Animal & Livestock Scales

Animal/Livestock Scales

Livestock scales play a crucial role in modern agricultural practices by providing accurate and efficient means of measuring the weight of animals such as cattle, sheep, pigs, and other livestock. These animal scales are designed to handle the unique challenges of weighing living animals, considering their movements and behaviours.

Livestock scales contribute significantly to the efficient and sustainable management of livestock, aiding in better decision-making and ensuring the well-being of both animals and agricultural enterprises. As technology continues to advance, livestock scales have incorporated digital interfaces and data recording capabilities, allowing for seamless integration with farm management systems. This enhances the accuracy of record-keeping and simplifies the overall management of livestock operations.

 

Applications of Animal and Livestock Scales

Animal scales come in a wide variety of forms; when selecting yours, it's important to consider your requirements and your intended usage. Some of the different kinds of livestock scales include:

Single Animal Scales

These scales - which are typically stationary - are ideal for smaller scale set-ups that only need to have one animal weighed at a time. Single Animal Scales incorporate robust stainless-steel bars designed to immobilise the animal safely and securely, ensuring precise measurements. Various iterations of these scales encompass enhanced attributes, such as cushioned flooring and noise reduction

Multiple Animal Scales

Alongside the Multiple Animal Scale's capability to accommodate the challenges of distant cattle weighing, their accompanying instrumentation can deliver a comprehensive batch breakdown for every set of animals weighed. They also give you the capacity to provide you with legal for trade weights in locations where the scale may need to weigh more than one animal before processing and subsequent transporting can be arranged.

Farm Bars

These scales are known for their user-friendly designs and general convenience. They can be positioned beneath platforms or enclosures, facilitating livestock weighing in virtually any setting. Farm bars are typically constructed from strong steel, so they're able to offer exceptional durability, and they are designed to endure extremely inclement weather. Featuring heavy-duty, electronic load cell scales, they can be mounted under most cattle squeeze chutes, hog crates, feed hoppers, and custom platforms.

Group Animal Scales

In situations where multiple animals must be weighed before transportation or at the processing facility, Group Animal Scales (also commonly referred to as Multiple Animal Scales) can offer the capability to ensure weights compliant with trade regulations. Beyond meeting the challenges of remote cattle weighing, these scales are complemented by an instrumentation package that generates comprehensive reports for every batch and lot of animals weighed. Depending on which kind you get, Group Animal Scales may be stationary or portable.

 

Features of Livestock Scales

Livestock scales come with a variety of different features. Many of these features contribute to the efficiency, accuracy, and convenience of animal scales, making them valuable tools for modern livestock management (though like any product, these features will vary with the make and model). Some typical livestock scale features include, but are not limited to:

• High Accuracy and Precision: Like any weighing scale, livestock scales are designed to provide precise weight measurements even in the presence of animal movement or restlessness. Advanced load cell technology ensures accurate readings, contributing to reliable data for animal management.
• Sturdy Construction: Livestock scales are built to withstand the demands of agricultural environments, often featuring robust materials like stainless steel that resist wear & tear, corrosion, and (of course), the sometimes-erratic whims of animal behaviour. To that end, animal scales are typically designed to be weather-resistant, allowing them to be used outdoors in a variety of inclement weather conditions.
• Anti-Motion Technology: Many animal scales are built with anti-motion technology that is designed to minimise the impact of animal movement, which helps the scales provide stable readings, and reduces the need for repeated measurements; ultimately saving you time and hassle.
• Varying Platform Size & Weight Capacities: Livestock scales are available in a range of weight capacities to accommodate different types of animals, from small sheep to large cattle. Similarly, different platform sizes cater to various animal sizes, ensuring that livestock can be comfortably and securely weighed. You'll more than likely find that you're able to buy a set that accommodates all of your livestock, but this of course depends on the size and scope of your specific beasts.
• Portability and Mobility: Many livestock scales feature portability features, such as wheels or handles, which allows them to be easily moved around inside (or if needed, outside) the farm for efficient weighing.
• Data Recording and Integration: It's common for modern livestock scales to include digital interfaces for recording weight data. This data can be integrated with farm management systems for accurate record-keeping and analysis.
• User-Friendly Displays: Clear and easy-to-read displays ensure that farmers, ranchers, and veterinarians can quickly and easily interpret weight measurements.
• Customisable Options: Livestock scales often offer customisable settings to suit specific operational needs, including unit preferences and data formatting.
• Power Options: Scales can be powered by various sources such as batteries or direct electrical connections, providing flexibility in different farm settings.
• Compatibility with Accessories: Livestock scales can be compatible with accessories such as alleyways, ramps, or gates, enhancing the ease of animal handling during weighing.

 

Introducing Anyscale's Livestock Scales

The Anyscales As-Vet offers excellent value, considering its modest cost. Its design mirrors that of an industrial scale, focussing on durability and reliability. With its straightforward weight operation and its handy mobility features, this scale is exceptionally well-suited for a wide range of veterinary and animal weighing applications, catering to everything from personal use to clinic requirements. It also comes with a detachable rubber mat designed to safeguard the weighing pan.

The Ohaus Catapult 500 is a high-end (but low-cost) scale that's built to accommodate all your weighing needs; from shipping to receiving, and everything in between. Designed for enduring reliability, the Catapult 5000 features a generously sized stainless-steel platform that can bear incredibly heavy loads. Its robust stainless-steel platform boasts exceptional load-bearing capabilities, while its user-friendly LED screen ensures effortless readability, with adjustable brightness settings that guarantee clear visibility, even in suboptimal lighting conditions. Its optional rechargeable battery can also provide hours of uninterrupted operation and enhanced portability, making the Catapult 5000 an excellent choice for small businesses, mail rooms, warehouses, and even demanding industrial settings.

 

Why choose Anyscales?

There is nary a better way to optimise effective farm management than ensuring you've got a sturdy set of livestock scales. Their reliably precise weight measurements will provide you with a range of benefits, chief amongst them being healthy, well-managed animals and consistently accurate data. You can check out our range of livestock scales here, or browse our wide range of other weighing scales here. If you need help in finding anything specific, don't be afraid to get in touch with us directly via our contact email, [email protected].

 

FAQ

How do you know if the livestock scale is accurate?

Livestock scale accuracy can be verified through regular calibration using standardised weights and comparing measurements for consistency.

What should I look for in a livestock scale?

When choosing a livestock scale, consider factors like weight capacity, durability, animal-friendly design, accuracy, legal certifications, and integration capabilities with farm management systems. Also, make sure it's going to handle both the weight and the temperament of the animals you need to weigh.

What's the difference between a livestock scale and a regular scale?

Livestock scales are specialised for weighing animals, accounting for their movements and behaviours, while regular scales are designed for inanimate objects.

What are the advantages of animal scales?

Animal scales offer precise weight measurement crucial for health monitoring, feed management, and informed decision-making, leading to improved animal welfare and productivity.

How do you calibrate a livestock scale?

To calibrate a livestock scale, follow manufacturer guidelines using known weights, adjusting settings to align measurements accurately and ensure reliable results. Do keep in mind that it's always integral that you check and carefully follow the specific calibration instructions that come along with your product, as calibration methods can vary across different makes and models.