Installation Manual

4
Selecting a suitable location for the antenna
Positioning the antenna within the crush/chute, weigh crate or drafter
The antenna is best installed on the outside of a crush/chute, weigh crate or drafter so that the antenna is not damaged by animal movement.
The positioning of the antenna is important to obtain an effective read of the EID tag. The diagram below shows the shape of the read zone (grey) in
relation to the size of the animal.
Antenna
Antenna
R
ead zone Read zone
EID tag
EID tag
Mounting distances for Tru-Test Cattle Antenna
The Tru-Test Cattle Antenna should be mounted approximately 200-400 mm from the front of the crush/chute, weigh crate or drafter. The bottom of
the antenna should be 500-700 mm above floor level.
Mounting distances for Tru-Test Sheep Antenna
The Tru-Test Sheep Antenna should be mounted approximately 100-200 mm from the front of the weigh crate or drafter. The bottom of the antenna
should be 100-200 mm above floor level.
Note: The measurements supplied are only a guide. The antenna position will vary depending on the size of the animals you are managing.
Positioning the antenna on the correct side of the crush/chute, weigh crate or drafter
For the best read results, the antenna should be positioned on the same side that the EID tags are affixed to the animal.
For cattle, Australian NLIS and New Zealand NAIT standards specify that EID tags must be attached to the animal’s right ear (when looking from the
back of the animal), therefore in these regions, the cattle antenna should be installed on the cow’s right hand side.
For sheep, standards vary. Install the sheep antenna to best suit your specific requirements.
Proximity to the XRP Reader
Ensure the antenna is installed within cable reach of the XRP Reader (<6 m).
Factors that may affect the installation
Read zone
The area in the crush/chute, weight crate or drafter where tags will be read is defined as the ‘read zone’. The approximate read zone for the antenna
is shown by the shaded area in this diagram: