Beef Monitor

This project aims to develop a non-intrusive system which will allow beef finishing units to identify the optimal time to market finished cattle. The system will combine innovative; animal handling; automated weighing; image capture; and analysis software to provide realtime objective feedback on animal condition, market value and optimal time to take to market.Optimising cattle finishing times allows farmers to achieve maximum marketable yield and profit, by a reduction in variable costs such as feeding and bedding, and by improving the efficiency of capital resources such as animal housing. Further benefits accrue by reducing the requirement for farm visits by supply chain customers. Environmental impact will be from a reduction in animal greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through faster finishing times and reducing resources used and requirements for farm visits by abattoirs. The consortium is David Ritchie (Implements) Ltd, The Harbro Group Ltd, Innovent Uk Ltd, Wm Morrison Supermarkets Ltd, Scotbeef Ltd and SRUC.