Picking The Right Scale
Working with cattle and livestock is an involved job, and maintaining the animal’s weight and health is a large part of the process. Accuracy is an essential element within the Agricultural Industry, and scales used for weighing livestock are no exception. The scales must be up to date, scale calibration must be performed at regular intervals (no matter electronic or analog), and maintained to ensure that you obtain the most accurate results possible. Inaccuracies when dealing with livestock weight can affect the bottom line. So make sure that you keep your scale and scale indicator void of anything that can cause issues. Ensuring that you are reading accurately depends on choosing the right scale for your operation. Knowing about the different types of livestock scales upon the market can feel overwhelming, but research can make the task of finding the right scale not as difficult. There are hundreds of livestock scales available, and manufacturers like to claim them to be the best for the job. This article will break down the top livestock scales (stationary, mobile, and portable) available on the market today.
CHOOSING A SCALE
When choosing a scale, remember to think about when and where the scale will typically be used. Will you primarily be weighing one animal at a time, or multiple? Is it important for you to get a Legal for Trade reading? Is it important that the scale is NTEP certified? These are a few questions you should answer before looking for a scale to ensure that you’re investing in the agricultural scale which is best suited for your needs.
STATIONARY SINGLE ANIMAL SCALES
Single Animal Scales are great for smaller operations where only one animal needs to be weighed at a time. Not only do these give you the animal’s weight, they also give you a legal for trade weight reading. SAS include heavy-duty stainless-steel bars to keep the animal in place in order to get an accurate reading. Different variations also come with advanced features such as noise reduction or padded flooring.
Rice Lake: (SAS) Single Animal Scale:
Rice Lake single animal scales (SAS) offer safe and reliable weighing for a wide range of livestock including cattle, bison, horses, sheep, swine, and exotics. With a load capacity of up to 5,000 pounds and Legal for Trade readability in one pound increments, the SAS is ideal for county fairs, youth agriculture organizations, university research centers, veterinary practices, and other small- to medium-size operations that do not require a multi-animal scale.
Gate configurations: swing gates, sliding gates, combination swing and slide gate, or head gate with swing or slide gate
Solid 48-inch kick panel sides
Ships assembled
Durable X-Lug or X-Plank floor over steel
Rugged all-weather powder paint
Cardinal: SLS Series:
Cardinal Scales SLS series steel deck single animal livestock scales are available with or without a livestock pen and dual slide-out gates. They feature an extremely accurate 2,500 lb x 0.5 lb, or 5,000 lb x 1 lb capacity, varying widths and lengths. NTEP certification and quality construction throughout the scale for weighing cattle, swine, horses, sheep, goats, and more. Indicator sold separately.
TB 2,500 lb stainless steel load cells with adjustable support feet
Side-access stainless steel junction
Rubber mat interior flooring for sure footing and noise reduction
Customizable pen options for versatility
B-Tek: SAS Series:
The B-TEK Small Animal Livestock Scale offers reliable weighing for a wide range of small livestock with a capacity of 1,000 or 2,500 lbs. Ideal for veterinary practices, agriculture organizations, research centers, county fairs, and operations that do not require a multi-animal scale, the B-TEK Small Animal Livestock Scale is versatile to meet the needs of the environment and animals.
Plated alloy steel, 350 Ohms, 3.0 mV/V, FM Approved
1K capacity: (4) 500 lb cells
2.5K capacity: (4) 1,000 lb cells
Optional hermetically sealed (IP68) cells are available
Electrical Junction Box: NEMA 4 box with signal trim summing board
MULTIPLE ANIMAL SCALES (STATIONARY AND PORTABLE)
Group Animal Scales are capable of providing legal for trade weights in locations where the scale may need to weigh more than one animal before transport or at the processing site. In addition to the scale’s ability to meet the physical demands of remote cattle weighing, the instrumentation package that complements the scale provides a complete report for each batch and lot of animals weighed.
Rice Lake: MAS-LC Stationary Animal Scale Series:
This scale combines the accuracy of fully electronic weighing technology with steel I-beam weighbridge designs typically found in heavy capacity vehicle weighing scales. With a wide range of sizes, the MAS-LC is the right choice for any stationary cattle weighing application. Like all MAS series scales, the MAS-LC is certified for commercial use in both the United States and Canada. Certified scales are held to exacting design characteristics providing accurate weights allowing you to sell across the scale.
Bolt-on racks and swinging gates
Durable X-Lug or X-Plank floor over steel I-beam
Solid 48-inch kick panel sides
Spring-loaded latch on swinging gates
Rugged all-weather powder paint
Scale collapses for shipping
Cardinal portable MAS series:
Cardinal Scales portable Weight Wrangler group animal scales provide a self-contained NTEP legal for trade weighing system that can be used on any firm surface with up to a 5% grade (maximum allowed by NTEP). The hoof-gripping rubberized component deck and steel cattle pen enclosure with dual swing gates are all suspended at four points within a portable base frame.
