Livestock Scales 101

Livestock Scales For Beginners.

Livestock scales are an important part of farming. The scales are an integral part of the food production process. There is a lot that goes into livestock scales and how they operate. This article will take a deep dive into livestock scales and how they work in food production.

What is a livestock scale?

Livestock scales are scales that are either mechanical or electronic with a design for weighing large animals like cattle. These scales have a pen with animal safety design. Other than farms and ranches, there are other places that use livestock scale such as zoos and animal rescues.

Livestock scales have a durable design. The components are corrosion resistent and has a washdown surface for easy cleaning. When it comes to optioning out your scale deck, you have several choices to choose from. Some of those choices include steel, concrete or rubber-coated decks. The deck surfaces help keep the animals comfortable and safe while weighing. Depending on the scale’s location will determine which scale is best. If your scale is located outside, then there are various hazards that can affect your scale. Scales can get dirty quickly, having a washdown schedule.

The different types of livestock scales

Livestock scales provide a safe environment to weigh the animals. The scale design with pen-like are available with stationary, mobile and portable alternatives. Manufacturers provide individual and group livestock scales in various sizes. There are a lot of custom options as well. There will also be a different weight, weighing technology and display choices.

• Mobile Livestock Scales:

  Mobile animal scales (MAS) are designed to be transported to the location of the animals to be weighed. The scales are designed with durability in mind. These scales will also be equipped with steel pens suspended on load cells.There is also a cage that is installed to help keep the animals safe and locked in during transport. This cage can be locked down to the frame while transporting the animals. The reasoning for this design is because it prevents cage movement and load cell damage during transport. The mobile livestock scale is a good choice if you have to actually go to the animals yourself. 

• Portable Livestock Scales:

  Portable Animal Scales (PAS) are designed to be transported to various weighing sites. The majority of portable livestock scales are suitable to be used in harsh and unpredictable conditions of multiple site weighing. They can have a deck and a pen side for a smoother loading and unloading process for the animals.

• Stationary Livestock Scales:

  Stationary Animal scales (SAS) are designed to be set up at one location, to which the animals can be guided to the scale to be weighed. One thing to note about stationary livestock scales is that they're available in a myriad of sizes to hold the amount of livestock you need to be weighed.  The cool thing about stationary scales is that they combine the accuracy of fully electronic weighing technology coupled with steel weighbridge designs that are typically found in truck scales.

What makes up a livestock scale?

Livestock scales are made up of several components. There is a deck that is surrounded by pen fences, which is then suspended on a base frame on top of four load cells. Portable scales are equipped with an air suspension system which makes the scale lift and lower to allow for the animals to be easily loaded and unloaded. The majority of animal scales are pen configurations that provide a safe environment for animal weighing. These pen-like scales are accessible with stationary, mobile and portable alternatives. Manufacturers also  provide scales that are designed for  individual and group animal weighing. Depending on where and how the scale will be stored will help you determine whether to have surfaces for washdown. 

What is Shrink?

Shrink is the quantity of weight-loss of animals when traveling on an off-site scale. When working with livestock, farmers will spend the majority of their time managing their cattle’s diet to ensure that they gain as much weight as possible by the time it's ready to go to the market. When the cattle is transported, held or gathered, it cuts into their time for eating. When this happens the animals start losing weight. This weight loss is referred to as shrinkage. There are various factors that can  influence the amount of shrinkage you will have. Understanding that these factors are present and important to how you manage your livestock and ensuring minimum shrinkage.

Regardless of which livestock you are working with, minimizing shrinking losses is paramount in maximizing the bottom line. There have been various studies that have shown an average weight loss of 6 percent. With the introduction of mobile and portable scales, shrinkage has been reduced to about 2%, with a profit increase of 6%. The choice of a mobile over a stationary livestock scale could be decided by the increased profitability. Below is a list of tips that can help you decrease shrinkage during the weighing process.

Reducing Shrink

Shrink is most often measured from the time an animal leaves the ranch or farm, to the point the animal is weighed at the destination. The shrink comes as a result of time off feed and water and the stress of handling and hauling. There is also the factor of  temperature, weather changes, environment, feed changes. These are all factors that can contribute to shrink. Below are some tips on how you can help decrease shrink: 

• Understand what upcoming weather will be like. Checking the forecast, reading an almanac will help you to avoid transporting cattle in less than ideal conditions.  

• Transport livestock slowly when handling and loading.

