When Chris Huegerich purchased his parents’ farm in Carroll County, Iowa, about a decade ago, the acreage consisted of conventional corn, seed beans, cattle and hogs. But Huegerich wanted to find a way to honor both of his grandfathers, who also had farmed the land. His mother’s grandfather and his grandfather’s brother had begun a local popcorn business in the 1940s.

So while Huegerich farms 3,000 acres of commercial corn and soybeans, he also has revived the popcorn business, growing 500 acres of it. In addition to continuing his great-uncle’s and grandfather’s enterprise, Huegerich has been able to demonstrate the accuracy and efficiency of his farm’s scale technology.

The Efficiency of POINT

From planting and spraying to harvesting and hauling, there’s plenty to keep Huegerich busy, but he also understands the value of working smarter and more efficiently. “Six or seven years ago, I started using Scale-Tec’s scale system,” he explains.

Huegerich was so impressed with the technology that when he added the scale system to another grain cart on his farm, he decided to try our POINT and REAP technologies, too. The POINT scale indicator seamlessly integrates with scale components on any piece of equipment to display real-time weights. The easy-to-use indicator mounts onto just about any piece of equipment or in the cab, and multiple users can simply access the scale’s information from their mobile devices. REAP is our cloud-based harvest inventory platform that works in tandem with POINT to transmit and organize the scale’s information. The subscription-based platform also keeps track of storage destinations, field totals and more. 

Huegerich mounted the POINT indicators to his 1,300-bushel grain carts. ”They work flawlessly,” he says. “I can put all my destinations in REAP, which works with the POINT indicator, and keep tabs on my employees via my phone or tablet.

“Before adopting the technologies, when my drivers thought a grain bin was full, I would check the bin and often we’d still have room for a load or a load and a half,” Huegerich adds. “POINT takes out the guesswork when it comes to filling the bin by contributing scale weight data so REAP can accurately record the load transfer from grain cart to bin.”

A Simpler System

“We want to provide a farmer or user with extremely reliable scale data and support,” explains Nick Von Muenster, our president at Scale-Tec. “With POINT, we focus on the user experience. You simply hit device settings, calibrate your scale and POINT does the rest for you. It’s that simple.” 

At 56 years old, Huegerich admits new technology can seem daunting sometimes. Other producers in his area rely on pen and paper, “which is fine until someone gets distracted and forgets to write a couple of loads down,” he says. “Both REAP and POINT are incredibly user-friendly; if I can run them, anyone can.” 

Many older scale systems feature a complicated sequence of buttons, which are different across different scale brands and models. “A simple task like calibrating the scale is much easier to accomplish with POINT, thanks to fewer buttons and automatic calculations,” explains Von Muenster. 

And while users initially activate POINT through a mobile app, a smartphone is not required to simply operate the scale after setup. “We wanted to give farmers scalable solutions that accommodate all comfort levels of technology,” adds Von Muenster. In fact, farmers don’t even need a REAP subscription to use POINT as a basic, standalone indicator.

Accuracy Experiments

But back to the popcorn. In the past, when Huegerich’s drivers delivered popcorn to the plant, the drivers themselves had to weigh every semi-trailer load they hauled. “The popcorn plant doesn’t have a scale, so we’d use a third-party scale that’s miles out of the way,” he explains. “We’d wait for someone to weigh us, then we’d drive back to the plant, wait to unload and drive back to the scale again. Then we’d wait for someone to weigh us empty before we returned to the field. It was so inefficient, especially when running two combines and two grain carts.” 

So when Huegerich added POINT to his grain carts, he decided to demonstrate the accuracy, efficiency and ease of the technology to the popcorn plant. “We took five semi loads, ran them across the scale, took the next five loads and then emailed the popcorn plant the data with the current price of popcorn figured in,” he says. “The price varied between $8 and $20 a load in the plant’s favor.” POINT is a winning proposition for Huegerich and his employees, saving them plenty of time and money, and paying off in terms of money for the popcorn plant. 

To further prove the accuracy of POINT, Huegerich combined a few fields of beans for the popcorn plant, brought those beans to the local co-op and sent along his weight data for the popcorn plant to view the results. “Now the popcorn company is going to put POINT on their grain cart when they transfer popcorn from their bin directly to the plant,” Huegerich says. “Up until now, they had no way to track that weight data.” 

While Huegerich initially planted popcorn to continue his family’s legacy, those 500 acres of popcorn — along with POINT and REAP — have streamlined his operations dramatically.  

“Scale-Tec’s POINT and REAP technologies have eliminated 99% of errors,” he says. “It just makes me way more efficient and a lot more confident in my bushels getting to the right destination. It even helps me when I do my proven yields for federal crop insurance. With POINT and REAP, everything is right there when I need it.”  

