PADDOCK performance has been taken to the next level with the first run of unjoined Angus heifers to be offered at auction with real-time information on mob weight spread, full weight and average daily gain.
Offered online through digital selling platform FarmGate Auctions, the innovative live sale includes a draft of 325 yearling heifers, 17-23 months, from vendor Glenbrook Pastoral Company, Aberfoyle.
According to the in-paddock weighing system of Optiweigh, the heifers have an average daily weight gain of 0.47 kilograms a head and average liveweight of 394kg.
The mob weight spread, full weight and average daily gain is updated daily via the Optiweigh weight scales and detailed in graph form on the FarmGate Auctions site.
Potential buyers can see the weight data for the 20 days leading up to the sale.
Armidale producer Bill Mitchell developed the autonomous in-paddock weighing and data collection system, Optiweigh, winning the 2021 Meat and Livestock Australia Producer Innovation Award at Beef Australia.
FarmGate Auctions general manager Chanel Gallen said Optiweigh was already a leader of in-paddock weighing, with more than 120 units operating Australia wide, weighing over 150,000 cattle each month.
Ms Gallen said buyers could take the animals weight gain data and location into consideration to make informed purchasing decisions for their own production systems.
"Optiweigh drafts will be listed on the FarmGate Auctions website for a longer period of time enabling buyers to monitor weight gain and assess the potential of the cattle for their own contracts or feedlot situation," she said.
The auction runs for 48 hours, rather than the usual 40 minute timed on-line auction.
It kicked off on Wednesday at 9am and will close on Friday at 9am.
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They are from Booroomooka blood cows by Booroomooka, Millah Murrah and Isla bulls.
Mr Mitchell said the data generated by Optiweigh is independently verifiable information on weight gain trends and weight range composition of the mob.
"It is exciting to be involved in a new type of sale using live verifiable data around the key determinant of price which is weight," he said.
"We are breaking new ground with the first sale of its kind if a producer has a good history on their stock and combines that with live weight data, it opens the door to new selling possibilities.
"Restockers can have a high degree of confidence in the data on these heifers, both on what the animals weigh and what their weight gains are."
FarmGate Auctions director and stock agent Guy Gallen, Gunnedah and Boggabri said the well-bred heifers were ready for a spring joining for a winter calving.
Mr Gallen said the Optiweigh technology enabled the cattle to be weighed stress-free in the paddock.
"People can watch the Optiweigh data for the month prior to a sale on FarmGate Auctions and see the do-ability of the cattle so they know they are buying cattle on the up," he said.
"We now have access to more accurate data on paddock performance - it's very exciting."
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