digital livestock scales

[JD6320]

Anyone have any info on what digital livestock scales are good,looking at loadcells for wieghing individual cattle (5000lb cells). Anyone using Davco weight scales out of Quesel B.C?
Thanks
Tom

[tman]

Have you looked at Elias scales. Crop Insurance uses the bale platform scale, which seemed pretty good when they came out to our place. I just lifted it out of the guy's truck box, set it on the ground and then a bale on top. No concrete needed for a base. I would think the livestock ones would be just as handy.

[wd40]

I have seen alot of Reliable Scales equipment and in fact built (and is for sale) a single animal scale that opperates the back door and the 2 (left and right) sorting doors on air. Their equipment is tried and relaible. I would be real warry of Eliase and have never heard of the outfit in BC. Reliable has been in the livestock business for many years and are out of Calgary.800-419-1189

[cowman]

Back in the late seventies we bought an Elias scale that was suppossed to fit in a cattle squeeze. Now it wasn't digital, had a big dial, but worked on a hydraulic load cell.
It was very inaccurate and had to be adjusted all the time. The platform was too narrow. I think it is sitting out in the junk pile today!

[wd40]

You're a little more honest cowman, there's lots of Elias scales in the junk pile.

[PureCountry]

This is a topic I've wanted to get on for a while, I just always forget to ask myself. I've priced some different systems out, but I've never heard feedback on any of them. Anyone ever try and All-Weigh Scale system?

I too am just thinking of load bars to weigh individual animals. I've got an old chute that I want to put just before our palpation cage and squeeze, so we have the option of weighing animals as they come through to be loaded or processed. Anyone ever try that configuration themselves?

[cowman]

Now I will tell you that when we decided to buy a scale we were still in the days of "purebred mentality"!
In reality, what do you need a scale when you are raising commercial commodity cattle?
I think most of us can guess pretty close what a calf weighs? I mean really?...talk about wasting money?
I mean you take your calves to market. The scale says they weigh 650...are you going to argue your mickey mouse scale at home says they weigh 670? Who cares?
A needless expense...in my opinion.

[JD6320]

Purecountry,

If you look at most of the livestock(electronic) scales setups in Canada they are almost all using the same equipment but with their own name stickered on it. My biggest concern is the durabilty of the loadbars in an outdoor enviroment. All-weight was one of the more expensive quotes that I have recieved so far.

[grassfarmer]

I find the scale a valuable tool - I bought an old, small, non squeeze type crate at Rimbey machinery sale for $500. Someone said it was a 4H scale?Works fine, is easy to move with the loader I can set round bales on top to weigh them (up to 2200lbs.) I can weigh calves, yearlings and bred heifers - if you get into bigger cows and bulls it isn't long enough to get all 4 legs on at once. I plan to get one of the welder neighbours to extend the crate and put a proper front and back gate on it. I've seen similar crates at Rimbey at other sales.
I really like this "all mechanical" scale - no electrics to go wrong when it sits outside all the time.

[Eastcoaster]

I'm not sure on the prices of other brands of electronic scales but Gallagher power fencing is selling them now. Their price for 7700lb. loadbars is$2350.00 and a basic readout is $960.00.There is a heavier set also and fancier readouts for data storage. This price seems a bit high to me but maybe not, I'm not sure. If they are as reliable as their fence materials they should be alright.