Check out our POINT indicator or contact us to learn more about how its high adaptability, innovative support and endless capability can make your farm operation more efficient. Read more about the REAP harvest inventory platform, and how it works with POINT to track every load from the grain cart all the way to storage. 

The post Proving His POINT® appeared first on Scale-Tec.

Identifying a Need

We all have family members, friends, or neighbors working in our clinics and hospitals. We set out to find some way to help protect them as PPE shortages became more apparent. After making a few phone calls and conducting research, we realized that producing plastic face shields was a need we could help address. We used a face shield design made available by engineers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison as our blueprint.

Leveraging Our Assets

As a small company, we’re nimble. After reviewing the design, it became clear that we could assemble the face shields at Scale-Tec. We connected the dots with key vendors to place orders for materials. From there, we made some facility adjustments to set up an efficient workflow.

Face shield materials arriving at Scale-Tec

Assembling the Shields

While following social distancing guidelines, our team built, packed and prepared the shields for shipment.

Social distancing and shield assembly

Mission Accomplished

We’re proud of our team and grateful for the support of our customers and industry partners. We are happy to report that we are officially out of face shields – they have all been delivered!

One of our shields in action

The post From Scales to Face Shields appeared first on Scale-Tec.

Unfortunately, the normal procedure for grain drill calibration takes time plus a handful of tools that include everything from a hydraulic jack and a postal scale to sandwich bags and a tape measure. The goal is to count the number of seeds dropped over a certain area by rotating the drive wheel or pulling the drill a specified distance. Moreover, the process should be repeated for each new variety or seed size.

It’s little wonder that many producers simply use the seed chart that was supplied with their grain drill as a basis for setting the seed meters.

Calibrate from the cab

On the other hand, equipping the drill with a scale system allows you to go straight to the field and calibrate the unit the entire time you’re seeding.

Consider this from Nick Von Muenster, our President here at Scale-Tec. “The standard procedure for calibrating a grain drill prior to planting generally consists of collecting seed in a tarp or sandwich bags attached to the drop tubes over a given distance,” he says. “Next, you need to weigh the seed and then calculate the population based on seeds per pound.” (Every container of bagged or bulk seed, including soybeans, includes a seeds-per-pound listing.) “Of course, checking the rate in the field means getting out of the cab, doing a little bit of digging and counting the number of seeds within a certain area.

“Yet, a scale system on the drill can tell you the same thing so much faster and easier,” he continues. “With a scale on the grain drill or air seeder, you simply plant a known amount of acres, look at how much weight you’ve distributed over that number of acres and do a simple calculation to see if you’re on rate, above rate or below rate. Then you can make a quick adjustment. Just as important, you can check the calibration at any time throughout the field as conditions change.”

Adjust quickly to manage variables

As most university extension specialists are quick to point out when giving calibration advice, a number of variables affect seeding rate, including differences in seed size, seed coatings and seed treatments. As an example, one Nebraska winter wheat variety evaluation revealed that the number of winter wheat seeds in one pound can range from more than 20,000 to less than 10,000, depending on the variety and the year it was produced. Similarly, seed coatings and treatments can slow the movement of seed through a grain drill or air seeder and affect rates in a way that isn’t always measured using standard calibration procedures.

Finally, it’s generally recommended that small grain seeding rates should be increased once the optimum planting dates have passed in order to offset the loss of tillers and ultimately reduced yield potential caused by the delay. In every case, it’s important to recalibrate your drill. Yet, how many producers take the time to recalibrate when planting is already running behind?

Producers may also lose confidence as they move from bagged seed to bulk seed. When using bagged soybean seed, for example, producers can count the number of bags used in a specific field area, but without a scale it is more difficult to judge seed usage when filling from a bulk container.

“Regardless of the challenge, a scale system on the drill or air seeder makes it fast and easy to set and/or verify calibration,” Von Muenster concludes. “We know that there are a lot of factors that affect seeding rate and seed flow through the seed meter and seed delivery tubes. So, having a scale on the machine simply allows you to monitor those situations and adjust to them in the field rather than just once or twice before you go out to the field.”

Check out our line of drill, planter and air seeder kits for most popular models. Or contact us to learn more about how a Scale-Tec scale system can make calibration a quick, easy task.

The post Faster, Easier Grain Drill Calibration appeared first on Scale-Tec.

However, it’s not just the savings in seed cost that matters. The adage “Time is money” is certainly true in farming, and lost time can be costly if planting ends up being delayed by days or weeks or if that time can be better used somewhere else.

Consider these four ways a scale system can actually save you money at planting and at harvest.

