Collaboration makes market sense

Weighing into big innovation

CATTLE can now weigh themselves, thanks to a collaboration between an agricultural pioneer and a world leader in weighing and electronic identification. Tru-Test has partnered with Tim Driver, of Precision Pastoral Pty Ltd (PPPL) in Alice Springs, Northern Territory, to market an innovative remote walk-over livestock weighing (WOW) system. The Tru-Test Remote WOW Systems Powered by PPPL includes a set of Tru-Test load bars and EID readers used in an integrated, ground-breaking operation. It enables remote weighing and drafting of animals without any human interaction.

The system is placed near a watering trough, and cattle are weighed and drafted while moving through the system. Tru-Test Group has been designing and manufacturing accurate, rugged weighing systems for more than 30 years. Its recent innovation in datamanagement for a complete livestock solution – Mi- Hub Livestock Management – was officially launched in June. The online software program transforms rawdata from a Tru-Test weigh scale into clearly presented, useful information and insights.

Tru-Test Group estimates fewer than 20 per cent of sheep and beef farmers use stock weight information to drive farm management decision-making. As the developer of the WOW System, Mr Driver said the motivation to come up with a robotic or autonomous device stemmed from the large amount of time that passes between cattle processing in certain parts of Australia – and the need to capture better data.

“Generally in the industry, especially in the north, graziers only have the opportunity to weigh cattle once or twice a year, so you’re missing a lot of information in between,” he said.

“Also, the majority of livestock weight data is collected post-farm gate, at either saleyards, feedlots or abattoirs, where it is too late to make an informed management decision, which can have a negative effect on your net profit.”

Mr Driver said the partnership with Tru-Test was part of a natural progression for his business, innovation and its future development. Tru-Test Group Australia country manager Jim Curkpatrick believes this technology
is a major breakthrough for the industry.

“Being able to remotely manage and analyse the performance of animals is going to lead to far greater efficiencies and ultimately profits for producers.”

Mr Driver has been working on the WOW system for more than 10 years, with backing from the Remote Economic Participation CRC and Commercialisation Australia Program to test it on northern cattle stations. He said the system was being used by big corporate players, such as the Hancock Group and S Kidman and Co.