J.of Soc of Agri Struc, Japan.
Vol.22,No.2 November 1991,95-102
Original:
Language: English

Walk-through Loads and Factors Influencing the Measurement Accuracy of Cattle Weight

Jisheng LONG, Hidehiko TAKAHATA, Kazutaka UMETSU, Hideo HOSHIBA, Ichiro TAKEYAMA and Yasuo NISHIOKA

ABSTRACT

    This report deals with two points I the relationship between walk-through loads and walking conditions of cattle, and the factors influencing the measurement accuracy of the livestock walk-trough scale. The walk.through loads showed a pattern of two peaks in normally walking cattle, and a pattern of one peak in trotting cattle. Faster cattle produced more abrupt changes in their walk-through loads. The use of the walk-through approach had an effect on evening out cattle walk-through loads.
    The experiment results showed that the number of steps cattle take walking through the scale platform, cattle gait speed, and the walk-through approach were the main factors influencing measurement accuracy. Fewer steps or faster cattle produced greater measurement errors. The walk-through approach improved the measurement accuracy greatly. The individual error, accuracy and precision of measurement were within +-1.01% of bodyweight, +-0.4 kg and 2.04 kg respectively, when the walk-through approach was used. These results clearly showed that a scale platform of 3.50 m can provide reasonable measurement accuracy which meets the requirements of cattle management very well when the setting condition is satisfied.

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