Using RFID in the Marketing of WV Feeder Cattle
Ronnie Helmondollar
WVU Extension Service
WV Marketing history
• Small part-time farmers
• Commingled calf sales started in 1932
• USDA implements Grades for Feeder Cattle in 1979
• Marketing Pools
• Pre-vac Weaning programs
• RFID (Radio Frequency Identification)
WHY RFID?
• NAIS• Value added• There had to be an
easier way!!• Can we do it?
Software
• Spreadsheet
VS
• Database
Locations
Barbour County Jackson County
Getting started
Weighing Process
• Jackson Co
Sex #hd Time (hours) #hd/hr
Steers 667 7.18 92.8
Heifers 459 5.28 86.8
Weighing Process
• Barbour Co
Sex #hd Time (hours) #hd/hr
Steers 341 4.15 82.2
Heifers 181 2.46 73.6
Load Processing
• Jackson Co
Sex # loads Time (hours)
Steers 8 2.85
Heifers 6 1.37
Load Processing
• Barbour Co
Sex # loads Time (hours)
Steers 4 1.08
Heifers 2 0.3
Observations
• The ability to electronically read and edit animal identification at receipt greatly improved the weighing process.
• Tag retention was not a problem. Only six RFID tags needed to be replaced.
Observations
• RFID technology eliminated misread tags and reduced worker effort to read dirty tags in a moving animal.
• The time required to weigh and process calves at take-up was reduced of the previous year.
2006
• 6500 claves will marketed utilizing this system
Questions ???