Weighty matters
The dairy industry is probably one of the most advanced when it comes to the weighing of livestock, with most modern commercial dairies, even in South Africa, having an electronic scale to weigh cows after milking.
In these operations, each cow is fitted with a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag and weight measurements are taken using a walkover scale, usually installed in a walkway that guides the animals out of the dairy. This scale is positioned between gates, with the front gate closing once the cow has entered the weighing station and opening again when the animal pushes against it.
The weight is incorporated electronically into the milking programme in real time, which is pre-programmed to flag and sound an alert when the live weight differs from a 10-day average weight by more than a previously set standard, usually 10%. When this
