How Does EID Livestock Weighing System Work?
EID livestock weighing combines electronic animal identification with weight measurement, allowing each animal’s weight to be linked to its individual EID number.
In a typical system, an EID reader identifies the animal, load bars or load cells measure its weight, and the weighing indicator links the two pieces of information into an individual animal record.
This makes it possible to record not only how much an animal weighs, but also which animal was weighed, so its weight can be tracked over multiple weighing sessions.
How Does EID Work with Livestock Weighing?
1. Identify the animal
Each animal wears an electronic identification tag with a unique EID number. An EID reader scans the tag and sends the animal’s identification information to the weighing system. This removes the need to manually enter the animal ID during weighing.
2. Weigh the animal
The animal stands on a weighing platform, cattle crush, alleyway scale, or another suitable weighing structure. Load bars or load cells measure the animal’s weight and send the weight signal to the weighing indicator. The EID system identifies which animal it is, while the weighing system determines its weight.
3. Match the EID with the weight
The weighing indicator associates the EID number with the corresponding weight measurement.
For example:
| Animal ID | Weight | Date |
| 032010000000001 | 486kg | 2026/9/1 |
Animal identification and weight are no longer stored as separate records, but are combined into a single weighing event for storage.
4. Store the record
Once the EID and weight are matched, the individual animal record can be stored for future reference.
When the same animal is weighed again, its new weight can be associated with the same EID number. This creates an individual weight history rather than a series of unconnected weight readings.
For example: EID 032010000000001 420 kg → 452 kg → 486 kg
This can help producers monitor changes in individual animal weight over time.
5. Export the data
Once the weighing session is complete, the records can be transferred to another device or software system, depending on the indicator’s communication options.
For example, FOX PRO supports USB, Bluetooth, and RS232 data communication. Its USB export provides an Excel-readable CSV file for further data processing.
What Equipment Is Needed for EID Livestock Weighing?
A typical EID livestock weighing system consists of several basic components:
- EID tag
Provides the individual animal identification number. - EID reader
Scans the electronic tag and sends the animal ID to the weighing system. - Load bars or load cells
Measure the animal’s weight. - Weighing indicator
Receives the weight signal and links the weight with the animal’s identification. - Weighing structure
A platform, cattle crush, alleyway scale, or other structure holds the animal during weighing.
The exact configuration depends on the animal, weighing method, capacity, and existing equipment. For example, a cattle weighing system may use load bars installed under a cattle crush, while a portable platform can be used for routine weighing of different livestock.
HiRancher offers these components as part of its livestock weighing system range, including FOX PRO indicators, ABH/ABT/AB5T load bars, cattle crushes, alleyway scales, HiTAG EID readers, and EID tags.
Why Link EID with Animal Weight?
A conventional livestock scale gives you a weight. EID-linked weighing gives you an individual animal weight record. This becomes particularly useful when animals are weighed repeatedly.
Individual Weight History
Each weighing can remain associated with the same EID number, making it easier to compare an animal’s current weight with previous measurements.
Growth Monitoring
Repeated individual weights can show how an animal’s weight changes over time and can support monitoring of growth and weight gain.
Herd Management
Individual weight records can be used alongside other animal information for routine herd management, breeding, feeding, or sale preparation.
Less Manual Data Entry
Without EID, an operator may need to read or record an animal’s identification number separately from its weight and match the information later. With EID, the identification step can be automated, reducing manual entry during the weighing process.
EID is therefore most useful when the requirement goes beyond simply obtaining a weight and extends to knowing which animal that weight belongs to.
How Does FOX PRO Handle EID Livestock Weighing?
FOX PRO is designed for livestock weighing applications where animal identification needs to be linked with individual weight records.
EID Reader → FOX PRO ← Load Bars
The EID reader identifies the animal, while the weighing equipment provides the weight measurement. FOX PRO connects the identification and weighing information into an individual record. FOX PRO can store up to 3,600 individual weight records. Its records include information such as EID, weight, date, group number, and previous weight. For data transfer, FOX PRO provides USB and Bluetooth.
USB can be used to export records as an Excel-readable file, while Bluetooth provide additional options for connecting with mobile devices, computers, or other compatible systems.
FOX PRO works with a compatible EID reader such as HiTAG. HiTAG supports HDX and FDX-B electronic identification protocols based on ISO 11784/11785. This makes FOX PRO suitable for applications where the weighing process needs to capture animal ID, weight and related record information rather than weight alone.
Do You Need EID for Livestock Weighing?
If the requirement is simply to obtain an animal’s weight, a standard livestock weighing indicator can be sufficient.
EID becomes more useful when you need to:
- Record the weight of individual animals
- Track weight history
- Compare repeated weighing results
- Associate weight with a specific animal ID
- Transfer animal weight data to another system
Therefore, the choice of weighing display should depend on the type of livestock you need to collect.
Can FOX PRO Work with an Existing Livestock Weighing System?
In many cases, FOX PRO can be used with an existing livestock weighing setup, provided the load bars or load cells and their connection configuration are compatible.
Before ordering, compatibility should be checked, especially the load bar model, capacity, wiring, and connector configuration. HiRancher can confirm compatibility based on the existing weighing equipment.
