Sheep Industry Business Innovation scoping reportNew on-farm technology at the Katanning Research Facility

BackgroundThe Sheep Industry Business Innovation project (SIBI) is a $10 million dollar investment into the WA sheep industry to deliver the 2025+ strategic plan developed by the WA Sheep Industry Leadership Council (SILC). The key focus of the strategic plan is the doubling of the value of the WA sheep industry. Two key elements of the SIBI project include the value chain transformation strategy and the sheep business centre at Katanning. Meat and Livestock Australia have co-invested into the SIBI project to leverage and capture outcomes for dissemination broadly across the sheep industry.

The labour saving and flock management technologies component of SIBI is focused on demonstrating ‘state of the art’ labour-saving and flock management technologies to increase efficiency, traceability and better breeding within a sheep enterprise. This activity will demonstrate industry best practice to sheep producers at the Katanning Research Facility (KRF) and also test and modify systems so that efficient utilisation of the technologies available are understood.

Some of the labour saving and flock management technology either currently available or are in the early stages of development are outlined below. Some or all of these will be incorporated into the KRF to demonstrate ‘state of the art’ labour saving and flock management technologies.

Increasing efficiency

Remote monitoring of water tanks with tank sensorsTraditional manual systems of monitoring water levels in tanks typically involve a simple water float with a stainless steel shaft attached and a high visibility top that can be seen from a distance. This can be an economical and effective method to monitor water tanks at the base level, but the downside is that it requires regular manual inspection, is imprecise and can only be seen from a relatively short distance. Also, it doesn’t provide any peace of mind that rates of demand are matching the supply on hand and overflow or leakage issues risk going unnoticed until they become a major problem.

There are now automated water monitoring systems which are wireless in operation. A sensor is fitted to the water tank and transmits information to a touchscreen

monitor in the office. A percentage is given for the volume of water in the tank plus a usage chart over the last 30 days so farmers can monitor supply versus demand patterns. In addition, a pump controller can be fitted to the electric pump which fills the tank. The pump can then be remotely turned on and off from the touchscreen monitor in the office or preset trigger levels can be used to fill the tank.

Remote monitoring of water delivery with cameras and flow rate metersIncreasingly, farm managers are managing larger areas of land which are often fragmented and spread over multiple locations. More time is being spent off – farm and a limitation of a touchscreen monitor in the office means that you can only receive information in the office. There are commercial companies that now sell integrated systems incorporating tank sensors, flow rate meters in the pipeline between the tank and the trough and either tank-mounted or trough – mounted cameras. This information is transmitted either via the NextG mobile phone network or VHF to a telemetry unit that collects the information. The data is stored in a cloud – based application and a user is able to log into the application remotely from a smartphone or tablet to view the data.

There are also remote – monitoring cameras that are web-based and use either a NextG mobile or satellite network. The cameras can be set to take images either at specified times or on demand. They would be useful on certain watering troughs, lick feeders, dams and stock traffic zones between paddocks and to water points. Animal wellbeing can be monitored by observing for normal or abnormal behaviour. They rely on a monthly or annual subscription, with a satellite subscription costing more than a NextG subscription. Other features that can be added include motion sensors to activate the camera if something moves and infrared flash for photos during the night.

Remote monitoring of dam water salinityOne of the time consuming jobs during summer and autumn for farmers is testing of dam water for salinity levels in dams where there is a known issue of high salinity levels. Often, dams will be within the safe drinking range for sheep during winter and spring but as the temperature rises in summer there is increased evaporation of water. This can result in water previously safe to drink to be above the maximum threshold. With increasing scrutiny on farmers to continually improve the standard of welfare on their properties, being able to demonstrate systems that continually monitor water quality parameters such as salinity would be useful.

