Title: A multi-agent architecture for lamb supply chain

Authors: Nishikant Mishra; Wyn Morris; Akshit Singh; Steve McGuire

Addresses: School of Management and Business, Llanbadarn Campus, Aberystwyth University, SY23 3AL, UK ' School of Management and Business, Llanbadarn Campus, Aberystwyth University, SY23 3AL, UK ' School of Management and Business, Llanbadarn Campus, Aberystwyth University, SY23 3AL, UK ' School of Management and Business, Llanbadarn Campus, Aberystwyth University, SY23 3AL, UK

Abstract: Small and medium size farming firms are unaware of the modern production system adjustments available to improve efficiency in lamb production and the lamb supply chain. These factors have collectively led to many serious issues confronting the sheep industry such as the bullwhip effect, quality of carcass not meeting the specifications of abattoirs, retailers, etc. This paper is postulating a multi-agent scheme for the lamb supply chain, which addresses above-mentioned issues facilitating a feedback system. This scheme involves various autonomous agents having their unique roles and responsibilities at different stages in the lamb supply chain to make it more efficient and customer focused. This scheme will lead to profit maximisation for the farmer, abattoir, and customers enabling maximum utilisation of resources all along the lamb supply chain.

Keywords: supply chain management; SCM; multi-agent modelling; lamb supply chains; multi-agent systems; MAS; agent-based systems; small and medium-sized enterprises; farming SMEs; sheep industry; bullwhip effect; carcass quality.

DOI: 10.1504/IJIEI.2014.066213

International Journal of Intelligent Engineering Informatics, 2014 Vol.2 No.2/3, pp.195 - 214

Received: 10 Feb 2014
Accepted: 05 May 2014
Published online: 20 Dec 2014 *

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