Calculates Shrink Loss for Livestock Group
Can Be Used on Any Firm Surface With up to a 5% Grade
Durable Steel Cattle Pens
Includes Lower Frame for Portability
Includes Mobile Weighing Center
NTEP Legal for Trade
FARM BARS
The most basic livestock scale you can get is a Farm Bar Scale. Farm Bar Scales are a type of farm scale that are easy and convenient to use due to the fact they can be placed under platforms or cages and used to weigh livestock in virtually any location. Farm bars are extremely durable, and often weather-proof as they are typically constructed from steel. These heavy-duty, electronic load cell scales can be mounted under most cattle squeeze chutes, hog crates, feed hoppers, and custom platforms.
B-Tek Weigh Rails
B-Tek Weigh Rails are ideal for all types of farm and animal weighing applications. Weigh Rails can also be adapted for industrial uses that are not practical for regular platform scales. Rugged all-steel construction, sealed components, and stainless steel load feet for outdoor use year-round. The lag-down foot retainer plates are great for a permanent install, can become portable for temporary or seasonal use. The B-Tek Weigh Rails are a good option for a setup that requires versatility.
Rail Capacity: 2,500 to 10,000 lb system gross capacity
Rail Length: 22 in long weigh rails, 2,500 lb capacity x 0.5 lb
Rail Height: 4-1/4 in
Junction Box: Remote mount NEMA 4X stainless steel junction box with signal trim summing board
Adam Equipment Pallet Beam Livestock Scale
The Adam Equipment pallet beam scales are made from superior grade rugged stainless steel. The rugged stainless steel does not just protect it against water and dust, but makes it durable and eco-friendly as well. These pallet beams are designed for smaller to medium sized animals.
Measures in g, kg, lb, oz
Allows you to track capacity
Wall-mountable indicator
Changes color when the weight is over or under the limit
Weighing, parts counting, check weighing, and dynamic weighing
MOBILE LIVESTOCK SCALES
A step up from stationary and portable, mobile scales allow for the weighing of multiple animals at once with the versatility of being portable. Many of these scales also come with legal for trade weight reading features, as well as NTEP certifications. A full-size livestock scale comes in various forms such as a Livestock Ring Scale, a Mechanical Stationary Livestock Scale, or a Mobile Group Livestock Scale. They are designed to equip various scale accessories including remote displays and scoreboards. When choosing from the different types of portable scales, it’s important to consider why, when, and where the scale will be most frequently used.
Cardinal Weight Wrangler: LSM series
Cardinal Scales mobile Weight Wrangler group animal scales provide a self-contained NTEP legal-for-trade weighing system that can be used on any firm surface with up to a 5% grade. This livestock scale includes an integral air pump to easily lift and lower the trailer's air bag suspension. Models come in 18-ft-long tandem axle or 13-ft-long single axle sizes. The X-lug rubberized component deck and steel cattle pen enclosure with dual gates are all suspended at four points within a mobile base frame.
High-Quality X-Lug Composite Flooring for Livestock Stability and Assurance Included Standard
3 Heavy-Duty Panels and Bows on 18-ft Models. Cardinal Scales Panel Construction is the Heaviest in the Mobile Cattle Scale Industry
Available in 13-ft-long Single Axle or 18-ft-long Tandem Axle Sizes
StableSense Digital Filtering Compensates for Animal Movement While Weighing to Provide Accurate Weights
Calculates Shrink Loss for Livestock Groups
Rice Lake: MAS Series
Built with the physical demands of remote weighing in mind, the MAS-M livestock scale provides legal for trade measurements even when the scale is placed off-level by up to three degrees (or 6%). No other model brings as much flexibility as Rice Lakes Livestock Scale performance. The scale employs an independent air ride suspension which allows it to be moved in and out of weighing mode by simply adjusting the air pressure in the air bags. Load is applied to and or removed from the cells through a manual lift/lower lever system.
CONCLUSION
The livestock scales listed are not the final word on livestock scales. This merely serves as a guide as to what to look for when it comes to familiarizing yourself with the scale system as well as getting a better idea as to what you want and what works best for you. Be sure to check out our Livestock Scales 101 article which breaks down the basics of livestock scales. If you are looking to start the process on your livestock scale, then be sure to check out the Livestock scales under the product section.
At American Scale we strive to bring you informed and useful content on all things scale related, including products from the top scale manufacturers. Be sure to check out our truck scale articles about truck scale foundation or how much do truck scales cost. We even have a guide to warranties. To learn more about bench scales, it would be good to check out our other articles such as “Bench Scale Basics'' and “How Much Does A Bench Scale Cost?”. These articles will help with the basics of bench scale ownership. Also, take a look at our“Common Problems With Bench Scales'', to help prolong the lifespan on your scale.