Smart TMR feeding system launched

• Topcon Agriculture has launched a smart feeding system which makes it easier for dairy and beef producers to manage and monitor the TMR (total mixed ration) of their cattle and to have a detailed, real-time understanding of the key aspects of the daily feeding regime including ingredient tracking, feedout and dry matter weights, and feed wastage rates

 Available in the UK via LH Agro, the new Topcon TMR Flex Pro system provides state-of-the-art feed metrics and is compatible with all mixer wagons fitted with load cells. The system is comprised of a Digi-Star FD1 tablet, a Topcon CL-55 Cloud Connectivity Device, and a subscription to Topcon’s TAP FEED Pro/Feedlot cloud-based platform.

“Feed inputs make up 50-60% of the variable costs on dairy and beef units, with a significant proportion of this investment lost as a result of poor feed conversion rates or wastage at the feed barrier,” explains Richard Reed, Managing Director of LH Agro, Topcon’s preferred distributor and installer in the UK. “Therefore, by improving the accuracy to which their cattle are fed, and reducing wastage, livestock farmers can make significant cost savings which will ultimately benefit their business’s bottom line.”

Topcon’s modular TMR Flex Pro system has been developed with feedback from farmers to make it easier for them to monitor exactly what their cattle are eating. “It also makes the process of loading the mixer wagon a little easier and less time-consuming, and ultimately ensures each group of cattle is being fed more accurately,” Richard adds.

The TMR Flex Pro system is compatible with all existing Digi-Star scale systems or load cells on any brand of TMR feed wagon. It features a self-explanatory interface which makes it easy for new users to get to grips with, and allows multiple users to access the various data fields during the loading and unloading of the mixer wagon.

“This new system gives everyone involved in the feeding of beef cattle and/or dairy cows easy access to all the necessary information required to make data-driven decisions which will improve the performance of the cattle under their supervision,” Richard adds. “And, with the CL-55 Cloud Connectivity Device automatically sending data from the mixer wagon to the TAP FEED platform, herd managers can easily share their herd’s feed data with their nutritionist, vet, feed supplier and any other applicable third parties so that further herd efficiency improvements can be identified and implemented.”

TAP is a cloud-based agricultural ecosystem designed to provide real-time monitoring and data analysis for decision-making during every phase of the farming cycle. TAP is designed as a modular solution with integrated third-party plug-in options. In addition to the standard platform offerings such as file exchange, cloud-based storage and fleet management, the platform also offers a user-friendly, customisable dashboard, an advanced FMIS (farm management information system), an image capturing and processing solution and real-time remote support capabilities.

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