Walk over weighing for sheep - Expression of Interest

Development and Commercialisation

Monitoring the live weight of sheep is important for management of grazing and nutrition.  Weight change as well as absolute average weight of a flock of sheep has implications for reproductive performance, accurately meeting market specifications and for animal health and welfare.  Conventional weighing, or measuring the condition score, requires that sheep are brought into yards and requires allocation of labour as well as disturbing the sheep’s natural behaviour resulting in time off feed, low level stress and loss of production.  Walk over weighing makes use of the natural behaviour of sheep walking to watering points, between paddocks or to feed supplements.  The automated collection of weight data also saves labour and facilitates more regular monitoring of weight and weight change. 

The Sheep CRC is calling for expressions of interest for the development and commercialisation of an integrated walk over weighing system for sheep. The CRC has developed and tested the proof of concept and has the necessary software for data management. The next step is to develop a cost-effective weighing system with integrated software and data storage that will provide a simple ‘turn-key’ solution for sheep producers.

Expressions of Interest from individuals or companies should outline a proposal for developing an integrated weighing system that can continuously monitor the weight of animals walking over a platform and store the information in a form ready for transfer to a computer. Up to five proposals will be selected, based on the selection criteria, and will receive $2,000 as a contribution towards developing and testing a prototype. The best prototype judged on cost, accuracy, robustness, energy demand, data storage and ease of use will receive a further $10,000 towards product development and marketing.

The CRC will provide technical support, access to data management software and will help promote the winning entry to the sheep industry.

System specifications

• The weighing system and associated electronic equipment should be designed to withstand outdoor conditions including rain, wind, dust and a wide range of temperature and humidity.
• The weighing system must include a weighing platform for the sheep to walk across that is designed to minimise the chance of weighing more than one sheep at a time.
• The weighing indicator must produce a continuous output in “kilograms” and monitor weight data at 0.1 second intervals.
• The data storage system should have a capacity to store up to 50,000 weighing events.
• The system should operate on 12 volt battery power.
• There must be simple controls for downloading stored data to a flash drive or similar storage system that can easily be transferred to a computer using a USB connection. Simple controls should also allow an operator to reset the main memory storage. The system display should show weights during weighing mode as well as data memory status and confirmation of successful data transfer to a transportable memory device.
• Programming of the unit to minimise battery use and more time between charging will be an advantage.
• The integrated system must include software for conversion of the continuous data string of 0.1 second weight records to discrete estimates of weight (weighing events).  The conversion of the weight data string to a set of discreet weights can be programmed within the weigh indicator unit or upon transfer of the data to a computer.
• Data storage and software must be compatible with both PC and Mac computing systems.
• It is recognised that weights can be linked to individual animals via electronic (RFID) tags but this facility is not required as part of this Expression of Interest or weighing system.

System Development and Testing

Bearing in mind the need to test and evaluate different electronic components, the first prototype can be developed to weigh a human walking across the platform. Discrete weighing events should be separated by a significant drop in recorded weight signifying that a sheep (or person) has left the weigh platform. Provision should be made for the possibility of more than one sheep being on the weighing platform during a ‘weighing event’.

Evaluation of Prototypes

The five prototypes will be assessed against the following criteria:

• Cost of the system and anticipated retail price;
• Accuracy of weighing events;
• Robustness of the system and suitability for use under all conditions;
• Energy demand (battery and solar recharge requirements);
• Data storage capacity;
• Ease of use.

Registering an expression of interest

All expressions of interest will be treated by the CRC as being ‘commercial-in-confidence’ with details only available to a three-person selection committee.  Any documentation received by the CRC as part of the application will be deleted or shredded on completion of the selection process.  A two-way non-disclosure agreement will be executed between the CRC and groups with successful proposals to facilitate exchange of information required for development and evaluation of prototypes.

Expressions of interest must provide the following details:

1. contact details of the person responsible for the project;
2. an outline of the prototype and how it will be constructed (detail considered ‘confidential’ need not be provided at this stage);
3. the anticipated cost of the weighing system (wholesale and retail);
4. anticipated time required to build and deliver the prototype for testing.

Expressions of Interest should be sent to:

Sheep CRC Ltd, CJ Hawkins Homestead, UNE, Armidale NSW 2351 or submitted via email to hsisson@une.edu.au.

Closing Date:  5.00pm on 9 June 2012

Download the media release below.

Walk over weighing for sheep - commercialisation only one step away (197 KB)

Walk over weighing general information

Walk Over weighing (WOW) utilises the concept of remote individual animal management (RIAM) to monitor sheep without human intervention by electronically capturing and recording an individual sheep’s tag and weight as it passes over weighing scales on its way to feed or water.

Benefits:

• Animal weights with no labour input.

Recommended users: Ram breeders, commerical producers, finishers, advisors & consultants, teachers & educators

It is ideal for pastoral settings where labour is scarce and the stress and cost of mustering sheep are important factors. It can also be used in feedlot or rotational grazing systems where it is important to regularly monitor a sheep’s weight. WOW incorporates a set of trap yards and a race so the sheep’s weight can be recorded as part of its natural movement to feed and/or water. Sheep require electronic (RFID) tags to collect individual animal weights but untagged animals can be monitored as a mob.

Equipment required includes an RF tag reader, electronic weigh scales and an indicator (data logger) to record the tags and weights. The system is powered from 12 volt solar panels and batteries. A drafting unit can be added. With the Tru-Test indicator and telemetry systems, remote access and data transfer from the indicator to a home computer using mobile phone and modem technology is now available.

Sheep require some training to use the system so they become used to the equipment and movement. This involves setting up the equipment and leaving the sheep to inspect it for a few days and then gradually closing gates as the sheep get used to it over a few days or so.

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