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San Joaquin Experimental Range
Research Notes
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The Use of Electronic Identification and Monitoring to
Evaluate Feed Consumption, Weight Gain and Feed Efficiency of Feedlot
Cattle
by
Randy C. Perry, Michael L. Mosinski
and
Michael G. Esra
CATI Publication #970502
© Copyright May 1997, all rights reserved
INTRODUCTION
In the United States, the majority of the beef cattle are fed high
concentrate or high grain diets for periods varying from 80 to 150 days prior
to being slaughtered. They are fed these high-energy feeds to increase the
palatability of the final product beef. Most feedlot cattle are managed,
processed, and marketed on a group or pen basis and these pens or groups
can be quite large.
When cattle are fed and managed in groups or pens, data concerning feed
consumption, cost of gain, and efficiency of gain is only available on a group
or pen basis. Similar data concerning individual animals cannot be determined
in these situations. Although the feedlot industry operates these production
systems very efficiently, tremendous variation exists between animals within
a pen or group. In studies of cattle that were very uniform in type and kind,
individual animals within a pen or group actually differed in profitability by
$169.00 (Gill, 1993) and $151.00 (Wilkes, 1994) per head.
If the beef industry is to compete with other meat industries that are more
efficient, such as swine and poultry, then feedlot cattle must be managed and
thus monitored on an individual animal basis. The electronic monitoring
system that we are developing allows data concerning feed and water
consumption, weight changes, feed efficiency, and cost of gain to be
collected on a continual basis on individual animals that are being fed in a
typical pen or group. Similar systems have been developed and shown to be
effective in monitoring a number of different variables under rather large
range conditions (Adams et al., 1987).
PROCEDURES
A pen at the California State University, Fresno Beef Unit is being
remodeled to accommodate the monitoring system. A typical fence line feed
bunk is being remodeled into individual feeding stations. Each station will
include a feed trough that is mounted on a load cell with an antenna, and each
animal will be equipped with an electronic ear tag that contains its
identification number. As the animal enters the feeding station, the antenna
will read its number. At the same time a computerized system will record the
weight of the feed trough. The antenna will continue to read the animal's
number while it is feeding and as it leaves the feeding station. The amount of
feed the animal consumes will be determined by comparing the weight of the
feed trough when the animal enters and leaves the feeding station.
The feeding and watering areas in the pen are separated by a scale and
dividing fence. As animals travel between the feeding and watering areas they
must go through the scale. The scale is mounted on load cells and is also
equipped with an antenna. The antenna will read each animal's electronic ear
tag and the computerized system will record the weight of the animal as it
passes through the scale.
The water trough in the pen is equipped with a pressure switch that
allows for determination of water consumption. The water area is configured
similar to the feeding stations. The animal's ear tag will be read as it enters
and leaves the watering area, and the system also will record the amount of
the water the animal consumes.
The electronic system that will be used was developed by Texas
Instruments and is now controlled and marketed by Allfex USA. A standard
computer is equipped with an acquisition card that allows for collection of
data from the load cells attached to the feed troughs, from the scale, and from
the pressure switch on the water trough. An electronic reader, equipped with
a multiplexer that allows the reader to monitor more than one antenna, will
monitor or read the antennas on a continual basis.
The computer will record and store all the information from the various
inputs. The information will be stored in files along with the time that it was
recorded. Eventually the computer will be equipped with a program and
artificial language that will allow it to summarize all the data and to determine
variables such as daily feed and water consumption, daily weight changes,
feed efficiency, and cost of gain.
This system will not only provide information on an individual animal
basis, but also on a continual or daily basis. This should allow producers to
manage cattle much more efficiently in the feed yard.
From a short-term prospective, once this system is developed, tested and
proven accurate in determination of feed efficiency and the other variables,
demand for the system and technology should exist from universities and test
stations that are involved in performance testing of beef cattle. However, the
long-term impact or significance of the project has the potential to mean much
more in terms of economics. If a system or method of feeding cattle can be
developed that increases the efficiency of feeding cattle by only five percent,
the savings to our industry as a whole are in the billions of dollars.
The pen is currently being remodeled, and the various components of the
system are being installed. We will test the components and the system
during the fall of 1997 and start feeding cattle with the system in early 1998.
By the end of 1998, we should have data available concerning the efficiency
of using the electronic system for feeding cattle.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Appreciation is expressed to the California Agricultural Technology
Institute (CATI) for providing financial assistance for this project.
LITERATURE CITED
Adams, D.C., P.O. Currie, B.W. Knapp, T. Mauney and D. Richardson.
1987. An automated range-animal data acquisition system. Journal of
Range Management 40(3):256.
Gill, D. 1993. Mixed market signals may hinder progress. The Oklahoma
Cattleman, February 1993 edition.
Wilkes, D. 1994. The Angus Alliance. Integrated Beef Technologies
Newsletter, August 1994.
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