The database is under constant development to provide UK breeders the necessary tools and data to compete with all other international meat producers. BASCO see this as a primary objective of the database and indeed for all breed societies and UK meat producers - our biggest competitors are not each other but our overseas colleagues who would sell more meat to us and our customers if we allow them to!
Examples of future developments are:
- Using PDA's as input methods for farmers. The PDA would be attached to a PC linked to the database, would then download all the herd/flock data and be used by the farmer to collect data in the field e.g. calvings/lambings, incidences of disease etc. At the end of a period of 1 or more days, the PDA would be re-attached to the PC and any changed and new data would be uploaded to the database.
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Connection to other databases containing slaughter data so we can connect up breeding and farm data to eventual carcass and economic data. This would enable farmers to more closely see the effects of their farm management and breeding decisions.
- Outputting forms and reports that can be used in farm assurance schemes or for inputs into subsidy payment schemes.