There are monitoring probes available commercially which record conductivity (salinity), temperature and depth using one sensor mounted in the dam. This information is recorded at regular intervals on a logger. There are systems that work on the mobile phone network (NextG) or on a radio frequency if there is no mobile coverage. The farm manager is able to log into a website from a device to check the

salinity levels of the dam and then plan stock movements in the paddock and allocation of water to various classes of stock based on their tolerance thresholds.

Use of Unmanned aerial vehicles (drones)There are already some innovative sheep producers who are using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) to monitor stock, fences and water troughs. UAVs are particularly suited to inaccessible terrain such as steep country and heavily vegetated bush areas. Some producers have reported increased efficiencies by using a UAV to check their sheep, fences and watering points in this type of country. There is also a safety benefit of removing the risk of an accident or injury associated with operating an all – terrain vehicle (ATV) in paddocks where there is a high risk of an accident.

Previously, under current Civil Aviation and Safety Authority (CASA) regulations, in order to fly a UAV of any size for commercial reward then a business would require a controller’s certificate and unmanned operator’s certificate. However, the regulation was changed on 28 September 2016 and commercial operators operating very small UAVs (< 2kg) will not require this certification. There are specific requirements which must be met including no night flying, maintaining visual contact with the UAV at all times, not flying over populated areas or within 30 metres of vehicles, boats or people and not flying above 400 feet (120m).

Many sheep producers are increasing their efficiency by improving access to their paddocks and properties using laneway systems. But for paddocks that have poor access or there are safety reasons for limiting access, using a UAV may provide many benefits. There is also software available to allow users to pre-program a flight path allowing the user to focus on viewing the footage and making observations rather than having to pilot the UAV as well as observe the live video feed on their screen.

Walk over weighing (non EID)During summer, autumn and early winter, sheep will have an energy deficit when the current quantity and quality of feed on offer (FOO) is unable to meet their demands. Feed budget tables produced by DAFWA require farmers to determine the energy requirements of their sheep, which is based on their stage of pregnancy/lactation, single or twin bearing, frame size and weight. Producers are encouraged to regularly condition score their sheep as a substitute for weighing which is more labour intensive, however time and labour restraints make this difficult.

Setting up a weigh platform connected to an indicator in a controlled traffic zone allows liveweight to be recorded as sheep walk over the weigh platform. The platform would need to be set up in a ‘controlled traffic zone’ where sheep frequently pass, such as into a fenced off dam, lick feeder or between 2 paddocks they have access to. The flock average weight would could be checked at regular intervals and used to adjust the amount of supplementary feed supplied to ensure that energy needs are satisfied.

Sheep handlersSheep handlers allow the user to perform husbandry tasks on sheep with a reduction in the physical effort required. There are numerous sheep handler on the market. They vary in size, complexity, capability and price. But their main function is to restrain the sheep safely so a range of tasks can be performed – including drenching, wigging, crutching, mouthing, vaccinating and foot paring. Prices of handlers typically range from $1000 for a basic manual operated crush up to $45,000 for a fully integrated system incorporating an electronic identification eartag panel reader, auto-drafter, anti-backing lead up race and transport trailer.

Careful thought needs to be put into the integration of a sheep handler into a set of sheep yards to ensure the natural flow of sheep is not disrupted. The delivery of sheep into the handler is an important consideration and many modern handlers have incorporated anti-backing devices in the lead up to the handler. Other consideration needs to be given to maintenance requirements, need for air or power, quietness of operation and the quality of construction.

Other sheep handling equipment include vee-conveyor type machines. The sheep are suspended with their legs hanging freely allowing the operator to perform a range of husbandry tasks and the sheep are moved on using an electric motor to drive the conveyor. Bulk handlers are another invention where an interlocking chain system is used to elevate a race-full of sheep at a time preventing them from moving around.

Sheep handlers have a unique advantage in improving throughflow of sheep. Tasks are performed quicker with a reduction in operator fatigue and eliminating the requirement to physically restrain sheep in a race. Also, several tasks can be performed at once such as drenching and vaccinating. There is also an improvement in animal welfare as the risk of injury to a sheep is lower where it is fully restrained and unable to cause injury to itself, other sheep or the operator.