1. Avoid overseeding and underseeding.

It’s pretty simple–planting too many seeds per acre means overspending on seed, which translates into unnecessary expense. On the other hand, underseeding means lost yield potential. Yet, both can be avoided with the use of a scale system on the drill, air seeder or planter, Von Muenster says.

“If you have a scale on your drill or air seeder, you can stop at any point in the field and compare it to your seed prescription and the amount of acreage you’ve covered to that point,” he explains. “In essence, you’re able to verify the correct seeding rate or dial in the seed meter much more quickly and accurately than you can using traditional methods.”

Zach Ryder, a farmer-dealer from Cascade, Iowa, agrees. “If you are metering out product onto a field and you find that you’re putting out one or two pounds too much over a thousand acres, you are going to pay for that scale right away,” he says.

Von Muenster says overseeding involves more than just the cost of the seed, though. In some crops and situations, overseeding, and the crowding that results, can lead to lodging or vegetative growth instead of seed development. These days most commercial seed is also coated with an inoculant, which costs money, too. “That all adds up,” Von Muenster says, “so not being able to plant the correct rate, or not being able to adjust it quick enough, can be quite costly.”

2. Turn time into profit.

Using a scale system to load a planter or drill when seeding a crop provides more accuracy and frees up time for other important work. Whether it’s doing a better job of marketing or avoiding weather delays that can result in lost yields, the time saved by a scale system holds an untold potential for profit.

Consider, for example, how much precious time can be lost when trying to get an equal amount of seed in each side of a twin hopper or each box on a planter or seeder without the aid of a scale. Even more time can be lost if you have to keep stopping to check the seed level, run out of seed before you’re finished or have too much left at the end of the field when it’s time to change varieties. Fortunately, a scale system can eliminate all of those issues by weighing the amount of seed going into each box or hopper and/or showing how much seed is left in each hopper at any given point.

The problem with not knowing how much seed is left in the seed hopper, Ryder says, is that inaccuracy wastes time. He insists that time is particularly precious at planting. “In the spring of the year, a few hours can make the difference between getting the crop in before it starts raining or having it sit there for two weeks,” he says.

According to one multiple-year study in Indiana, estimated yield loss per day due to delayed planting varies from about 0.3% per day in early May to about 1% per day by the end of May. The study showed that yield potential generally goes down with delayed planting due to a number of factors, including a shorter growing season, greater insect and disease pressure, and higher risk of hot, dry conditions during pollination.

3. Avoid wasted cover crop seed.

With cover crop seed costing anywhere from around $1 per pound to nearly $4 per pound for a 12-seed blend, you can’t afford to waste it while dialing in the seed meter. Yet, that’s what happens when you’re trying to calibrate the drill without a scale system. It’s particularly true when planting a cover crop blend that consists of several different species. After all, the bag may call for planting 15 to 20 pounds per acre, but ryegrass, peas, lentils and clover all differ dramatically in seed size. Hence, it’s difficult to know where to initially set the seed meter without a great deal of trial and error—and potentially wasted seed. However, if the drill is equipped with a scale system, it’s simply a matter of planting an acre or two, checking the scale monitor for the weight planted and adjusting the meter for the prescribed 15 to 20 pounds per acre.

Most agronomists agree that one starting point is to use the setting recommended for the most prominent species in the mix. For example, if the most prominent species is cereal rye, you would follow the recommendations specified on the drill or in the operator’s manual and adjust the meter for rye. Still, without a scale to calculate the seed weight planted in a given number of acres, it will take some adjustment and seed waste to obtain the recommended seeding rate for the entire blend.

4. Make the best use of adapted varieties.

We all know that certain corn hybrids and crop varieties perform better on certain types of soil and can result in higher yields and greater profit. But without a scale system on the planter or seed tender, it can be time-consuming to plant separate varieties in different areas of the field or different small fields.

“Let’s say I have a certain hybrid that I want to plant in three different fields,” Von Muenster explains. “I could fill the planter three different times and plant the three different fields, or I could use a scale to fill it once with the correct amount of that hybrid for the total acreage and use the scale and the GPS monitor to plant all three fields at the same time.”

Check out the Scale-Tec line of drill, planter and seed tender kits for most of the popular models. Or contact us to learn more about how a Scale-Tec scale system can boost your bottom line.

The post Four Ways a Scale Can Save You Money at Planting appeared first on Scale-Tec.

A growing number of farmers have switched to bulk seed, pallet containers and seed hoppers for the same reason. They can’t afford the time involved in handling individual bags.

So why not save even more time with a scale on the planter or seed tender? According to Nick Von Muenster, President of Scale-Tec, having a scale on the planter, drill or seed tender can significantly improve efficiency by saving precious time (and, potentially, reducing labor costs) at one of the most critical times of the year.

