There is a lot of this sort of thing that goes on behind the scenes at Optiweigh, ie the tech guys out in the paddock at Glenbrook (our place) with a computer and testing equipment.
They enjoy getting out into the paddock … every now and then. It’s a bit of a break from sitting at their desks playing solitaire (not true of course, they are an unreal team and do an amazing job, but that’s our in-house joke).
We’re working on a fascinating project and installing a camera on the Unit to start working on getting imagery that can tell us (and you) more about the animal than just the weight.
Putting a camera on sounded easy to me. Never in a million years would I have guessed how much work it takes to write all the code to get the images at the right time, save them, and send them to the cloud and then make them available on the website for viewing.
It’s a work in progress. We will get there, but don’t ask for it on your unit tomorrow!
Anyway, while we were there the heifers came around and with their various levels of interest in the unit. It struck me as being remarkably similar to the types of reactions we see to the adoption of AgTech by livestock producers.
In both cases the animal (heifer or human) is asking the same thing: is there enough in this for me?
And it’s absolutely the right question to ask – is it worth the cost/effort to get to the benefits.
The stance of the various groups of heifers here really does mimic what has been called the Technology Adoption Lifecycle:
- The early adopters are the ones prepared to take the risk on the cost/effort just to see and experience the benefits themselves and they also get the advantage of easier access.
- Then come the interested onlookers (referred to by ChatGPT as ‘The Majority’) – those who hope the benefit is worth it but want some more proof before they barge in. The later adopters from this group want to see the technology become a bit more mainstream before they jump in.
- The last group are commonly (but a bit unfairly I’d say) called ‘The Laggards’. They are sceptics and traditionalists and won’t change unless they are forced to.
The trick with AgTech is that the benefits are not always fully apparent until you get there – just as they aren’t for the heifer that took the risk to walk up to the Optiweigh.
That’s why we work hard and dedicate resources to ensure that once you take the plunge it is only just the start of helping you realise the benefits you were hoping to achieve.
So, regardless of whether you’re an early adopter, a majority or a laggard, regardless of whether you own an Optiweigh or are thinking of buying one – talk to our team to let them help you understand where there might be more opportunities for dividends from your investment.
We’re just a free call away on 1300 678 493.