• Avoid exposing animals to unfamiliar environments without preconditioning.

• Perform regular service on your scales to help avoid downtime.

• Avoid overcrowding of your livestock. This can cause stress and discomfort during transport.

• Avoid long transport trips and also provide time to allow cattle to rest.

• Try to transport animals on smooth roads and avoid rough and uneven surfaces. 

• Provide feed and water for the animals.

• Be sure to withhold water up to 3 hours before shipping.

Benefits of livestock scales

Livestock scales will hold a lot of benefits over other scales that can measure heavy weight. In this section we will go through the benefits of owning a livestock scale and how it helps your overall livestock production. 

• Accuracy: Livestock scales are designed to be extremely precise. Since you are dealing with animals, that means that weights can fluctuate, thus affecting the bottom line. The precision and accuracy of a livestock scale is very important and integral to your operation. Ensure that your scales are maintained and properly calibrated.

• Durability: Livestock scales need to be durable to ensure that they can handle the difficult livestock circumstances and in handling the heavy loads. These scales are intended to be very durable and capable of handling the hazards of handling livestock. These scales are designed to manage animal kicking and other environmental hazards over other industrial scales.

• Evaluation: Livestock scales  are equipped with the ability to evaluate weights at different phases of their life-scale. The information collected can be used and analyzed to assess feedlots and annual weights averaged daily increase (ADG), and daily weight gains (WDA). With livestock scales you are able to evaluate the overall performance of your livestock.

• Feed & Medicine Monitoring: When feeding and medicating your livestock, knowing what the exact quantity of food and medicine, is essential to the overall health of your livestock. Livestock scales can assist in correctly calculating the feed/medicine, which in turn helps keep you from giving the animals exactly what they need in food and medicine.

• Animal Comfort: Scales for livestock are intended to comfortably accommodate different animal types. Low profile scales are great for loading and unloading animals due to the convenience factor of not having to step up a high distance.

• Simple to Handle: You need less work to use livestock scales because they are simple to manage. They have an inner memory that makes the history of different animals simpler to evaluate.

• Ease of use: The cattle scales are constructed from flat or concrete wood decks that make things easy to transport. There are several features that have ease of use in mind, including memory parts and weight information collection. 

• Customization:A lot of livestock scales are highly customizable to meet your needs. Some accessories include digital indicators, portals, load bars, surfaces and many more. All of the custom options available are designed to each unique client. 

Conclusion

Livestock scales have a lot of intricacies to them and it is easy to get lost on each aspect. When it comes down to it, as a farmer or rancher you will want to protect your bottom line. Researching and purchasing the right livestock scale for you will take some time, but it is well worth it. Regardless of having a small farm or a large scale livestock farm, the significance of accurate measurement of animal performance is paramount when maximizing your profits through the entire process. If you want to know more about the cost of livestock scales, be sure to check out our article about livestock scales pricing. 

How Much Do Livestock Scales Cost?

Understanding Livestock Scales

Livestock scale systems are a very important part of our food production process. There are many types of livestock scales to consider and they vary based on the application requirements. When considering the purchase of livestock scales, accuracy is paramount and can potentially cost you a lot in lost profits over time. Scale manufacturers try to create scales that can handle the requirements of farming. Weight is an important factor in food production. Owning a livestock scale can be a large undertaking, and there are a lot of important factors that need to be considered before you go along with a purchase. Depending on the type of scale, size and components, a livestock scale can cost anywhere from $2,000 to over $40,000 depending on the aforementioned factors. This article will go over the things to consider while searching for your next livestock scale as well as a cost breakdown of what you can expect when purchasing a livestock scale.

Note: This article will only focus on legal for trade livestock scales. We will not have anything non legal for trade in this article. 

TYPES OF LIVESTOCK SCALES

Mobile Livestock ScalesMobile animal scales (MAS) are designed to be transported to the location of the animals to be weighed. The scales are designed with durability in mind. These scales will also be equipped with steel pens suspended on load cells.There is also a cage that is installed to help keep the animals safe and locked in during transport. This cage can be locked down to the frame while transporting the animals. The reasoning for this design is because it prevents cage movement and load cell damage during transport. The mobile livestock scale is a good choice if you have to actually go to the animals yourself. 

