Hello 560HighCrop

We started out with dangle tags that had a 13 (I think it was 13???) digit number with a bar code on them. At first these seemed good because we could also write our own herd ID numbers on them, an all in one tag. These did not work out that well because of poor retention with the dangle style & the bar codes had to be scanned up close by hand. Dirt, manure, ear wax, etc. made it hard to read with the scanners, so we went to the RFID tag. Way better retention & can be read with a reader from a distance.

As others have said (feedlots), they get no benefit from them, because they are getting carcass data back from the packers already. But then they have nothing to complain about as it costs them nothing for the RFID tags. All the cost is born by the cow/calf producers as they are the ones who have to pay for & apply them. So with the BIXS system now in place it is good to see that the cow/calf operator is getting something (carcass data from the calves that he sold to the feedlot) back in return. Before he would have no idea of how his animals were grading when they were finally slaughtered. Now he can see the benefits, or the shortfalls of his breeding program & make changes if need be to produce better calves for the feedlots & hopefully they will bid accordingly for his calves.