HerdView: Automated weight tracking for beef cattle

Farmers need accurate knowledge of beef cattle weight in order to manage growth and predict optimal finishing time - ie the point at which growth rate has peaked and the animals generate a larger carbon footprint because FCR decreases. Currently, cattle are weighed at 6-8 week intervals, this is time-consuming and animals do not grow well for the following 2 days after a physical weighing, Ongoing automated weight estimation gives the farmer an easier alternative to weighing. With an automated system that gives accurate daily weights while avoiding the time and disruption of weighing, the farmer can better manage feed, reduce labour costs and reduce emissions. Automated daily weight monitoring enables farmers to precisely manage feed, reducing waste and maximising growth. Selecting appropriate slaughter date reduces age of animals at slaughter, therefore their overall environmental impact, given that ~66% of feed consumed per day is purely for maintenance, rather than growth. There are currently few cost-effective systems which can automatically accurately and regularly measure daily weights, and none known to accurately combine this with a body condition score. Now, the HerdView project will assess the feasibility of adapting Agsenze technology to track daily cow growth and predict weight/grade/fat information for beef cattle. Thereby enabling farmers to better manage feeding while reducing effort and animal distress.