2.1 CHOOSE YOUR TRIAL WARMUP, TRIAL START AND TRIAL END DATES

Warmup Period: minimum 10-14-day warmup period for all Trial Types, there is no maximum warmup period length. It is the client’s responsibility to monitor animals during the warmup period.

Minimum Trial Length: Minimum trial lengths differ depending on the Trial Type. The appropriate trial length should be chosen for your required Trial Type.  

Remember: For all Trial Types a minimum of 35 days of valid feed intake data is required and there must be at least one valid intake day in the first five and the last five days of the trial.

For research trials that have less than 35 valid intake days, researchers can extract data using the data extraction tool, trials with less than 35 valid intake days do not meet the requirement to accurately measure average DMI.

The only source of feed must be the Vytelle SENSE troughs account for all feed intake.  In addition, bedding – if required for the animals – should not be a substance that the animals will consume (e.g. straw).

2.2 COMPLETE PRE-TRIAL CHECKLIST AND CALIBRATION

Before a new trial is started, the pre-trial checklist must be completed to notify Vytelle of the new trial. Technical Support Representatives do not monitor systems that have not completed a pre-trial checklist. 

It is important to complete a pre-trial checklist for Feed Intake and a pre-trial checklist for In-Pen Weighing if both systems are being used. The pre-trial checklist and IPW pre-trial checklist can be found on the DAQ software. The pre-trial checklist will walk you through the necessary hardware checks, it is also used for the system calibration. It is important these steps are completed either just prior to the warmup period or at the start of the warmup period to ensure your system is operating correctly, allowing Vytelle to appropriately verify your data. 

Pre-trial Checklist(s)

1. Enter the trial warmup date, trial start date and estimated trial finish date

2. Choose the appropriate pre-trial checklist for your trial type:

3. Physically examine the system and complete the procedures laid out on the pre-trial checklist

4. When using a IPW system, fill out the IPW pre-trial checklist in the same manner as the pre-trial checklist and select the IPW trial type. Ensure that the dates for the IPW checklist are the same, and for the same pens, as the feed intake pre-trial checklist.

Refer to the User Introduction Training document for further details and calibration instructions.

2.3 DEFINE PEN GROUPS AND TRIAL GROUPS

To accurately evaluate performance, animals on trial must be arranged into proper Pen Groups and Trial Groups. Pen Group and Trial Group guidelines have been set to minimize issues related to feeding dominance and to isolate differences in performance and efficiency from other potentially confounding effects, while also remaining commercially viable. 

Pen Groups: the animals that will share the same pen for the duration of the trial. To avoid issues with feeding dominance, animals within a Pen Group should always be of the same sex and similar size, with a weight difference of no more than 450 lb. (205 kg) at the start of the trial.

Trial Groups: the animals that will be compared against one another in the trial analysis. Trial Groups can consist of animals from different pens, and pens can have more than one Trial Group within them.

Trial Group Requirements:

1. Age: 8-18 months of age, with maximum age range of 90 days.

2. Sex: same sex.

3. Size: maximum weight range of 450 lb. (205 kg) at the start of trial.

4. Group Size: for RFI trials, a minimum four valid animals are required at end of the trial.

5. Origin: similar origin. 

a. As much as possible, cattle with the same origin will be maintained in the same Trial Group for analysis. If cattle do not meet the trial group requirements (i.e. age, sex, size) they may be omitted from the analysis or included with animals of another origin.

Animals that do not meet the Trial Group requirements may be omitted from the trial results. If Pen Group and/or Trial Group requirements are not met, trial results may be categorized as Unverified or Void.

2.4 ENSURE ANIMALS ON TRIAL HAVE APPROPRIATE TAGS

All animals on trial should be tagged with a new single use HDX  RFID  ICAR compliant tag in accordance with the User Introduction Training manual and Vytelle Tagging Guidelines. Tags are never to be reused. 

2.5 BEGIN WARMUP PERIOD

Start the warmup period by introducing the animals to the pen that they will be in during the trial; at this point they should be organized into the Pen Groups that they will be tested in. The warmup period is designed to acclimatize animals to the system and to ensure that all hardware is working properly. Animals must be tagged with half-duplex RFID tags during this period. Refer to the checklist in Appendix A to determine whether you are ready to begin your trial.

Warmup Period Tasks: 

1. Check Action Items and Trial Notes daily for troubleshooting items and procedures.

2. Check Reduced Intakes program and View Animal Weights program daily to ensure that animals are accessing the system and that they have regular feed intakes and weights.

a. If not utilizing IPW, check Daily Intakes program for a total count of animals. 

3. Maintain a consistent feeding pattern.

a. Ensure animals have ad libitum access to feed.

b. Be cautious of overfeeding as it can cover the antenna in the bunk and interfere with tag reads. Refer to the How to Feed a Vytelle Bunk section in the User Introduction Training manual for more details.

c. Do not pile feed up on the animal side of the bunk as it can interfere with tag reads.

d. Promptly replace lost EID tags and notify your technical services representative when the tag has been replaced.

All warmup period tasks should be completed in accordance with the User Introduction Training manual. Warmup periods that do not meet the requirements outlined in the manual may be subject to extension, which has the potential to push back trial start and trial end dates. It is the client’s responsibility to monitor all animals during the warmup period.

2.6 BEGIN TRIAL AND COLLECT ON-TEST WEIGHTS

The trial will automatically begin on the trial start date selected in the pre-trial checklist and listed in your trial info as long as the warm-up period was successful. Requirements for collection of on-test weights differs depending on the type of trial being run.

Collecting On-Test Weights

Monitor the beginning of your trial closely, you must have at least 1 day of valid feed intake data in the first 5 days of the trial.

2.7 RUN YOUR TRIAL

Run a sound and valid feed efficiency trial by following the trial tasks listed below, most of the tasks have been carried over from the warmup period. Refer to the User Introduction Training manual for further details.

Trial Period Tasks:

1. Check Action Items program and Trial Notes program daily for troubleshooting items and procedures.

2. Check Reduced Intakes program and View Animal Weights program daily to ensure that animals are accessing the system and that they have regular feed intakes and weights.

a. If not utilizing IPW, check Daily Intakes program for a total count of animals.

3. Maintain a consistent feeding pattern.

a. Ensure animals have ad libitum access to feed.

b. Be cautious of overfeeding as it can cover the antenna in the bunk and interfere with tag reads. Refer to the How to Feed a Vytelle Bunk section in the User Introduction Training manual for more details.

c. Do not pile feed up on the animal side of the bunk as it can interfere with tag reads.

4. Promptly replace lost EID tags and notify your technical services representative when the tag has been replaced.

5. Determine your ration’s dry matter content by doing a nutrient analysis.

a. Collecting several feed samples throughout the trial will provide a more accurate representation of the ration’s dry matter content.

b. If you change rations throughout the trial be sure to keep clear records of when the rations were changed and collect samples of each ration as each of their dry matter contents are required.

6. Collect chute weights:

When approaching the end of your trial period, monitor the number of days of valid feed intake data. You must have at least 1 day of valid feed intake data in the last 5 days of the trial period.

2.8 TRIAL END AND OFF-TEST WEIGHTS

The trial will automatically finish on the trial end date selected and listed in your trial info. Before completing the trial period, ensure that your trial has the necessary number of chute weights and valid days of feed intake data. Refer to the Valid Trial Criteria table below to ensure that you have met the requirements for your trial type, refer to the checklist in Appendix A to determine whether all trial requirements have been met.

Collect Off-Test Weights

Valid Trial Criteria:

Notify your technical services representative if you wish to extend your trial period prior to the original trial end date.