Gold Medals for innovations

 

• “PEF-System”
  
  Big Dutchman Pig Equipment GmbH, Vechta, Germany, Hall 11, Stand C23
  
  The innovative PEF-System is a system for cell breakdown of the whole maize plant for feeding pigs. The pig as a monogastric animal cannot make use of a series of possible components in the feed, as it does not possess the corresponding enzymes. Where the feed component silage maize, accounting for up to 15% of the total, is used in the feed, it is subjected to electrically pulsing fields in the PEF system. The electrical barrage opens up the cells and the cell juice emerges. This makes the complete cell digestible for the pigs. An improved crude fibre supply for the pigs taps additional positive potentials with regard to the animal health. The considerable cost advantages to be expected are supplemented by more efficient use of the agriculturally available land, as the complete maize plant can then be used.

• “Porky´s Pick Up”
  
  Meier-Brakenberg GmbH & Co. KG, Extertal, Germany, Hall 9, Stand G16
  
  Porky´s Pick up is the first self-propelled cadaver collecting vehicle for finishing pigs and sows. The sometimes heavy animal cadavers can be picked up and carried away without any manual intervention by the user. During transport the user can ride along comfortably on a footboard that can be uncoupled. The physical strain for the user is zero, even in the case of fully grown pigs. This conserves the health of users – and is especially kind to their backs. The equipment allows optimal hygienic animal removal. The user does not need to enter into contact with the animal cadaver at all, and there is no ground contact either, from the pick-up point to the place of disposal.

• “cows and more, what cows tell us. A system for rating, assessing and advising”
  
  Landwirtschaftskammer Nordrhein-Westfalen, Bad Sassendorf, Germany,
  
  Hall 26, Stand C08
  
  “cows and more” is a user-friendly, software-supported and systematic weak point analysis for dairy cattle keeping. It is possible to document behaviour features in the barn and carry out rating and evaluation regarding animal cleanliness, disorders arising from faulty management or faulty equipment, and integument damage digitally using tablet PCs. The image-supported system cows and more provides a number of different, logically developed input masks for different ratings. The corresponding rating areas and rating stages are displayed on the screen in easily understandable images. The assessment can be carried out by selecting the appropriate image. Both the data storage operation and the automated evaluation are carried out offline. Based on the analysis, the programme suggests measures for improvement. The graphic representation substantially facilitates the analysis of weak points. Export into other software packages is possible.

• “RotoPuls milking machine pulsator”
  
  BITEC Engineering, Romanshorn, Switzerland, Hall 27, Stand F52
  
  The novel, patented milking machine pulsator RotoPuls combines milking in line with animal welfare with ergonomic working conditions. This ensures high milk quality. The course of the pulse curve can be programmed and the noise emissions are distinctly reduced. The robust assemblies allow trouble-free operation. The RotoPuls consists of three main components – two servomotors, a valve block and a buffer tank. Each of the servomotors works separately and monitors a turntable in the valve block. The circumference of the turntable allows controlled air movement in the evacuation and airing phase. This prevents high accelerations at the start of the A and C phases, which additionally relieves the pressure on the teat. The length of each pulse curve phase can be programmed exactly via the speed of the turntable. The buffer tank is positioned between the valve block and pulse line. Its task is to absorb the short-term air surge from the pulsator and then pass this on slowly into the air line. This can reduce vacuum fluctuations in the air line.

• “Swiftflo Goat Rotary”
  
  Dairymaster, Causeway, Co. Kerry, Ireland, Hall 27, Stand B32
  
  The innovative rotary milking parlour for dairy goats in relatively large herds unites performance-matched and ergonomic milking. The construction design as an outdoor rotary milking parlour considerably facilitates access for the animals and operation by the milkers. The innovative accommodation of the milking units in the carousel base allows exact positioning and time saving, as well as ergonomic working conditions. It efficiently prevents twisting of the milking units. The opening mechanism also helps to position the animals and ensures rational attachment operation. The automated disinfecting of the teats after the milking operation is a great advantage from the hygiene point of view. The washing cycle for the teat cups (intermediate disinfecting) after each milking operation, which – also automated – helps to prevent mastitis and serves to secure the health condition of the entire herd.

