lesson learned the expensive way

[BobbyLummus1]

I can't see how anyone thats buys and sells cattle through a stockyard doesn't know ballpark within 100 lbs what they are looking at on cows/bulls/heifers or 50 lbs or so on calves .

 

[skyhightree1]

I can't see how anyone thats buys and sells cattle through a stockyard doesn't know ballpark within 100 lbs what they are looking at on cows/bulls/heifers or 50 lbs or so on calves .

I don't know how anyone can buy a 900lb sale barn bull and and ask can he breed but is such a great weight estimator. ;-) :tiphat:

 

[Till-Hill]

I can't see how anyone thats buys and sells cattle through a stockyard doesn't know ballpark within 100 lbs what they are looking at on cows/bulls/heifers or 50 lbs or so on calves .

I don't know how anyone can buy a 900lb sale barn bull and and ask can he breed but is such a great weight estimator. ;-) :tiphat:

That was a lot more nice than I would have said it! BTW the I bought the Wrangle Elite system and had a buddy weld me a pen for it. Works awesome. Best thing I have bought so far!

 

[highgrit]

Well I don't see where the weight of the calf really matters. Nice calves sell higher and will offset likeness or weight every time. I buy heavy duty stuff myself, sounds to me like you cheaped out on a long term investment. You'll be re-riggin before long.

 

[Toad]

Around here calves are graded and weighed then put into matching groups that never come through the ring. There may be 50 500lb calves in a group. I think what a scale would help you do is sell calves when they reach the upper weight of whatever group you are selling in. I know when I sold last month I had some that weighed 490 and 595 but the average of the their groups were closer to 450 and 550. I did really well on those calves.

 

[skyhightree1]

I can't see how anyone thats buys and sells cattle through a stockyard doesn't know ballpark within 100 lbs what they are looking at on cows/bulls/heifers or 50 lbs or so on calves .

I don't know how anyone can buy a 900lb sale barn bull and and ask can he breed but is such a great weight estimator. ;-) :tiphat:

That was a lot more nice than I would have said it! BTW the I bought the Wrangle Elite system and had a buddy weld me a pen for it. Works awesome. Best thing I have bought so far!

:lol2: .. Nice if this doesn't work out well I may be asking questions from you about your system.

Well I don't see where the weight of the calf really matters. Nice calves sell higher and will offset likeness or weight every time. I buy heavy duty stuff myself, sounds to me like you cheaped out on a long term investment. You'll be re-riggin before long.

Well some that register calves measure themselves on a bathroom scale that can be purchased at walmart which is fine that works for them... Some use a tape to try and measure calves which nesi and I have discussed before which is fine if it works for them .. I would like to think this scale will be a better option for myself than the other ways. IMO not having any scale is cheaping out on a long term investment. If that scale helps me one time on a load of calves its paid for itself IMO

Around here calves are graded and weighed then put into matching groups that never come through the ring. There may be 50 500lb calves in a group. I think what a scale would help you do is sell calves when they reach the upper weight of whatever group you are selling in. I know when I sold last month I had some that weighed 490 and 595 but the average of the their groups were closer to 450 and 550. I did really well on those calves.

This is correct that's why I got the scale.

 

[Till-Hill]

Of course after I buy something I find a better system. Talked to these guys and I may just sell my pen/scale and buy this one as this is legal for trade.

http://www.cardinalscale.com/cs_product ... ck-scales/

Here is a few pictures of what I did with that Wrangler Elite system.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... 709&type=1

 

[highgrit]

Sky, I buy and build for my kids. But I've been scale shopping for months myself, my wife told me to just buy one dang it. And the one thing the load cells can't handle is being over loaded. Every place has told me the same exact thing, this is very important. So any time you run a cow down the alley the scale needs to be removed.

 

[skyhightree1]

Sky, I buy and build for my kids. But I've been scale shopping for months myself, my wife told me to just buy one dang it. And the one thing the load cells can't handle is being over loaded. Every place has told me the same exact thing, this is very important. So any time you run a cow down the alley the scale needs to be removed.

HG my wife asked me did I buy a scale this morning :lol: I do know about those load cell can break if overloaded this scale is going in an alley. The platform will be in the barn until time to weigh calves and I will bring it out and plug it up when done remove it. The corral I am building is just for calves but I will have it there in case I need to run a cow down the alley this is why I say that scale is good for me. I know you sell cows off the farm so your needs are a lil different.

