Cattle weigh scales

fred432

Anyone ever buy a cattle weighing scales. It would be very handy to know exactly what weight gains you are achieving. The most suitable I can seem to find is a Salter weigh beam. Just wondering if anyone ever had any experience

thetangler

Hi
In Jan after much delibration I bought a catttle weigher from O Donnovan in Cork (see link). I should have bought it years ago.
It is great to know the weight Gains and it is very accurrate as I sold some cattle in the Mart recently and the weights were give or take the same (5kg up or down).
I also send cattle to the butcher and the factory and it is great to compare kill out % across different breeds etc.


Link
http://www.odonovaneng.ie/productdisplay.php?id=10300&section=agri

BalthazarB

Just curious, how many cattle do you have? How much was the scales?

Sam Kade

http://ag.arizona.edu/backyards/articles/winter07/p11-12.pdf You can estimate cattle weights using a measuring tape, it's not as accurate as a scales but it's a cheaper method if you cannot justify a scales.

jayoconnell

fred432 wrote: »

Anyone ever buy a cattle weighing scales. It would be very handy to know exactly what weight gains you are achieving. The most suitable I can seem to find is a Salter weigh beam. Just wondering if anyone ever had any experience

Hi , Im making them at the moment for my brother in-law who is selling them with all equipment attached .you can contact me at jayoconnell_houseplans@hotmail.com for a quote thanks. I can send you on photo's etc.

sh1tstirrer

I use the method mentioned by Sam above. It's 90% accurate and beats spending 1000 euro on a scale. You would want at least 150 cattle to justify a scales.

Nutcase

thetangler wrote: »

Hi
In Jan after much delibration I bought a catttle weigher from O Donnovan in Cork (see link). I should have bought it years ago.
It is great to know the weight Gains and it is very accurrate as I sold some cattle in the Mart recently and the weights were give or take the same (5kg up or down).
I also send cattle to the butcher and the factory and it is great to compare kill out % across different breeds etc.


Link
http://www.odonovaneng.ie/productdisplay.php?id=10300&section=agri

We have got one of those platform weighers similar to O Donnovans they are a great job to be able to see how much weight cattle are putting on. However we found it very hard to get the animal to stand still on it for 3 seconds is the time limit to get an accurate reading but they keep moving about or leaning on the bar behind them. He makes it look easy in that photo with a halter tied around the animal but when ur trying to weigh 100 or more cattle that would just take too long imo especially when some animals wouldnt just be the civilist!!

Although perhaps the scales you have bought are the big weigh crate?? How much is one of them??
I think if anyone was going to buy a set of scales these crates would be the proper job!!

Muckit

Sam Kade wrote: »

http://ag.arizona.edu/backyards/articles/winter07/p11-12.pdf You can estimate cattle weights using a measuring tape, it's not as accurate as a scales but it's a cheaper method if you cannot justify a scales.

The oul lad gave me a weigh band. It shouldn't work, but it does and is surprisingly accurate! It measures in LBS and has a scale for pigs or cattle.

You loop it around and animal just behind the front legs, pull tight and read off (as a tailor would measure you for a suit!)

I know in these modern times it might seem archaic, but not all small parttime farmers could justify a scales.

In saying that, it has to be said the scales is less hassle and more efficent.