Imagine being able to fill the hoppers or seed boxes with the right amount of seed the first time. Or spending less time cleaning out the planter or drill when changing varieties or farms. And who would miss stopping to see what’s left in the hoppers — especially at night, when that means grabbing the flashlight and climbing around in the dark?

Consider these five efficiencies observed and tested by Scale-Tec customers:

1. Better seed inventory management.

“If I didn’t have a scale on the seed tender, I wouldn’t know how many acres of seed I have on the planter, and I wouldn’t know how much seed is left in the boxes on the seed tender,” says Zach Ryder, a farmer-dealer from Cascade, Iowa.

An optional POINT indicator from Scale-Tec allows the farmer to connect their Apple or Android device to the POINT display to distribute a precise, preprogrammed amount of seed through automatic shutoff of the auger/conveyor.

Farmers who do custom farming or answer to multiple landowners can breathe easier, knowing that they are delivering the correct amount of seed to each farm and then bill accordingly.

2. More precise fill of seed hoppers and boxes.

Whether you are utilizing a seed tender for a bulk fill planting system or pairing it with a planter with row units, a scale system ensures you have the right amount of seed in each box or hopper.

“When we are loading our planter, I can weigh the seed going in, so I can get the accurate amount in both halves of the corn planter,” Ryder says. “Or, if you have an individual-box planter, you can get the same weight in each box.”

Time is especially valuable during planting, Ryder adds. “I don’t have time to be off by 50 pounds of seed. I don’t want to be out at midnight with an ice cream bucket scooping seed out of one side to the other.”

3. More efficient use of the tractor and planter.

Perhaps Scale-Tec customer Randy Toenjes, who farms in Jones County, Iowa, said it best: “Every half hour you don’t waste shuttling seed back and forth, or coming up short in a field and having to run back to the warehouse for more seed, keeps the tractor running.”

“With a scale, there’s no need to keep looking to see if one side of a dual hopper is lower than the other,” Von Muenster says. “As a result, farmers save time because they don’t have to stop, get out and check the seed levels. Without a scale, it’s a guessing game.”

Zack Ryder agrees. “If you’re loading your dual hopper planter and you’re off 100 pounds from one side to the other, and it causes you to be stopped for 10 minutes, that’s lost productivity. In the spring, a few hours can make the difference between getting the crop in before it starts raining or sitting there for two weeks.”

4. Much quicker rate adjustments.

“Whether you are using a drill or bulk fill planter, it’s important to get your planting equipment accurately dialed in as quickly as possible,” Von Muenster says. “Seed size and variety can greatly affect the seeding rate, which means that just as soon as you complete one variety or field and move on to the next, you’re looking at more adjustments. Using a scale system allows you to verify the proper rate within just the first few acres, saving both time and seed.”

“Our air drill will hold 70 bushels of soybeans,” Toenjes notes. “We can start and maybe plant 10 acres and hit the scale button and find out how much we’ve used in that 10 acres. That lets us set the population accurately before we burn up a full tank of seed.”

5. Faster switching among varieties.

“The scales are key for me to get the right seed put on the right acres to get the most yield out of the farm,” Ryder says. “I want to be extremely accurate so that when I am done, my planter is almost perfectly empty and I can change hybrids and get planting again. I can also split boxes of corn between farms or landowners, and I know, too, how much I have left so I know how many acres are in that box,” he adds.

Check out the Scale-Tec line of planter/drill kits and seed tender kits, which fit most popular equipment models. Or, contact us to learn more about how a Scale-Tec scale system can boost your bottom line.

The post Five Ways a Scale Can Make for Quicker Planting appeared first on Scale-Tec.

According to Nick Von Muenster, President of Scale-Tec, a number of benefits are to be gained by installing a scale on a self-propelled or pull-type fertilizer spreader. Those include the ability to reduce waste, document fertilizer applications, seed cover crops with greater precision and more.

Easier calibration

One of the biggest reasons to add a scale to the spreader box, Von Muenster says, is that it allows the operator to easily establish the correct application rate and quickly change the rate as conditions change, thereby saving money.

“The density of material is critical to the application rate,” he says. “However, in nearly every situation, fertilizer is being pulled off a big pile, whether it’s on the farm or at the ag retailer. The problem is, as soon as the moisture content in that pile changes, so does the density. To make matters worse, most fertilizer spreaders are calibrated only once a year, typically at the beginning of the season.”

Obviously, if spreader calibration is performed by the machinery dealer, it involves extra expense. Plus, without a scale, it’s necessary to empty the entire spreader, whether calibration is done by the producer or the dealer. That means downtime, which is seldom convenient during the season, even if changing conditions warrant it.

