Our NZ man on the ground, Scott Higgins joined host Dom on the Rural Exchange podcast for a wee chat. Here’s the gist:
From Tasmania to Canterbury: Bringing Optiweigh to New Zealand
After six years farming in Tasmania, Scott Higgins has returned home to North Canterbury to lead Optiweigh’s expansion into New Zealand. With a background in livestock and hands-on farming systems, Scott now heads up Sales and Support for Optiweigh NZ, working directly with farmers to roll out real-time, in-paddock weighing technology across the country.
A Farming Journey Across Continents
Scott’s path back to New Zealand wasn’t a straight line. Originally heading to Tasmania for a short harvest stint, he ended up staying for six years—building and running his own fencing business through COVID and gaining deep experience in mixed farming systems.
“Tasmania is a bit like Canterbury 10–15 years ago,” Scott says. “Plenty of opportunity, good country, and strong livestock systems.”
Before that, Scott also spent time in Canada working on a deer farm and hunting estate, experiencing intensive feeding systems in extreme climates.
“It was -30°C in winter and didn’t get above 5°C for five months. You adapt, but you definitely appreciate coming back to a more forgiving climate.”
Launching Optiweigh in New Zealand
Optiweigh, developed in Australia, has already proven itself globally, with more than 1,700 units operating across four continents. Now, with growing demand from Kiwi farmers, the company has established a local presence.
“We’d had units in New Zealand for a few years, but interest kept building,” Scott explains. “Now we’re on the ground, supporting farmers directly and getting the technology into more systems.”
Shipments are already arriving, and selling quickly.
What Optiweigh Does (and Why It Matters)
At its core, Optiweigh gives farmers something they’ve never consistently had before, daily weight gain data from the paddock. So instead of relying on occasional yard weighing, farmers can monitor livestock performance continuously.
“The dairy industry measures production every day,” Scott says. “But in sheep and beef, you might only weigh monthly. This fills that gap—it’s real-time feedback from your paddock.”
How It Works
Optiweigh uses a front-foot weighing system:
- Animals step onto the unit to access a supplement (e.g. salt or molasses)
- The unit captures a partial weight and converts it into full bodyweight
- EID tags are scanned where available
- Data is sent to the cloud and delivered daily to your phone or email
The system automatically cleans the data, so repeat visits from the same animal don’t skew results.
Built for Real Farm Conditions
The units are designed to handle tough livestock and environments.
“They’re solid — about 400kg — so they’re not going anywhere, even with big bulls giving them a nudge,” Scott says.
Optiweigh currently supports cattle and sheep (but there’s ongoing work with deer and goats).
Practical Insights, Not Just Data
The real value isn’t just the weights, it’s what farmers can do with them. Optiweigh helps identify:
- Parasites or animal health issues early
- Feed quality problems
- Water issues
- Underperforming mobs
- Feed and forage optimisation
“If animals are trending down, you know straight away and can act. If they’re performing, you can push them harder or make decisions sooner.”
Proven in New Zealand Conditions
New Zealand farmers are already seeing results. At a recent field day at Glenary Station, the team demonstrated how they’re using Optiweigh alongside grazing systems to:
- Monitor weight gain by paddock
- Optimise rotation timing
- Hit target weights faster
“It’s about knowing when stock are finished in a paddock and when to shift,” Scott says.
See It for Yourself
Optiweigh is still new to New Zealand, but momentum is building quickly. You’ll be able to see the system in action at upcoming Field Days at Mystery Creek. For those in Canterbury, Optiweigh’s headquarters are in Rangiora.
Want to learn more?
Visit optiweigh.co.nz or get in touch with the team to see how real-time weight data can improve your operation.