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Industrial Scales

Livestock Scales

What is a livestock scale?

A livestock scale weighs a live animal by holding it on a platform, usually inside a cage or crate. Often called an animal scale or cattle scale, it does one simple job: it replaces an estimate of the animal’s weight with a measurement.

Judging weight by eye or from a heart-girth tape gives noticeably different answers for the same animal depending on who is doing it. When the feeding plan, weight-based treatments and the sale price all rest on that estimate, a small error grows at every step. A reading from a scale settles the question and can go straight into your notebook or herd software. Meram livestock scales are designed first of all so that animals step on easily and stay calm while they are weighed; the platform of the BBH cattle scale stands just 80 mm off the floor.

Which livestock scale should I choose?

The animal decides the model first, then the purpose of weighing. In short:

  • Cattle, heifers, calves and beef stores: BBH cattle scale
  • Sheep, goats, lambs and kids: KBH small livestock scale
  • Dividing sacrificial meat between shareholders: 7-point share scale
  • Weighing hanging carcasses in an abattoir: the MRS on our monorail scales page

Models at a glance

ModelForDesignCapacityHighlight
BBHCattleCaged, low-profile platformBuilt to order80 mm high, no ramp needed
KBHSheep and goatsEnclosed sides, entry and exit gatesBuilt to orderOn wheels, easy to move
7-point share scaleSacrifice sharesSeven separate weighing points150 kg per point (300 kg option)Shows all seven shares at once

BBH cattle scale: low platform, no ramp

Cattle hesitate when the ground rises in front of them or feels hollow underfoot. A ramp makes that worse and takes up room in the shed. The BBH platform is 80 mm high, so animals step onto it almost at floor level and no pit has to be dug. The cage keeps the animal in the middle of the platform while it is weighed, and the electrostatic powder-coated finish stands up well to damp, manure and washing water.

KBH small livestock scale: gated and mobile

Sheep and goats move as a flock, so each one has to be held apart for a moment to be weighed on its own. The KBH has enclosed sides with a gate at each end: the animal walks in, is weighed once the gate is shut and walks out the other end, with the next one following behind. Wheels let you move it between folds, paddocks and the entrance to grazing.

7-point share scale: fair division of sacrifice shares

When cattle are sacrificed, the meat is divided equally between seven shareholders, usually in a busy setting with little time to spare. Weighing the shares one by one on a single-pan scale and balancing them against each other is slow and invites disagreement. The 7-point share scale shows all seven shares at the same time; pieces are moved from the heaviest share to the lightest until they match, in full view of everyone. Each weighing point handles up to 150 kg, or 300 kg on request.

How is a steady reading taken from a moving animal?

An animal on a platform is never completely still. It shifts its weight from leg to leg, turns its head and leans against the cage. Each of these small movements reaches the load cells as a brief push, so on an ordinary scale indicator the figure keeps changing and you would have to wait for the animal to stand stock-still to see a stable number.

Livestock weighing averages instead. Once weighing starts, the indicator collects a large number of readings over a set period; upward and downward swings largely cancel each other out, and the average settles close to the animal’s true weight. The result is then held on the display, so the operator can record it before the animal steps off. A longer averaging period gives a steadier result but a longer weighing; restless animals need a little more time, animals used to the scale less.

What really helps the averaging is the mechanical layout. No calculation can fully correct the large deviations that occur when an animal turns, bumps the cage or puts a foot off the platform. That is why cage width, gate position and a non-slip platform surface matter as much as the indicator settings.

How are cage and platform size worked out?

The right size lets the animal walk in and stand comfortably but not turn round. In a cage that is too wide, the animal turns sideways, looks back and weighing takes longer. A cage that is too narrow makes it hard for large animals to enter, and when an animal rubs against the sides, part of its weight can rest on the cage and escape the reading.

The practical way to decide is to measure the length and width of the largest animals in the herd. For example, if your longest animal measures 220 cm from nose to tail head and you want 15 cm of clearance at front and back, the inside length of the cage is 220 + 15 + 15 = 250 cm. For width, a few centimetres are added either side of the widest animal; the aim is for it to stand without being squeezed but without room to turn.

