These joinable aged heifers will make history this month by being the first to be auctioned in conjunction with an in-paddock weighing system.
Restockers will have a unique opportunity to secure quality unjoined Angus heifers offered for the first time on-line in Australia under the innovative Optiweigh system.
Leading digital selling platform FarmGate Auctions has teamed up with the award winning Optiweigh to offer the draft of 325 yearling heifers, aged 17-23 months, from vendor Glenbrook Pastoral Company, Aberfoyle, NSW.
The heifers will be sold as a minimum pick of 240 from 324 and are out of Booramooka blood cows by Booramooka, Millah Murrah and Isla bulls.
The auction will be held over 48 hours from 9am on Wednesday, August 25 to 9am Friday, August 27 unless the heifers are sold prior.
According to the in-paddock weighing system of Optiweigh, the heifers have an average daily weight gain of 0.47 kg and average liveweight of 394kg.
The mob weight spread, full weight and average daily gain is updated daily via the Optiweigh weight scales and detailed in graph form on the FarmGate Auctions site.
Potential buyers can see the weight data for the 20 days leading up to the sale.
They can also inspect the heifers on-line at FarmGate Auctions via photographs and video plus information on condition, frame, temperament, weaning details, pedigree, grazing conditions, health record and accreditation.
Armidale producer Bill Mitchell developed the autonomous in-paddock weighing and data collection system, winning the 2021 Meat and Livestock Australia Producer Innovation Award at Beef Australia in Rockhampton, Qld.
FamGate Auctions general manager Chanel Gallen said Optiweigh was already a leader of in-paddock weighing, with more than 120 units operating Australia wide, weighing over 150,000 cattle each month.
Ms Gallen said buyers could take the animal’s weight gain data and location into consideration to make informed purchasing decisions for their own production systems.
“Optiweigh lots will be listed on the FarmGate Auctions website for a longer period of time enabling buyers to monitor weight gain and assess the potential of the cattle for their own contracts or feedlot situation,” she said.
“This particular sale is over 48 hours rather than the usual 40 minute timed on-line auction.
“We built the functionality on the platform in May and this is the first Optiweigh integrated sale of many going forward.”
Founder of Optiweigh Bill Mitchell, Platinum Agribusiness, said the data generated by Optiweigh is independently verifiable information on weight gain trends and weight range composition of the mob.
Using a solar powered portable unit in the paddock, livestock weight can be constantly monitored from a desktop computer or mobile phone app with no extra fencing or animal training required.
“It is exciting to be involved in a new type of sale using live verifiable data around the most determinant of price which is weight,” Mr Mitchell said.
“We are breaking new ground with the first sale of its kind – if a producer has a good history on their stock and combine that with live weight data, it opens the door to new selling possibilities.
“Restockers can have a high degree of confidence in the data on these heifers, both on what the animals weigh and what their weight gains are.
“Because we are updating the information daily, it allows a sale to be negotiated over a longer period of time.”
FarmGate Auctions director and Gunnedah/Boggabri stock agent Guy Gallen said the well-bred Glenbrook Pastoral heifers were ready for a spring joining for a winter calving.
Mr Gallen said the Optiweigh technology enabled the cattle to be weighed stress-free in the paddock.
“People can watch the Optiweigh data for the month prior to a sale on FarmGate Auctions and see the doability of the cattle so they know they are buying cattle on the up,” he said.
“We now have access to more accurate data on paddock performance – it’s very exciting.”
For more information visit www.farmgateauctions.com.au
