Best EID reader setup

[Sammos80]

If using anying app related on a touch screen mobile..... just be mindful that it will drive you nuts A. If it's raining and the screen gets wet
B. your fingers are cold, thus you can't work the screen quite the same.
C. Both of the above at the same time.


Use both a stock recorder and a app for shearwells farmworks program, the Stock recorder is the business in all weathers. But a nightmare for typing any amount of comments.

And if your fingers are dirty/ greasy your screen wont work... will probably lock itself and definately wont let you use fingerprint unlock"!

 

[Sammos80]

allflex RS420

Well it is reassuring you can beat the living sh*t out of it

 

[Matthew Blyth (B.L.A.S)]

I do agree with Exmoor Dave that all the apps on phones have limitations, especially in wet and cold weather. There is also a limitation to what apps are available on Apple products. The Phone apps are Good for One-Off Treatments or Creating a List for Movements or a Big list of tag numbers for one-off Treatment, where the app on your phone is in your pocket and you just tap in product or movement details after you have finished doing the job. Using tablet computers in waterproof (otter boxes) with the apps and stick reader can be a way around problems of using your phone. But putting routine weights and body condition scores into a phone or tablet computer through an app is not the most efficient and practical way of working on large groups of animals.

The Gallagher TW or Tru test XR and ID range can be used as tablet computers in conjunction with a stick reader. This can be used to create records with the right amount of training. This can be an option for some people to start with. The files can be exported into Excel through a CSV format for the data to be analyzed and basic records to be kept with some training and support. Plus uploaded into their free software. Most of the stick readers & weigh heads can export into CSV files. Plus are built to a high standard of waterproofing and strength to take NZ farmworker's punishment. But the punishment that allflex RS420 it can take some unbelievable beating. But it would be interesting to see the response when you claim on your warranty for driving over it!!!!

Really all depends on what is your business end goal. What data you want a catch and analyze and or is it just to be more compliant with regulations to what setup is right for each farm.

Matthew Blyth
(B.L.A.S)

 

[TGM]

All the Agrident range of readers (2 handhelds and 2 sticks) allow full management recording to be done on the reader. the 2 red trimmed ones, AWR300 stick and APR600 handheld, have an internal lookup database to allow you to lookup data. All the agrident readers have an automatic weigh and record function to allow you to press one button to set the reader into read mode, then the reader reads the eid, fethces the weight from Trutest and other scales, saves both eid and weight and returns to eid scanning mode ready for next animal, without the user having to press any buttons in between aniamls. end of day, the weight data transfers from reader to pc via usb. The readers come with free AWRLink software enabling basic reporting on most sheep management - births, deaths, tupping, scanning medicines etc. The readers are robust, exceptional clear screen and can be used in poor conditions.

 

[Wolds Beef]

@Matthew Blyth (B.L.A.S) How did you first get interested in figures and performance to do with livestock. It is a interesting subject which I got involved with when we had Pedigree Suffolks. @neilo

 

[TGM]

Just over 25 years ago when I was doing university project, (night tme study for 5 years as I'd left school after 'A' ;evels and had taken about 12 or more years out from study). I looked arounds and discovered there was little software for sheep. We were arable at the time with a few beef. So that's how the software started. No point in designing software for cattle, even then there was plenty of cattle software about. Now that sector is saturated. There's now 25 years work in the sheep software and it has reached quite a high level for analysing performance. Wasn't exactly a good idea at the time 25 years ago as it took about 15 years before we started to make any volume of sales - when tagging sheep was voluntary, very few sheep farmers were recording, and before EID was made mandatory, those who were recording found it quite difficult to do. Palm PDAs came along but they didn't take off in the sheep sector. Then the workabout pro turned up and that was the most effective tool at the time and thnigs started to take off. Now we've moved to almost all Agrident readers rather than workabout pro. and that's the story so far. I like Mathematics - I did 4 levels of Maths at school - 2 GCSEs and 2 'A' levels, so I enjoy working with mathematical formulae.

