Portable Scale Lets Cattle Weigh Themselves

Portable Scale Lets Cattle Weigh Themselves LIVESTOCK Handling Cattle producers don’t have to guess how much their animals weigh or how many lbs they’re gaining per day thanks to a new 24/7 weigh station introduced by Hencol of Sweden CEO Johan Karlberg says the new scale provides accurate weights for individual cattle or a group The sturdy metal scale weighs about 770 lbs and can be set up in a barn or field to accommodate several cattle during the course of a day The scale is part of a web-based service called LiveStock Planner that works from a computer or mobile device Information collected by the scale is transmitted to the computer automatically The scale is placed so animals with an RFID tag pass through and over it during their daily routine Each time an animal steps on the scale its weight is registered without human intervention Karlberg says getting animals used to walking across the scale is done by placing the unit in an area where the cattle walk during their normal daily routine A mineral block or food source can be helpful so animals learn to walk across the scale Using the scale and LiveStock Planner benefits cattle producers by providing accurate rather than estimated daily gain Producers get data for individual animals or a group and can adjust feeding rates and easily predict finishing weights and dates During testing the scale was providing from 6 to 12 readings per day per animal in a Swedish cattle operation with 350 animals By using the scale Karlberg says producers should be able to keep and market 15 percent more animals annually because they have better control over feed consumption actual growth rate and know exactly when animals are ready for market Karlberg says the Planner really simplifies animal management and takes the guesswork out of feeding and when to market the animals Hencol is responsible for installing the system and providing training and support for the system Contact the company for pricing Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Hencol AB Nedra Langgatan 48 1tr 457 72 Grebbestad Sweden e-mail: info@hencol se

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