Cattle Scales

[midTN_Brangusman]

I need to purchase a set of scales for individual weaning and yearling weights. I have been looking at a couple types. Load bars with platform that you put in your alley such as TruTest or the cage type.

What do you guys and gals recommend? Thanks and God Bless!

 

[dun]

Either the cage type or under the chute. I've seen too many disasters with those pan type platforms in an alleyway

 

[bird dog]

I have one set up with the pan in the alley and one set up under the chute. I much prefer under the chute. I have been using a set of TruTest under a Priefert SO4 for four years now and it has performed flawlessly.

 

[Air gator]

Check out this on Ebay. I plan on buying one next month.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Livestock-Scale ... SwFlxZZhh~

 

[bird dog]

What are you going to mount them to Mr. Gator?

 

[pricefarm]

Anyone know anything about the scales that A&A Scales sell? There pretty cheap.

 

[bird dog]

If you are going to buy a cheap set, A & A is the place to go. They are knowledgeable and helpful if you have problems. I own a set for an alleyway where I built my own weigh pan.
Saying that, they are still a cheap set made in China and I personally would save my money until I could buy a good set. I am very confident when I turn on my TruTest that it will work properly and accurately and weighs a a moving animal very quickly. I never felt that way with the A & A set and is frustrating to try to get it to lock on with an anxious calf on the pan.

 

[pricefarm]

Thanks. I want be weighing very many head. When you feed and see your calves everyday it's hard to tell what they weigh or it is for me. If I had a group of 10 calves all pretty close in size I might just weigh 3 or so to get a estimate of what the group weighs.

 

[bird dog]

Weighing calves and cows has taught me a lot about my operation that I would not know otherwise. It really opened my eyes how well weaned calves can do with good spring grass and how poor they will do in late summer when it still looks good but not very nutritional. Its also a good way to judge the health of an older cow. If they lose weigh two years in a row when weighed at around the same time of the year, they probably need to be looked at very closely to cull. It also will tell you which cows are performing and which one are not. I presently have a very nice well bred 5 year old Brangus cow that just will not produce. She calves on time and the calves look good and are healthy but they are in the bottom 10% for growth for the three years she has had a calf. She will be sold as a bred cow in the fall.

Weighing also taught me how much money I was giving away to the sale barn buyers by not controlling my shrink. I believe I have easily paid for my scales on just one season's worth of calves by reducing my shrink. Most importantly it has taught me to only sell at the sale barn as a last resort. Even if that is your only option, their are many things you can do to reduce your shrink.

 

[talltimber]

I bought a set of load bars/display from Avery Weightronix. Very satisfied.

What are you doing to reduce your shrink bird dog, if not weighing up and selling off the farm?

 

[bird dog]

I get mine weaned for 30+ days and eating very well and sell them where they feed them something similar before the sale. For me its OKC. Its a long drive from my place but they keep your group in a smallish pen where they have plenty of a decent feed and fresh water. Since they are penned with the group they are used to and not commingled, they have very little stress. I sold a group in June that lost less than 1 1/4%. They weighed out at the farm at 12,238 lbs on Saturday afternoon, hauled early on Sunday and were sold on Monday afternoon. They split the group but the total was 12,105 lbs. That is the best I have done. I am usually in the 2 to 3% range.
Selling at the sale barn is much more difficult. They need to be long weaned and healthy. It also helps if you can take them in just a couple hours before they sell. Taking them in the day/night before will cost you 3 to 5%. Its not unusual for a calf weaned on the trailer to lose 10%.

I am amazed at the number of people that sell off the farm where the buyer hauls the calves to a feed store or something to get weighed and then deducts another 2% for shrink. Calves will lose 3% just getting penned and loaded. Add on the additional 2% and you gave the buyer $40 a head. The calves if healthy will recoup that weight very quickly when put on feed and water at the end of their trip. At OKC they stay in their small pen with feed and water until they head to the sale arena. They are weighed just before they enter and that is the weight you get paid for.

Weaning for at least 30 days is the best bet no matter where they sell. They also need to know how to drink from a water trough. Sounds stupid but very important when its hot.