Weighing Your Options: Cattle Scales

Weighing Your Options: Cattle Scales

By Josh Jackson, Ph.D. Assistant Extension Professor Livestock Systems

From a management and production standpoint, obtaining cattle weights is essential on

Photo courtesy of Josh Jackson.

beef operations as these animals are purchased, sold, and treated on a weight basis (by the pound). The visual evaluation of weight can be performed effectively by some and less so by others. A scale system removes the guess work of “eyeballing” cattle. There are many advantageous reasons to weigh livestock. In addition to establishing an economic value to the animals, knowing the weight could allow for cost savings, as more efficient drug delivery can be implemented. Performance characteristics such as weaning weight and yearling weight could be quantified—which is especially desirable for purebred operations since this information can be used to improve the accuracy of their breed’s EPDs (Expected Progeny Difference records). Management decisions for growth and replacement heifer development can be more effectively benchmarked to industry standards.

Drug Delivery

Therefore, the application of these drugs typically results in producers falling into one of these categories: proper dosage, overapplying, or underapplying, with the latter two categories being the most likely. From drug delivery standpoint, the cost of overapplying wormer is not negligible, as shown in Table 1, above. With most operations in Kentucky having 30-50 head and deworming their cattle at least two times per year, overapplying dewormer by 100 lbs per animal could be costing these producers approximately $50 dollars annually. Underapplying dewormer may not allow for complete and effective control of parasites; yet, a cost is still incurred. Furthermore, underapplying could lead to developed resistance by the parasites and ineffectiveness of the dewormer. Subclinical costs of these parasites are reduced milk production, decreased average daily gain, and impaired conception rates. As demonstrated by the FDA U.S. Food & Drug Administration’s veterinary feed directive, the use of antibiotics within the livestock industry is facing ever stronger scrutiny, and the judicious use of antibiotics is being encouraged. Therefore, knowing the weights can help ensure that cattle are treated according to their weight. As shown in the Table 2, there is a cost associated with oversupplying the antibiotic. The cost of undersupplying antibiotics

Management

Scales can improve management practices in various ways. Performance records such as weaning weight and yearling weight can be tracked and underperformers marketed. A scale system along with other information can be used to evaluate average daily gain (ADG), feed efficiency (FE), and performance on pasture. Depending upon the ADG and FE of the cattle, different strategies for nutritional supplementation could be implemented to achieve or maintain the desired weight gain.

With regard to replacement heifers, the typical minimum weight benchmark given is that they need to be at least 65-70% of their expected mature body weight prior to breeding. For

The size of the scale system depends on the number of animals being managed. If multiple animals are being managed similarly and overall group performance information is desired, then a scale that can weight a group of animals would be desirable. For most cow-calf producers in the state, a scale system that weighs one animal at a time may be more practical and allow for more precise record keeping and management of these individual livestock.

The location of the scale is dependent upon the current layout of the facility, and if the scale system is going to be permanently fixed in a location or if it needs to be portable. A platform alley scale system would be more easily transported between farms. The capacity of the load cells or bar would also determine its location within the working facility (Table 4).

most herds this will be between 750 to 850 lbs. Scales allow for the determination of the average cow weight within the beef herd and promote improved methodology for determining when heifers are of adequate size to breed.

Scale Selection

There are three main criteria to consider when obtaining a scale system: type, size, and location.

There are two main types of scales: electronic/digital and mechanical beam scales. Either type of scale system should be functional. However, the digital scale system may be more adapted to integrating with electronic ID systems and the use of Bluetooth technologies.

Building Your Own Scale System

For more on building a scale system, watch my YouTube video, “Setting up a Cattle Scale System from a Kit,”at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuVqNBSjiZg&t=11s

Josh Jackson, Ph.D., is an Assitant Extension Professor in Livestock Systems Engineering.