Gallagher Weighing and EID Technology On Farm

Roger Wolfe is using the latest weighing and EID (Electronic Identification) technology from Gallagher to ensure he’s prepared for NAIT 2012 - and he’s already seeing the benefits. Roger’s Morrinsville bull leasing service sends bulls anywhere from Raglan to Ruatoria; Wellsford to Te Kuiti. With up to 1600 bulls going in and out at a time, that’s a lot to keep track of. Recently he purchased a Livestock Manager TSi Weigh Scale Indicator, a BR Series Panel Reader and a Handheld Reader HR3 through Gallagher Territory Manager, Martin Kinney. Why? “Gallagher is one of the front leaders in producing this type of equipment,” explains Roger. “Already it’s helped us to cut down the error rate and the misreading of tags during our stock recording, and I think it’s got lots of other potential uses on the farm.”

All of the products Roger has bought have Bluetooth wireless technology. The TSi weigh scale computer also features an easy-to-use touch screen and Animal PerformanceTM Systems Software. “I can now see how many calves I’ve got, how many different Herefords and Angus bulls I’ve got - all in one place,” says Roger. Martin Kinney from the Gallagher On Farm team helped Roger’s team set the system up and showed them the basics. “We can build on that and also just pick up the phone if we need more expertise or help,” says Roger. “Martin’s a nice guy to deal with and knows that every environment is different, experimenting alongside us so we can get it right. Practice makes perfect!”

Stock recording is now quicker and more accurate - turning cost into an investment, particularly time-wise. “We did TB testing yesterday and we ran 155 bulls through the system and I think we recorded every single one. We’re getting all the numbers right and we don’t have to even look at the tags, so it’s nice and quick.” Using the HR3 to scan ear tags when animals are in the loading race or the truck also means less stress for both man and beast. “You don’t have to get close to the stock to read their tags; try to get your hand down there to pull the tag out of the way; or walk around the yard trying read tags. They don’t like you mucking around with them - especially the big two year old Herefords and Angus bulls.”

Using the brilliant simplicity of the TSi system, weighing and scanning also becomes a task which can be done more frequently - creating a more comprehensive data base over time. “That’s the main thing - if it’s easy to do it and run the animals through the race and the information’s there - then you’ll do it more often.” No more handwriting, filing and manually typing information into Roger’s own computer either. “That’s a good thing just by itself.” Although Roger hasn’t got into using the TSi’s office mode yet, he plans to. “For now I can just use a USB stick to transfer the TSi’s information onto my own laptop”

As the NAIT compatibility deadline approaches in 2012, Roger’s now confident that he and his team will be ready. “I’ve been worried that it was going to be quite a lot of work and a bit of a headache really. So that’s why I’ve been trying to get ahead of it. Over the coming months we’ve got time to get use to this EID equipment, use it and find even more benefits from it.” He agrees that the Livestock Manager TSi system simply works brilliantly. “I also think that the equipment will only just get better and better. It’s quite exciting and we’re feeling really positive about it - and it keeps us old guys thinking all the time and keeps us up with the computer world!”