NLIS sheep problem-yards, Ballarat, has raised its hand as a suitable venue to test a range of technologies and systems being touted for use when the scanning of sheep becomes mandatory in Victorian saleyards from March 31, 2018.
The proactive offer, although yet to receive funding from Ag Victoria, proposes to trial under commercial operating conditions what works and doesn’t work in saleyards the size of Ballarat, which is the state’s largest and fourth largest nationally.
Regional Infrastructure managing director Garry Edwards – the operator of Ballarat saleyards- told Stock & Land the offer to test the available technologies, if approved, would go ahead at its existing Latrobe Street yards in spite of civil works beginning next month at its planned Miners Rest site.
Mr Edwards said a portion of the Latrobe Street complex would be dedicated to the proposed trial which would be conducted over a six to eight month period.
“There is no other saleyards in the state the size and volume of Ballarat” Mr Edwards said.
“And there are also no other facilities in the world that scan similar numbers under pen selling conditions. If we are to get the best use from the technologies, and make them work with minimal impediment to livestock flow, animal welfare and workplace safety, then Ballarat is the ideal venue”, he said.
“This would be a significant pilot project with the information gathered shared with other saleyards, producers and processors”.
It would be similar to the testing of systems when scanning began for cattle in 2002, Mr Edwards said. “The project will attempt to identify the best places to install the required equipment, and how to get the greatest operational efficiency to ensure accuracy in the traceability, processing and delivery of individual animals without disrupting the flow of saleyard procedures”.
Mr Edwards said that he is comfortable the required technology is readily available within Australia. “Developing a complete operational system, including refining the application of scanning systems and enhancing software systems, in order to get the best out from the technology, would be the purpose”.
“It would be a large scale test site. It hasn’t happened on this scale in the world before. In fact most of the situations where scanning of sheep occurs overseas, in Europe and UK the yards are quite small compared to Ballarat and the stock are moved to a central position for weighing or selling similar to our cattle markets”.
In recent information forums with agents, Ag Victoria has highlighted Ballarat as one of the worst performing saleyards, with 44pc of NVD statements containing incorrect NLIS details.
Mr Edwards reiterated the proposal has not been formally approved.