• “HyCare ®”
  
  Schippers GmbH, Kerken-Nieukerk, Germany, Hall 9, Stand H25
  
  With “HyCare ®”, Schippers GmbH presents a new and innovative pig housing concept for the farrowing sector and piglet rearing in transportable pens. In the pens, consisting of a plastic tub, the liquid manure generated is caught and the respective base systems are placed in the tray. The pen facilities are mounted free-standing on the base. The pen tubs in turn stand freely on a transportable metal base. The piggery personnel can move individual pens in specially set-up piggery areas as wished at any time with the help of an automatic transport system already in use in industry. Alongside the actual housing compartments, farrowing takes place in a specially prepared farrowing room. Treatment and animal care measures can also be carried out in an area optimized for this purpose. In these areas each pen can be reached unimpeded from three sides, which makes it unnecessary to enter the pens. The liquid manure in the tubs is piped directly to an outdoor store. The pen cleaning area is also located outside the compartment and allows 100% cleaning and disinfecting of the complete pen. Furthermore, this facilitates labour input and optimizes measures carried out to date. With the combination of an automatic transport system which is already available and proven in industry and a novel pen and management concept for the farrowing and piglet rearing sector, Schippers offers a piggery concept that is innovative in many aspects, which substantially improves piggery hygiene for keeping animals healthy compared with current customary methods and facilitates and optimizes work procedures.

 

Silver Medals for innovations

 

• “GELAMIN FaserGold”
  
  GELAMIN - Gesellschaft für Tierernährung mbH, Wildeshausen, Germany, Hall 9, Stand H15
  
  FaserGold is a novel fibre source for piglets, sows and finishing pigs with nutritional and dietetic benefits. FaserGold is obtained from soy hulls. These are processed in such a way with a patented physical method using pressure, temperature, moisture and mechanical treatment that for instance their water-binding capacity and their fermentability in the large intestine of pigs is influenced positively. In addition oregano oil is worked into the product. FaserGold can thus help to maintain normal digestive operations in energy-rations and improve dung consistency. In addition, positive effects on animal behaviour have been observed.

• Shaft washer “Flexi”
  
  Meier-Brakenberg Gmbh & Co. KG, Extertal, Germany, Hall 9, Stand G16
  
  The shaft washer “Flexi” is the first to allow efficient, intensive and user-kindly high-pressure cleaning of waste air shafts in animal housing facilities from the ground. The innovative shaft washer can be operated using any high-pressure cleaner. The flexible structure of the washer makes it possible to introduce it from below through the fan blade. With the help of the nozzles pointing to the sides and downwards, the washing unit automatically draws itself upwards and cleans the waste air shaft and fan blades intensively as it moves. The user stands protected against splash water in the barn or in the central waste air duct next to the shaft. The shaft washer thus allows a hitherto neglected hygiene improvement in the waste air shaft. Alongside the low investment costs, the “Flexi” shaft washer wins over users with its productivity and labour protection, as well as by the optimized energy consumption of cleaned waste air units.

• “FixClip valve – The hygienic drinker valve with practical clip closure”
  
  Albert Kerbl GmbH, Buchbach, Germany, Hall 13, Stand E48
  
  The problem with calf feeding buckets is generally that the drinker valves are firmly connected to the bucket and are often very difficult to remove again. As a consequence the necessary cleaning of valves and teats is often left out, which can lead to hygiene problems. With the FixClip valve, Kerbl offers a simple and clever solution. The valve can be mounted or removed quickly and easily. This allows fast and simple routine cleaning of the feeding bucket.

• “GEA Conductive Cooling”
  
  GEA Farm Technologies GmbH, Bönen, Germany, Hall 27, Stand D29
  
  This is a cooling system for resting areas in the dairy cattle barn. It represents a distinct optimizing of the resting function area. Cows rest for up to 14 hours a day, though the duration and acceptance of resting may be reduced above all on hot days. With a conductive cooling system integrated into the resting area, the animals can enjoy cooling on hot days. Steered by the housing climate, the conductive cooling system is started up and cools the resting areas for the cows. The cooling system is installed in a multiple-layer structure in deep litter boxes with sand or compost litter.

