Overview
PLF stand for Precision Livestock Farming, which uses data per animal to optimize the performance of the herd. PLF can best be summarized as: “Bell curves replace averages”. Averages are meaningless for culling. Culling is essential for productivity increases. Enter PLF.
PLF
collects data from an easy to use handheld device, which transmits data
directly into a cloud-based server. PLF build on RFID. Simply scan an RFID tag and associate attributes,
like weight & date; treatment; progeny; etc. Data is uploaded, stored and processed in
real-time.
By
culling loss makers and breeding with profit makers, PLF improves the bottom
line dramatically. Some customers have achieved 30 to 40% improvements for five
years in a row.
Bleep…Bleep, Ready
Data collection is essential to successfully deploying PLF. Traditional input methods, like paper sheets or spreadsheets have proven to be a chore, which introduces many errors and sucks up precious labour hours.
Litams
collects all data at the source. Our HCR (Handheld Connected Reader) is a
rugged smartphone with a built-in RFID scanner. Users actually enjoy collecting data with the
HCR. Hence, more data is therefore captured. The efficiency of the process
ensures that many manhours are saved.
Best of all: errors are eliminated. Each RFID is a unique number. Litams
creates an on-line record where all attributes are added to this unique number.
We
call this an animal’s passport.
Adding
data to a passport has become as easy as “Bleep…Blep, Ready!” Data is sent into the cloud immediately, where
the Litams server processes it in real-time. Data becomes information!
Authorized
users can log in and view the information. Easy to use menus help you to apply
the information to achieve the objectives of reducing cost of production,
enhancing productivity and creating traceable and transparent differentiation.
Cost of Production
Reducing Cost of Production (CoP) is key to increasing margins. CoP reduction is different from lowering costs and expenses. Reducing CoP starts with a targeted use of fodder and supplements. Precision Livestock Farming helps producers to achieve just that. By identifying – precisely-- which animals need what kind of supplements, waste is eliminated. Other ways to reduce CoP are for example early culling on growth and culling on poor health, ensuring that no good money is thrown after poor performing animals.
Productivity
Productivity is typically defined as optimizing KGs/Ha – but a better definition is $/Ha. Productivity starts with improvements like reducing mortality and increasing reproduction. PLF will help you to record each mortality case and its cause. Turning data into information, the cloud-based account will help producers rapidly gain insight into one of their biggest hidden cost. PLF also helps you to immediately identify your worst and best reproducing breeders. With a few clicks on the touchscreen, it’s possible to use the AutoSorter and draft these animals into three separate mobs (worst = cull; average = watch, best = breed). Productivity can also be increased by, for example, early identification of those animals which are approaching their weight targets.
To
optimize $/Ha, PLF helps producers to optimize weights and fat in order to
maximize returns by hitting the sweet spot of the grid.
Differentiation
Some producers intent to offer an exceptional poduct. They’re not just a red-meat supplier, but they provide organic meat, or grass-fed meat or locally produced meat. To warrant the premium this differentiated product brings, consumers need the ability to verify the marketing claims.
Differentiation starts with identification – the RFID number is the link to each animal’s unique passport. By adding lifetime data to each passport, information is built up about each animal. Whereas the passport contains the dataset for productivity enhancement and CoP reduction during the lifetime of the passport’s holder, it maintains its value after processing. Passports which contain data like pedigree, breed, sex, area of production, feeding and treatments (e.g. free from antibiotics) can be linked to the carcasses and their cuts. This provides a transparent, traceable form of underpinning any marketing claims you may make. Differentiation has now become verifiable.
Five More Benefits
The Litams way of working brings five more benefits:
1. Accessible anywhere,
anytime – information can be viewed by a vet who lives 30KM away. By a
consultant in another state. Or by a user who needs access to the passport of
an animal. (Scan the tag and all data shows up on the screen).
2. Your data is secure – data
is transferred in real-time to the cloud. Here it’s stored on a safe “no-fail”
server system, with daily tape back up. Data never gets lost and is available
for the next ten years.
3. Electronic NVD – Litams is
an MLA-authorized provider of eNVD solutions. Producers, saleyards and
processors use Litams software to cut paperwork and improve quality of
information.
4. Reduce carbon footprint –
livestock contributes to greenhouse gases. PLF helps to eliminate waste and
reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
5. Medication register – PLF
let’s you record the use of drugs. Treatment records, withholding periods and
drug inventory levels are automatically updated.
Heat to Meat
The primary objective of Litams PLF is to help livestock producers reduce CoP and grow productivity. But once information is available per animal, it’s a small step to apply that information to differentiate the carcasse. Not all animals are equal. By collecting lifetime data and applying it (also) post-kill, we provide the basis for identifying, for example, antibiotic-free carcasses in a mob where some may have received treatment. Or indentifying grass-fed bodies in a mob where some may have received additional feed.
Vice
versa, kill out data like HSCW, dress-out percentage and fatscores can be used
to optimize production. Heat to meat
dataflows require exchange of data between Litams PLF and processor systems,
such as Triton’s Livestock Manager and Triton’s WeighGrade.
Meattracker.com
Litams is a founding member of Meattracker.com. This website allows consumers to track the origin of their meat. In that sense, Meattracker.com supports:
- - Paddock to plate traceability
- - Transparency for differentiation
- - Anti counterfeiting
- - Direct user feedback
- - Social networking with your end users
Please
contact Litams for more information about meattracker.com.