Auto-drafterUsing an auto-drafter to weigh and draft sheep reduces labour costs (only one operator is often required), reduces physical effort and allows sheep to be individually managed. In the absence of electronic identification eartags, sheep can be drafted based on their weight, where the operator can define rules for drafting according to the weight range of the sheep when it is weighed. Where a panel reader is incorporated, the operator can draft according to any user – defined criteria where there is data stored for each animal, such as eye muscle depth, fleece weight or pregnancy status.

As with sheep handlers, the auto-drafter needs to be incorporated into the overall yard design to allow for an optimal flow of sheep. This includes ensuring the lead-up to the auto-drafter is adequate to maintain a continuous flow of sheep for efficient throughput. There are a range of auto-drafters on the market that have a large

variation in throughput, ranging from 4.5 seconds per sheep (720 sheep per hour) to 13 seconds per sheep (360 sheep per hour).

Water medicationSupplementing grazing animals via the drinking water has long been recognized as one means of administering supplements. It has been previously trialled for cattle but adoption remains low. It is based on the principle that livestock drink roughly 10% of their bodyweight in water each day. Providing that a product is water-soluble, it can be added to a water dosing setup. Some of the products which could be delivered through drinking water include vitamins, minerals, trace elements, urea and some vaccines.

The advantage of a water medication system would be eliminating the labour associated with providing products such as vitamins or minerals through drenching or injecting subcutaneously with a needle. It has previously been tested in northern and central Australia in extensive cattle operations. Urea delivered through water medication was found to reduce weight loss and increase pregnancy rates. However, care must be taken to prevent urea toxicity.

Adoption of water medication in sheep enterprises in southern Western Australia has been low. There may be potential applications if there was a known deficiency, such as Vitamin E and there was a commercial product that could be supplied to sheep via a water medication unit.

Automated jetting machinesSheep in full wool are susceptible to flystrike brought about by humid conditions associated with periods of warm weather following a summer thunderstorm. The traditional practice of applying fly strike prevention chemicals through a fire – fighting unit is time – consuming and labour intensive. A modern alternative is to use a run – through jetting machine where preventative fly treatment jetting fluids are sprayed using high pressure nozzles. The nozzles are triggered when sheep enter the jetting crate. Waste fluid can be recycled using a retrieval tray built into the floor of the crate. Jetting machines are becoming increasingly popular in high rainfall areas to efficiently jet sheep for fly strike prevention.

Use of optical sensors and Pastures from Space to measure feed on offerOn many farms, feed on offer (FOO) has historically been assessed based on a subjective assessment of the composition, height and density of a pasture. Through the participation in workshops such as Lifetime Ewe Management (LTEM), farmers are increasingly objectively measuring their pastures to calculate the energy deficit or surplus for the class of stock they are running. However, the process of doing destructive cuts, drying and weighing samples is time consuming and labour intensive.

Technology has now advanced to the extent that optical sensors can be housed in hand-held units for measuring vegetation health. These sensors measure the normalised difference vegetative index (NDVI). When solar energy hits a leaf, it is absorbed, transmitted and reflected. Healthy vegetation has a high absorption in the visible region and low absorption in the infrared region, whilst stressed vegetation has a lower absorption in the visible region and higher absorption in the infrared region. The spectral signature obtained by measuring solar energy wavelength and reflectance can be used to quantify biomass, dry matter, chlorophyll, nitrogen and vegetative fraction. A hand-held optical sensor can now be purchased for approximately $500 and used to measure NDVI. This can then be converted to FOO levels using known calibrations for that composition and height.

