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Cameras Keep An Eye On Calving
Kevin Wirsta spends a lot of time away from his purebred cattle operation attending meetings, even during the critical calving season. Years ago, to keep an eye on his pregnant females and alert him of potential birthing issues, Wirsta bought and installed cameras in his calving barn and nearby corrals. These initial c
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Cameras Keep An Eye On Calving
Kevin Wirsta spends a lot of time away from his purebred cattle operation attending meetings, even during the critical calving season. Years ago, to keep an eye on his pregnant females and alert him of potential birthing issues, Wirsta bought and installed cameras in his calving barn and nearby corrals. These initial cameras were stationary and featured rather grainy pictures, but he recently upgraded to more state-of-the-art equipment.
His new units are fully infrared and utilize an app. They rotate 360 degrees and zoom up to 25X for a closer look.
“Rather than having my neighbor check my cows every hour or two, I can watch the feed on my phone from wherever I am,” Wirsta says. “If something needs attention, I just have him put the desired cow in the barn. With the infrared cameras, there are no shadows, so even though it’s pitch-black outside, it’s like watching my big screen TV. I can zoom in to read an ear tag or tell if the newborn is a bull or a heifer.”
The video feed can be watched live or recorded and played back later.
Wirsta placed one camera overlooking a pen beside his barn where he sorts females who will be calving soon, and another camera inside the barn to watch over those already delivering or in labor.
“I recommend a camera system to everyone who raises cattle,” he says. “I don’t know why you wouldn’t have them as they save sleep, time, fuel, and money. I just set my alarm, check the camera, and go back to sleep. Even if there’s a calf stuck in the membrane bag, I can quickly go and make the save.”
In the off-season, Wirsta uses the cameras for heat detection. He can see up to 1/4 mile away with no visibility or identification issues.
“I guarantee you’ll trust them once you get used to them,” he says. “You’ll save calves more than you lose with a camera. They make them so cutting edge these days, and the tech is great. Plus, it’s a good cost and ROI.”
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, K-Cow Ranch, Box 1450, Elk Point, Alberta, Canada T0A 1A0 (ph 780-614-5959; kcowranch@gmail.com; www.kcow.ca).
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