The same reasoning applies to sheep and goats; the sizes are smaller and a narrow crate helps even more, because lambs and kids settle down by themselves in a tight space. If several age groups are weighed on the same scale, size it for the largest group.

Models

Applications

A livestock scale earns its place wherever live weight turns into a decision:

  • Beef finishing units: live weight on arrival, mid-period and before sale
  • Dairy farms: tracking the growth of calves and heifers
  • Sheep and goat farms: lamb and kid growth, selecting breeding stock
  • Livestock markets and dealers: buying and selling by weight
  • Veterinary work: knowing the weight for medicines and parasite treatments dosed by body weight
  • Sacrifice areas: dividing cattle meat into shares
  • Research and teaching farms: weighing trial groups at regular intervals

Choosing a livestock scale: the key points

A scale that works in a livestock shed proves its value through everyday ease of use more than its capacity on paper. These are the points we focus on when preparing a quotation:

1. Species and heaviest animal. Cattle and small ruminants need different designs. Capacity is chosen for the heaviest animal in the herd, with some margin.

2. Cage and platform size. The animal should stand fully on the platform with no foot off the edge. The narrower the cage, the less the animal turns and the quicker the weighing.

3. Step-on height. A high platform needs a ramp and makes animals reluctant to step on. A low platform simplifies both installation and daily weighing.

4. Fixed or mobile? A scale used at a single race can stay put; if you weigh in several pens or paddocks, a wheeled model suits you better. Where there is no mains power, an indicator that can run on a rechargeable battery matters.

5. Conditions. Damp, manure and washing water are hard on both the frame and the load cells. A powder-coated frame and IP68 protected load cells are the right choice for these conditions.

6. Records and calculation. The real benefit of a scale comes from regular records. For example, a steer weighed at 420 kg that weighs 465 kg 30 days later has gained (465 − 420) ÷ 30 = 1.5 kg a day. Comparing that with feed intake lets you judge your feeding plan in figures.

Monitoring growth: from records to decisions

A single weighing is just a number; it gains meaning when it sits next to the same animal’s earlier and later weights. The measure used most in finishing is daily live weight gain, found by dividing the difference between two weighings by the number of days. Two more simple calculations make decisions easier.

Feed conversion. If you know how much feed was given over the same period, you can work out how much feed went into each kilogram of live weight. Suppose a steer gained 45 kg in 30 days and ate 360 kg of feed in that time: 360 ÷ 45 = 8 kg of feed for every 1 kg of live weight. Following how this ratio changes from one period to the next is the quickest way to see the effect of a ration change in figures.

Days to target weight. If you have set a target weight for sale or slaughter, you can estimate the time remaining. For an animal weighed at 465 kg and gaining 1.5 kg a day on average, a 600 kg target is (600 − 465) ÷ 1.5 = 90 days away. This helps you time buying and selling around the market.

For animals fed in groups, look at the group average and the spread within the group as well as individual weights. Animals that fall clearly behind the average are followed separately and, where necessary, the cause is investigated with your vet.

What should herd records include?

The more regular the records, the more you get out of the scale. For a simple spreadsheet or herd management software, these fields are a good start:

  • Animal ID: ear tag or on-farm number
  • Date and time: the time of weighing is noted so comparisons stay fair
  • Live weight: the value held on the indicator
  • Group or pen: so animals on the same ration can be assessed together
  • Treatment given: any weight-based medicine or ration change that day
  • Observation note: anything noticeable, such as lameness or poor appetite

Working with the share scale during the sacrifice festival

Sacrifice is an act of worship in which shareholders want to receive what is entrusted to them in full, so it matters that the meat is divided openly, in an orderly way and in front of everyone. With the 7-point share scale, a calm and quick routine can look like this:

  • Preparation: the scale is placed on level ground, a container or tray labelled with each shareholder’s name or number goes on each weighing point, and the containers are tared
  • Distribution: the cut meat is shared out across the seven points in turn, balancing bone-in and boneless pieces
  • Balancing: all seven values are read at once; small pieces are moved from the heaviest share to the lightest until the values come together
  • Handover: the balanced shares are shown to the shareholders and handed over; anyone who wishes can note the weight of their share

A simple sum shows the scale of the job: if seven shares yield 210 kg of meat in total, each share is 210 ÷ 7 = 30 kg. Weighing seven shares one after another on a single-pan scale and balancing them means weighing again and again; with a share scale that shows all seven values at once, the correction is done in a single round.

