Demonstration of an in-paddock cattle weighing system
| Project start date: | 02 January 2023 |
| Project end date: | 15 May 2026 |
| Project status: | In progress |
| Livestock species: | Grass-fed Cattle |
| Relevant regions: | Western Australia, Mediterranean |
| Site location: | WA: South Stirlings, Manypeaks, Kojaneerup, Kalgan |
Summary
Cattle producers growing out cattle in extensive paddock environments are not regularly weighing their animals and can therefore be delayed in noticing any changes in growth rates. Monitoring weights with in-paddock weighing equipment in real-time allows Producers to respond to growth rate changes by providing additional supplementation or other suitable interventions in a timelier manner. Real-time data can be used to plan sale dates and numbers, ensuring cattle are more likely to meet target weights and hit market specifications more accurately.
This Producer Demonstration Site (PDS) project will utilise an Optiweigh unit on properties in southern WA to demonstrate the value of in-paddock cattle weighing systems for improved labour efficiency, monitoring animal weights and optimising compliance with target market weight specifications. Demonstration sites will be established on six properties across the South Coast region of WA - South Stirlings, Manypeaks, Kojaneerup, & Kalgan over three years.
Objectives
By October 2025, Stirlings to Coast Farmers (SCF) will have achieved the following outcomes in the Southern WA region:
- Trialled an Optiweigh system on a minimum of six herds of beef cattle across six properties to achieve:
- 70% of site hosts reduced the time, or labour typically spent on cattle weighing activities
- 100% of site hosts were able to identify more timely variations in animal weight gains
- 50% of site hosts use the Optiweigh data to make a more informed sale or herd management decision (i.e., nutrition)
- Demonstrate the function of the Optiweigh system to an open audience of at least 30 producers across the life of the project (two producer field events 2023,2024).
- Build producers skills in use and analysis of the Optiweight data to make better herd management decisions and target market weight specifications more accurately.
- Produce at least three case studies and one video summarising the findings from site hosts and extend widely.
- Conduct a cost-benefit analysis to demonstrate the value of adopting this technology.
- Engaged 10 Core and 50 observer producers, with
- 90% of core producers and 70% of observer producers having increased their knowledge of the Optiweigh system from this project
- 80% increase in confidence among the core producer group in knowing the value of an Optiweigh (and data it produces) to their system and a 50% increase among observer producers
- 80% of core and 50% of observer producers believe that in-paddock weighing equipment would benefit their livestock enterprise.
Progress
This PDS, Demonstration of an in-paddock cattle weighing system, is managed by Stirlings to Coast Farmers. Commencing in February 2023 and continuing for three years the PDS aims to demonstrate the value an in-paddock weighing system can provide to a cattle enterprise.
This will be achieved by two hosts per year demonstrating the Optiweigh system, collecting real-time weight data, the host producer’s experiences, and having a cost benefit analysis performed. Year one data collection from the Optiweigh machine is complete and the cost benefit analysis (CBA) has been completed on the first host site and is still being finalised for the second host producer. Economic analysis results for the first host producer show the net present value to be positive indicating that the Optiweigh system would be a positive investment.
It would, however, take 10 years for a positive return on investment. The main benefit driving the positive result in this instance was the improved labour efficiencies, along with monitoring animal weights to meet nutritional needs and optimizing compliance with target market weight specifications.
For further information visit: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5c00a4b3620b859f65cfa797/t/657671d02bf3cb66ab5409d8/1702261202056/Optiweigh_+SCF_Focus_Summer_2023_2S2.pdf