 

[Chapelton]

It's all a bit of a nightmare until you get yourself sorted. As @Matthew Blyth (B.L.A.S) says, work out what you want to record and work back from there.

How comfortable are you with Excel? For what it's worth, we're running an Agrident APR500 which is set to record the traits that matter to us and are autodrafting through a Racewell (using an XR5000) and using Excel to crunch the numbers.

This is mostly because lets us calculate anything we want, and I can't find a simple software solution that lets us do this any more easily. This isn't a solution for everyone though.

 

[gadgewalker]

Hi folks. Just to jump on this.

With the new grant scheme in Scotland I am looking at options for EID and weighing. https://www.ruralpayments.org/topic...ble-agriculture-capital-grant-scheme--sacgs-/

Not a huge flock by any means but intention to be around 200 ewes. Fattening everything and buying in replacements so essentially looking for a set up for recording weights, medicinal info and cull info for the ewes.

Need to upgrade the weigh crate either converting or something like ritchie draft pro.

What weigh heads and readers would be most suitable?

How are people finding the AWR and tru test sticks? Is info easily captured by these devices and how is the software?
Anyone running FarmIT readers and software?
What weighhead would be sufficient? Trustest S3 seems the most basic but that might be all thats required.

Thanks in advance

 

[TGM]

all the agrident readers - there are 4 , 2 sticks and 2 handhelds, allow full management recording on the stick. only 2 have an internal database to let you look up data on individual animals - the APR600 handheld and the AWR300 stick. we supply free software for the agrident readers, if it's just simple recording you're after - lamb weights and weight gains, medicine treatments and records suitable for quality assurance etc. Birth records, - ewe id, lambing date, number of lambs, lamb numbers and sex etc. I'm waiting for an email reply from Agrident as to where they are with the S3. Trutest made the S3 communication completely different to all other Trutest scales. I know Agrident have an S3 and are working onthe link, but is it ready yet? that I don't know. will find out later. When we suuply the agrident readers, we have then preloaded with the full set of managment recording functions. add/ remove animals - purchase, sale, death ... lambing, Alerts, comments, Fostering, Group change, Modicien recording, Tupping, pregnancy scan, weighing. you should check if the Trutest sticks come preloaded with such a set of management recording functions. All can be done on the Agrident stick without the need to bluetooth to any opther device or app. - the agridents are compatible with a range of scales and can be set to automatic weighing mode - the reader reads the eid, retrieves the weight from the scale via bluetooth and saves it, then is immediately back in scan mode for the next animal, without pressing any buttons in between. end of the day the data copies off the reader via usb cable to pc.

 

[gadgewalker]

@TGM Do you have a trial of your software? message me directly if thats easier. Thanks

 

[CampbellMauchan]

Agriwebb is an excellent app for whole farm recording but unsure how much it does in terms of individual and dam/sire matching as I don’t individually record. @CampbellMauchan is the one to speak to about Agriwebb.

Just taken delivery of a Border Software FARMIT3000 weigh crate with top load cells, absolutely incredible piece of kit with a EW7i weigh head incase I go down the dlwg route with store lambs etc. Insanely quick how it gets the weight compared to a spring balance and combi clamp weigher. Lambs are happy in the new crate, weighed some lambs this afternoon that had never seen a weigher, I had an emergency with a child and left a lamb in the crate for 5 minutes and it was still happily stood there when I got back. Very smooth and quiet to use.

Thanks so much for tagging us in here!
AgriWebb tries to work with as many systems as possible but we do find that the Tru-Test kit tends to hold a very good connection.
Also careful as to which make and model you buy regardless of brand, as some of them simply will not connect to your phone if you are an iPhone user.

Supported Hardware and Devices (Individuals) | AgriWebb Help Center

A list of all supported EID Readers and Indicators.

help.agriwebb.com

 

[Chae1]

Any information on uhf readers yet?

Scoteid are going to make this type of tag mandatory in Scotland.