Landgate have developed this technology further and have used NDVI data from satellites at a high-resolution scale to present data on NDVI, pasture growth rate (PGR) and FOO on a paddock level for individual farms. This is based on calibrations which have been done for a range of pasture compositions on farms through the Great Southern. Landgate developed a test product for farmers to trial during 2015 which allowed them to look at NDVI, PGR and FOO across all of their paddocks and compare the results to previous years. This product has now been commercialised and producers can subscribe to the Landgate Pastures from Space tool. They pay an annual subscription which varies depending on the size of their farm and can get low resolution (200m pixels) or high resolution (30m pixels) images of their NDVI, pasture growth rates and feed on offer for each paddock.

High visibility stock crossingsAs farm sizes increase, properties are become more fragmented with a frequent need to move sheep around to different properties. Many farmers have developed laneway infrastructure to move sheep easily around the farm but there is still a need to move sheep across public roads. There is a current legal requirement to have warning signs placed such that approaching motorists can see the stock crossing point from 300m away.

It is a time-consuming job to continually set-up and pack away stock crossing signs during periods where sheep are frequently moved across a public road, such as shearing time. Where stock crossings signs are left set-up without any sheep in sight there is a danger of motorists becoming complacent and ignoring the warning signs. One innovation is a stock crossing sign designed and built by a Great Southern sheep producer in Western Australia (figure 1). It has a sign indicating ‘Stock crossing when light flashing’. The amber flashing light is activated by a remote control the producer keeps in their ute when the sheep are in the vicinity of the road.

Figure 1 Stock crossing sign with an amber light activated by a remote control

Where livestock are frequently taken across a public road, there is an opportunity to erect a permanent stock crossing sign which is highly visible to increase efficiency. Any permanent sign needs Main Roads Department (MRD) approval and the MRD have developed a high-visibility stock crossing sign with built in amber flashing lights. This sign is permanently installed and when livestock need to be taken across the road, the built – in lights can be activated by connecting them to a deep cycle battery to provide a clear warning to motorists.

Increasing traceability

Use of electronic identification eartags and readersElectronic identification eartags have been used at the KRF in both the Information Nucleus Flock (INF) and the Follower Flock (FF) ewes and lambs for at least the last 7 years. They are used in conjunction with a management tag which has a visual identification (VID) number. The 16 digit electronic identification (EID) number and VID number are both stored on an excel spreadsheet (bucket list) and the lifetime data collected for each sheep are stored against these numbers. This includes sire breed, weight, condition score, pregnancy status and various classing scores. The EID number allows for easy manipulation of the data in Microsoft Excel and for organising drafting groups for artificial insemination. The sheep are regularly weighed and condition scored and can be removed from trials when their condition has declined to comply with animal ethics committee requirements.

Since the introduction of the EID eartags on the KRF, Allflex and Tru-test stick readers have been used to read the tags. Initially, the grey Allflex readers were used which were plugged into either a laptop computer or a weigh indicator using a RS232 connection. Recently, Tru-test and Gallagher stick readers have been purchased which are wireless and connects via Bluetooth to a computer or weigh indicator.

Use of EID tags at an industry level has the potential to trace the movements of individual animals. If animals are identified with a visual tag, their movements can only be tracked on a mob-basis. If animals are identified with an EID tag, and the tag numbers are supplied to the National Livestock Identification Scheme (NLIS) database when a movement is recorded, their movements can be traced on an individual basis. Since July 2011, the NLIS database has enabled movement details for individual animals identified with RFID tags to be recorded on a voluntary basis. The adoption of EID eartags in sheep in WA has been low (~4%) (Curnow and Jones, 2015). As the cost of the eartags reduces, adoption may increase in the future, particularly as farmers warm to the benefits of EID eartags to their sheep enterprise. Whilst use of EID eartags is optional in sheep, it is compulsory to have an EID enabled NLIS eartag in cattle in WA. A record of each Property Identification Code (PIC) that an animal resides on is stored on the database to allow cattle to be traced quickly. Using this information, the NLIS database is able to provide a life history of an animal's residency, and to discern other animals it has come into contact with.

