Keeping it simple with the right weighing solution

"Farming for me is a way of life, it's not a job." That's how Northland farmer Ian Whittaker sums up a lifetime on the land.

Ian and his wife, Gabrielle, farm 54 hectares near the Hokianga Harbour, where they buy weaner cattle weighing between 100kg and 200kg and grow them through to around 18 months of age. With between 70 and 100 head on the property at any one time, regular weighing has been part of the operation for more than 30 years.

"When things get tight, I like to know they're still going ahead and they're not stalling," Ian explains. "We've also got target weights we work towards when we're selling, and knowing what their daily weight gains are gives me an idea of what I'll have ready to go in two or three months' time and when I should be looking to buy."

For Ian, weighing isn't about collecting data for the sake of it. It's about having confidence that the decisions he's making are based on accurate information.

Accurate weights also provide confidence that cattle are performing as expected. As Ian puts it, "Sometimes the cattle look all right, but they're actually not doing the weight they should." It's why he says he wouldn't be interested in farming without scales.

Accuracy without the extras

When the load bars on the Whittakers' previous weighing system began producing inconsistent readings after more than 30 years of service, it was time to replace them. After seeing Gallagher's W0 Kit at FarmSource, Ian found it offered exactly what he was looking for.

"Accuracy was the first box to tick. Ease of use was another. We just wanted something that did the job well."

Because Ian records everything manually with pen and paper, there was little point paying for features he simply wouldn't use. More advanced systems offering EID, app connectivity and data recording weren't what his operation needed.

"We weren't worried about all the other extras," he says. "We try to keep things simple, but we still want to make a profit."

Reliable, right when it matters

Setting up the W0 Kit took around half an hour and slotted straight into his existing weighing platform. Now, after using it for nearly a year, Ian says one of the biggest improvements has been the way the scales allow cattle a little longer to settle before locking onto a stable weight, resulting in more consistent readings than his previous system.

That reliability has already proven its worth. Before replacing the old scales, inaccurate readings had contributed to Ian overestimating the weight of a line of cattle before sale.

"We sold one lot of cattle and found out we'd overestimated the weights," he says. "That's why we ended up buying a new set."

Today, Ian says the W0 Kit gives him exactly what he was looking for: reliable, accurate weights without unnecessary complexity.

"If someone's in the same sort of situation as we are, I'd tell them to go for it," he says. "It's reliable, it's easy to use, and that's really what we were after."

Entry-level weighing is exactly what Ian was looking for. To discover the right weighing solution for your needs, talk to your local Gallagher Territory Manager.

Key benefits

• Accuracy he can trust: more consistent readings than his 30-year-old system, avoiding costly mistakes like overestimating cattle weight before sale.
• No unnecessary extras: entry-level weighing that skips the EID, app connectivity and data recording Ian doesn't use — keeping the system simple and cost-effective.
• Fast, easy set-up: the W0 Kit slotted straight into his existing weighing platform in around half an hour.
• Farm Source exclusive: the W0 Kit is available only through Farm Source, or components can be purchased individually.

Take a closer look at Ian's weigh system

W0 Weigh Scale G02500	1500kg Load Bars G06500