A new on-farm management tool for veal farmers has successfully been tested on commercial farms – and will be demonstrated at a veal producers workshop Sept. 28 in Stratford. The software and hand-held computer, complete with radio frequency identification (RFID) scanner, have been used on several Ontario farms over the last year through a project led by the Ontario Veal Association to develop and customize the technology.
“RFID readers used in conjunction with a management software package is a way producers can efficiently maintain accurate records, as well as quickly identify individual animals and track animal movements,” said association project co-ordinator Jennifer O’Rourke.
“We’ll be demonstrating the technology at our upcoming producer workshop and featuring a panel of producers who have been working with the tool over the last year.”
The association worked with Merit-Trax Technologies, a company that developed software for the beef industry, and a working group of five producers.
The goal is to have a tool that will track everything – animal movements, weights, medications and withdrawal times and packer data – so that farmers don’t have to buy and use multiple software packages. There is funding available through the Livestock Auction Traceability Initiative to help offset part of the costs for the program and RFID readers. The association can assist veal farmers with any questions they may have regarding their funding applications.
The Sept. 28 workshop will be held upstairs at the Stratford Agriplex, starting at 7pm. Producers can register in advance by contacting the association’s office at 519-824-2942.
The project was funded in part through Growing Forward, a federal-provincial-territorial initiative.