Portable Livestock ScalesPortable Animal Scales (PAS) are designed to be transported to various weighing sites. The majority of portable livestock scales are suitable to be used in harsh and unpredictable conditions of multiple site weighing. They can have a deck and a pen side for a smoother loading and unloading process for the animals.

Stationary Livestock ScalesStationary Animal scales (SAS) are designed to be set up at one location, to which the animals can be guided to the scale to be weighed. One thing to note about stationary livestock scales is that they're available in a myriad of sizes to hold the amount of livestock you need to be weighed.  The cool thing about stationary scales is that they combine the accuracy of fully electronic weighing technology coupled with steel weighbridge designs that are typically found in truck scales.

WHAT INFLUENCES THE PRICE?

Livestock scale pricing has a myriad of factors that influence the overall cost of owning the scale. You have to ask yourself several questions. What are you using the scale for? The weighing applications involved also will affect the price. Do you need a single animal livestock scale or multiple animals? Is the scale going to be stationary, portable or mobile? These are just some of the things that will influence the price of your scale. Below is a breakdown of what goes into the pricing when you are optioning out your scale. 

• Scale Size: The size of the scale will be the biggest contributing factor to the price. You have to look at if you want a single animal scale or if you want a scale that can weigh multiple livestock at once. The size of the scale will need to be known before you can move further with the other options. Single animal scales tend to have the steel deck dimensions of 3’x8’ and 4’x8, while multiple animal scales will have dimensions of 13-19 feet with a width of 9 feet. There is no “right'' size when picking out a livestock scale, just the right size for you. So depending on what size you want will determine the cost you will be looking to spend. The cost for an SAS with dimensions of 3x8 can cost you anywhere from $6,000 to over $11,000. For a MAS with dimensions 13x9 can cost you anywhere from $16,000 up to well over $30,000. Keep in mind that these are for stationary livestock scales. The cost for portable and mobile scales will vary compared to stationary scales due to the other components that are specific to those scales. 

• Scale Components:Optioning your scale is where you will start to get the bulk of your costs. So it is good to think about what is important to you when looking for a scale. A typical livestock scale will be composed of a deck plate,electronic load cells (or analog), scoreboards, remote displays, junction boxes, pen sides as well as kick plates and a stainless steel scale indicator. A lot of these components will have multiple options with multiple features, thus affecting the price for each component. Scale accessories also influence the price as well.

• Load Cells:When choosing a load cell for your scale, you have to choose from analog or a digital load cell. An analog load cell will usually be the most cost effective between the two based on the build of the load cell, which is a lever system. Ensuring proper scale calibration for your loa cells will increase the lifespan of the scale. Going digital will usually have a more precise and faster reading compared to an analog load cell, but is also a bit more expensive as well. 

• Indicator:The indicator on a scale is what you use to get the weight of the animals. The indicator offers a  readout of the animal's weight. Depending on which indicator you decide to go with will determine what features you will have. There are indicators designed for farming and ranching, and are programmed for particular animal weighing requirements. 

PORTABLE OR PERMANENT?

Deciding if you need a permanent or portable scale simply depends on your layout and how you want to go about getting the animals weighed. If your livestock is located at different sections on your ranch, then you will want something that is portable to save time and effort when getting the animals weighed. The portable scale is convenient because there is not a lot of setup time needed. You simply set up the scale in the area where the animals are located. 

If you are looking to weigh livestock in the same location that they will be processed, then you will most likely opt for a permanent installation, in which load bars are placed under your squeeze chute and the scale is bolted to a concrete slab.

Determining if you will go permanent or portable will depend on your layout, and your processing method. These factors will be unique to each person. 

CONCLUSION

When it comes down to it, a farmer will need a good quality livestock scale to ensure that they are getting accurate results. Accurate readings will equal better profit all around. Regardless of whether you have a small or large-scale livestock farm, the importance of accurate weight can be directly tied to your business and how profitable it is. Pricing a scale can be a broad undertaking, but it depends on whether you want single, multiple, stationary or portable. Look to spend anywhere from $7,000 to $40,000 depending on your setup and options selected.

If you are looking to get a quote on our livestock scales, then head on over to our site and our team can help guide you through the process of ordering a livestock scale. At American Scale we strive to bring you informed and useful content on all things scale related. 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'', which can help give insight to what issues could arise while owning a bench scale.

