Markets South East Livestock Network Jim Akers

Southeastern NAIS Pilot Project: 

Southeastern NAIS Pilot Project Operated by Southeastern Livestock Network, LLC

Goals: 

Goals Develop a system that Creates the largest possible body of data to enhance our disease surveillance and mgt. programs. Minimize impact on markets Minimize investment and workload of all stakeholders Protect the integrity of BQA, animal and human safety

The Challenge: 

The Challenge

Markets: 

Markets Wilkes Co. Stockyards, Georgia East Tennessee Livestock Virginia Cattle Co. Taylor Co. Livestock, KY Tylertown and Lucedale, MS Cullman Stockyards, AL Buchannon, WV Harward Brothers Livestock, NC Red River Livestock, LA Chester Livestock Exchange, SC

Project Partners: 

Project Partners Software – Market Systems, ASI, Genesis, Microsoft Excel, Winwedge, Drystone, Caldwell Ear Tags – Allflex and Digital Angel Y tex, Z tag, Readers - Allflex, AgInfoLink, Ytex(Edit), Digital Angel, Boontech, IDology Database and tracking – AgInfoLink Tag Distribution – IMI Global

Premise Registration: 

Premise Registration Every participating producer was invited to register for a premise id State Animal Health officials on site to answer questions and take applications Between 50-150 Premise applications per event.

Tell me what to do?: 

Tell me what to do? Education…. Our biggest challenge

Educational Effort: 

Educational Effort

Tag Placement: 

Tag Placement Errors are quite common in first time users. Tag loss, infection, erosion of acceptance Most common error is placement too close to head.

Slide10: 

Slide11: 

Phone: (859) 278-0899 Fax: (859) 260-2060 bbennett@kycattle.org 176 Pasadena Dr. Lexington, KY 40503 SLN, LLC Members Southeastern Livestock Network, LLC Kentucky Beef Network, LLC Alabama Cattleman’s Assc. Mississippi Cattleman’s Assc. Louisiana Cattleman’s Assc. Tennessee Cattleman’s Assc. Georgia Cattleman’s Assc. South Carolina Cattleman’s Assc. North Carolina Cattleman’s Assc. Virginia Cattleman’s Assc. West Virginia Cattleman’s Assc. Contact one of these member organizations in your local area for more details. USDA/NAIS Animal Tracking Pilot Project Your business tag line here. Special thanks to the State Departments of Agriculture and the State Animal Health Officials in the member states, for their support and cooperation in this effort. The task of disease surveillance and management is ultimately their responsibility and working together with the livestock industry to address this monumental undertaking is appreciated and acknowledged. Data management services powered by: Phone: (859) 278-0899 Fax: (859) 260-2060 bbennett@kycattle.org 176 Pasadena Dr. Lexington, KY 40503 SLN, LLC Members Southeastern Livestock Network, LLC Kentucky Beef Network, LLC Alabama Cattleman’s Assc. Mississippi Cattleman’s Assc. Louisiana Cattleman’s Assc. Tennessee Cattleman’s Assc. Georgia Cattleman’s Assc. South Carolina Cattleman’s Assc. North Carolina Cattleman’s Assc. Virginia Cattleman’s Assc. West Virginia Cattleman’s Assc. Contact one of these member organizations in your local area for more details. USDA/NAIS Animal Tracking Pilot Project Your business tag line here. Special thanks to the State Departments of Agriculture and the State Animal Health Officials in the member states, for their support and cooperation in this effort. The task of disease surveillance and management is ultimately their responsibility and working together with the livestock industry to address this monumental undertaking is appreciated and acknowledged. Data management services powered by: Phone: (859) 278-0899 Fax: (859) 260-2060 bbennett@kycattle.org 176 Pasadena Dr. Lexington, KY 40503 SLN, LLC Members Southeastern Livestock Network, LLC Kentucky Beef Network, LLC Alabama Cattleman’s Assc. Mississippi Cattleman’s Assc. Louisiana Cattleman’s Assc. Tennessee Cattleman’s Assc. Georgia Cattleman’s Assc. South Carolina Cattleman’s Assc. North Carolina Cattleman’s Assc. Virginia Cattleman’s Assc. West Virginia Cattleman’s Assc. Contact one of these member organizations in your local area for more details. USDA/NAIS Animal Tracking Pilot Project Your business tag line here. Special thanks to the State Departments of Agriculture and the State Animal Health Officials in the member states, for their support and cooperation in this effort. The task of disease surveillance and management is ultimately their responsibility and working together with the livestock industry to address this monumental undertaking is appreciated and acknowledged. Data management services powered by: Phone: (859) 278-0899 Fax: (859) 260-2060 bbennett@kycattle.org 176 Pasadena Dr. Lexington, KY 40503 SLN, LLC Members Southeastern Livestock Network, LLC Kentucky Beef Network, LLC Alabama Cattleman’s Assc. Mississippi Cattleman’s Assc. Louisiana Cattleman’s Assc. Tennessee Cattleman’s Assc. Georgia Cattleman’s Assc. South Carolina Cattleman’s Assc. North Carolina Cattleman’s Assc. Virginia Cattleman’s Assc. West Virginia Cattleman’s Assc. Contact one of these member organizations in your local area for more details. USDA/NAIS Animal Tracking Pilot Project Your business tag line here. Special thanks to the State Departments of Agriculture and the State Animal Health Officials in the member states, for their support and cooperation in this effort. The task of disease surveillance and management is ultimately their responsibility and working together with the livestock industry to address this monumental undertaking is appreciated and acknowledged. Data management services powered by:

