MS Schippers MS PigScale Piglet Scale Instruction Manual
- June 29, 2024
- MS Schippers
Table of Contents
MS Schippers MS PigScale Piglet Scale
Specifications
- MS PigScale (newborn scale) 4309749
- MS PigScale piglet weigher 4309731
- MS PigScale porker weigher 4309732
Product Information
The MS PigScale is an automatic, freestanding, movable, and intelligent weighing system that pigs can enter voluntarily and independently. It allows you to manage your business based on real-time data. You can monitor growth and activity directly with ease. The MS PigScale provides the easiest way to obtain these data without additional labor.
Usage Instructions
Safety Precautions and Instructions
The MS PigScale complies with safety regulations within the= European
Union. The following symbols are used in this manual for safe and proper use
- Tip: Indicates a tip.
- Attention: Indicates a general point of attention.
- High Voltage: Indicates a situation where extra caution is required to avoid direct contact with electrically charged parts.
Placement of the PigScale
Here are some practical tips for successful placement of the PigScale
- Placement in the Pen: The PigScale will be delivered on a pallet. You will find 2 grid anchors with or near the PigScale. Place the anchor under the grid and tighten the knob securely. Move the PigScale back and forth to exert maximum force.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
-
Q: How do I contact customer service for questions about the PigScale?
- You can contact our customer service at 0031-(0)497339787 or email klantenservice.nl@schippers.eu / klantenservice.be@schippers.eu for any inquiries regarding the PigScale.
MS PigScale
Introduction
This manual provides instructions on installing, using and maintaining MS
PigScale – to ensure correct installation and operation. You should only
perform installation after carefully reading and understanding this manual.
Improper use of the installation could cause danger or damage to the
installation or other goods and materials. Therefore, only use the
installation in technically perfect condition, and only for the purpose for
which it was designed.
No technical changes to the installation are permitted, unless the manufacturer has given express written permission. Without the abovementioned permission, the manufacturer’s warranty becomes void. This guide contains information regarding operation, maintenance and tracing and troubleshooting faults. You should take note of all relevant information in this manual before installing or operating the system. This is important for averting material damage and personal injury. Careful and precise assembly results in good operation.
In the design of this installation, MS Schippers has given special attention to safety during installation, operation and maintenance. However, it remains the user’s responsibility to observe the safety regulations during working operations.
The MS PigScale is an automatic, freestanding, portable and intelligent weighing system that pigs enter voluntarily and independently. In this way, the MS PigScale offers you the possibility to manage your business based on current data. Growth and activity can be monitored directly. The MS PigScale is the easiest way to obtain these data without extra work! The practical advantages
- A fully automatic weighing system – thus labour-free weighing
- Free access means zero stress
- Easy to install in the housing
- Durable stainless steel
Research shows that less than 10% of fattening pig farmers weigh their pigs during a cycle. Weighing is labour intensive, and often causes stress with associated growth loss. That is a shame, because “keeping an eye on weight” broadly determines profitability. Continuously monitoring the growth of your pigs provides a wealth of information regarding the feeding schedule, slaughter data and technical results. In addition, pigs can be delivered at the right weight.
In tests at the “Varkens Innovatie Centrum” (VIC – Pig Innovation Centre)in Sterksel, the scale scored an accuracy of 97.6% compared to calibrated manual weighings.
Provisions
MS Schippers assumes no responsibility for errors contained herein or for any
direct or indirect damages or consequential damages of any nature whatsoever
arising from or in connection with provision, function or use of this
document.
MS Schippers reserves the right to make changes, at any time, without prior notice, to the MS PigScale’s construction or the information in the manual, without any resulting obligation to apply these changes to products already delivered.
In case of misuse, the manufacturer’s guarantee and responsibility becomes void.
Technical specifications
Central control box
Electrical
Input: 230 VAC
Dimensions
The MS Pigscale is available in three models. One model for fattening pigs
(20-150 kg), one model for piglets (5-35 kg) and one model for the farrowing
pen (0 – 10 kg).
