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Ranchers.net

September 16, 2005
Montana study shows strengths, weaknesses of ID technology

The Montana Beef Network, based at Montana State University, recently conducted three studies of current livestock ID technology. One of the studies involved a Montana market, and 200 calves born in the state. Here’s how it worked, and this is what they found:

The calves were divided into four groups, then tagged --- three groups at the owner’s ranch, and one at the market in Ramsey, Mont. The tags were the 15-digit radio frequency ID (RFID) electronic tag.

Research Andy Kellom said “our hypothesis” was that a market, where hundreds of calves are sold, “would be one of the hardest places to follow through” with tracking. Two types of tag scanners were used; one was stationary and built in the alley where the cattle would pass by; the other was a handheld scanner.

The researchers found that metal fences at the market interfered with the stationary alley scanners, and as a result, it read only 60 percent of the tags.

The handheld scanner read every ear tag – but calves had to be slowed down as they came through the alley. “We found out it wasn’t as easy as we thought,” Kellom said.
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