Floor, cleaning and maintenance

A livestock scale works in far harsher conditions than a factory scale: manure, washing water and knocks from animals reach the platform every day. A few habits keep it working well for years:

  • Level, firm ground: the platform is placed so that all four corners bear fully; on soil that settles, a concrete or firm base underneath protects accuracy
  • Under the platform: manure and mud building up underneath can stop the load cells working freely and spoil the reading, so this area is cleaned regularly
  • Washing: the platform itself tolerates hosing down; do not aim a pressure jet directly at the indicator or cable connections
  • Paint touch-up: touching up paint scratched by knocks stops corrosion from spreading
  • Check weighing: an occasional check with a load of known weight is the easiest way to be sure the scale is weighing correctly

Practical tips for easier weighing

Where the scale is placed matters as much as which scale you choose:

  • Put the scale on a route animals already use: a daily passage or pen exit turns weighing into a routine walk-through
  • Let animals get used to it: walking them over the scale a few times without weighing speeds up later sessions
  • Weigh at the same time: weighings taken before feeding and watering, at the same hour each time, compare more reliably
  • Keep the platform clean: built-up manure and mud make it slippery and add to the tare

What we need from you for a quotation

Tell us the following and we will propose a suitable model and size:

  • The species and the approximate weight of your heaviest animal
  • How many animals you plan to weigh per day or week
  • Whether the scale will stay in one place or move between pens
  • Whether the results will be used for buying and selling
  • For the share scale, whether you need 150 kg or 300 kg per weighing point

We reply to quotation requests within 3–4 hours.

Frequently asked questions

Is the reading accurate if the animal moves?

Indicators set up for livestock follow the fluctuating reading for a short period, average it and hold the result steady on the display. Because the cage or crate limits how much the animal can move, the reading settles sooner.

Does a cattle scale need a pit or a ramp?

Not the BBH. With its platform 80 mm off the floor, animals walk straight on. All it needs is flat, firm ground so that the load is shared evenly between the load cells underneath.

How are capacity and size chosen?

Capacity is chosen from the weight of your heaviest animal plus a margin that also covers the sudden loads of an animal stepping on. Platform and cage size follow the animal’s length: it should fit comfortably but not have room to turn round. We agree these sizes with you at the quotation stage.

What determines the price of a livestock scale?

Mainly the model, platform and cage size, capacity, gate layout, whether wheels are needed and the indicator type. For the share scale, it depends on whether you need 150 kg or 300 kg per point. Send us your requirements and we will come back with a clear quotation.

Does a scale used for selling animals by weight need inspection?

Scales used for trade, where animals are bought and sold on the weighed result, fall under legal metrology rules and periodic inspection. If the scale is only for monitoring your own herd, say so in your enquiry; it helps us choose the indicator.

How often should animals be weighed?

That depends on how often you make decisions. Most finishing units weigh on arrival, every few weeks during the period and before sale; dairy farms track calves and heifers at regular intervals while they grow. Consistency matters more than frequency: weighings taken at the same time and in similar conditions can be compared with each other.

Can the scale stay outdoors or in the pen permanently?

The platform and cage are made of painted steel with farm conditions in mind, so they can stay in the shed or pen. The indicator lasts longer if it is kept out of direct rain and sun or taken indoors after weighing. In winter, on frozen or muddy ground, check that all four corners of the platform sit properly; accurate weighing depends on it.

Is the share scale only for sacrifice?

No. It suits any job where meat has to be split equally between several people or orders after slaughter, such as butchers’ shops or families buying an animal together. During the sacrifice festival it saves the most time at municipal slaughter areas and at events run by associations and foundations.

Not sure which model fits?

Tell us the capacity, platform size and site; we will work out the right model and price together.

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