MS PigScale (newborn scale) 4309749
MS PigScale (newborn scale) technical data
- Length : 55 cm
- Width : 27 cm
- Height : 45 cm
- Weight : 24 kg
MS PigScale weaner weigher 4309731
MS PigScale weaner weigher technical data
- Length : 95 cm
- Width : 35 cm
- Height : 63 cm
- Weight : 34 kg
MS PigScale fattener weigher 4309732
MS PigScale fattener weigher technical data
- Length : 130 cm
- Width : 56 cm
- Height : 120 cm
- Weight : 60 kg
Precautionary measures and safety instructions
The MS PigScale complies with safety regulations applicable within the European Union.
The following symbols are used in this manual, to ensure proper and safe use of the MS PigScale
Installing the PigScale
Attached you will find some practical tips for successful MS PigScale installation. If you have any questions please contact our Customer Service department on 0031-(0)497-339787 or via klantenservice.nl@schippers.eu / klantenservice.be@schippers.eu
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Installing the PigScale in your housing
The PigScale is supplied on a pallet. You will find two grating fasteners on or next to the PigScale. Slide the fastener under the grating and screw it tight. Move the PigScale back and forth to ensure maximum force while tightening. -
Fitting the antenna
The PigScale comes with a glass fiber antenna and an antenna support. This allows you to place the antenna in a position for optimal reception of the GPRS signal. The antenna should always be mounted in a vertical position and preferably on the outside of the stable for an optimal signal. -
fitting the antenna cable
Attached to the pigscale is an antenna cable of 10 meters. Bring it to the antenna. Make sure that the pigs cannot reach the cable! Then mount the cable to the antenna. Preferably seal the connector with tape. -
Electrical supply
Make sure that there is an earthed 230 Volt power supply available at the PigScale’s location. Put the plug into the power outlet. NOTE – Make sure that the antenna is connected before connecting the power. -
Monitoring the PigScale’s activity
This transparent cover allows you to remove the circuit board see. To ensure correct operation, the following are required leds to burn- POWER led (Red, Pigscale has voltage)
- LD1 SERVER (Red, connection to the server)
- LD3 POWER(Green, module has voltage)
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In the pathway to water/feed
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Against the pen divider
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Between a wall and a pen divider
-
A walk through from one pen to another will often produce
Sideways in the pen Allow sufficient space for easy entrance and exit, even when animals are heavier
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Smart passage from one pen to another, retaining the pen divider construction
For the Pigscale to work well, it is important that you start a new round with
the correct starting weight of the animals. After a round, a scale will
typically begin a new round automatically if no weighings have been recorded
for 2 days.
Please note : the scale must remain connected to a power source for this
to work.
The new weighing round will then be automatically started at the starting weight and the starting age known during the most recent round. The Pigscale will, as soon as new animals arrive in the division, record weights again.
If it happens that the starting weight deviates from the previous starting weight by more than 25%, we recommend that you contact our customer service department.
MY SCHIPPERS (data display)
How do I access ‘’My Schippers’’?
Go to the MS Schippers website http://www.schippers.nl and log in, using
your username and password.
If you do not have an account on our website, you can request it by clicking
on New client? Register here! (see figure 1 below).
Once logged in, a menu will show (see figure 2), and you can choose My Schippers
What can I see and setup on ‘’My Schippers’’?
You can see an example of the “My Schippers” page below (figure 3) .
Select PigScale
If you have multiple PigScales, who use the “My Schippers” environment, you
can select the PigScale from which you require data from the list provided
here(see figure 4).
Click on the Change name button to allocate a different name to the selected PigScale. (A maximum of 30 characters is allowed)
New round
This is fully automatic, and the new round shows directly in “My Schippers”.
A new round starts automatically when
- The pig scale does not detect any measurements over a period of 48 hours
- The reduction of weights measured between two weighings is so much that it indicates a new round has started
Select the cycle
Choose one of the cycles that the selected PigScales have “processed” (also
see figure 4).
