The world of agritech is constantly evolving, but every now and then, we see a piece of technology that truly feels like it’s moved the needle. New Zealand-based startup Scanabull is doing exactly that by bringing high-end computer vision and artificial intelligence to the paddock.
They have just announced a A$1 million (NZ$1.1 million) funding raise to help scale their world-first system. This technology is designed to estimate cattle weight instantly using nothing more than a smartphone or custom hardware.
For those of us who follow the intersection of hardware and software, this is a fascinating use case for the sensors already sitting in our pockets. By using the LiDAR sensor on an iPhone Pro, Scanabull is removing the need for traditional, expensive weigh platforms.
Real-time data for the beef supply chain
Traditionally, weighing cattle has been a bit of a logistical nightmare for farmers and meat processors. It usually involves mustering animals into yards and processing them through physical weigh scales, which is both time-consuming and labour-intensive.
Beyond the manual labour, the process is incredibly stressful for the animals involved. In many cases, the stress of being yarded can actually lead to short-term weight loss, which makes the whole exercise feel a bit counter-productive.
Because of these hurdles, much of the beef industry still relies on visual estimation rather than hard data. When you consider how much money is on the line based on the weight of a herd, relying on “guesswork” seems like a massive inefficiency in 2026.
How the technology works
The secret sauce behind Scanabull is how it handles data processing. The system captures a 3D scan of the animal to create a detailed point cloud, which is then analysed by proprietary neural networks.
What makes this particularly impressive is that the AI processing happens directly on the device, also known as edge computing. This means farmers don’t need a high-speed 5G connection in the middle of a remote paddock for the app to work.
“No one is running neural networks at this speed on edge devices for livestock applications. Scanabull has developed our own proprietary architecture and training models to make it possible”
Dan Bull, Co-Founder and CEO, Scanabull.
The model is capable of processing spatial data at roughly 30 times per second. This allows the system to deliver a weight estimate in about one second, which is a game-changer for efficiency on the farm.
Precision at scale
Currently, the system is boasting over 93% accuracy on individual animals, with even higher accuracy when looking at an entire mob. That’s a significant level of precision for a tool that requires zero physical contact with the livestock.
The technology has been trained on over 100,000 animal data points to date. As more farmers use the system and more scans are captured, the AI will only continue to get smarter and more accurate.
Scanabull is currently offering two main ways to use the tech. There is the WeighApp for iPhone Pro users and a custom hardware device called the Scanabull Weigh Point for automatic weighing in the paddock.
Improving industry transparency
The lack of objective data has long been a pain point for everyone from the farmer to the meat processor. Without accurate weight data, buying and selling livestock becomes a game of estimates that can lead to significant financial discrepancies.
“Many animals are bought and sold based on visual estimates rather than objective measurements. When those estimates are wrong, it can result in significant financial differences for farmers, traders and processors”
Dan Bull, Co-Founder and CEO, Scanabull.
By introducing a fast and reliable way to get this data, Scanabull is hoping to bring a new level of transparency to the sector. This visibility allows farmers to make much better decisions about exactly when to send their stock to market.
“The beef sector is still heavily reliant on estimation and manual processes. By introducing objective measurements that can be captured quickly in the field, we can help farmers manage their animals more effectively and make more informed decisions about when to sell”
Dr Ursula Haywood, Co-founder and Chief Commercial Officer, Scanabull.
Expansion into Australia
While the company is based in New Zealand and is already working with partners like Silver Fern Farms, they have their sights set on global markets. This includes a planned exploration of opportunities here in Australia by the end of the year.
Given the scale of the Australian beef industry, the potential for this kind of “edge AI” tech is massive. The ability to monitor livestock performance without needing tens of thousands of dollars in specialised infrastructure will be a huge drawcard for local producers.
The recent funding round was led by Sprout Agritech, with support from Enterprise Angels and Callaghan Innovation. This capital will be used to further develop the AI models and fuel that international expansion.
More than just weight
While weight estimation is the primary focus right now, the roadmap for Scanabull looks even more ambitious. Future versions of the software are expected to include carcass weight prediction and body condition scoring.
The ultimate goal is to provide a data-driven look at the animal from birth all the way through to the processing plant. It’s an end-to-end approach to data that the beef industry has been lacking compared to the dairy sector.
“Our ambition is to help bring data-driven decision making into the beef industry from birth through to processing. Once farmers have accurate, real-time data about their animals, everything from farm management to market pricing becomes more efficient”
Dr Ursula Haywood, Co-founder and Chief Commercial Officer, Scanabull.
It is always great to see local startups using cutting-edge tech like LiDAR and on-device AI to solve real-world problems. We’ll be keeping a close eye on Scanabull as they make their way across the ditch to Australian shores later this year.
For more information, head to https://scanabull.com/
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