Enabling better breeding within a sheep enterprise

Easy to use integrated data handlingThere is a large range of data that can be collected within any sheep enterprise. This includes both objective and subjective data. The more data that is collected the more difficult it becomes to interpret and manage the data. Some of the data typically collected by many sheep enterprises includes body weight, condition score, fleece weights, fleece measurements (fibre diameter, coefficient of variation, staple length etc.), fat and eye muscle scanning, pregnancy scanning and worm egg counts. Studs would typically collect a large range of this data plus visual classing scores for a range of criteria include conformation, dag score, wrinkle score and fleece traits. The first step before collecting any data is to identify the breeding goal or objective, then identify measurements which will help make decisions in achieving that goal. The collection of data is a waste of time and many unless that data is used.

Some of the early producers who have adopted EID eartags and subsequently disadopted the technology, have cited that a lack of software to manage the electronic identification (EID) data was a key constraint. Microsoft Excel is a powerful software package allowing recording and manipulation of data but it does have some drawbacks. Auto-formatting of data can result in corruption, particularly with CSV file types. There is also a risk of unintentional changes made to the data.

There are a growing number of software programs available to sheep producers which are capable for managing EID data. For example ‘Stockbook’ by Practical Systems is one example of a livestock software package. This allows sheep producers to convert data such as body weights and fleece weights into information and knowledge. Decisions can be made by analysing data from a whole mob and the

producer can make a choice about the direction of the flock. Another program is ‘Koolcollect’ by Sapien Technology. This also streamlines data capture and considered decisions can be made about the weight, fertility and fleece characteristics then draft decisions can be made to suit. Software packages can also integrate with leading brand scale indicators and EID readers.

Once data is captured, manipulated and analysed, it must be put into a form in which it can be used. This may be in the form of manual alerts which are uploaded to a stick reader or indicator allowing the producer to make a drafting or culling decision on the sheep. Or the information can be uploaded to an auto-drafter.

Many sheep producers are now working across multiple devices, such as laptop computers, tablets and smartphones. Data storage using cloud technology is now a more appropriate location for data rather than the hard drive of a laptop. The use of programs such as ‘Dropbox’ allow access to data from multiple devices and this is important as sheep producers are increasingly working across multiple properties and devices.

Traditionally, many producers have stored information on mob movements, paddock allocation, animal health treatments, paddock feed and other data in a pocket notebook. However, there are many cloud-based apps now available for this data to be entered, stored and then synced across devices where there are multiple users, such as a manager and several staff members. This data can be matched up with withholding periods of chemicals used, inventories of chemical used from storage and can make it easier to produce the required information for a report or audit. Some examples suitable to a sheep enterprise include AgriWebb, MyMobTracker and Sapien Koolnote.

Barcode readers and printers The use of barcode readers and printers has the potential to eliminate human error associated with reading tags, transcribing numbers and reading numbers often written hurriedly. Fleece weighing is a process that can be undertaken through integration of an EID stick reader, barcode printer, barcode reader, an indicator, and weigh scales. While the process varies widely dependent of shed design and staff preference, the following is an example of how individual fleeces can be weighed and recorded:

1. Scan sheep’s tag when it is dragged out – a barcode is printed for that animal and stuck onto a label

2. Barcode remains with the fleece (often kept with the belly) 3. Barcode, fleece and belly travel to the weigh scales (fleece can be skirted first

but as long as consistency is maintained)4. The barcode is scanned, weight recorded and any comments can be added

Barcodes can be used for collection of many samples including blood for DNA analysis and faeces for worm egg counts. Barcodes and barcode scanners have been used at KRF for weighing fleeces and handling samples. The above process does rely on having extra reliable labour in the shearing shed. Staff involved in the process need to be quick, alert and show attention to detail to ensure EID eartags are scanned smoothly for all shearers and the correct barcode remains with each fleece in a timely manner to ensure the shearing process is not hampered.