I want something I can mount above loading bank or race and read several cattle at a time from a distance.

 

[Nithsdale]

eID readers etc is a total unknown with me, too. I start reading the information and just see letters and numbers I've no idea what it means...

What's the difference between the handheld reader and the wand/stick reader? Which is better?

Grants opened, in Scotland, on Monday so I'm considering buying a reader. Mostly just to scan my cull ewes to cut down on pen and paper for for the records... I want a basic/entry reader, BUT I don't want to be held back if in the future I progress to more/better data recording of the flock. I could play at that with the pure Texels to get the hang of it...

Like the look of the Allflex/Agrident APR500. Is it any good? Are there better options out there?

I'm totally out of my depths with this stuff so any info/help for a complete lehmann would be much appreciated

 

[scottish-lleyn]

eID readers etc is a total unknown with me, too. I start reading the information and just see letters and numbers I've no idea what it means...

What's the difference between the handheld reader and the wand/stick reader? Which is better?

Grants opened, in Scotland, on Monday so I'm considering buying a reader. Mostly just to scan my cull ewes to cut down on pen and paper for for the records... I want a basic/entry reader, BUT I don't want to be held back if in the future I progress to more/better data recording of the flock. I could play at that with the pure Texels to get the hang of it...

Like the look of the Allflex/Agrident APR500. Is it any good? Are there better options out there?

I'm totally out of my depths with this stuff so any info/help for a complete lehmann would be much appreciated

APR 500 is ok i had one good for quick recording in the field. I wouldnt buy one now thou go for the newer APR 600 the newer model you get basic link software with it that would do most basic recording tasks.

 

[Highland Mule]

What about the Shearwell stock reader? Mrs is android fan and I prefer Apple. Would be good to get a device with app that could work for both.

 

[Nithsdale]

APR 500 is ok i had one good for quick recording in the field. I wouldnt buy one now thou go for the newer APR 600 the newer model you get basic link software with it that would do most basic recording tasks.

For the grant the handheld reader needs to be able to record full data for individual animals, aswell as flock/batch... and must be able to be connected to phone/laptop etc

Stick reader just needs to be able to scan tags and connect to a phone/laptop etc
But stick readers are a lot more expensive

APR500 is listed as while stocks last. It looks like it and the APR600 are the only 2 which fulfill grant specs?

 

[scottish-lleyn]

For the grant the handheld reader needs to be able to record full data for individual animals, aswell as flock/batch... and must be able to be connected to phone/laptop etc

Stick reader just needs to be able to scan tags and connect to a phone/laptop etc
But stick readers are a lot more expensive

APR500 is listed as while stocks last. It looks like it and the APR600 are the only 2 which fulfill grant specs?

Ask @TGM

 

[iLivestock]

What about the Shearwell stock reader? Mrs is android fan and I prefer Apple. Would be good to get a device with app that could work for both.

Morning,

Our iLivestock app would be able to help you with that . Happy to speak with you to see if we can help.

Thanks

Ewen

 

[iLivestock]

For the grant the handheld reader needs to be able to record full data for individual animals, aswell as flock/batch... and must be able to be connected to phone/laptop etc

Stick reader just needs to be able to scan tags and connect to a phone/laptop etc
But stick readers are a lot more expensive

APR500 is listed as while stocks last. It looks like it and the APR600 are the only 2 which fulfill grant specs?

Morning,

Under the grant scheme you have two sections for EID readers, ATP 22 & ATP 23. ATP 23 is your standard stick reader/hand held readers (AWR 250/APT250) and ATP 22 is more like the Agrident APR 600 as it can capture a bit more data on the device.

Happy to have a chat with you and point you in the right direction.

Thanks

Ewen

 

[Al R]

What about the Shearwell stock reader? Mrs is android fan and I prefer Apple. Would be good to get a device with app that could work for both.

Agriwebb will allow both and multiple users all linked via the cloud. I’m sure 2 of my lambing staff were Android