• “Management and feeding systems for suckling calves with integrated collection of animal welfare indicators”
  
  URBAN GmbH & Co. KG, Hude, OT Wüsting, Germany, Hall 27, Stand A14
  
  The newly presented feeding system from Urban for bucket-reared calves connects the suckling calves with the management program already from day one. Animal-related data such as e.g. visiting behaviour at the station, feed demand behaviour (drinking speed, interruptions) and re-grouping are recorded automatically and documented from the very beginning. The results of the animal-related data are summarized in a report documenting the on-farm checks and provide a well-founded overview of the situation of the bucket-reared calves.

• “Level-regulated agitator”
  
  Big Dutchman Pig Equipment GmbH, Vechta, Germany, Hall 11, Stand C23
  
  The level-regulated agitator from Big Dutchman is an essential further development of existing agitators in feed mixing containers in which the stirring blades have so far been mounted firmly on the drive shaft. When mixing of liquid feed is started, a float makes certain that the agitator blades are covered by the medium, whether small or large quantities are being mixed, so that they stir the feed mix optimally. The agitator blade can thus be moved vertically along the drive shaft. At the same time soiling of the mixing container is reduced thanks to prevention of splashing caused by the agitator, thus distinctly increasing container hygiene. The advantages of this new agitator consequently lie above all in very homogenous feed mixing and in a distinct increase in container hygiene.

• “ConditWatch”
  
  Institut für Agrar- und Stadtökologische Projekte (IASP), Berlin, Germany, Hall 12, Stand E16 and
  
  Convia GmbH, Berlin, Germany, Hall 12, Stand E16, and
  
  AGRAR Handelspartner Woldegk GmbH, Woldegk, Germany, Hall 12, Stand E16
  
  “ConditWatch”, the novel condition monitoring for finishing pigs, makes it possible to determine the fat-muscle ratio on the basis of the bioelectrical impedance analysis known from human medicine. The bioelectrical impedance measurement is conducted with the aid of four fully mobile, conductive sensor rollers that fit on the animal body. After animal contact is established, electrical impulses are transmitted through the body. Two sensors on one side of the body serve to issue signals and two sensors on the opposite side of the body receive signals. With the aid of an existing weighing unit, the body weight is ascertained and then calculated together with the animal size and the bioelectrical impedance measured with the aid of specific software. The measuring data can be allocated to the individual animal via RFID marking of the animals and be integrated into existing management programs. The calculated values form the basis for optimized sales management in pig finishing operations.

• “ForceControll”
  
  Witte Lastrup GmbH, Lastrup, Germany, Hall 11, Stand E56
  
  The drive wheels of feed conveyor systems available on the market so far generally have rigid push cams, that exert strong radial tensile force on the chain alongside the strong axial force. The drive wheel “ForceControll” has rotating cams instead of the customary rigid cams. This distinctly reduces the radial force when the wheel engages in the chain. Such a reduction of the radial force leads to distinctly reduced stress of the feed transport chain, above all in systems with long conveyor routes. The result is a longer service life of the chain. Lower maintenance and repair outlay for the feeding transport system underline the high practical relevance of this award-winning innovation.

• “ARV climate computer”
  
  Möller GmbH, Diepholz, Germany, Hall 11, Stand B18 and
  
  Universität Bonn, Institut für Landtechnik, Bonn, Germany, Hall 26, Stand D16
  
  The “ARV climate computer” aims to prevent heat and cold stress for finishing pigs and ensure thermal wellbeing for the animals. In this process the animals are offered water at different temperatures via three drinkers. The drinking behaviour of the animals provides information about their wellbeing. Drinking temperature-managed water indicates wellbeing, while a preference for cold water indicates heat stress. Depending on the animal behaviour, a cooling facility or a heating system can be activated. Consequently this is a new kind of climate management arrangement.

