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Agriculture · head to head

Datamars Livestock vs Netafim NetBeat

Datamars Livestock logo

Datamars Livestock

Agriculture

EID tag, weigh scale and livestock data platform behind the Tru-Test brand

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Netafim NetBeat logo

Netafim NetBeat

Agriculture

Irrigation and fertigation control that only runs on Netafim NetMCU controllers in the field

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Datamars Livestock the software exists to sell tags, readers and scales, so its feature depth in breeding, financials and grazing planning is well short of dedicated herd management systems.; Netafim NetBeat netBeat runs on Netafim NetMCU hardware, so a grower with a functioning controller from another manufacturer has to replace working equipment to adopt it rather than adding software.
  • They diverge on capability: Datamars Livestock covers EID and visual tag management, Netafim NetBeat covers NetMCU controller.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Datamars Livestock and Netafim NetBeat actually diverge.

Attributes where Datamars Livestock and Netafim NetBeat differ
AttributeDatamars LivestockNetafim NetBeat
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, WindowsWeb, iOS, Android

Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (quote), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Agriculture).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Datamars Livestock

  • EID and visual tag management
  • Weigh session capture
  • Average daily gain
  • Auto-drafting
  • Traceability records
  • Bluetooth reader sync
  • Treatment and animal events

Only in Netafim NetBeat

  • NetMCU controller
  • NetRTU remote units
  • Irrigation model
  • Fertigation control
  • Flow and pressure monitoring
  • Soil moisture integration
  • Remote valve control
  • Alerts and reporting

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Datamars Livestock

  • A beef finisher drafting cattle to a target weight automatically at the crushnot Netafim NetBeat
  • A sheep producer tracking lamb growth rates by sire to inform ram selectionnot Netafim NetBeat
  • A New Zealand farm needing NAIT-compliant movement records generated from the same scans used for weighingnot Netafim NetBeat
  • A grazier comparing average daily gain across mobs on different paddocks or supplementsnot Netafim NetBeat

Netafim NetBeat

  • A new orchard planting Netafim drip that wants scheduling and fertigation designed in from the startnot Datamars Livestock
  • A grower under a water allocation who needs per-block application records for the regulatornot Datamars Livestock
  • A vine operation trying to reduce fertiliser cost by dosing to crop stage rather than a fixed programmenot Datamars Livestock
  • A block with a persistent emitter clogging problem where flow deviation alerts find it before yield dropsnot Datamars Livestock

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Datamars Livestock

  • The software exists to sell tags, readers and scales, so its feature depth in breeding, financials and grazing planning is well short of dedicated herd management systems.
  • A migration to new cloud software is scheduled from January 2026 for Tru-Test indicator and reader customers, which puts historical Data Link desktop records at risk if they are not exported deliberately before support changes.
  • Hardware lock-in is real: the automatic capture that makes the platform useful depends on Datamars and Tru-Test devices, and a farm with Gallagher scales gets a much thinner experience.
  • Software being bundled with hardware means it has never been priced or sold on its own merits, so there is no published cost, no clear upgrade path and no leverage if the bundling arrangement changes.
  • Traceability support is country-specific and uneven, so a farm outside the main New Zealand, Australian, UK and North American markets may find its national scheme is not directly supported and needs manual file preparation.

Netafim NetBeat

  • NetBeat runs on Netafim NetMCU hardware, so a grower with a functioning controller from another manufacturer has to replace working equipment to adopt it rather than adding software.
  • NetRTU units communicate over Netafim’s own LoRa implementation, which means expanding sensing later means buying Netafim radios rather than the cheapest compatible sensor on the market.
  • No pricing is published in any market and the platform is sold as part of a system design, so growers cannot compare the software cost against rivals without commissioning a design.
  • Netafim is majority owned by Orbia, a Mexican-listed polymers and infrastructure group, so the digital product competes for investment against pipe manufacturing and building materials rather than being the parent’s core business.
  • Availability and support depth vary sharply by country: strong in Israel, India, Australia and parts of Europe, much thinner in North America, so a grower’s experience depends on whether a competent local Netafim team exists.

Pricing, plan by plan

Datamars Livestock

On request
  • Datamars Livestock$undefined/year
    • Historically bundled with purchase of Datamars and Tru-Test hardware
    • Tag, reader and weigh indicator hardware is the actual cost
    • Cloud platform terms changing with the January 2026 migration

Netafim NetBeat

On request
  • NetBeat$undefined/year
    • Requires NetMCU field controller
    • NetRTU remote terminal units per monitored or controlled point
    • Monitor, analyse and automate modules

Which should you pick?

Choose Datamars Livestock if

  • You need eid and visual tag management.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, Windows.
  • You also want weigh session capture.
Datamars Livestock review

Choose Netafim NetBeat if

  • You need netmcu controller.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want netrtu remote units.
Netafim NetBeat review

Questions people ask

Is Datamars Livestock or Netafim NetBeat better?
Neither clearly leads. Datamars Livestock starts at On request and Netafim NetBeat at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Datamars Livestock or Netafim NetBeat?
Datamars Livestock starts at On request and Netafim NetBeat at On request.
Does Datamars Livestock or Netafim NetBeat run on more platforms?
Datamars Livestock runs on Web, iOS, Android, Windows. Netafim NetBeat runs on Web, iOS, Android.
What is Datamars Livestock best used for?
Datamars Livestock is most often used for a beef finisher drafting cattle to a target weight automatically at the crush, a sheep producer tracking lamb growth rates by sire to inform ram selection, a new zealand farm needing nait-compliant movement records generated from the same scans used for weighing, a grazier comparing average daily gain across mobs on different paddocks or supplements. Of those, a beef finisher drafting cattle to a target weight automatically at the crush and a sheep producer tracking lamb growth rates by sire to inform ram selection are not what Netafim NetBeat is typically brought in for.
What can Datamars Livestock do that Netafim NetBeat cannot?
Datamars Livestock covers EID and visual tag management, Weigh session capture, Average daily gain, Auto-drafting. Netafim NetBeat covers NetMCU controller, NetRTU remote units, Irrigation model, Fertigation control.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Datamars Livestock: Do I have to pay for the software?

It has historically been included with purchase of Datamars and Tru-Test hardware. The January 2026 cloud migration is the point at which to confirm what the ongoing terms are.

Netafim NetBeat: Can I use NetBeat with a controller I already own?

No. It requires Netafim’s NetMCU controller, with NetRTU units for distributed sensing and valve control.

Datamars Livestock: What happens to my Data Link records?

They need to be migrated to the new cloud platform. Export your historical weigh sessions before the transition rather than assuming everything carries across.

Netafim NetBeat: Is NetBeat sold as a standalone subscription?

Not in practice. It is quoted as part of an irrigation system design by a local Netafim office, with no published rate card.

Datamars Livestock: Will it work with Gallagher scales?

Not natively in the way it works with Tru-Test hardware. You lose the automatic session sync that is the main reason to use it.

Netafim NetBeat: Who owns Netafim?

Orbia, the Mexican-listed materials and infrastructure group, holds the majority. That shapes how much investment the digital line attracts.

Datamars Livestock: Does it handle NAIT and NLIS?

Yes, for New Zealand and Australia respectively, generating movement and identification records from the same EID scans used for weighing.

Netafim NetBeat: Does it handle fertigation as well as irrigation?

Yes, injection scheduling and dosing run off the same crop and soil model as water application.

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