CALF_News_December_2020_January_2021

30 CALF News • December 2020 | January 2021 • www.calfnews.net Livestock scales play a weighty role in our cattle operations – disease traceability, judicious use of antibiotics and consumer demands spur the need for them more than ever. Join in on this conversation with Arnold Nagely, DVM, CEO and co-founder of Valley Vet Supply, as well as Todd Tieperman and Joe Nerud from Datamars livestock management systems, as they discuss how livestock scale systems are invaluable for cattle feeders, helping meet the considerable demands they are up against. How Have Scale Systems Changed over the Years? Tieperman: “With the changes made to scale systems, we are stepping into the future. No one is carrying a flip phone or bag phone anymore, and most people haven’t heard of party lines. We’re moving forward; it’s all part of sustain- ability. In the past, weights were used simply for a monetary transaction. As we evolve from old slag weights, we’re becoming more digital, allowing us to get individual weights. And while we still use weights as a group to sell on, individual animal weights give us data to actually manage with. By digitizing the systems, we can provide judicious use of antibiotics, improve the performance of our cow herds and cattle buyers, and monitor individual pasture and lot performances. Necessity is the mother of invention.” Nerud: “As cattle feeders have moved forward, they’ll benefit from having more information to manage with, as their profits are tighter. Livestock scale systems are one of those tools giving them access to weights and tracking of daily gains, and more.” What Is the Benefit of Having Individual Weights? Tieperman: “One mission more height- ened now than ever is ‘Judicious use of antibiotics,’ but it’s hard to be judicious with our antibiotics without knowing what an animal weighs for an accurate dosage.” Nerud: “You’re right, Todd. A lot of people think they can guess weights, but when you watch 100 head go through a scale, it’s surprising what you think an animal should way vs. what they do actually weigh.” Dr. Nagely: “Having individual weights also means accurate antibiotic dosage and improved treatment response that can result in fewer re-pulls and re-treats. Considering some 16 percent of cattle are pulled for bovine respiratory disease at some point during the feeding period, this saves producers money, time and labor. Also, thinking down the road come harvest, dosing to accurate weights limits risks of violative residues due to overdosing animals and not following appropriate withdrawal times, which are determined by the manufacturer, based off an animal’s specific weight. Some- thing that can seem so simple as getting the right weight can make a profound impact on a producer’s bottom line.” By Aimee Robinson Contributing Editor Join the Conversation Weighing the Options About Livestock Scale Systems The technology from today’s scales opens up a world of management to us that we didn’t have before. And as cattle producers, we need to think of livestock scale systems as a benefit instead of a cost. – Todd Tieperman, Datamars livestock management systems