EID and Precision Sheep Management In A Wool Flock

EID tags provide a number of benefits to sheep farmers, particularly those with a wool flock. The technology makes everything from fleece weighing to ram allocation more efficient. This not only leads to better results, but it also allows you to save both time and labour.

Here are some of the ways EID tags can be used in a wool flock.

Fleece Weighing And Fibre Measurement

EID tags make it easy to track the fleece weights and fibre measurements of each individual animal. This leads to more accurate sheep data and better decisions when it comes to culling and selection. Pedigree and performance recording software like the BreedELITE Sheep Software and automated fleece weighing systems can streamline this process in the shed and remove much of the office time entering data at the end of the day. 

If you want to know more about automating your fleece weighing send us an email at admin@breedelite.com.

Visual Scoring

Visual assessments are still a large part of evaluating sheep. EIDs allow you to easily store your assessments to be used at a later date and to capture data across multiple age stages. A large TV display near your classing race and the use of the BreedELITE Sheep Software and Smart reader allow for simple data review and entry in real time.

Recording Pregnancy Status

EID tags provide a simple and reliable way to collect pregnancy data from your sheep and track their performance from one year to the next. It also allows you to quickly identify poor performers and cull them from the flock.

Ram Allocation

This technology makes it easy to segregate sheep for ram allocation, based on the data that’s been collected and stored against the animal. Using ASBV’s or RamPower Indexes and a program called MatSel can also accelerate your genetic gains while minimising in-breeding in your flock. To find out more email us at admin@breedelite.com.

Weaner Weight Tracking

A big concern for many flocks is maintaining good growth rates in their weaners. EID tags allow you to track weights over time and identify any potential issues as well as adjust paddocks or feeding.

Management Sorting

Sorting your flock, whether that be for joining or other activities, is simple with EID tags. Just run your animals through the Auto Drafter and separate sheep based on the data stored on their tags. Create larger mobs to simplify hand feeding through summer, split into smaller mobs for joining or based on whether they have twins or singles, draft off different weight lines or easily sort your sheep based on stored data. Anything you can imagine can easily be achieved with the BreedELITE Sheep System.

Pedigree

Tying a pedigree to rams is extremely valuable for stud producers. EID tags let you store this information so you can sort rams based on the data you collect.

Roll Call

EID tags give you the ability to quickly scan sheep in a particular area, instantly telling you which animals are located in that mob. This also tells you how many sheep are there, what type of sheep they are, weight distribution, and other important information.

Culling And Selection

Whatever your breeding objective may be, EID tags can be used to track key data points. The process of identifying culls and selecting animals for breeding is significantly reduced, resulting in considerable cost savings and accelerating genetic gains by breeding from only the best animals.

Potential Future Uses

In addition to the uses above, there’s the potential for many more EID applications that will be hugely beneficial for sheep farmers and the industry as a whole. These include:

• Estimating condition scores based on a weight
• Parasite control
• Treatment history
• Tying automated feeding systems to individual EIDs
• Automated dosing.

Conclusion

With so many uses and benefits, using EID tags to manage and sort a wool flock is a wise decision. By simplifying your business, and recording more accurate data, you’ll set yourself up for success for years to come.