Things You Should Understand About Livestock Scale Basics

Homesteading has become increasingly popular across the country, with more landowners than ever setting up pastures and barns for raising cattle. One of the most important parts of raising cattle is monitoring their weight and growth, especially since cattle are sold by weight. That means investing in the right livestock scales for your needs. If you've never bought livestock scales before, you might not know what you should think about in the process. Here's a look at some of the things that you need to know about livestock scales.

Accuracy Is Essential

It's important that you choose a set of livestock scales that are accurate, easily calibrated, and affordably maintained. Remember that accurate weights are vital for monitoring the healthy growth of your cattle and determining the final standing weight for sale, as well as many other reasons. That is why it's so important that you're selective about your livestock scales. Don't just buy the cheapest ones you can get. Instead, save up the money for the best quality ones that your budget will allow, and keep up with routine calibration and maintenance.

Durability Is Important

Most people don't think about the demand on their livestock scales, but those scales see a lot of wear and tear. When you consider the weight of your cattle and the traffic that the scales will see from all of those heads of cattle, that's a lot of wear and tear that adds up over time. If you want to be sure that you're not going to have to replace those scales sooner than absolutely necessary, opt for a model that has proven durability to hold up to the demands of even the largest herds.

Weight Monitoring Is Vital For Health

If you're still thinking that those scales might not be worth the investment, you should at least appreciate the role that those scales can play in the health and safety of your herd. Remember that medication dosages, growth tracking, maternal health, and even calf growth tracking are all important for a successful cattle operation. 

With the right scales, you can ensure the accuracy of your medication dosages, your herd health, and even your statistical reporting. After all, some cattle scales will integrate with your herd management software, communicating with your cattle tags and recording per-head information for you.

These are some of the most important things for you to think about when you're considering the investment in cattle scales. Understanding the right scale choices and the benefits of that equipment can help you to get your herd management on track.