An Evaluation Of The Use Of A Microcomputer On A Livestock Farm

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential of

.a microcomputer as a tool of information handling. Specifically,

this involved developing software packages for use on an Apple II

Plus microcomputer.

The Willow Bend Demonstrational Farm in Union, West Virginia,

was chosen. A farm records and budgets model was developed. Receipts

and expenses from the Electronic Farm Accounting records were used

to test the model for use by the farm operators in West Virginia.

Enterpri se budgets were genera ted us ing spread sheet software

(VisiCalc1lv1) and the recorded data.

T'IOexperiments were conducted to test the viability of producing

beef and no sheep, and wintering calves. During the process

of conducting the experiments, the recalculation capability of the

model was explored.

It is concluded that the microcomputer is a powerful budgeting

and forecasting tool. It is not difficult for a person with no

previous computer experience to learn to use a microcomputer and

to develop programs using spread sheet software. The records and

budgets model developed indicate that this tool has a potential

application in solving farm operators' problems of data acquisition

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and processing the data into information.