30 months?

[jensend]

We expect that is about where we will end up. I think within two years we will have the electronic scale under the squeeze, RF tags and scanner. I would expect to use a conventional tag as well for use in the pasture for matching up pairs or just noting an animal and knowing who it is. I am sure ranchers and farmers will be toting a lot more laptops around in a couple of years. If we can use the information for management purposes it will all be worthwhile and I would estimate will use about five days a year in extra time spent.

[rusty1]

Boy, seems tatooing is a step back in time. Unless that process is alot faster, cleaner, and simpler than it was when I did it a long time ago. We were sure glad to throw that thing away. If we are going to take leadership in the world of food safety and traceability we'll have to go with RFID. And I hope Canada is 100% down that trail by calving season of 2004.

I have followed closely that technology for the past 6 years. The tools are in hand and the costs are insignifcant in relation to the benefits. We have done alot of feedlot demo's with RFID tools. The benefits on Individual Animal Managment can range as high as $75.00 CDN.

With current tags cost at $2.00 the cost is no longer an issue. We were approached by a leading tag manufacturer to sell their tags at just a bit over that price. That deal is not complete yet.

We have a calving program that runs on various PDA's and syncronizes with you PC. and reads RFID tags right into the hand held device. It even holds the complete Veterinary Compendium for your health needs.

The calving program also has a seemless interface to the feedlot module so production records can be carried along with the calf.

We have scanners to suit your needs and scale systems for your chute that auto sorts gates. (PS - jensend - we sure don't advise a scale under your chute, been there done that)

Just a synopsis on Individual Animal Managment - we have found 4 types of animals in any given pen of feeders.
1. Super gainers, gaining 5 - 7 Lbs. ADG
2. Pen Average - ( we feed and manage our herd based on the "Flaw of Averages")
3. Ner-do-wells - they just never should have been born - they can't make you any money and never will.
4. Social Mis-fits that are at the bottom end of the pecking order and don't charge the bunk. Separate them and give them some space and they may be super gainers.

Our system will give us ADG chute side, and "Predicted Week to Ship". With a proper process we will calculate a calfs "BEADG"
Break Even Average Daily Gain in very short order, and if he is not breaking even then send it back to the cowboy that raised it.

[pandiana]

I agree with rusty, tattooing is not all that easy or reliable. Our cows are all tattooed. Some problems are:

A surprising number of these are unreadable over time.
If you calve in winter, tattooing is a poor option as paste on ears makes them prone to freezing.
You would probably need a conventional tag as well for easy identification.
There is only so much room in a calf's ear available. If you need farm id and birthdate, it could be a tough job to keep it readable.

I think tattooing is still a good backup for a valuable cow (if such a thing exists these days), but not enough.

The problem I have with this whole concept is what happens on large herds that may have cows that calve on their own and therefore have no good record of birthdates.

What is an RF or RFID tag?

[ValueChainFX]

RF = Radio Frequency

These tags will probably be the choice in the future for anyone that is planning on shipping animals, keeping worry free records and wants feedback from farm to fork.

The technology is getting stronger all the time and easier to work with. The cost keeps getting lower and the new regulations are getting closer. I am always interested in feedback on systems folks are useing right now.

The key to any system is going to be that systems ability to track product through the packing plant. This is the place most systems will let us down. There are some wonderful systems out at the moment that provide excellent information. Does anyone use a system now and care to share a name or two with us (maybe with a website link)

http://www.viewtrak.com/

[jensend]

rusty1: which equipment do you handle and what exactly is your program? We know we will have to upgrade our info (from Cowchip$) but for the next year or so at least I see things being in such a state of flux that any big leap could be off the mark and then we can spend some more getting with the industry standard.

[ALICIA]

Know wonder most farmers don't know if they should laught or cry. Mexican's open boarder (same as US)
-boneless bovine meat from cows under 30 months of age. ( the very best heifer that is only a cow for 6 months tops.)
-boneless veal meat from cows nine months of age or younger at slaughter
I didn't make a mistake in my reading that is what it says, right on the goverment agr. line for updates.
If the Mexican still do not what our beef, way make a statement at all. Cow under 9 months old GIVE ME A BREAK!

[rusty1]

jensend Sorry for not having replied sooner. And this may sound like a bit of a cop out. We will soon be making a puplic announcement telling of the tools available. Let me suffice for now to say that we have in hand a PDA that can read RFID tags directly into a cow calf program for calving, weaning and health records. The data will give you the oportunity over time to market your beef based on merrit and/or traits. Buy the way these RFID tags that we'll be seeing soon are what's called a passive instrament. They can do nothing in and of themselves. The antenna sends out a radio wave that powers up the tag. When a prescribed amount of power is absorbed it fires back with a unigue 15 digit number. that is basically the serial # of that animal. Software (data base) is now in hand to collect production information. From that production decisions can be made. "Stand by for NEWS".