Livestock
Cattle equipment
Electronic tags make producers NLIS-ready
Cattle producers in Victoria and South Australia are already a long way down the path of implementing the National
Livestock Identification System (NLIS). From July 1 all Western Australian and potentially New South Wales producers
will be required to become NLIS-compliant.
Pamela Horsley and
Toni Nugent,
KONDININ GROUP
P
roducers in most States seeking to comply
with the National Livestock Identification
System only need to place an electronic ear
tag or rumen bolus in cattle before they leave
their property.
Some States could receive an exemption
and only need to use transaction tags,
depending on government legislation,
although this has yet to be finalised.
Producers can interact with the NLIS
database, although stock agents, saleyards or
processors can do this on producers’ behalf.
Electronic tags cost $2.75–$3.85 each while
rumen boluses cost $4.18–$6.38 (inclusive of
goods and services tax). Tag and bolus
applicators are priced at $20–$152.
But NLIS technology also can be used for
on-farm management. In this case, the choice
of equipment (see Figure 1) will depend on
farm conditions and information required at
the yards.
Using electronic identification
After deciding to use electronic identification
on-farm, the next step is to identify when
animals are to be scanned. There are
three options:
• Scan animals as they are sold off-farm.
• Scan animals regularly to monitor
weight gain and when animals are
sold off-farm.
• Scan animals during operations such as
drenching, vaccination and pregnancy
testing; at regular intervals to monitor
weight gain; and when animals are
sold off-farm.
Using electronic identification with a
computer recording system allows producers
to generate reports on animal treatments,
withholding periods, stock movements,
purchases and sales. In addition, consider
where animals are likely to be scanned.
Some questions to address include:
• Will the reader need to be moved to scan
animals at varying locations in the yards?
(for example, at two different races in
the yards).
• Will the reader need to be moved
between yards? (for example, between
properties or to other yards on the
same property).
For producers moving readers to
different locations, select a relatively light but
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sturdy device. If using a fix-mounted panel
reader, a non-conductive mounting board
(for example, wood) might be needed at each
location.
Some panel readers can be
mounted directly to sheet steel rails but not
sheet metal. Hand-held readers are portable
but their read range is considerably less than
fix-mounted panel readers.
Read range
Fix-mounted panel readers have read
ranges up to 1.5 metres (depending on the
make) compared with hand-held readers with
a range of 0.2–1.2m from the operator’s hand.
If rumen boluses are used, ensure the
reader has enough read range (300mm
is adequate).
Labour requirements
Consider the labour required to operate the
equipment. While hand-held readers are
portable and relatively less expensive, they
are operated manually. Fix-mounted panel
readers operate automatically, reducing the
labour required.
Existing equipment
In addition to a hand-held or panel reader,
the equipment required to make the most
of electronic identification is electronic
weighing scales, a data collector or computer
and a software package.
Consider the capability and compatibility
of existing equipment before buying an
identification device and reader. A reader
does not need to be the same make as the
identification device or applicator.
Meat and Livestock Australia
by
Electronic animal identification can be used for
more efficient on-farm management. In most
cases, producers can build on their existing
equipment to suit recording requirements.
How smart?
Readers, weighing scales and data
collectors are described as ‘smart’, ‘intelligent’
or ‘simple’, depending on their recording and
storing capabilities.
Simple equipment usually only collects
one piece of information such as weight
or an electronic identification number.
These devices are designed to display or
link data from a different source. Smart
equipment can store, process, import and
export information as well as linking data
from several sources.
FIGURE 1 Decision tree for buying electronic identification equipment
Do you want to use electronic identification for on-farm management?
Yes
No
When do you want to scan animals? Number of locations animals are scanned?
What labour is available to operate equipment? What read range is required?
Decision: Panel or hand-held wand
Do you want to continue using your
existing equipment?
Yes
Will you purchase all new
equipment?
No
What brands are existing equipment
most compatible with?
Laptop at yards or computer at
home office?
Source: Kondinin Group.
