A scale is an essential piece of equipment for farmers and livestock owners. You can use it to weigh animals, hay bales, feed sacks, seed bags, or anything else you need to measure. However, in this article, we will focus more on how to properly weigh livestock with a scale.
What Is Livestock Weighing?
Livestock weighing is the process of measuring the weight or mass of livestock. The most common livestock scale for this purpose is a platform scale, which has a flat surface mounted to a sturdy base with a beam and dial indicator. Livestock owners place livestock on the platform, and the scale measures their weight by how much pressure the livestock put on the sensors. Just make sure you do what you can to get the most out of the scale.
Proper Weighing Procedure
Unlike most things that people weigh, animals can be quite tricky. They don’t always stand still, and you can’t reason with them. Here are a few things to keep in mind while weighing livestock with a scale:
- Make sure the animals are calm and relaxed before weighing them. A stressed animal will likely give an inaccurate weight reading.
- Weigh the animals in a clean, dry area with no wind or draft.
- Record the weight of each animal and the date and time of weighing.
- If you weigh a group of animals, make sure they are all similar in size and weight. A selection of significantly different animals will not accurately represent the average weight.
- Ensure all large accouterments such as saddlebags, halters, and bags carrying feed or water do not affect the weight reading. You can either remove them before weighing them or weigh them on a different scale to prevent their influence on the final number.
- Livestock scales have a maximum weight, usually listed on their product page or packaging material. Make sure no individual animal in your herd exceeds this limit before weighing them with the scale.
- When you finish using the livestock scale for measuring animals, make sure to clean it thoroughly and store it away properly so it’s ready for the next time you need it.
The Benefits of Weighing
Now that you feel confident in handling the animals that you’ll be weighing, you should also be aware of the benefits of knowing this information. Here are a few advantages to determining your livestock’s weight:
- It gives you an accurate weight reading of each animal.
- It can help you identify overweight or underweight animals, impacting their health and productivity.
- It enables you to monitor the growth rate of your herd over time.
- It helps prevent overfeeding, which can have a detrimental effect on both your herd and the environment.
- A scale also allows for more precise weighing than other methods such as visual estimation or manual lifting and counting.
Knowing how to properly weigh livestock with a scale is important since it can help you ensure the health and productivity of your herd. Be sure to keep these tips in mind when you finally try this out for yourself.