GALLAGHER launched its run-by sheep antenna at Sheepvention in Hamilton, Victoria this week, and the technology picked up the event’s annual product innovation award.
Gallagher Australia’s Weighing and EID business development manager Mike Hemsley said the new run-by antenna is the perfect solution for producers looking for a simple means of counting sheep.
“A producer may be looking for a quick and easy way to count sheep as they arrive or leave the property, or scan tags to help with data and inventory management.”
As more and more sheep producers begin to manage their flocks with the use of electronic identification tags, the demand for an antenna panel with high speed capability has increased.
Purpose built for speed reading
The run-by sheep antenna has been specifically designed for situations where the EID tags of sheep need to be read with the animals running at full-speed through a single-file race. The special internal design of the antenna results in higher capture rates of EID information when animals are running past at pace.
The new antenna design has achieved extremely high rates of EID detection in field trials. The design out-performs the standard antenna when animals are moving past at pace.
Suitable for most yard set ups
Designed for use in harsh environments, the panels are robust and sealed against moisture and dust and are able to withstand direct animal impact. The antenna can be mounted either on the inside or outside of an existing race and mounting fixtures can be placed in several locations on the panel to offer greater flexibility.
Most antennas on the market are designed specifically for use on animal handlers or crates. The pair of antenna, each 600mm x 800mm in size, ensures that animal EIDs are captured whether sheep are tagged in the right or left ear. The gap between the pair of antenna is flexible so it can be narrowed to suit smaller animals, or widened for larger animals.
The run-by sheep antenna can be paired with the Gallagher R Reader or BR Reader and data stored in the reader or transferred to a scale capable of receiving EID tag information via Bluetooth or cable.
Benefits realised
Pairing the run-by sheep reader and controller with a Gallagher weigh scale such as the W810 or TSi2 Livestock Manager allows the producer to start realising the full benefits of using EID management with their flock.
The run-by antenna allows simple tasks such as counting animals or managing animals you have drafted based on a visual trait such as clean or dirty, wet or dry through to more complex trait and weight data collection making it easier to make informed management decisions.
Source: Gallagher.
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