PRODUCERS looking to buy livestock will soon be provided with weight gain information up to 30 days out from their purchase after two North West NSW companies joined forces.
Online livestock platform FarmGate Auctions has announced it will utilise award winning in-paddock weighing system company Optiweigh, which was launched by Armidale's Bill Mitchell, in its auctions.
Optiweigh, which recently took out the Meat and Livestock Australia Producer Innovation Award at Beef Australia in Rockhampton, gives producers up-to-date weight data when cattle weigh themselves in the paddock.
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Using a solar powered portable unit in the paddock, weights can be constantly monitored from a desktop computer or mobile phone app.
When coupled with FarmGate Auctions, the platform will allow traders, lotfeeders, processors and exporters to see a sale lots average mob weight and average daily weight gain in the lead up to auction, as well as giving real time data on the stock they are looking to purchase.
FarmGate Auctions chief executive officer Nigel Gosse said Optiweigh lots would be listed on the FarmGate Auctions website longer to enable buyers to monitor weight gain to help them make purchases to suit their needs.
"Normally stock are listed for 10 days before our weekly cattle sales but with Optiweigh we will allow longer because of the weight gain information coming through," he said.
"We could have a sale 30 days away and that weight gain information would be populating leading up to the sale so potential buyers can see the data.
"There is no work for the producer as those weights will be coming through to FarmGate Auctions automatically."
Mr Gosse said the partnership would be an exciting development for the industry.
"Providing more in depth information will give those purchasing online even greater confidence," he said.
"Australia is leading the world in this technology and it will be a global first so it's pretty exciting."
Since it was first developed almost five years ago, Optiweigh has more than 90 units operating Australia wide.
"This creates opportunities for the farmer to use the data in ways that potentially bring them better value," Mr Mitchell said.
"We are opening another way for the farmer to reduce costs associated with selling stock and take more advantage of market opportunities when selling stock by having real time liveweights out of the paddock."
The data generated by Optiweigh is independently verifiable information on weight gain trends and weight range composition of the mob.
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