Abstract
Obtaining and maintaining accurate records of reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) herd data has become a necessary tool for efficient herd management. A computerized record keeping and reporting system was developed due to the speed which which animals were seen at the seasonal handlings. Custom software was written using the dBASE III + data management package to handle the special needs of herd record keeping. The software was then compiled using the Clipper compiler. The resulting program and data were implemented in ramdisk on a Toshiba 3100 microcomputer. Data structures were carefully chosen to provide for recording of tag identification, sex, age, body weight, abnormalities, disease testing, and treatments for each deer. Additionally, fields were provided to maintain records of ongoing biologic experiments. A report generation program was written to provide a current herd status report to the herders.
Highlights
Reindeer herding i n western Alaska has long been identified with the traditional culture and subsistence lifestyle o f the Eskimos in that region
T h e need for accurate record keeping on a large scale in the Alaskan reindeer industry became apparent when herds became so large that handwritten records became unmanagable
Sex, age, weight, vaccinations, treatments, physical abnormalities, and serologic results were among the data that were entered into the computer for each deer
Summary
Reindeer herding i n western Alaska has long been identified with the traditional culture and subsistence lifestyle o f the Eskimos in that region. T h e need for accurate record keeping on a large scale in the Alaskan reindeer industry became apparent when herds became so large that handwritten records became unmanagable. A new generation ofIBM compatible, portable microcomputers with extremely fast processors had become available at the time and, in additon, the AshtonTate company had just released its latest data management software package, dBASE III +. Three Toshiba portable microcomputers, dBASE III +, and a compiler were purchased. These upgrades together with rewriting the system pograms provided the speed and memory capabilities to handle large amounts of data while maintaining the portability necessary for field operations
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
