Celebrating 50 years of Tal-Tec: The evolution of livestock handling

Greg Talbot, CEO of Tal-Tec. Source: Supplied.

Innovation

Five decades ago, farming relied heavily on manual labour. Technological and scientific advances combined with equipment innovations, however, have had a big impact on how farms are worked and managed, positively impacting productivity.

Tal-Tec, a proudly South African manufacturer of livestock handling equipment, celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. The business was founded after the invention of a ‘Spray Race’ by farmer Peter Talbot to dip livestock, replacing the traditional plunge dip through which cattle had to swim. Tal-Tec has since added a number of innovative livestock handling and management products to its line-up, in the process becoming a trusted provider of quality equipment that is able to stand the test of time.

Greg Talbot, CEO of Tal-Tec, says the evolution of farming practices has had an impact on the design and function of farming equipment. “In the livestock farming industry, one of the most significant shifts has been the commercialisation of the beef industry to feedlots which has changed the way the beef industry supplies the market. Farmers remain the primary producers, breeding weaner calves. If the farm doesn’t have its own feedlot, it will sell its weaner calves to feedlots when they are around seven months old. The aim of feedlots is to increase the weight of cattle through an intensive feeding system. Appropriate equipment such as scales to track each animal’s weight gain play an important role in this process,” he says.

The establishment of feedlots has had a direct impact on the number of abattoirs found around the country. While even smaller towns used to boast an abattoir, that’s no longer the case, with most large feedlots now owning their own abattoirs or having an interest in an abattoir, reveals Talbot.

Globally, precision livestock farming using sensors, robotics and big data analytics is helping to boost production and reduce losses by providing real-time insights. Many feedlot operations are using these technologies to record data and use these insights to inform their decision making. Not only are digital ear tags allowing farmers to track the location of their livestock but by integrating artificial intelligence into the tag technology, they also allow farmers to monitor the health and wellbeing of animals via movement and body temperature. Livestock scales with built-in technologies allow animals to be identified and weighed and the data captured in real time while automated sorters such as Tal-Tec’s Auto Drafter, can sort livestock according to age, gender and weight.

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“The challenge is that although these advanced technologies do exist, not all farmers in South Africa can afford them or are prepared to sign up for the subscription services which accompany them which is why we ensure that in addition to these tech-enabled products, we also offer more affordable entry-level products. Not surprisingly however, younger and more tech-savvy farmers are embracing new technologies faster than their older counterparts,” reveals Talbot.

Economy

Tal-Tec, he reveals, has been fortunate to survive economic upturns and downturns, floods and droughts and even outbreaks of diseases. The secret to the company’s longevity, says Talbot, has been listening to the needs of farmers and then designing fit for purpose equipment. Since 1994, the company has expanded its product line by 400%. Demand for its product range exploded with the establishment of a website in 2000. While the bulk of the company’s business is in South Africa, the company has also expanded its footprint to Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Zambia.

“We have always been very focused on manufacturing quality products that stand the test of time. Tal-Tec’s neck clamps and mobile equipment, the latter of which alleviates the need to bring livestock to a central point but instead allows farmers to manage and treat animals in even remote areas of the farm, are good examples of strong and durable products that just keep working as they are intended to,” says Talbot. “Farmers have enough risks and uncertainties that they are having to deal with on a daily basis; the last thing they need is malfunctioning or poor quality equipment. For the past 50 years we have prided ourselves on producing quality equipment that is robust, affordable and designed to withstand the harsh conditions prevalent on the African continent and look forward to continuing that legacy in the years to come.”