A system for weighing a plurality of quadruped animals is for use in a pen
confining the animals. The pen has at least first and second segregated
spaces with a first one-way chute allowing animal passage from the second
space to the first space. A weighing station is located within a passage
having an entrance and an exit, and that allows animal passage from the
first area to the second area. The weighing station includes a weighing
platform within the passage over which an animal must pass when passing
from the first to the second space. The weighing platform has inlet and
exit scales that support the weighing platform adjacent to inlet and exit
ends thereof, and provides inlet and exit weight signals. A controller
receives the inlet and exit weight signals and uses them in an iterative
process to determine the presence of a single animal on the weighing
platform. Once that determination is made, the sum of the inlet and exit
weight values is very likely to accurately provide the animal weight. The
controller may also use the inlet and exit weight signals to control
closing of an inlet gate to bar more than one animal at a time from the
weighing platform. An animal sorting system can easily incorporate this
weighing system to provide more accurate sorting.