This process could potentially be improved by incorporating EID panel readers into the shearing shed catching pen doors. It would free up labour units if there was a barcode printer on each shearing stand and a barcode was automatically printed out when the catching pen door swings open and a sheep is dragged past it. However, there would be many practical limitations that would need to be overcome, such as ensuring the correct sheep was scanned.

Pedigree matchmaker for matching ewes and lambsIdentifying lambs to ewes has been a key limitation to improving sheep reproduction genetically. For example, there has been no genetic gain in the number of lambs weaned within the Merino flock during the last 15 years. This is because the majority of Merino breeding flocks have zero or partial records of pedigree (sire only). The labour intensive nature of collecting maternal pedigree information (mothering up) is partly the cause of the lack of progress in genetic improvement in reproduction.

One option to determine maternal pedigree is by DNA analysis. However, the cost of determine parentage (approximately $18) based on DNA from blood cards is expensive.

Pedigree Matchmaker (PMM) is a system developed by the Sheep Cooperative Research Centre (Sheep CRC) that uses EID data to estimate the association between ewes and their lambs. The estimation is done based on repeatability of a ewe and lamb when walking past a panel reader. It offers a cheap and labour – friendly method of collecting dam pedigree. The cost of the PMM works out to $3-4 per lamb. The additional labour required to catch and tag each lamb at birth works out to $10-12 per lamb, whereas the cost of DNA analysis is typically approximately $18/sample (parentage only) or $30 - $50/sample (full genomics) (Sheep CRC).Data collected as part of a PMM system must be analysed by an accredited service provider to decipher the relationships that can be predicted between a dam and her offspring.

Using PMM to monitor dam pedigree will improve the information used when predicting breeding values, provide accurate genetic comparisons between animals over time and generate genetic links between flocks, enabling cross – flock evaluation. However, in order for PMM to work, sheep must be trained to use the system as sheep flow presents the single most significant limitation to this concept.

Use of sensor technology for matching ewes and lambsThe use of sensors to monitor sheep is an exciting new technology that could be used to improve reproduction and reduce the labour expenses associated with livestock. These sensors have the potential to establish location, as well as behaviours relating to ewe and lamb production and welfare, such as heart rate, steps per day and grazing behaviour. One of the applications currently under investigation is using the sensors to monitor interactions between ewes and lambs. Preliminary studies by LaTrobe University using these sensors have demonstrated that maternal pedigree can be established with 100% accuracy within 24 hours of fitting the sensors to ewes and lambs.

In previous and current trials, the sensors have been fitted to dog collars that clip easily around the necks of ewes and lambs. However, as technology improves, integrating these sensors into an eartag would be an upcoming progressive step to ensure the practicality of the sensors. The sensors have a Bluetooth function and can be programmed as beacons or receivers that send or receive signals. For example, the receivers can be programmed to receive a signal every minute from all the beacons that are within 1m of it. The use of this Bluetooth function is to determine the number of proximity ‘hits’ between ewes and lambs. This information can then be used as a means of identifying lambs to ewes.

SummaryThe above mentioned technology has been identified as having a practical application to increase the labour efficiency at the KRF. Despite the KRF hosting sheep used for experimental purposes where a lot of data is recorded and analysed which is atypical of most commercial farms, the technology applied may have application for many farmers. The plan is for sheep producers to be able to view the technology being used at the KRF and then determine how it can be adapted and integrated into their own sheep enterprise. The priority for labour in the sheep enterprise of most mixed – enterprises farms tends to rank lower than the crop enterprise and is increasingly difficult to source. Using new on-farm technology to increase labour efficiency is a practical and valid way of counteracting this issue.

ReferencesCurnow M. and Jones A. (2015) Western Australian Sheep Producer Survey 2014. July 2015

Sheep CRC. The Pedigree MatchMaker Service