Embracing Precision Farming in the Scottish Borders with Tru-Test
Robert Neill has been farming in the Scottish Borders at Upper Nisbet for 25 years, where he lives with his wife Jacqueline and their two sons, Andrew and Harry. A fourth-generation farmer, Robert has farming in his blood and brings a genuine enthusiasm to the industry. His passion for agriculture has seen him take on key leadership roles, including serving as Vice President of NFU Scotland and as a former Chairman of the prestigious AgriScot business event.
Upper Nisbet is a mixed farm consisting of arable crops and a suckler beef enterprise, covering a total of 1,700 acres. Of this, 1,000 acres are dedicated to cereals and 700 acres to grass. The farm runs approximately 350 suckler cows, mainly calving Limousin cross Friesian, alongside 35 pedigree Limousin cows bred specifically to produce bulls. All progeny is taken through to finishing, grown on home-produced fodder
For over 30 years, Robert has been a user of Datamars products, including the Tru-Test range of readers, weigh heads, and load bars, as well as Speedrite/Pel electric fencing and Z Tags for livestock identification.
During a recent visit to the farm, Robert shared how these tools have contributed to his farm’s efficiency and precision, helping him make informed business decisions.
Precision Livestock Management
When asked how the Tru-Test range has impacted his ability to optimise practices, improve productivity, and protect animal health, Robert explained:
“The Tru-Test product range has really helped our beef enterprise. The number one thing for us is weigh bars and weigh head. If you can’t measure and optimize the output of your cattle, it’s all a bit wasteful. Especially when treating disease by worming, and antibiotics, we are all under pressure from the government to be more precise.
Precision farming is where we are now, hitting the right disease with the right product, in the right amount, so that there is no overdosing or underdosing. Making sure the product is doing its job efficiently on the ground.”
Robert has used Tru-Test weigh head indicators since the early 1990s. When asked which product he values most, he said:
“My favourite Tru-Test product has to be the weigh head. We’re now using the XR5000. We’ve come through from using the basic weigh head in the early ’90s, and as the product has developed, we’ve always upgraded. The XR5000 is now my digital medicine book – it connects to my phone, syncs with the app, and at the end of the day, it all flows seamlessly back to our software in the office where we crunch numbers and make business decisions”
Protecting The Infrastructure with Electric Fencing
At Upper Nisbet, the farm is defined by its natural features – including traditional dry-stone walls, which are both valuable and vulnerable. With cattle on the land, protecting these walls is essential, and electric fencing plays a critical role in preventing damage to them, so electric fencing is used to help prevent any damage that could occur by the livestock.
When asked what energiser he uses and how important they are to the farm, Robert responded:
“PEL & Speedrite products help us protect those walls. We’ve got a mains energizer that runs 11 km of electric fencing, and solar energizers, the S5100 and S1000, I believe. These are fantastic for temporary fences across fields where there’s no access to permanent power. And a great feature, especially with the mains energizer, is the remote control. If you’re out in the pasture and need to fix something, you can switch off the fence there and then, sort the issue, and switch it back on – job done.”
Tagging Calves Made Simpler
With breeding livestock on the farm, tagging newborn calves is one of the more challenging and time-consuming tasks. With so many livestock tag options on the market, Robert has relied on Z Tags from Datamars for many years.
When asked why he continues to choose the Datamars range, he explained:
“It was the Z tag that got me into Datamars, the retention, flexibility, fast turnaround, and backup. If you need technical help, there’s always someone on the phone. That’s what sets them apart.”
With many options available in the Z Tag range, including EID and tissue sample tags, Robert confirmed his preferred choice for tagging calves:
“For newborn calves, I like the medium-sized primary tag. The large flag tags are more likely to be caught and ripped out on fences. And obviously, we use electronic tags for everything on the farm. Smaller tags equals better retention. And the turnaround on replacements has been great, never any issues.”
System Compatibility and Ease of Use
Using such a wide range of Datamars Livestock products, we asked Robert how well he felt the different tools complemented each other on the farm?
“Absolutely. The stick reader connects to the weigh head; the weigh bars work with any weigh head, it’s all compatible. Everything’s been thought through methodically. Great products from a great company.”
Every farm relies on a range of tools to support daily operations. When asked which Datamars product stood out as most critical to his farm, Robert had no hesitation:
“Absolutely – the weigh bars and weigh head are critical. The durability and adaptability are second to none. We’ve got three building sites on this holding, and having the stick reader and the ability to take the weigh head to all sites using the same equipment is a no-brainer. Coming from a dairy background, you’re used to monitoring milk production twice a day and it’s the same for beef and sheep. If you can’t track daily liveweight gains, you don’t know if your nutrition is right. Sometimes, it tells you whether you need to sack the nutritionist.”
Industry Perspective and the Future of UK Beef
As current Vice President of NFU Scotland, Robert plays a prominent role in representing farmers in his region. We asked him what trends he’s observed in the beef industry, the challenges it faces, and where he sees it heading over the next 5 to 10 years?
“Trends in the beef sector in Scotland are worrying. The demise of the suckler cow is due to poor profitability, a lack of young people entering the industry, and the hard nature of the work. For the first time in two and a half decades, we’re starting to see change, real profitability and that’s essential. We need profitable enterprises to invest in infrastructure like cattle sheds and handling systems. But more importantly, we need confidence to invest in the next generation. I’d love to see suckler cow numbers increase, not decrease.”
Customer Service and Support
Datamars offers an extensive range of well-recognised brands within the livestock industry, including Tru-Test, Speedrite, Simcro, NJ Phillips, and Z Tags. Beyond products, the company is committed to putting the farmer first and that includes strong after-sales support and customer service.
We asked Robert how his experience with Datamars’ customer service and aftercare had been:
“Second to none. I’m fortunate, I live quite close to the UK HQ in Selkirk and can drive in. There’s a personal touch. The team are dedicated, and having a repair center in Scotland is vital for quick turnaround and making sure everything’s working properly.”
A True Partnership
Having discussed the full range of products and services Datamars offers UK farmers, we asked Robert whether he believes Datamars Livestock truly supports the UK farming community.
“Yes – absolutely. They want a return on their investment, and so do we. It’s a partnership. We all have to work together.”
In Conclusion
Robert Neill’s experience shows how Datamars Livestock products not only support efficient farm management but also contribute to the future sustainability of UK beef production. From precision weighing and electronic identification to reliable tagging, fencing, and seamless data integration, the tools are built to work together, enabling better decisions, healthier livestock, and improved productivity. Combined with a reactive aftercare team and a strong local support network, Datamars offers more than just products: it provides peace of mind and a true partnership for forward-thinking farmers like Robert, making a measurable difference across all aspects of farming and production.