Feed producer

Label information (legally required) consists of raw material used including medicine added and vitamins, suppliers who delivered the material to the feed company, and the transporters involved in the supply. Label information is also part of the invoice (on paper) for farmers.
An e-commerce system is under development. This system is aimed at replacing the paper-based pricing information, while it also will enable electronic ordering. Currently, in The Netherlands, farmers do not order directly to the feed company. Dealers are intermediaries between farmers and the feed company. Farmers transfer their orders by fax of phone to dealers. Dealers have already an electronic ordering system connected to the feed company. The intended e-commerce system will replace this system, while it also allows foreign customers to put their orders electronically.
Mineral accounting is a compulsory task for farmers. The feed company supports farmers by providing them with the necessary information (currently on paper) about the minerals used in the feed delivered. This information is also transferred to the responsible public agent.
The monitoring system provides information to farmers to forecast pig growth related to feed delivered in the different stages of the pig lifecycle. The system uses customer data and feed information as an input for specific rules for computing growth prognosis. Next to customer data, the system also uses carcass analysis data provided by the slaughterhouse, for example. Carcass data details the different meat percentages produced by the pigs.

 

Product information:

Process information:

Information systems used:

Feed producer

(Sources of ) raw material, medicine, vitamins, price information.
Label information for each delivery (mix of materials, suppliers, transport)

Dosage of materials in mixes, storage information, laboratory results of supplies and order information.
Forecasts based on ordering behaviour of farmers, size of farms and number of animals (could be more systematic).
Invoice (currently on paper).

Mineral accounting (paper).
Internet-based system for information (history, price information, etc.) to farmers.
Ordering system (electronically) from dealers to the feed producer.
CRM system. Customer data linked with the feed producer advisor, farm characteristics, input for forecast.
A computer system on laptop with an advisor. Computes feed mix for customer, linked to ERP for production and labelling (see section on information exchange)

 

 

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