SENSOR collars could be the next step in measuring feed intake and efficiency following research from the NSW Department of Primary Industries and CSIRO.
Collaboration leader, NSW DPI senior principal research scientist Paul Greenwood, Armidale, said the innovative research uses sensors and wireless networks to measure individual feed intake and efficiency of livestock in a commercial grazing environment.
“Feed can be a major cost of production for a cattle enterprise, and most of Australia’s beef production is raised on pasture, so small improvements in pasture efficiency can have large impacts on the bottom line,” Dr Greenwood said.
“Our aim is to develop sensor devices that can be practically and economically deployed on livestock in their commercial grazing environment, to inform and enhance productivity and efficiency improvements.
“These devices will enable the development of new and more commercially relevant traits for genetic or genomic selection of grazing livestock, and allow for greater precision in livestock production and pasture management using real time data.”
Dr Greenwood said various economic analyses have shown the research can deliver substantial value to industry, with benefit cost ratios for genetic improvement ranging from $5.50 to $7.70 per dollar invested within a southern Australian beef enterprise.
“These analyses take no account of the additional benefits likely to accrue from improved health, reproduction and welfare status of cattle or the labour savings that will flow from the research. Benefits for the northern beef industry and the sheep sector will also result from this research,” Dr Greenwood said.
The sensor devices are able to reliably identify and measure a range of behaviours that relate to pasture intake, such as grazing, ruminating, drinking, walking and resting.