Floor Scale Basics

Beginners Basics

As you start searching for the right floor scale system, there are a few things you may want to consider before deciding on a floor scale to buy. Some of the things that you may want to consider is whether the scale you want will be legal for trade or not. What is the area you will weigh look like, and does the size of the scale suit the area the scale will be installed in? This post will break down the basics of floor scale ownership and help guide you towards purchasing a quality scale that will fit your weighing needs.

The basic floor scale consists of a scale platform which usually has a tread plate on the surface along with four electronic load cells (shear beam) underneath the deck. The load cells underneath the deck are then connected to a J box or junction box inside. The junction box allows each load cell to adjust each load cell under the platform to ensure that they all record the same weight. From the j-box is a cable that  connects to the scale indicator. The majority of floor scales will most likely be painted steel. There are stainless steel variants for floor scales, but those are usually used in washdown environments and tend to have a higher price tag. Scale calibration on a floor scale is the same principle, just with different capacities depending on the weighing applications.

WHERE TO START?

Understanding where to start when searching for a floor scale can be an overwhelming ordeal, it can be a bit simpler if you know where to start. The fact is that there are a lot of factors you should consider when choosing what type of scale to buy. Do you want scale accessories? Will your environment have a remote display or scoreboard? These are questions you would want to consider when pricing your floor scale. The easiest way to determine this is to evaluate what you are using the scale for. This means that you should consider the environment the scale will be in. Will the scale be in a factory where there will be a lot of dust and debris floating around? Are you wanting analog or digital? Will you be weighing heavy materials? These questions are what need to be asked to help guide you toward the best suitable floor scale for your operation.

WHY GO FLOOR?

Specific scenarios call for specific tools, and when it comes to scales, you want the right scale for the job. Floor scales are a great choice for environments that require you to weigh large, heavy and bulky items. The reasoning for this is because the platform of a floor scale is quite literally on the floor, thus making weighing large and heavy items a lot easier. In environments like industrial factories, manufacturers and scrap yards will most likely have a floor scale, due to the heavy items being weighed. Floor scales are able to be installed on a flat or level surface or  it can be installed in a “pit” style, where the scale will sit in the ground a bit. If your operation requires a scale that can handle higher weight and can stand up to the hazards of the environment, then you will want to go with a floor scale.

DETERMINING THE RIGHT SCALE

Knowing what you are generally going to weigh can help you determine the size and shape of the scale you want. It is one thing to weigh rectangular boxes all day, but often enough you will weigh different sized and shaped items, so having a platform size large enough to accurately weigh any of the items you receive. 

The key to ensuring you have an accurate scale is making sure that the weight capacity has a good enough range, and that the scale is positioned in a way that it won’t feel vibrations or any other hazards that could cause you to have an inaccurate measurement. The first step you will want to do is figure out what the typical sizes and shapes of the items you will be weighing, so it can help you decide what scale size will be needed.

Keep in mind that certain types of floor scales will be better suited for certain environments. Usually equipped with a steel deck for heavy duty. Scale manufacturers will usually have different features for different scale models. A good example of this is when you have a floor scale in an environment that is considered a washdown environment. This means that the environment in which the scale is located is subjected to being sprayed or “washed” down by a power washer. The components on a washdown floor scale will Understanding this will help you to avoid purchasing the incorrect scale.

CONCLUSION

The best floor scale for you should be reliable and accurate, providing increased uptime and greater productivity. The amount of industries that legal for trade bench scales are used far exceeds what is listed in this article. The floor scale is a very versatile scale and due to its versatility they are able to service multiple industries and provide accurate weight measurements. Keep in mind that these tips should help increase the lifespan of your scale. At American Scale we strive to bring you informed and useful content on all things scale related. 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'', which can help give insight to what issues could arise while owning a bench scale.

Bench Scales vs. Floor Scales

The similarities between Bench scales and floor scales are quite close and in many ways can be interchangeable between the two scales. In the vein that they both are able to be customized with certain features like checkweighing or counting, and have various IP ratings to help both scales withstand the harsh environments and conditions that the scale will have to endure. This article post will discuss the similarities and differences between both bench scales and floor scales, and will lay out which scale will work best for your environment.

Bench Scale Basics

Bench scales are compact scales that are able to be used on a bench or some other sort of raised surface. These scales are very versatile and are equipped with different features like an integrated display or an indicator that can be mounted in different locations. One of the bigger differences between a bench and a floor scale is the maximum capacities that each scale is capable of weighing. Granted a bench scale is smaller and resembles that of a lab balance, it is not nearly as precise as a balance, but does have more precision than a floor scale. Bench scales are typically used for basic production tasks, like check weighing and counting.

bench scale applications

The versatility for bench scales comes into play in the way that it is used for the applications of bench scales. One of the ways bench scales are different from floor scales is in what industries use them. Industries like food services and manufacturing production sites will use bench scales over floor scales to take weight measurements for items like spices, nuts, bolts, etc.