Communicating: 

Communicating

Educational Messages: 

Educational Messages Don’t procrastinate on Premise ID Market access Tag your cattle at home Cost, shrink, market flow Understand difference in management, marketing and compliance Technology not all that important

Data Collection Systems: 

Data Collection Systems Tags Applied and read at back tag application Used to cross reference against the back tag tracking records after the sale. Tags Applied and read at back tag and at sale ring or scales EID actually captured into the software system and used to manage sale.

Methods of data collection: 

Methods of data collection 100% 96-99% 92-99%

Reader system types: 

Reader system types

Hand Reading: 

Hand Reading

Which is best?: 

Which is best? Hand reading at chute side is the most accurate. Rarely is a tag missed. If tag read is missed exception process can be used. Equipment is less expensive Stick/Wand reader ranging in price from $500-$1500 Labor/Time requirement is high Disruption of market flow For some smaller locations….a viable option

Walk Through Installations: 

Walk Through Installations

Walk Through Installations: 

Walk Through Installations

Walk Through Installations: 

Walk Through Installations

Which is best?: 

Which is best? Walk thru reading is the easiest Current equipment allowed us to read tags at a rate of 92 – 99%(These were not permanent reader installations) . Equipment is more expensive Equipment used for pilot cost roughly $5200 to equip one single file alley at 32' wide. Wide alley system may cost as much as $40,000 Labor/Time requirement is low Minimal market disruption

Boontech: 

Boontech

Allflex: 

Allflex

Where do we need to be?: 

Where do we need to be? If we can read RIFD tags in a walk thru system at rates in the 96-98% range. If the only alternative to go to 100% is a one at a time system. Is that 2-4% necessary to achieve our goals Is it worth changing our industry and our handling and marketing procedures to get 100%

Factors in equipment choice?: 

Factors in equipment choice? High performance – most did this Ability to create a 'system' – few did this The 'Bubba Factor' – can anyone set up and operate Flexibility of environments Edit panels marketed by Y Tex Allflex Panels Allflex and AgInfoLink handhelds

Developments as result of Pilot: 

Developments as result of Pilot Boontech System now operational and permanently installed. Ongoing project with Allflex to develop and test multi alley system, first installation in place. Several installations of Edit(Ytex) equipment ongoing.

Largest factor in read rates of walk thru systems is the tag: 

Largest factor in read rates of walk thru systems is the tag There are major differences in the current low frequency RFID tags on the market We achieved good success with several different readers but not tags. The tags chosen for the project were Allflex HDX Digital Angel e tag FDX

What are the differences in tags?: 

What are the differences in tags? * Summary of multiple trials over one year

Orientation is a big issue: 

Orientation is a big issue Best Orientation Worst Orientation

Orientation: 

Orientation Panel

Read Range and Orientation: 

Read Range and Orientation Panel Black – Trade Show Red – Worst Orientation Green - Reality 36' 24' 26' 18' How long is an animal in a read field??

How do we use orientation: 

How do we use orientation Presentation of tag is going to be near worst orientation when animals move up an alley. We have to design systems based on worst orientation, this limits width of alley Or….. Train all the cattle to lay their ears back when they see a reader.

Software Issues: 

Software Issues Originally contacted 6 providers, 4 of which achieved the objective The key to providing customer service and simplifying the task How do we use the Premise number? Providers need clear definitions of Data for output, NAIS/marketing needs Format Standardization of reader output What to do if we miss an RF read Tell me what to do???

Limits and Frustrations: 

Limits and Frustrations Lack of Premise numbers Need for uniformity of terminology and data fields Field trial environment means less than optimum performance of equipment and systems. Lack of understanding of reasons for and purpose of NAIS

Summary: 

Summary Much work left to do… reader/tag technology, software, attitude We can operate at an acceptable level of accuracy using current technology without major disruptions in movement. Tagging animals is the major problem, must encourage tagging outside of markets.

Thank You: 

Thank You Jim Akers 176 Pasadena Dr. Lexington, KY 40503 859-278-0899 jakers@uky.edu www.slnllc.com www.cph45.com www.kycattle.org