If you are shopping for a livestock weighing system in the UK for the first time, Gallagher's range can look confusing. W0, TW-3, TWR-5 what do the letters and numbers mean, and which cattle or sheep weighing scales are right for your farm? This plain-English guide cuts through the jargon and gets you to the right answer quickly.
Three Questions Every Farmer Should Ask Before Buying Livestock Weighing Scales
Start by asking yourself three things. First: do you want to weigh only, or do you also need to read electronic EID tags? Second: do you want to record individual animal data breed, age, treatments, condition score against each animal? Third: are you typically working alone in the crush, or is there someone to help?
Your answers to those three questions will narrow the choice down fast.
Best Entry-Level Cattle Weighing Scale: The Gallagher W0
If accurate liveweight recording is all you need right now and electronic tagging is not a priority yet, the Gallagher W0 is your starting point. Straightforward to install on any crush or weighing platform, the W0 connects via Bluetooth to the free Gallagher Animal Performance App so your cattle or sheep weights go straight to the cloud without any manual data entry. You can add a separate EID stick reader to the system later via the app if your requirements change.
Best Mid-Range Cattle And Sheep Weighing System: W1, TW-1 AND TW-3
If you want to link individual animal weights to EID tag numbers, you need a system that connects to a stick reader. The W1 adds this via Bluetooth alongside Wi-Fi direct cloud upload. The TW-1 upgrades to a full-colour outdoor-readable touchscreen with built-in drafting brilliant for sorting cattle or sheep into treatment or market groups at the point of weighing. The TW-3 adds the ability to record up to three traits per session: age, breed, condition score, for example.
Best Professional Cattle Weighing And Eid System: Gallagher TWR-1 AND TWR-5
The TWR range is where serious livestock performance management begins. The key difference from TW models is the built-in integrated EID reader. Connect a fixed panel antenna to the side of your crush and cattle are identified automatically as they walk in no handheld reader, no extra operator required.
The TWR-1 handles automatic identification, accurate weighing and drafting by weight or ID. The TWR-5 adds nine-trait recording per session: liveweight, DLWG, pregnancy status, lameness score, medication records, breed, date of birth and more. For a one-person beef or sheep operation that wants to be fully hands-free at the crush, the TWR-5 with wireless load bars and a fixed panel antenna is the most efficient setup available.
Do I Need Wireless Load Bars For My Cattle Weighing System?
Every livestock weighing system needs load bars beneath the platform or crush. Gallagher offers both wired and uniquely on the UK market wireless load bars. The wireless models connect via Bluetooth to any Gallagher weigh head from the W1 upwards, run on a battery rated at ten years at typical farm use, and eliminate cable trip hazards and damage entirely. If you run cattle through a busy crush daily, wireless load bars pay for themselves quickly in reduced downtime and damaged cable costs.
Still Not Sure Which Livestock Weighing System Is Right For You?
Call the Dalton Supplies team on 01845 578 325 we stock the full Gallagher range and can advise on the right combination of weigh head, load bars and EID reader for your farm size, species and budget. We can also advise on what you need to comply with the January 2027 mandatory UK cattle EID legislation.
In need of more information? Read our complete guide to gallagher weighing & EID systems for UK cattle farmers.
