Weight Watcher Auto-Sort System
Packers demand the production and delivery of finishing hogs with weights that must meet tight windows for acceptable weights. Marketing animals that fall outside the specified range usually results in significant deductions from market price for such underweight or overweight animals. At the same time, pig producers must remain conscious that underfeeding or overfeeding ultimately hurts their bottom line profitability. Osborne's Weight Watcher Growth Management System is the answer to marketing animals at the right weight while eliminating wasted nutrients for large pen finishing hogs.
About
The Weight Watcher System is a complete growth management system that automatically divides animals into multiple feeding groups as they grow based on their rank in the weight distribution of the pen. The system uses the ACCU-ARM Survey Scale - an automated sorting scale - to sort pigs as they move between separated feed and watering pens. This separation and division of the pen's weight distribution allows for targeted phase feeding, where lightweight hogs can be fed a ration that accelerates growth and heavier hogs can be fed a ration that maximizes return on gain. As animals reach market weight, the system can be converted to automatically sort market-ready animals into a pen ready for loading, eliminating manual sorting errors and the labor associated with manual weighing and sorting by farm personnel, allowing uniform loads to be sent to market.
CUT MARKET SORT LOSS
GET TO MARKET FASTER
REDUCE WEIGHT VARIATION
ELIMINATE WASTED NUTRIENTS
ACCU-ARM Survey Scale
The Survey Scale is the heart of the Weight Watcher System. The scale automatically sorts pigs by weight for targeted phase feeding and automatically sorts market-ready hogs for easy loading and transporting. Available in two models – fully stainless steel or combination stainless steel/hot-dipped galvanized – all animal-contact points are manufactured with 304 stainless steel components for maximum strength and corrosion-resistance. Contact Osborne for detailed specifications.
One-Way & By-Pass Gates
A system of One-Way Gates are used in each Weight Watcher System to provide one-way access from the feeding pens to the watering pens. Animals moving back to the feeding pens pass through the Survey Scale which automatically collects weight information of the entire herd. A safety By-Pass Gate is also included with each system to provide free access to both the feeding and watering pens during an emergency event like loss of power or air pressure.
Big Wheel Feeders
When it comes to feeding hogs, nothing beats the no-waste performance of Osborne’s Big Wheel grow-finish feeders, available in multiple sizes for a wide range of animals. With Big Wheel Feeders, feed is used for growth and not wasted in the pit like so often happens with even the most well-adjusted rectangular finish feeders.
DailyWeigh Software
The DailyWeigh Software application for Windows collects, stores, and displays all the information collected by the Survey Scale for monitoring scale operation, reviewing animal growth trends and weight distribution, and predicting projected marketing dates using up-to-date growth data.
The Weight Watcher System operates in two modes: Weight Watcher Mode and Market Sort Mode. Pigs move freely between feed and water with the Survey Scale and One-Way Gates while in the Weight Watcher mode. In the Weight Watcher Mode, animals can be phase fed based on their actual weight: those under the median weight are sorted into the light hog pen and fed a high-performance feed, while those over the median weight are sorted into the heavy hog pen and fed a feed that maximizes return on gain.
When it is time to market the pigs, the system is switched to Market Sort Mode, and all animals meeting the sort criteria are automatically diverted to a pen ready to load, which eliminates manual sorting labor and errors.
The graphics below illustrate the Weight Watcher Mode and the Market Sort Mode.
Weight Watcher Mode:
In the Weight Watcher Mode, the Survey Scale automatically diverts pigs to the appropriate feeding area based on the user’s pre-determined weight set point. Animals under the pre-determined weight are sorted into the light hog pen. Animals over the pre-determined weight are sorted into the heavy hog pen.
Market Sort Mode:
In the Market Sort Mode, the Survey Scale can be set to detect animals which meet a pre-determined market weight. Animals that have reached the targeted market weight are sorted into a market pen for easy loading.
