Ep 13: Livestock Management with Optiweigh

EPISODE 13:

This week host Olivia Calver explores livestock management technology found in the paddock, the yards or the shearing shed.

We’re joined once again by South Australian sheep and cattle farmer and agtech adoption specialist Penny Schulz, who tells us about how technology is improving safety and efficiency and reducing labour requirements.

We speak to Optiweigh’s Max Laurie about their in-paddock weighing system that aims to drive profit and reduce animal handling.

And we also speak to northern Queensland cattle farmer Noeline Dore who has been using Optiweigh units in their breeding and fattening operation. She says the units have helped her to closely monitor the condition of their mobs, book in cattle for consignment and reduce livestock handling.

FEATURING:

DR PENNY SCHULZ – AGTECH ADOPTION SPECIALIST

Penny and her husband Jason run a family sheep and cattle operation at Field in South Australia’s Limestone Coast region. She also works off-farm delivering projects to the livestock industry and university teaching, with her expertise in the fields of agtech adoption, livestock genetics and farm business management. Penny has been appointed to the role of Livestock Technical Specialist with the SA Drought Resilience, Adoption and Innovation Hub, with a focus on farmer adoption – an area of great passion for Penny.

MAX LAURIE – OPTIWEIGH

Max first started working for Optiweigh back at the end of 2020 as a technician and analyst. He is now currently the support manager for the company, communicating with farmers with all things Optiweigh including support and troubleshooting for the unit, but also working with producers on the data that their units are producing and collecting, helping them to maximise their Optiweigh experience. Max is born and bred in the New England having grown up on a beef farm and completed his studies at UNE as well.

NOELINE DORE – NORTHERN QUEENSLAND CATTLE FARMER

Noeline Dore and family run a beef breeding and fattening enterprise in North Queensland, run across two properties. They live at Cuba Plains which is situated west of Charters Towers in the Basalt region. They run predominantly Brahman cattle and are continually striving to improve their herd productivity and efficiency. They have introduced two Optiweigh units into their operation which they say have been invaluable. The easily accessed data makes it easy when booking cattle for consignment, there is less handling of sale mobs and it allows close monitoring of the condition of the breeder herd in the dry part of the year.