• “DairyNet by GEA in 365FarmNet”
  
  365FarmNet Group GmbH & Co. KG, Berlin, Germany, Hall 26, Stand E30 and
  
  GEA Farm Technologies GmbH, Bönen, Germany, Hall 27, Stand D29
  
  Complex operating processes from crop production and dairy cattle husbandry are documented, analyzed and steered in a clearly understandable uniform software by the process and data networking of  Dairy Net by GEA in 365 FarmNet. All the master, planning and process data automatically access each other and thus optimize farm management. The farmer operates a wide variety of cooperation partners' software tools with a uniform interface. For the first time agricultural machinery and equipment, sensory aspects, feeding, milking and climate control are uniformly networked with each other in one system. This single system saves the farmers working time in documentation and analysis of their overall farm operations, and also requires less support from the software providers.

• “Control-VAC° signal element” and “™AktivPuls with SSC technology”
  
  AktivPuls GmbH, Friesenried, Germany, Hall 27, Stand F40
  
  This award is for the essential further development of the ™AktivPuls teat liners known since 2006 with the integrated slanting closure and head nozzle to provide complete vacuum relief in the massage phase. Three striking and patented innovations have been implemented in the new generation of the ™AktivPuls with SSC technology. The SSC technology comprises the new Silicon-Pro© teat liner with a novel form, the self-cleaning Smart-AIR© nozzle for optimal head vacuum, and the novel Control-VAC© signal element in the teat liner head for online monitoring of the current milking conditions at every milking cup. Silicon-Pro© is a completely newly developed teat liner in silicone with a structure that imitates that felt in the case of natural calf suckling. It can be expected that the novel hose sector in highly elastic silicone material will allow distinctly improved massage effect, even with differing teat lengths and diameters. Smart-AIR© is a specially designed air inlet nozzle in elastic material with self-cleaning properties. With an easily malleable nozzle dome and new positioning at the teat liner head, it ensures reliable functioning. Control-VAC© is a novel element positioned at the teat liner head with an elastic membrane that signals any disturbing head vacuum at the teat base to the milking personnel by means of deformation that can be seen and felt very simply. ™AktivPuls with SSC technology unites a large number of advantages for controlled milk withdrawal in line with animal welfare and gentle treatment of the udder, and it promises a long service life for universal applications.

• “InService™ Remote”
  
  DeLaval International AB, Tumba, Sweden, Hall 27, Stand H39
  
  The Remote Monitoring System from DeLaval is characterized by the fact that alongside setting and adjustment data, the online service can also call up current measuring data directly from the milking installations. Including current measuring data via the measuring tools integrated in the installation serves to provide fast and safe monitoring with error identification in milking systems. In addition, further information regarding technical components can be stored in the Cloud and used to diagnose connected technical equipment in the dairy farm.

• “Pellon Manure Master”
  
  Pellon Group Oy, Ylihärmä, Finland, Hall 25, Stand D16
  
  Pellon offers a sliding manure removal concept that for the first time displays sensitivity zones for various animal housing areas. A load-dependent safety shutdown in the event of obstacle contact in the different sensitivity zones operates with the help of tensile force measurements at the drive motor. The different sensitivity zones with corresponding response force to stop the slide unit can be selected freely and the calculation is carried out automatically. The steering can be operated separately with a number of different slide tracks with different sensitivity zones. Furthermore, communication with other equipment such as feeding robots, feed mixer wagons etc. is possible independently of the brand. The management system possesses comprehensive self-diagnosis facilities. It observes, tests and adjusts automatically and provides information by text message if problem situations arise. Control is also possible via mobile PCs. The slide units are powered with direct tension up to a length of 120 m by a motor using only 250 W. This slide system can effectively prevent injuries for humans and animals.

• “Hydraulically retractable Rops-Fops roof (driver protection roof)”
  
  THALER GmbH & Co. KG, Polling, Germany, Hall 26, Stand H22
  
  and
• “epsPlus (Easy Protection System Plus)”
  
  Weidemann GmbH, Diemelsee-Flechtdorf, Germany, Hall 26, Stand E13a
  
  The roof that can be lowered hydraulically represents a distinct improvement in user protection at work. The lowering option means that the protection device does not have to be completely and permanently removed, as so often happens in practice, in order to allow the vehicle to move through low passageways. The protection for drivers continues in lowered roof condition. It can be operated safely, at a standstill, using two hands. The design promotes return to the original position after the hindrance has been passed.

 Source: eurotier.com