SBIR-STTR Award

Swine producers and swine industry consultants must determine what areas of swine production are least efficient economically in order to regain profitability. By developing an integrated, detailed financial/biologic database, swine producers will be able to determine inefficiencies in their own businesses through analysis of their data, and they will be able to plan the most effective solution by analyzing multifarm data. The analytic potential of such a database will result in more awareness of animal and cost behavior in response to management, genetics, facilities, and equipment. Lending institutions will also use this database when they decide whether to provide capital for improving or expanding a swine enterprise. To expedite availability of this database, the most comprehensive existing biologic database must be augmented; Swine Graphics, Inc. currently manages a database of production records from several commercial swine producers. The purpose of this project is to ascertain the feasibility of key elements of this proposed system including data collection logistics, cost allocation within the enterprise, financial and biologic/production data integration, the consultants' role, and credibility to lending institutions. Another major goal will be to draft the specifications for these elements to serve as a foundation for the actual programand procedure development of the Phase II project.Applications:The development of an integrated swine financial/biologic database will create an awareness of animal and cost behavior in response to management, genetics, and facilities. This supports more economically efficient management and improved profitability. Related swine industries will benefit from resulting evaluations of their products. The overall lower costs of production will precipitate lower retail costs and improved chances for survival for the swine producer. More profitable swine production also will improve the agricultural credit situation.

A prototype of an integrated financial/biologic swine enterprise record system and data base begun in Phase I will be enhanced and tested. This system will enable swine producers to determine inefficiencies in their own businesses through analysis of their data and to plan the most effective solutions by analyzing multi-farm data. Statistical analysis of the data base will develop models of profitability. The development of diagnostic and predictive output for user farms and multi-farm comparisons will involve further design of computer software and field tests. Commercial use will necessitate simplifying data input technologies. Analysis will be performed and more efficient data processing and storage techniques will be developed. Concepts and procedures already in place for Swine Graphics, Inc.'s extensive biologic records system and data base will be extended to facilitate the integration of financial data.Applications:The integrated swine financial/biologic data base will provide reliable information about animal and financial performance in response to management, facilities, and genetics. This will facilitate more economically efficient management, higher profitability, better chances for survival of the swine producer and an improved agricultural credit situation. Related swine industries will benefit from resulting evaluations of their products. The existence of this data base and a continuing cooperative research policy with universities and other outside agencies will permit future research that otherwise would not be possible.