Calibration can then be done in one of two ways. The first is to divide the weight of the load (assuming you can obtain that via a drive-on scale before and after application) by the number of acres recorded by the GPS monitor. The other is to remove the spinners and run the spreader in a stationary position to collect and measure the amount of fertilizer applied per minute. Both methods require extra expense and the time involved in driving to and from a scale.

The far simpler way, Von Muenster explains, is to measure out approximately five acres while making a fertilizer application. Then, simply check the monitor on the scale system to calculate pounds per acre, based on the number of pounds that have been spread, and adjust the rate accordingly.

“It’s wonderful to be able to calibrate your machine in the field. It’s a lot quicker and a lot more accurate,” says custom applicator Adam Allen, who operates a John Deere 4930 and New Leader dry box applicator in Pocahontas, Iowa. “Before I got the scale, it was hard to stay on top of exactly what I was putting on per acre. It seemed like there was a lot of inconsistency on how it was going out—from varying product densities to various retailers’ product weighing and spreading in different ways, and even weather conditions.”

However, easier calibration is just one of the talents and benefits of a Scale-Tec scale mounted on a fertilizer spreader.

Buy fertilizer in bulk

By purchasing your own fertilizer product directly and applying it yourself, you can generally save at least $10 per acre. Albert Martin, who farms near Springville, Iowa, says they decided a few years ago to buy their own fertilizer spreader and a Scale-Tec scale so they could buy directly from a large processor on the Mississippi River and apply it themselves. “If you’re buying so many pounds of fertilizer, you want to know that you’re getting those pounds,” he says. “The cost savings have been tremendous.”

Accurately seed cover crops

“Cover crops are even more of a challenge when it comes to getting the right rate,” Von Muenster says. “That’s because cover crops usually consist of several different varieties with different-size seeds, so having a scale on the spreader is even more important, as it allows you to know exactly how much seed you’re applying per acre.”

Reduce waste and expense

Factors such as the granular size of the product, density of the product and major weather events all affect how the granules fall from the spreader. Maximizing accuracy will save you the costs of under-application or over-application. As an example, if fertilizer costs are $130 per acre, an error of just 6 percent over-application will cost approximately $7,800 on 1,000 acres. On the other hand, an under-application of 6 percent can hurt the yield, particularly if growing conditions are ideal that year.

Provide documentation

Farmers are increasingly being scrutinized for fertilizer applications that are washed off the field into waterways. In fact, several states, including California and some of the states in the Chesapeake Bay area, have passed legislation on fertilizer use that requires accurate information on the amount of fertilizer applied. Information on fertilizer sales, however, is not an accurate indicator of fertilizer application. A scale on the fertilizer hopper not only shows how much fertilizer has been actually applied but also provides documentation that can prove it.

Increase commercial business

With increased frequency, commercial applicators who have a scale on their machine and can provide customers with documentation hold an advantage over their competitors. “I think it gives my customers peace of mind,” Allen adds. “Some of my customers ask questions about how I do the spreading. I tell them I have a scale on the machine and I have it set so if they order 150 pounds an acre, that’s exactly what they’re getting. And I’ve got the scale to back it up.”

Check out our line of fertilizer spreader kits to find a scale kit that fits most popular pull-type and self-propelled models. Visit our fertilizer solutions page or contact us to learn more about how a scale system can benefit your operation.

The post Equip Your Fertilizer Spreader for Multiple Tasks appeared first on Scale-Tec.

Better, faster traceability

One reason for the new regulation is to enhance animal health officials’ ability to locate specific animals quickly during a disease outbreak. Instead of taking weeks or months of sorting through paper records to determine which animals need to be tested, the process can be done in as little as a few hours with electronic identification, even when an animal may have been sold several times and mixed into other groups. RFID tags, in fact, are already used in a wide variety of industries to track animals and objects, which has led to their growing use in the supply chain as an alternative to bar codes. Consider, for example, the thousands of pets that carry a microchip that helps identify the owner in the event the pet gets lost.

“As we get further into a global economy, customers are demanding better traceability and accountability related to health and value,” says Nick Von Muenster, President of Scale-Tec. “RFID tags not only fill that need, but they have the potential to improve tracking performance on an individual basis.”

Evaluate animals on an individual basis

Von Muenster notes that, even though dairy producers can already track milk production per cow, most beef producers still evaluate and market animals as a group. Moreover, most producers don’t evaluate their profits until two weeks to a month after they sell their cattle. Through the use of a livestock scale, RFID tags and new software programs, that could all change.

“A lot of farmers know the total cost for feed, the average daily gain and the cost of animal health treatment, but they don’t compile it and analyze it until after the animals have gone to market,” Von Muenster continues. “A producer generally has a rolling number in his head as to where he thinks his break-even point and profit are in his herd. However, he really doesn’t see a final profit/loss figure until after the animals are taken to market.”

