t physically be at every ranch to collect data with our computers. CattleCard™ is a valuable means of bringing cattle into the Montana Beef Network. We’ve found that producers take the time to fill out the data cards, and that information helps them to make critical genetic and management decisions. In the end, CattleCard™ gives producers access to a network providing carcass data and increased opportunity for higher profits.”

“CattleCard™ gives producers who aren’t quite ready for a full-blown information management system a way to get started,” says Kris Krahn, AgInfoLink’s Technical Services Manager. "It's probably accurate to say a good majority of cattle ranchers aren’t handy with a computer, but that doesn’t mean they have to sit on the sidelines.”

Glenn Smith, AgInfoLink’s USA National Manager, says, “Producers using our information products and services, including CattleCard™, are realizing increased profits from effective management and value-added marketing opportunities. In some cases, the economic rewards can be $50/head or more when you factor in the efficiencies gained by sorting in the feedyard, reducing packer discounts and avoiding duplicate vaccinations.” Smith continues, “Individual animal management is the future of the cattle industry, and CattleCard™ allows AgInfoLink to bring those benefits to all producers, computer or not.”

AgInfoLink Global, Inc. is the worldwide leader in agricultural product tracking from conception to consumption. The company is dedicated to partnering with global livestock production and distribution leaders to collect and deliver individual animal performance, source verification, and food safety information to all segments of the supply chain. The AgInfoLink products allow for the sharing of data among numerous production segments, giving producers real information upon which to make genetic and production decisions.