FA R M I N G A H E A D
No. 149
June 2004
Cattle equipment
Livestock
TABLE 1 Manufacturer contact details
Name
Location
Phone
Web site
Products
Aginfolink Australasia Rockhampton, Queensland
(07) 4927 4160 www.aginfolink.com
Readers (hand-held), data collector, software
Aleis International
Brendale, Queensland
(07) 3205 9842 www.aleis.com
Eartags, rumen bolus, applicator (tag, rumen),
readers (hand-held, fix-mounted panel), software
Allflex Australia
Capalaba, Queensland
(07) 3245 9100 www.allflex.com.au
Eartags, rumen bolus, applicator (tag, rumen),
readers (hand-held, fix-mounted panel), software
(uploads and transfers file directly to NLIS database)
Animal Life ID
Alexandra Hills, Queensland (07) 3823 2130 www.livestock-id.com
D and K Technologies Kyabram, Victoria
Rumen bolus, applicator (rumen), readers
(hand-held, fix-mounted panel)
(03) 5852 2455
Software (record and link NLIS tag ID to cow ID)
Electronic weighing scales
Gallagher Australia
Rydalmere, NSW
(02) 9684 1777 www.gallagher.com.au
Livestock Recording
Australia
Armidale, NSW
(02) 6772 5316 www.livestockrecording.com.au Web-based herd recording and carcass
feedback system
Possum Gully
Software
Rushcutters Bay, NSW
(0408) 669 697 www.inFARMation.com.au
/possumgully
Software
Practical Systems
Armidale, NSW
(02) 6772 6672 www.psystems.com.au
Software
Saltbush Agricultural
Software
Tru-Test
Armidale, NSW
(02) 6773 3310 http://.saltbush.une.edu.au
Software
Villawood, NSW
1800 641 324
Electronic weighing scales
www.tru-test.com.au
Source: Kondinin Group.
A simple device can be linked to a smart
device to form a system capable of collecting
and processing more data than either device
on its own.
Simple scales, smart reader
For example, a producer’s cattle scales
could display weights, which the producer
records manually against the tag number.
These scales are simple as they cannot
store weights.
In this situation, the producer could buy
a smart reader that can record weights
and store them against the electronic
identification number of each animal. All the
data then can be downloaded to a computer.
Simple scales (no
storage capacity)
USE
WITH
‘smart’ reader
(storage capacity)
Smart scales, simple reader
Another producer could already be using
smart weighing scales, which include a data
collector for storing animal weights and any
notes about the animal.
Previously, the producer manually entered
eartag numbers into the data collector as
animals were weighed. This producer would
only need to buy a simple device that
reads and transfers the animal’s electronic
identification to the data collector so
weights are stored against each electronic
identification number and downloaded later.
‘Smart’ scales (data
storage capacity)
USE
WITH
‘simple’ reader
(no storage capacity)
Computer in the yards
A third scenario would be a producer using
a computer in the yards to collect and store
data. Here, the producer could connect
simple scales and a simple reader to the
FA R M I N G A H E A D
No. 149
June 2004
computer and enter weights against
electronic identification numbers saved into
their recording software.
Not all yards can accommodate computers,
especially if scanning will take place at several
locations within the yards or at different
yards around the farm. Robust computers
designed to cope with dust and moisture are
available (for example www.opentec.com.au).
Computer in
the yards
USE
WITH
simple NLIS reader and
scales (no storage capacity)
Compatibility and information
Most brands of readers, scales and software
are compatible. To determine which reader,
scale or software package will work best with
existing equipment, talk to manufacturers or
suppliers of the farm’s existing set-up.
Then consult the manufacturers of
any new equipment (see Table 1).
More
information
on
equipment
compatibility is available via NLIS Queensland
and NSW technical officers Doug McNaught
(0427 582 113) and Jo Quigley (0417 142 146).
Many equipment distributors hold
demonstration days to show how
components link.
Meat and Livestock
Australia holds NLIS EdgeNetwork training
to assist producers set up electronic
identification on-farm.
Power requirements
Consider the power requirements of each
component and their ability to link together.
Some components will need extra leads to
link together and connect to a power source.
Some smart scale systems can power a
hand-held, simple reader but larger readers
could require their own power source.
Information transfer
Before buying a system, think about
how each component processes and
exports information. Look carefully at ports
and connections on all equipment to ensure
components can be linked.
Some readers use radio frequency (RF)
technology to transfer data to a data collector
without data cables.
The read range is usually a line of sight up
to 250m, although longer distances are
possible with larger aerials.
Back up and service
Check what after-sales service is provided.
If possible, ask representatives of one or all
components to visit the yards to set up the system.
Starting from scratch
Some producers will want to build an
electronic identification system from scratch as
they have no existing equipment or they wish to
upgrade components.
These producers must first decide whether
they want to use a computer in the yards to
collect data or will transfer data at a later date
from a reader or data collector.
When this decision has been made, their
considerations are similar to a producer adding
new components to an existing system.
Acknowledgements: Meat and Livestock
Australia technical officers Jo Quigley and
Christian Mulders.
About the author
Toni Nugent and Pamela Horsley are
research officers with Kondinin Group.
Email: [email protected]
or [email protected]
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