Next Generation embraces tech for smarter deer farming
Tuesday, 21 October, 2025
Demonstrated by Gallagher Territory Manager, Ben Dunbar, at the recent Next Generation event, the TWR-5 weigh scale and data collection system captured the attention of the audience with its flexibility and simplicity.
For deer farmers, weighing is a critical practice. But whether producing venison or velvet, tracking performance is about more than just weight, it includes factors like velvet grade, beam circumference, symmetry, as well as general animal welfare.
“The days of relying on the ‘eye-ometer’ are gone,” says Dunbar. “With the TWR-5, farmers make data-driven decisions in the yards, right at the point of handling.”
Dunbar sees a difference in how younger farmers approach technology. “Older farmers absolutely see the benefits, but can be apprehensive. The younger ones have grown up with tech. They want to do more with less, to free up time for the next task, especially where farms are diversifying more. They expect tools like the TWR-5 to make their work more efficient.”
The TWR-5 is designed with that in mind. Farmers can customise data fields, build templates for different tasks, and see an animal’s pedigree and full history instantly.
Integration with FarmIQ means treatments and activities sync seamlessly to the farm system. Perhaps most importantly, data transfer is effortless. Instead of plugging in, downloading, and re-uploading, farmers simply hit the sync button, then cloud connectivity pushes it straight to their phone and computer.
“It’s the ease of use that wins people over,” Dunbar explains. “Everything is wireless, everything talks to your phone. You can finish a session, analyse the data, and make culling or breeding decisions before you’ve even left the yards.”
For young farmers entering the industry, they see technology as crucial. It supports the path to more diversification, to run operations more efficiently, and stay resilient in volatile markets.
Looking ahead, Dunbar believes tools like the TWR-5 will continue to shape the deer industry through its precision and insights. His advice to younger farmers: “Know what success looks like to you. Data for data’s sake isn’t helpful. Knowing where you want to be is half the battle, and once you've got that point, it's just a matter of tailoring the hardware and software to suit that goal.”
With technology in their hands and efficiency front of mind, the next generation of deer farmers is already shaping a smarter future.