[Role of the veterinarian on the automated stock farm].

In current cattle farming, stock owners supply data on their herds to their stock-farming and stock-rearing organizations which then subject these data to automatic processing. Most of these data are still imperfectly attuned to each other, do not return to the farms with sufficient frequency and, though they are often found to be very useful in management, are not utilized to a sufficient extent. Once TAURUS has provided sufficient structure in the definition, use and exchange of information regarding stock farms in the Netherlands and the cattle on these farms, only those programmes and systems which are adequately adjusted, will stand a fair chance. This applies to automated administration and herd management programmes as well as to problem analysis programmes. In view of changes in the activities of the veterinary practitioner, viz. supplying a veterinary interpretation of automated data on the farms, which they receive, particular attention should be paid to the improvement of knowledge relating to this interpretation.