A computerised database system for bovine traceability.

A computerised database system to record the details of all individual cattle, cattle holdings, cattle movements and cattle tests has been in use in Northern Ireland since 1988. This system was originally used purely to administer official tuberculosis and brucellosis eradication schemes, but subsequent developments have employed the traceability function to extend the use of the system to quality assurance, public health and marketing of beef and beef products. The database has evolved into the current, second generation system and this case study details that evolution from a manual system and describes potential future developments of the system.