Lamb Monitor is a project that aims to measure and monitor lamb performance, protect the welfare of lambs during the weighing process and reduce farmers’ labour time is underway thanks to an innovative partnership.
Introducing the Lamb Monitor project
The ‘Lamb Monitor’ is the result of a partnership between David Ritchie (Implements) Ltd. and the UK Agri-Tech Centre. With funding from DEFRA and the Transforming Food Production (TFP) Challenge Programme (through Innovate UK), the project aims to revolutionise the way farmers weigh and monitor their lambs.
Weighing lambs to track their liveweight gain and readiness for sale is a critical but labour-intensive task. Currently, it’s often done every two weeks, leaving gaps in data and making it harder to optimise growth and management strategies. The Lamb Monitor project aims to solve this by automating the process, reducing stress on lambs and saving farmers time.
How it works
The project is developing an automated, in-field lamb weighing solution to make lamb monitoring easier and more efficient. Three designs are being tested:
- A walk-over weigher
- A creep feed attractant
- A climb-on platform that uses lambs’ natural play instincts.
Each design will be paired with a data-handling app, providing farmers with actionable insights into lamb growth rates. Additionally, the project includes a metered feed creep system, which ensures fair feed distribution among lambs and reduces health risks from overfeeding.
On-farm testing
The prototypes are being trialled on Ritchie’s farm and three UK Agri-Tech Centre satellite farms. Farmers will continue their usual weighing practices while also testing the automated solutions. By comparing the data from traditional and automated methods, researchers aim to validate the reliability and value of the new system.
Automated weighing also integrates seamlessly with Ritchie’s auto-drafting equipment. Lambs with sufficient weight data can be drafted automatically, further cutting down on stress and time for both farmers and lambs.
Project impact
The potential benefits of this technology extend beyond timesaving. Research conducted by CIEL in 2020 showed that measures like improved data capture can significantly reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in lamb production.
By finishing lambs at a younger age and reducing age at first lambing, amongst other factors, two hill farms had a 68% and 49% reduction in GHG emissions (kgCO2e/kgLW) and a lowland farm showed a reduction of 37% using these measures.
In addition, Morgan-Davis et all (2018) estimated that precision livestock farming (PLF) tech can save farmers between 19% and 36% labour (£1.60-£3 per ewe) depending on the farm.
The automation of lamb weighing offers significant welfare improvements for both animals and farmers. Less frequent handling and gathering reduce stress for lambs, resulting in a higher-welfare product. For farmers, the technology frees up time to focus on other aspects of their enterprise or to achieve a better work-life balance.
Charlie Brown, Product Development Manager at Ritchie, said:
“We hope to bring some level of automation and improved efficiency to the sheep industry with this product. The first prototype was created after farmer-led interactions resulted in us making efficiencies within the industry. Following field trials and farmer feedback, we are refining the product for our Mk2 trial of the prototype.”
Hayley Gerry, Project Manager at the UK Agri-Tech Centre, added:
“This project has enabled the UK Agri-Tech Centre to bridge a gap that the industry has identified where efficiencies could be made. Using our farmer network, we are able to test and validate the prototypes in a commercial set up to allow for feedback from the farmers. This will allow Ritchie to commercialise a product that will make farming more efficient.”
The future of lamb production
As the Lamb Monitor project progresses, it has the potential to transform lamb production by reducing labour, improving welfare and contributing to sustainability goals. By embracing innovative technologies like automated weighing, the sheep industry can continue to grow in a more efficient and environmentally-friendly way.
