The independent DLG innovations committee at the EuroTier 2014 awarded the silver medal to the CalfMOM LifeStart feeding system of Urban GmbH & Co.KG for its innovative novelty. This not only impressively honoured the practical relevance of this system but also acknowledged the fact that the use of this system results in significant improvements to the welfare of the animal as well as the quality in work and the process performance.
The heart of the feeding system that will be presented for the first time at the EuroTier 2014 is the newly developed CalfMOM LifeStart feeder which is operated by a 12" touch screen. With its completely graphical touch screen based user interface, this feeder sets new standards in terms of feeder operating convenience and interactive prompting. Controlling the animals daily as well as monitoring and setting the operating parameters of the feeder is now child´s play. What impressed the expert panel the most was the fact that the feeder was designed to reliably supply milk feed fully automatically at the optimal temperature to calves also kept in single management (igloos, calf hutches). This is done in the course of true ad libitum feeding, where the animals actually have continuous access to milk at will. This now provides the same convenience in supplying and controlling the animals from the first day of life as had been offered to date from the third week of life, after the calves had been re-housed to group management.
Strong improvements were made not only to the interactive prompting, but the control unit of the feeder was completely renewed as well and allows new and innovative product features: wireless operation of the feeder is now possible as standard via smart phone or tablet (iOS or Android). If the feeder is connected to the internet, it can be accessed from any location having internet access. Special recognition was given to the fact that numerous evaluations from the seamlessly stored animal history can be generated via intelligent data-mining algorithms, thus optimising calf rearing whilst allowing reliable statements with respect to animal welfare at the same time. With regard to the new obligatory on-site self-monitoring as required by the amended German Tierschutzgesetz (Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, German law), the intelligence of the feeder is used to considerably support the farmer in terms of his documentation requirement. This also contributes towards maintaining or re-establishing the users´ acceptance of calf rearing that is currently in practice.
The feeder´s new type of CalfMOM data portal offers an innovative and trendsetting concept solution in the area of data storage and forwarding as well. With this solution, recording the animal history starts at the calf rearing phase, the first link of the process chain. The data recorded during the milk phase can then be forwarded to the subsequent production stages by means of standardized protocols. In this way, the history of the animals is updated seamlessly, thus benefiting the herd manager and possibly also the special consultant. If required, the CalfMOM data portal can also be supplemented with a private data cloud where the animal husbandry worker does not release the data, but uses the internet as a tunnel for transporting the encrypted data between the various locations.
The EuroTier trade fair is the largest animal husbandry trade fair in the European and world market and is thus the largest platform for machines, systems and products in the sector of animal husbandry technology. The importance of this event was documented once again this year by the popularity of the innovation competition that occurs regularly as part of this trade fair: a total of 270 innovations from 156 exhibitors from 19 countries were presented to the DLG.
We sincerely invite visitors to the EuroTier 2014 trade fair to obtain their own first-hand picture of the award-winning feeding system at the trade fair stand of Urban GmbH & Co. KG. Our employees look forward to meeting you and will work together with you to find the device solution that best meets your operational needs in the sector of calf feeding technology.
The EuroTier exhibition will take place from the 11th to the 14th November in Hanover/Germany. You will find the Urban GmbH & Co.KG trade fair stand in Hall 27, Stand A14.
