BEEF magazine is again proud to team up with Kansas State University (KSU) to deliver the industry's most complete survey of firms offering radio-frequency ID (RFID) technology for cattle-industry application.

This sixth annual survey is a compilation of information from 32 RFID technology firms. Some offer hardware — scale heads, RFID readers, tags, etc. Others primarily offer software to accumulate the cowherd data collected by the hardware. Others are one-stop shops offering the whole package — hardware, software and data storage.

But the data presented in the accompanying chart is just a fraction of what's available. There's a whole lot more awaiting readers at www.beefstockerusa.org, a cooperative website between BEEF and KSU (click on “RFID Survey” at the top of the page).

There you'll find an interactive version developed by KSU's Dale Blasi, Kevin Dhuyvetter and Lois Schreiner. Browsers can click on the company's name for background and contact information on the firm; website links; and the firm's partners, goals and mission. Also included are product and service details; specifications for use; compatible equipment; fees; and an Excel spreadsheet calculator to estimate the costs of an RFID system for your operation.

Check it out at www.beefstockerusa.org.