Cattle producer and veterinarian Jake Burlet knows that cattle history
is important.
Breeding, diet and health treatment histories matter in the end
product. So in 1998, he and a partner decided to create a method to
track animals from birth to death and beyond.
They formed a new Edmonton company called Viewtrak Technologies Inc.,
now in its third year.
“We had the idea. But until the (Canadian Cattle Identification Agency)
system was born in 2000, we really didn’t have any way of implementing
Read Also
August rain welcome, but offered limited relief
Increased precipitation in August aids farmers prior to harvest in southern prairies of Canada.
it. We needed a lifetime ID for all cattle,” said Burlet, president of
Viewtrak.
The federally mandated, unique identification system follows all cattle
from breeding to carcass.
Burlet and partner Jennifer Wood decided that following animals through
their life cycle could potentially result in handfuls of paper or
miscellaneous computer disks being passed on each time the animal was
sold.
“From cow-calf guy to feeder to terminal feeder to slaughter. Nobody
would want to enter all of that information for every animal,” he said.
The partners also wanted producers to be able to enter information
about an animal once, as it occurred, and then be able to review it at
a later date, even if the animal had already been sold.
Buyers could tell how the animal had been managed and bred from the
beginning. Packers would be able to send market signals to feeders if
they identified the origins of animals with better yields. Feeders
could, in turn, offer incentives for farmers to produce better animals.
Calf producers would be able to view their animals all the way through
the production chain, decide if they were being fairly compensated for
their efforts, and market the next crop accordingly.
“We estimate that right now there is $80 to $120 in added value
available from each animal in the system. The whole industry could be
sharing in that money,” said Burlet.
Savings can be found by avoiding duplication of veterinary treatments
and by providing cattle that are highly consistent, need less handling
and have predictable feeding responses.
Viewtrak charges producers a basic setup fee of $99, and then $2.75 per
head tracked.
Feedlots pay an additional $2.75 and Viewtrak will work with them to
allow data to be extracted from existing software programs that the
yards use.
Burlet said 20 feeders are working with the company, as well as an
undisclosed number of cow-calf producers from 10 provinces.
So far the missing link in the data chain is the packers. Viewtrak is
working with XL Foods in Moose Jaw and its owner Nilsson Brothers Inc.,
which recently invested in the tracking company.
Packer data will be integral to the future of the company, said Burlet.
Knowing the carcass grade and yield is the most important information
in making breeding decisions.
“We’ve been talking to the other packers as well … people told us the
packers would never get on board, too many secrets they wouldn’t want
to share. But they are very interested,” he said.
Security is an issue. Farmers, feeders and packers are all concerned
about sharing their information.
“We use the same systems as the banks. Our data is on giant servers in
Montreal, the same ones that serve the banks,” Burlet said. “Only those
who own or have owned an animal can view its history or plan for its
sale.”
Viewtrak has big plans, including expansion to other countries and into
other types of livestock.
“Hog producers in the United States are looking to source-verify their
production for environmental reasons.”
The company is talking with interested cattle industry organizations in
the U.S. and with governments in South America.
“We see potential in eventually being able to have retailers and
consumers having access to the entire production history of their
food,” said Burlet.
