How To Use a Livestock Scale

Livestock need to be weighed frequently to determine their value and health metrics. It is important to know a few tips for livestock scales before you purchase one and start using it to weigh your livestock. Understanding how to use livestock scale helps you control your bottom line and the needs of your animals.

Select the Right Scale for Your Needs

You aren’t going to get far at all if you don’t have the right scale for your needs. Determining the "right" scale comes down to the quantity of livestock you have. It is a challenge to put all of your livestock together on a scale that is too small for them, but you also don’t want to overpay and get something far beyond what you truly need. Finding the happy medium between the two is ideal, but it is also not easy. Take some time reviewing the options available to you before setting on any specific one. 

Set Livestock Scale Somewhere Balanced and Stable

The importance of maintaining a balanced surface when weighing animals cannot be overstated. You will not achieve an accurate weight of the livestock if the scale is not placed on a balanced surface, and the animals may get uncomfortable as well. You don’t want either of those risks involved in the process, and that means taking action right now to ensure that you have placed your scale somewhere that makes sense for an accurate weighing. 

You don’t necessarily need to completely flatten out a surface to get use out of it, but you do need to take some steps to make sure the surface is viable for the weighing process. You shouldn’t be taking chances with something as important as this. You need to know for certain that the weights you get back are accurate and useful. 

Look for Any Interference

Make sure you remove any obstructions or interferences from the scales, so you don’t have the potential for an inaccurate reading. Also, you don’t want to let your scales get damaged by something being in their way. Thus, you should remove all foreign objects out of the way to get the right reading from your scale every time. 

Keep the Animals Calm

One final recommendation is to do all that you can to keep the animals as calm as possible. They are likely to get a bit jumpy and feel uncomfortable when placed on a scale. They don’t want to be boxed in, and it feels unnatural to them when they are forced into small spaces. Be mindful of how the animals are reacting, and try to do what you can to ease their stress and worries. They will appreciate it, and you will get better readings as a result. 

Categorised in: Livestock Scales

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