Use of an Optiweigh to monitor mob and individual weight gains in feedlot pens

Title
Use of an Optiweigh to monitor mob and individual weight gains in feedlot pens
Publication Date
2022-07
Author(s)
Hergenhan, R L
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9783-4906
Email: rhergen4@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:rhergen4
Schneider, D A
( #PLACEHOLDER_PARENT_METADATA_VALUE# )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1897-4175
Email: dschnei5@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:dschnei5
Type of document
Conference Publication
Language
en
Entity Type
Publication
Publisher
CSIRO Publishing
Place of publication
Australia
UNE publication id
une:1959.11/61582
Abstract

Monitoring weight gains in feedlot cattle using a crush is time consuming and may impact cattle performance through increased handling and time spent away from the pen. Methods for in pen weighing around a water point in feedlots have been developed (Vytelle 2022) but there may be opportunity to use other more portable systems in feedlot pens. The Optiweigh system (Optiweigh 2022) has been developed for in paddock weighing of cattle using a stand-alone unit with a supplement block as an attractant and satellite-based telemetry for data communication. When cattle access the supplement in the Optiweigh, by placing their front feet on a platform, a partial body weight is recorded and converted to a full body weight. This project used an Optiweigh in a feedlot pen to determine whether feedlot cattle would utilise it when a complete diet was already on offer and if it could be used to accurately monitor weight gain over a feeding period

Link
Citation
Animal Production Science, 62(10 & 11), p. xxxi-xxxi
ISSN
1836-5787
1836-0939
0728-5965
Start page
xxxi
End page
xxxi

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