In manufacturing warehouses and factories, bench scales are the common scale of choice. These industries typically will use bench scales for  their extremely useful features like counting and checkweighing. Since these particular industries rely on taking repetitive weight measurements, like  check weighing and production counting to ensure that the end of production is meeting the requirements to be shipped.      

One of the benefits that bench scales have over floor scales is that they have a nice and compact size, that makes the scale easy to relocate and to take a lot of weight measurements without taking up a lot of real estate. When walking into a deli at a grocery store, you will notice that the scale that is used to weigh the produce will most likely be a bench scale with an integrated keypad and indicator.  Bench scales are going to be located in environments like manufacturing warehouses, grocery stores and parcel and shipping companies.

bench scale benefits

One of the biggest benefits of selecting a bench scale over a floor scale is the size between the two. Bench scales have a smaller design compared to floor scales, which makes them perfect for environments which have limited space. Places like logistics or shipping companies are going to most likely have bench scales since they take up a very small amount of real estate. Environments that have limited space and locations to place the scale are why bench scales can be a good option due to the small size.  

Another benefit that bench scales possess is not only the size but also the layout of the scale. A huge benefit is that bench scales are easily customizable. Due to being easily customizable, bench scales are able to be customized to come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. This means that you will be able to find a scale to fit any space in your operation. There are a lot of  compact scales that are great for basic weight measurements for places like delis and hardware stores. For recording heavier weight measurements you will need something bigger like a floor scale.

Ultimately the benefit of having a bench scale over a floor scale is the ability to have multiple size options and keep a relatively small footprint. They are good for recording low to moderate size weight samples. Think about your industry and the type of weight measurements that will mainly being recorded. These things will help you decide if a bench scale is the right choice for you.

What is a floor scale?

A floor scale is a type of scale that can be used on the floor. The floor scale typically has a higher maximum capacity over a bench scale but does not offer extremely high capacities compared to platform and forklift scales. The design of a floor scale has the ease of use in mind. They are usually equipped with a large weighing platform (some with a high IP rating for washdown environments) to handle a larger quantity of items being weighed. They also tend to come equipped with detachable indicators and keypads to make it easier to record measurements. Floor scales are a good choice for industries that require a higher weight capacity and are ideal for weighing operations that weigh bulky and large items.

floor scale applications

When it comes to design versatility and durability, both bench and floor scales are very similar in what they offer to the production process. Floor scales will most likely be located in both commercial (logistics, hardware, etc) and industrial environments. The environments that use floor scales tend to take heavier weight measurements due to weighing large and bulky items compared to bench scales.    Another plus is that floor scales are highly customizable and can be equipped with certain features such as counting and checkweighing. These features are able to serve as an efficient way to check inventory and make sure packages are the proper weight at the end of production.

You will also see floor scales in industries like farming and even scrap yards. They are good for weighing heavy items, such as animal feed or crates filled with scrap. These industries use these scales because of how durable they are. Most floor scales will come with a high IP rating to offer extra protection from the harsh environments that the scales operate in.

floor scale benefits

The biggest benefit that a floor scale has over a bench scale is the fact that it has a way higher capacity over a bench scale. The reasoning for this is because they are designed to take weight measurements from objects that are a lot heavier and bulkier compared to objects weighed on a bench scale. The load cells used in a floor scale have a much higher maximum capacity, which can weigh items exceeding weights over 1200lbs. This aspect makes floor scales a prime option for industries like manufacturing and warehouses. Floor scales have the benefit of having ease of use in mind for those taking the weight measurements. Being able to lift heavy, bulky items on the floor scale makes the entire process a lot simpler for those who are taking the weight measurements.

Conclusion

Bench and floor scales are commonly used in industries such as agriculture, retail and manufacturing businesses. Depending on what you are weighing and how often will help you decide if your operation needs a bench scale or a floor scale. Head over to our Learning Center to check out articles on things to consider when selecting a floor scale and how to choose a bench scale. These are great resources to give more insight into what is needed for the right scale for the right operation.