Weight data is a major indicator of performance. It also contributes to the broader picture of animal health and efficiency. Future-forward scale systems, like the Scale-Tec POINT indicator, aim to improve the model for cattle evaluation by making weight data accessible and usable. This helps producers maximize return on investment by taking out the guesswork and, in turn, addressing issues earlier.

The future is bright

“POINT already connects via Bluetooth to smartphones and tablets. But it can also connect to other devices, such as EID Tag readers, to allow animal identification to be read alongside the weight of the animal for record-keeping purposes,” Von Muenster says. “Now, picture a future where all the data is tied together and tracked through an RFID tag so each animal’s rate of gain and feed conversion, along with its health, can be tracked from start to finish.”

“Of course, as we move into the future and more and more companies develop even more-advanced RFID tags and new analytical software, I think we’ll see even more benefits for the livestock producer,” Von Muenster adds. “In the meantime, we’re able to create data points through our livestock scales that can be delivered to software platforms to better analyze animal performance—down to the individual animal through the RFID tag.”

Choose wisely

Consequently, it’s important that producers start educating themselves about the different types and applications of RFID tags now, before they get locked into a system that may not be the best fit for their operation. In general, RFID tags are available in two different types, passive and active, as well as different frequencies. So it’s important to ask yourself questions, like “Do I need non-line-of-sight reading?” and “What are the expected read ranges?” Consider these explanations:

Frequency

RFID tags can be grouped into three categories based on the range of frequencies they use to communicate data: low frequency (LF), high frequency (HF) and ultra-high frequency (UHF), which is the type we recommend most often in order to be best prepared for future applications. As a general rule, the lower the frequency of the RFID system, the shorter the read range and slower the data read rate. Hence, the frequency selection depends somewhat on the size of the operation and whether the tags are being read as animals pass through a chute or from a pickup out in the feed yard or pasture.

Active RFID

Active RFID tags have their own transmitter and power source (usually a battery) as a part of the tag. These are low-energy frequency solutions, and read ranges can extend up to 3,000 feet in some instances. Active RFID tags generally hold more information and also hold more potential for record keeping, but they are more expensive.

Passive RFID

With passive RFID solutions, the tag reader sends a signal to the tag, which is used to power the tag and reflect energy back to the reader. Passive tags are usually smaller, less expensive and more flexible than active tags and are available as LF, HF and UHF systems. Read ranges are shorter than with active tags, and they are limited by the power of the radio signal reflected back to the reader.

Battery-Assisted Passive (BAP) RFID

A third, hybrid type of RFID tag has recently emerged, which incorporates a power source into a passive tag configuration. Referred to as BAP systems, or semi-passive RFID systems, they use the power source to help ensure that all the captured energy from the reader can be used to reflect the signal, which improves read distance and data transfer rate, without the cost of an active RFID.

Key takeaways

Producers are faced with a number of RFID options, and it’s important to familiarize yourself with these options in order to make the best decision for your operation. Consider adding a future-ready scale as a piece of your overall RFID strategy, and take advantage of weight data. Ultimately, we recommend a UHF passive RFID tag solution.

“This tag solution will get producers the most bang for their buck, by opening the door to future applications with UHF,” Von Muenster concludes. “At the same time, opting for a passive instead of an active solution helps keep costs down as we move forward.”

Check out our livestock solutions page to read more about the benefits and types of scale systems we offer. Visit our products page or contact us to help you find the scale system that will best fit your operation’s needs.

The post RFID Tags Open New Doors for Cattle Producers appeared first on Scale-Tec.

At the same time, it’s important to maximize efficiency during harvest. Profit margins are already thin when you consider crop prices, the effects of weather, harvest delays and other factors. So it’s beneficial to eliminate guesswork by measuring crop yield while getting the job done as quickly as possible to avoid additional losses.

That’s one reason a growing number of farmers depend on solutions from Scale-Tec for their grain cart or auger wagon to weigh grain in the field. As you plan for harvest, here are eight ways a scale can help on your farm operation.

1. Segregate yield plots, fields or crop portions. “We have scales on two Kinze 1050 auger wagons, so we know what each individual field did as soon as it’s completed,” says Loring Heitman, who farms with his brother near Williamsburg, Iowa.

Because of the grain cart scale accuracy, the Heitman brothers rely on it to sell grain from their bins and when they divide up their grain at the end of harvest.

2. Analyze agronomy practices. A scale allows you to identify what worked and what did not. Without slowing down the harvest, you can compare individual fields, soil types, seed hybrids, fertilizer types, tillage equipment and cropping methods.