 

[skyhightree1]

Of course after I buy something I find a better system. Talked to these guys and I may just sell my pen/scale and buy this one as this is legal for trade.

http://www.cardinalscale.com/cs_product ... ck-scales/

Here is a few pictures of what I did with that Wrangler Elite system.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... 709&type=1

Looks good

 

[M-5]

http://www.farmshow.com/a_article.php?aid=6407

Old tires filled with water and hooked up to a pressure gauge make great livestock scales, according to a British company that's promoting the idea.
Bradbury Controls, Ltd., says the idea will work with any tire, from bicycle size to the biggest tractor tire. Automobile tires will weigh loads up to a ton, while large tractor tires accurately measure up to 22 tons.
The idea is to fill a tire with water, installing an inner tube if it doesn't already have one. The air valve is removed and a hose run from the tire to a pressure gauge That converts pressure to weight. A "load ring", fitting the size of the contact area of the tire, is mounted on top of the tire. The load ring can be made out of wood, plastic, or any other stout material.
The "Wheelie Weigher", as the company calls it, can be left outside all year if antifreeze is added to prevent freezing in the colder climates. The company says farmers have been using the homemade weighers for everything from small animals to permanent installation in grain or mixing bins.
Bradbury Controls has a book of plans available for the tire weigher that sells for $7. The company has also made arrangements to handle the other components, such as the pressure gauge, needed to build your own unit.
For more information, contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Wheelie Weigh, Bradbury Controls Ltd., P.O. Box 4, Ross-On-Wye, HR9 6EB England (ph 0600-890599).

 

[skyhightree1]

http://www.farmshow.com/a_article.php?aid=6407

Old tires filled with water and hooked up to a pressure gauge make great livestock scales, according to a British company that's promoting the idea.
Bradbury Controls, Ltd., says the idea will work with any tire, from bicycle size to the biggest tractor tire. Automobile tires will weigh loads up to a ton, while large tractor tires accurately measure up to 22 tons.
The idea is to fill a tire with water, installing an inner tube if it doesn't already have one. The air valve is removed and a hose run from the tire to a pressure gauge That converts pressure to weight. A "load ring", fitting the size of the contact area of the tire, is mounted on top of the tire. The load ring can be made out of wood, plastic, or any other stout material.
The "Wheelie Weigher", as the company calls it, can be left outside all year if antifreeze is added to prevent freezing in the colder climates. The company says farmers have been using the homemade weighers for everything from small animals to permanent installation in grain or mixing bins.
Bradbury Controls has a book of plans available for the tire weigher that sells for $7. The company has also made arrangements to handle the other components, such as the pressure gauge, needed to build your own unit.
For more information, contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Wheelie Weigh, Bradbury Controls Ltd., P.O. Box 4, Ross-On-Wye, HR9 6EB England (ph 0600-890599).

M-5 would you trust that?

 

[M-5]

http://www.farmshow.com/a_article.php?aid=6407

Old tires filled with water and hooked up to a pressure gauge make great livestock scales, according to a British company that's promoting the idea.
Bradbury Controls, Ltd., says the idea will work with any tire, from bicycle size to the biggest tractor tire. Automobile tires will weigh loads up to a ton, while large tractor tires accurately measure up to 22 tons.
The idea is to fill a tire with water, installing an inner tube if it doesn't already have one. The air valve is removed and a hose run from the tire to a pressure gauge That converts pressure to weight. A "load ring", fitting the size of the contact area of the tire, is mounted on top of the tire. The load ring can be made out of wood, plastic, or any other stout material.
The "Wheelie Weigher", as the company calls it, can be left outside all year if antifreeze is added to prevent freezing in the colder climates. The company says farmers have been using the homemade weighers for everything from small animals to permanent installation in grain or mixing bins.
Bradbury Controls has a book of plans available for the tire weigher that sells for $7. The company has also made arrangements to handle the other components, such as the pressure gauge, needed to build your own unit.
For more information, contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Wheelie Weigh, Bradbury Controls Ltd., P.O. Box 4, Ross-On-Wye, HR9 6EB England (ph 0600-890599).

M-5 would you trust that?

Would I trust it ???? Maybe after some testing, If it 98% accurate that's better odds than guessing. To be continued as I will build one this weekend if I don't have to replace my parents deck.

 

[M-5]

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

What is it with you and sheep dash man?

 

[Hook]

Spend some of grandmas money and buy a set of scale load bars off eBay. 600 bucks for 1500 lb capacity. Amston scales. Tell her it's an investment.

 

[bird dog]

I have told y'all my troubles with the different scale types and finally got fed up and bought a set of true test. Night and day difference but of course you pay twice as much but I wanted something that works correctly every day without trouble. I weigh everything that goes through the chute. I weigh everything that is going to the sale. I weigh everything that comes from the sale. In my opinion they easily pay for themselves.
I get over anxious to sell something like a cull cow or a weaned calf. Now I can weigh the cow and make the decision if I want to keep her on grass for a couple more weeks or ship her. A couple weeks later, you can see if you made the right decision.
My goal is to maximize the value of every animal that sells whether it is a #1 steer or a old cow with no teeth. Right now the sweet spot in the calf market seems to be 600 lbs. They aren't paying me much to keep them bigger than that. Scales will tell you from experience that you need that calf at around 630 to allow for the shrink and let you get right on that number if you desire. I will tell you folks to buy the best ones you can afford. You will surprise yourself on how much you use them.

 

[ohiosteve]

Spend some of grandmas money and buy a set of scale load bars off eBay. 600 bucks for 1500 lb capacity. Amston scales. Tell her it's an investment.

Not everyone can be a big time rancher like you Hook. You are a real piece of work.

 

[Hook]

Don't worry Ohio. I'm far from big time. But I got some scales that work.

 

[ohiosteve]

I doubt that.