U.S. Patent No. 7,136,869 - Common Point Authoring System For Tracking And Authenticating Objects In A Distribution Chain (Nov. 14, 2006)

The Common Point Authoring system for the beef livestock supply, distribution and consumption chain tracks of animals from birth to harvest, and an extension of this process is to track the products that are created as a result of the harvest.  This reflects the need to provide food safety for the Consumers and requires that the animal tracking paradigm be extended to also be applicable to fabricated components of the animal as they are individually processed into different end products and distributed to Consumers, frequently in different chains of commerce.