Being able to access animal performance data is increasingly important. Farmers are busy and facing heightened demands on their time and efficiency.
Measuring animal performance data comes with the ability to make stronger and more cost-effective decisions on animals and ensure NLIS compliance.
What does this look like in action? asks Mike Hemsley, business development manager at Gallagher. “Let’s start with the big one: weighing.
“Monitoring an animal’s weight is fundamental to understanding how to make cost-effective decisions on how to manage them.
“For example, if an animal has lost weight, it could indicate they are unwell. Knowing how much an animal weighs helps you administer the correct dose for treatment and stay on top of compliance: if you under-dose, it will be ineffective, but if you over-dose it’s money down the drain.
“However, weighing is not the only metric you can use when it comes to data collection.
“With a complete animal performance system, you could be collecting animal history and pedigree, pregnancy status, categorising animals based on certain traits, or even drafting automatically using pre-determined weight or trait targets,” Mr Hemsley said.
“This saves time, effort, and money, while making sessions in the yard easier.
“You can maintain this data throughout the animal’s lifetime using its EID tag, and a database such as Animal Performance Plus.”
Mr Hemsley said mandatory tagging of animals comes with an incredible opportunity to start capturing data on animals digitally.
“Being able to automatically match weight and life data with an animal’s EID number is a valuable way of securely and easily storing data.
“Gallagher is committed to supporting our customers with smarter, simpler solutions that make farmers’ lives easier and more profitable.
“With the Gallagher Animal Performance and Traceability range, you can start recording data automatically against EID tags, that can be harnessed to make powerful on-farm decisions and make more profit for your business.”
“The Gallagher Animal Performance Plus web and mobile app is the perfect way to start collecting animal data. Using the app, you can sync data with your Gallagher weigh scale or handheld reader, to access on your phone or computer. This is a great way to take your animal data to the office, where you can make decisions on the back of this data.”
The app can also turn a smartphone into a pocket-sized weigh scale, connecting with the Gallagher Wireless Load Bars using Bluetooth.
“The Gallagher HR4 and HR5 Handheld EID readers make it easy to capture, edit, and customise data against EID records in the yard,” Mr Hemsley said.
“Using a large colour screen and alpha-numeric keypad, you can customise the data you collect on your animals. It also connects via Bluetooth to a wireless weigh scale, where you can record weights and easily send and receive data using the Animal Performance app.
“Gallagher’s Weigh Scale range is designed for a range of different on-farm purposes. The top of the range TWR-5 has an inbuilt EID reader that allows users to read tags and weigh efficiently, while also recording up to nine different animal traits.
“With a full QWERTY keyboard and its rugged farm-ready design, capturing information on your animals while in the yard becomes as simple as clicking a button,” Mr Hemsley said.
“With over 85 years of experience in the farming industry, Gallagher is leading the way in animal performance and traceability solutions, offering a complete range of animal data management software, weighing equipment, and EID systems.”