3. Formulate plans. Heitman says their Scale-Tec system makes it equally easy to plan ahead. “We use the information off each individual farm to know exactly what that farm is producing,” he explains. “And that helps us figure out our plans for next year.”

4. Save time and money. “Our Scale-Tec scales are better than a drive-over scale because if we’re farming 20 or 30 miles from home and we finish a field, we don’t have to haul a partial semi load home and weigh it,” says Heitman, noting the savings in both time and fuel. “It’s already weighed.”

5. Keep trucks moving, and within legal weight limits. “We have a digital display right on the side of the grain cart that shows the weight on the cart,” says Ryan Sperfslage, who farms near Monticello, Iowa. “So, when we’re running two grain carts and I see from the combine that there’s enough grain on the cart to finish out a truckload, I can send that cart on its way, get the semi loaded and on the road, and put the rest of the bin on the other wagon. It helps minimize the time the trucks are sitting in the field.”

6. Measure crop damage. “We also use the grain cart scales for crop insurance purposes,” Sperfslage says. “If we have crop damage, we’re able to measure it accurately with the grain cart and provide the necessary documentation.”

7. Calibrate yield monitors. “It’s important to understand that yield monitors don’t actually measure grain yield,” says Bob Nielsen with the Purdue University Department of Agronomy. “Instead, they estimate yield by converting electrical signals received from a mass impact or optical sensor into estimates of grain flow (pounds) per second or two of travel time.”

Hence, it’s important to calibrate the yield monitor before or early in the harvest season. One way to do that is to use a Scale-Tec scale on the wagon or grain cart to weigh a portion of the field and compare that against the yield monitor and make adjustments accordingly.

“Yield monitor calibration involves a series of steps, and one of those steps involves the harvesting of calibration loads of grain,” Nielsen adds. “The weighed loads are then used to teach the yield monitor’s ‘black box’ how to accurately convert the electrical signals from the sensors into estimates of grain flow rates.”

8. Check yield monitors. “Yield monitor accuracy can be influenced by yield levels outside the range of grain flow rates used for the yield monitor calibration,” Nielson says. “It can be influenced by seasonal changes in temperature; by seasonal changes in grain moisture content; by hybrids in terms of their differences for grain weight, grain shape, and grain moisture; and by field topography.”

It’s important to check and recalibrate your yield monitor multiple times during the harvest season. This step is too often overlooked, but it is critical for maintaining accurate harvest data.

Ryan Sperfslage agrees, noting, “Anytime we pull into a new field, we can look at what the yield monitor says we have for pounds and what the grain cart says we have. Then we can compare the two and know right away if the yield monitor is getting out of whack.”

“Accuracy can make a significant difference in profitability,” explains Nick Von Muenster, President of Scale-Tec. “Scale-Tec offers over 650 different grain cart kits. We’re particularly excited about the new POINT scale indicator. It’s simple yet the most technology-forward and powerful scale display we have available.”

View our products or check out our Grain Solutions page to learn more about scale products that will support your specific operation and equipment.

The post 8 Ways a Scale Can Maximize Harvest Efficiency appeared first on Scale-Tec.

Jason Nagel, who uses REAP on his farm near Gettysburg, South Dakota, says they’ve gone from having a notebook in the tractor and writing down weights to sharing all their harvest data on the cloud.

“We basically can focus on the task at hand and not worry about our record keeping,” he says. “Things just flow a lot better. A huge benefit of the REAP app is being able to see the data immediately. It goes from combine operator to the grain cart operator to the truck driver, so everybody is on the same page.”

According to Nick Von Muenster, President of Scale-Tec, the REAP app carries the potential to entirely automate the harvest weight record-keeping process, depending on what scale system a farmer is using. It also can turn any connected tablet or smartphone into an indicator and can receive live weight readings directly from the grain cart at distances of 500 to 1,000 feet away.

“Whether it’s used in the field during harvest, in the truck during grain transport, or back in the office for documentation, REAP provides a wealth of benefits that isn’t limited to just one or two features,” Von Muenster adds, while pointing out just some of the ways REAP can help:

• Track harvest data. REAP allows growers to record grain cart yield data for an unlimited number of field and farm names. In addition, the REAP app can record and accumulate data from any number of grain carts. Weight can be converted into dry bushels by either entering the moisture content on the app or, if you have a scale system that integrates with moisture-sensing technology, the app will convert it automatically. 

Von Muenster is quick to note that, in addition, farmers have complete control over their information. “Nobody can collect or access the data unless the farmer chooses to share it with another person, such as an insurance agent,” he says.

• Segregate yield plots or custom-harvested fields. REAP is invaluable when harvesting test plots or fields with unique hybrids or varieties. Whether you’re weighing test plots individually in the grain cart or harvesting a non-GMO crop that’s going into a separate bin, REAP provides you with the exact yield. Plus, REAP is ideal for custom harvesters who need to log total yields for multiple fields and/or customers.
• Avoid overloading or under-loading trucks. Nothing puts a damper on harvest like a fine for having an overloaded truck. However, under-loaded trucks can be just as costly if you’re making extra trips with trucks that aren’t filled to capacity. REAP lets you know exactly how much is on a truck.
• Track your inventory. Whether a crop is going to on-farm storage or being delivered to a co-op or local elevator, the REAP app provides a total inventory report, showing a list of all loads deposited at each location. That means you always know when grain bin capacities are reaching their limits or contracts are close to being fulfilled with commodities directly out of the field.
• Improve office management. Because REAP users can access and store information in the cloud-based dashboard, they have a record of all grain movement while also being able to reconcile grain deliveries and generate reports, such as those needed for crop insurance claims. Having the ability to direct trucks as they come out of a field also saves time, eliminates extra trips, and keeps harvest equipment moving efficiently.
• Calibrate the yield monitor. It’s easy to compare the yield recorded by the combine yield monitor to the actual weight recorded by REAP. We also offer integration of REAP with the John Deere Operations Center, which allows farmers to see a direct comparison of yield data and make any necessary adjustments in calibration. 

“I would say the most valuable aspect of REAP, though, is the fact that it gives the grower another data end point that is reconcilable,” Von Muenster says. “If you’re just going by the yield monitor to calculate how much you have in storage without weighing it … or you’re relying on what somebody wrote down during harvest, you could be off by as much as 10 percent or more,” he explains. “REAP provides what I call the ‘in-between’ number. It gives you more marketing capability because you now have a very accurate figure of how much you have in storage. And, when it comes time to sell or deliver that grain, you have a way to reconcile that what you’re taking out matches what the app said you had in the bin. We consistently see this number matching the weight that the grain cart recorded, at an accuracy rating of 99 percent or higher.” 

Contact us today to put REAP to work for you. Our support team will help you determine how REAP can integrate with your scale system and answer any questions you may have. For more information about REAP, check out the REAP product page or read through some Frequently Asked Questions about REAP.

The post Harvest More Profit with the REAP App appeared first on Scale-Tec.

“The new POINT device provides a powerhouse of connectivity, opening the door to the future of scale applications and integrations,” said Nick Von Muenster, President of Scale-Tec. “Our partnership with Performance Livestock Analytics provides livestock producers with the ability to capture accurate, automated information, enhancing their ability to make profitable decisions on the farm.”

The integration of the POINT™ scale display and Performance Beef™ software enables producers to accurately capture every pound of feed delivered and every dollar spent within the operation. The Performance Beef system offers real-time access to on-farm data and closeout reports to producers as well as their trusted advisor networks. The combined system ensures the right financial and operational performance information is getting to the right people at the right time.

Designed to be the leading agricultural scale display, POINT™ is entirely calibrated, supported and updated through its mobile app, increasing ease of use and minimizing downtime. It features Bluetooth® Low Energy technology to provide a device connectivity range of over 1000 feet. This advanced connectivity allows multiple smart devices to connect to the POINT scale display, allowing producers to simultaneously view and share weight data. POINT™ is capable of connecting to a majority of scale systems already in use on beef operations today.

To learn more about the Performance Beef™ system, go to www.performancelivestockanalytics.com. For more information about Scale-Tec’s innovative POINT™ display, visit www.scale-tec.com.

ABOUT SCALE-TEC, LTD.

Headquartered in Anamosa, Iowa, with additional facilities in Galion, Ohio, Scale-Tec, Ltd. is a leader in innovation with scale application in the agricultural industry, striving to enhance precision agriculture and farming capabilities to existing equipment to ensure accuracy powers profitability. For more information, visit www.scale-tec.com.

ABOUT PERFORMANCE LIVESTOCK ANALYTICS, INC.

Performance Livestock Analytics provides software subscription services to livestock producers, brokers, risk managers, nutritionists, animal health and animal nutrition companies. Performance Beef™ is a product of Performance Livestock Analytics Inc. For more information please visit www.performancebeef.com ©2019 Performance Livestock Analytics Inc. All rights reserved.

Performance Livestock Analytics Inc. (PLA), Performance Beef and any other PLA products and services mentioned herein, as well as their respective logos, are trademarks or registered trademarks of PLA.

Media Contact: Scale-Tec, Ltd.
Lee Larson, Director of Marketing
319-249-6228
lee.larson@scale-tec.com
www.scale-tec.com

Media Contact: Performance Livestock Analytics

Dane Kuper
515-337-2187
dane@cattlekrush.com

www.performancelivestockanalytics.com

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