- Reduce feed cost through targeted phase feeding
- Cut market sort loss
- Market more pounds of pork by turning barns quicker and controlling animal growth
- Reduce weight variation by feeding pigs to weight
- Easy to retro-fit existing finishing facilities and uses less floor space than traditional finishing pens
- Easy to manage
- Mimics the natural movement and instincts of pigs moving from feed to water
Literature
Weight Watcher Growth Management System Catalog: English | Spanish | Russian
Weight Watcher Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ): English | Spanish | Russian
Weight Watcher for Hoop Barn Finishing: English
Weight Watcher System Technical Note: English | Russian
By-Pass Gate for Emergency Exit: English | Russian
Daily Weigh™ Software Information: English | Russian
Press Releases
Osborne Awarded Patent for Automated Weighing: English
Technology License Agreement Improves European Pig Production: English
A food court system has several distinct disadvantages that make it different than the Weight Watcher System:
Intimidator pigs:
Because the food court provides both food and water in a very compact area, dominant pigs in the group have no incentive to leave and can easily control access to the feeders. This almost ensures a wider spread of weights. With Weight Watcher, feeders are distributed more widely so dominant pigs cannot control feed access.
Training:
An automatic market scale used in the food court system requires highly accurate weights since market decisions are based on only one pass through the scale. Moving across such a scale with multiple moving gates requires training. Training occurs because feed is the incentive. This means that feed restriction is necessary, often in the final weeks before the market date. However, with Weight Watcher, the Survey Scale is always present and for several weeks, pigs move freely through it. By the time weighing begins, pigs are comfortable with the scale and by market time, no special training is required so pigs are always on full feed.
Facilities Utilization:
Automatic market scales and the food court system both combine to increase facilities utilization costs because increasing the number of “tail-enders” is a likely outcome for the system. The goal of the Weight Watcher system is to minimize the distribution of weights in the group and to arrange the feeding program so that “tail-enders” are actively eliminated.
A maximum of 500-550 finishing animals per Survey Scale is recommended. Pigs are on the scale for an average of 5 seconds and pass through it many times a day, so overstocking the system with more animals than recommended can limit the movement of animals back and forth from feed to water through the Survey Scale.
The scale will remain active until market time, at which point the scale is set to “Market Mode” and pigs are sorted for market.
Yes, the system can be used for Wean-to-Finish, but it is important that all pens and equipment be open until pigs reach at least 50 lbs. (23 kg). In finishing barns, at the beginning of the turn, pens and equipment should also remain open for a few days so the animals are allowed to explore. This will also ensure that all animals are eating and drinking, and are able to learn where feed and water are located before the system is set to grow or maintain pig weights. Contact your Osborne Sales Representative for specific procedures for animal training and system startup.
Survey Scales can be equipped to utilize RFID technology. An antenna inside the Survey Scale records each animal’s passage through the Survey Scale. With Osborne’s Daily Weigh II software package, gilts can be easily tracked and eventually selected based on their growth rate.
Although the Weight Watcher system requires a specific design of split feeding and watering zones, options like sorting panels or penning can be added in the feeding areas when pig care for large groups is a concern. Osborne’s experienced design team can customize each system layout to help address concerns for animal care.
A spray marker kit is available for Survey Scales which can be used to visually identify animals. For example, all “lightweights,” that do not meet the median weight as determined in the DailyWeigh software, can be marked.
It is always recommended that each building have a reliable back-up power source with a transfer switch in the case of power failures. Additionally, Osborne’s patented, pneumatically operated By-Pass Gate automatically opens if the system loses power or air pressure, ensuring animals have free access to feed and water and pens do not become overcrowded.
Although any dry, ad-lib feeders may be used, Osborne recommends the Big Wheel Feeder for use in each of the “feeding zones.” Big Wheel Feeders provide 360°, unobstructed access to feed without crowding animals into close contact with one another. To grow pigs quickly, it is important to provide maximum feed trough access, which is easily accomplished with the round design of Big Wheel Feeder. Learn more about Osborne’s line of Big Wheel Feeders here.
