EID tag reader and software

[Barn]

Ok so I have sifted through all the past posts on this topic and was wondering on peoples current opinions on the best set -up to go for in the current market.
I am leaning towards either the Allflex EID reader with Ilivestock app or the Shearwell equivalent. Or any other options?
I want to be able to track the sheep, record weights, medicines, ease of lambing, mothering ablity, lamness etc to build up a better management picture of the flock, to make better choices of ewes to cull and replacements to keep and bread from to help improve my flock going forward.
Any advise greatly appreciated before I look to part with some cash. Thanks

 

[Al R]

Are you indoor or outdoor lambing? Also what sort of numbers of ewes?

@neilo

 

[Grassman]

@Farm Matters Ltd may advise you.

 

[JD-Kid]

how many sheep ??
why i ask that is know a guy that just used a app to record every thing over lambing and rased a good point if only doing a few then why use a reader just enter the vid number

 

[neilo]

Border Software and Shearwell will both give you a free demo disc to try their software. I'd certainly look at both of those too.

 

[exmoor dave]

Ok so I have sifted through all the past posts on this topic and was wondering on peoples current opinions on the best set -up to go for in the current market.
I am leaning towards either the Allflex EID reader with Ilivestock app or the Shearwell equivalent. Or any other options?
I want to be able to track the sheep, record weights, medicines, ease of lambing, mothering ablity, lamness etc to build up a better management picture of the flock, to make better choices of ewes to cull and replacements to keep and bread from to help improve my flock going forward.
Any advise greatly appreciated before I look to part with some cash. Thanks

What ever you decide to buy, think about the future and whether its compatible with what extra equipment you might want to buy, particularly the software.

I'm thinking weigh heads, panel readers, drafters etc etc

 

[Leereade]

I would highly recommend shearwell

 

[unlacedgecko]

I'd go with Shearwell.

 

[Extreme Optimist]

@FarmMatters

 

[Farm Matters Ltd]

Hi just a little extra info for you. It basically comes down to what you want to achieve and your desired findings and your farm setup. There are many readers out there ranging from Tru-Test ERS for around £350 (their are some cheaper options i.e. DataMars, RT100. They were generally designed for the pet industry not farming and tend not to wear well) to the Psion and Gallagher HR5 £1300 - £1500 ! I think Border Software supply re-conditioned Psion's for about £800 but don't quote me on that? Psion's are an old device these days but still very comprehensive if you can get your head around them, they can be very complicated depending on the installed software but Shearwell and Border seem to use them to great effect. As a cheaper option, Shearwell have gone down the route of a phone app connected to a stick reader where the smart phone acts as the visual management (and possibly input, not sure?) tool and the reader simply transmits the tag number to the phone. Downside of this is that it's a two handed job and smart phones can be rather temperamental in the field.
The Agrident AWR 300 is new on the market and seems very comprehensive, we have done some work with it and have found it to be a nice reader to use. It is priced very competitively at around £600! There is a new Tru-Test XRS2 becoming available over here shortly which looks good (check out YouTube) but not sure on price yet. From discussions with suppliers it is highly likely it will cost more than the AWR300.

Advanced Readers
Readers with advanced features
Agrident AWR300 - Excellent stick reader, with task functionality and alerts ~£600
Gallagher HR5 - Excellent stick reader with a lot of functionality inc. alerts, mothering and viewing uploaded animal details ~£1,500
Tru-Test XRS2 - Looks good but not tried yet. We expect this to be a feature rich reader.
Basic Readers
Good readers for simply reading tags
Tru-Test XRS - Excellent stick reader with nice alerts feature, ~£600
Tru-Test ERS - Excellent handheld, ~£350
Shearwell SDL - Very good bluetooth only stick reader ~£550
Agrident AWR200 - Very good stick reader ~£600 (Not sure if these are still available following the release of the AWR300)
Allflex RS420 - Very good stick reader ~£600
PTS Technologies Wand
Budget Readers
Cheap readers designed for pets that aren't as weather proof and rugged as those above
DataMars TracKing-1 - Good budget handheld reader ~£220
RealTrace RT100
RoyalTag I-Read

We have found our customers buy a varied range of readers with people who just want cross compliance and others who wish to manage their sheep more efficiently. It all depends on your situation. But take a look around and as always I am happy to help.

 

[Barn]

Thanks for all the advise, I may look to get a demo then. Want to get a system in place before we start lambing this year.

We indoor lamb currently 500 ewes (early march) looking to up to 700 next year split flock with an early lambing and late lambing approach. Mules and texX ewe put to Char and Texel Rams. Looking to decide what line to go down for the earlier lambs breed wise but that's a whole different question and can of worms hey!

 

[Barn]

We also currently use Shearwell tags. I take the brand of tag doesn't matter too much?

 

[Farm Matters Ltd]

@ewebarn the brand of tag won't matter, the readers will read any ISO compliant RFID livestock tag, which is all the EID tags I've tried.

I have Shearwell tags here for testing and they work fine with all the readers I've used.

 

[TGMJane]

Hi there - generally the best approach is to take a look at the software options first and then pick your reader. The reader options are either stick eg AWR300 or compact eg Motorola Psion, APR 500 as well as an App on the phone. All of these can be used for management recording, the look up capabilities vary. If you have time to try out Select Sheepware management software you can download a one month free trial from http://www.tgmsoftware.com/sheeptrial/sheeptrial.htm If you have any records on spreadsheets we can import these to the trial for you.

 

[Frank-the-Wool]

Shearwell every time.

 

[Chez-Phillips]

Can't say anything about the software as we're using a French system, but we've got an Allflex LPR reader (200£) and are very happy with it. Only slight downside is that the range is only 20/30cm, but other then that it's a great reader and not expensive!

 

[Paul132]

Is the tru test xrs 2 available in the UK yet? Have only managed to find it on the NZ site, Think most of the features on a farm management package and psion will be wasted here. Like the idea of a slightly more advanced stick reader. Has anyone got a price for one?

 

[jemski]

I use shearwell tags and border software/FarmIT and have to say the service from both is second to none. Highly recommend both.

 

[polk_farmer]

We use Shearwell and would really recommend it. Does everything we need and more, and brilliant back up. But I have never tried Border as a comparison

 

[TGMJane]

The AWR300 is a stick reader that can also do management recording eg link lambs to mothers, record weights, medicine treatments etc, this video gives a good close up of the screen

At around £649 it's also really good value for money.