By default, the last (most current) cycle is preselected and displayed.
When there is only one cycle available, the select option will be disabled.
After selecting the cycle, click on the Change name button, if you want to
allocate a different name to the selected cycle. (Here too, only 30 characters
are allowed)
Compare with cycle
It is possible to compare the selected cycle with an earlier cycle – if there
is one previous to the cycle now in question available.
Put the switch in the On position (see figure 5) and then choose the cycle you
want to use for the comparison.
If the comparison option is switched off, there is an automatic comparison
with the average figures for all the available cycles.
General/Current information
At the top right corner, the “My Schippers’ page shows the general and any
updated information for the selected PigScale and cycle. When dealing with the
current or last cycle, the following is displayed (see figure 6).
NOTE – When an earlier round is selected, only the start and end dates of the selected round are shown!
PigScale status
At the extreme top right corner, the “My Schippers” page shows the current
PigScale’s status.
A red LED indicates that there has been no data from the selected PigScale in
the last 24 hours. If data has been received, the LED is green.
NOTE – It take a while before the first data is received and processed in the “My Schippers” environment!
In most cases of a red LED, you will see the following message (figure 7).
The data is buffered in the PigScale itself, and there will be no loss of data in most cases.
PigScale ID
This is the PigScale’s unique identification number. This is marked in the
control box, which has a transparent cover that makes it easy to read the
number.
Number of days in the current cycle
This shows the last day (number) when a measurement was received. This is
dependent on the set age and date of introduction (see section 2.4.6).
Current weight
The last measured weight shows here.
Start/end of cycle
This shows the date of the first and last registered measurement.
Age and date of introduction
The introduction date and age can be entered for each PigScale cycle. This
ensures correct display of animal ages in the charts. This is especially
important when you want to compare two cycles (in charts).
If you have not entered any data, you will get a message (see figure 8) and
the pencil icon will glow red.
Click on the pencil to enter them. These data will be stored with this cycle, and you can always modify them, as long as the cycle is active.
Pig growth, last day
In this chart (figure 9) you can you can see the average pig weight gain on
the last day, and the average weight gain per day so far in the selected
cycle.
When you have selected an earlier cycle, i.e. not the current one, only the
“Average for this cycle” bar will show!
Weight chart
In the weight chart (see figure 10 and 11) you can see the weight gain
progress through time, for the selected range.
In addition, you can see what the weight was on a certain day and compare it
to the weight on the same day (number) in a selected previous cycle (see
section 2.4) or with the average weight of all the previous rounds.
You can get more information on a specific day in a cycle by moving the mouse over, or clicking on, the corresponding chart point for that day. You can see an example in the image below (figure 12).
Select display range
When there are available measurements for 5 days or more, you can choose a
data display range of days between specific dates, for both the weight and
growth charts.
By moving the left and/or right “sliders” (see figure 13), you can change the
range.
You can also move/change the selected range by dragging the orange bar to the
left or right or by using the mouse wheel while the cursor is over the orange
bar.
The selected range also shows above the selection bar.
The scale in both charts automatically adjusts to the selected range!
Growth chart
The growth chart shows the growth curve for the selected range and, as with the weight chart, you can retrieve “detailed” information by using the mouse on the chart.
Remarks on a cycle
It is possible to add (and remove) one or more remarks about the active round.
Adding a remark
Click on Add a remark and a form will appear for entries (see figure 15).
Enter the relevant date and the remark. Click on Save to register the remark.
Once a comment is added, a red asterisk (star) shows on the relevant date and this allows you to see the remark by holding your cursor over it. (See figure 16.)
In addition, the remark is added to “Overview of remarks” at the bottom of the “My Schippers” page. (Figure 17.)
Deleting remarks
To delete a remark, go to the overview at the bottom of the “My Schippers”
page, and click on the recycle bin behind the remark you want to delete.
Export a cycle to Excel
You can export the selected round to an Excel file by clicking the Export
cycle to Excel button. The file will be automatically saved.
NOTE – Downloading can take a while.