Drafting (sorting) using the 5000 indicator

Draft animals by weight or set up your own criteria for drafting animals

Brad Nieper avatar
Written by Brad Nieper
Updated over a week ago

You may want to draft (sort) animals based on performance or genetic gain. We look at two common ways drafts are set up: drafting by weight or rules-based drafting.

Note: Depending on the country settings of your 5000 indicator, the term drafting or sorting may be used. They are the same thing.

Setting up the 5000 indicator to draft

Follow these instructions whenever you want to set up a draft.

  1. Power on your 5000 indicator and select New Session.

  2. Name your session and press Start Session.

  3. Go to Options and Drafting Settings.
    Note: If you can't see Drafting Settings, drafting is turned off. Drafting must be turned on to draft animals. Turn drafting on by navigating from the Home screen, to Settings and Drafting. Select Turn drafting ON and set drafting direction. You will need to follow the steps through to set up a draft, or watch the videos below to see how to do this.

  4. Select Change other draft settings to follow the steps, or watch the videos below to see how to do this.

Drafting by weight

The example below shows you how to set up a three-way draft for low, mid and high weight animals.

Watch the video to learn:

  • How to turn on the drafting setting

  • Sorting animals by weight

  • Setting up a three-way draft

  • Choosing our recommended ID setting for drafts

  • Entering the weight criteria to draft by

Tip: Pause the video at any point to follow along on your 5000 indicator.

Rules based drafting

The rules based drafting feature is an extremely flexible way to select your animals based on any criteria such as weight, sex and/or breed.

The example below shows you how to set up a draft to cull non-Angus animals less than 500 kg, and draft Angus heifers more than 500 kg.

Watch the video to learn:

  • How to set up a new draft direction and rule for drafting

Tip: Pause the video at any point to follow along on your 5000 indicator.

Some extra, useful information

Below are some further explanations of the 5000 indicator settings and screens, whether you are drafting by weight or your own set-up rules.

REC key and ID settings

The Drafting Settings screen when drafting by weight

Tip: Keep your draft label rules to less than 5 characters

The 5000 indicator screen when drafting by weight

The Drafting Settings screen when drafting by rules

The Edit Rule screen

Note: Animals must meet all the conditions set up in your rule for them to draft.

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