EuroTier gold medal for RumiWatch System

The RumiWatchSystem is a health monitoring system for ruminants. It makes changes in the ruminating, feeding and water uptake activity as well as in locomotion and rest behaviour visible, quickly and easily understandably. The data are transferred without cable to a PC. An additional memory card in the unit allows long-term assignments over a period of up to four months.

The low energy consumption allows a period of use of up to two years with one set of batteries. The system consists of a halter, pedometer and evaluation software. It guarantees permanent and reliable monitoring of key parameters relevant to the health condition of each individual animal.

Thus for example by identifying a reduced number of chewing motions per bolus it is possible to conclude digestive disturbances or faults in the ration. RumiWatchSystem allows animal farmers, consultants, herd veterinarians and scientists to produce fast and competent statements about the animal health and can be used to support decision making.
ITIN + HOCH GmbH, Liestal, Switzerland, Hall 13, Stand G13

Dr Eckel wins EuroTier silver medal with Anta Phyt BLT
German feed additives company Dr Eckel has won a EuroTier silver medal with its innovative Anta Phyt BLT feed additive. The innovation can be admired at the upcoming EuroTier, in Hanover, Germany, 13-16 November.

Anta Phyt BLT is a feed additive on the basis of phytogenic substances and carrier substances with prebiotic action. Supported by scientific research, the product was subjected to an elaborate licensing procedure. On the basis of its broad spectrum action it promises to show effects on the development of undesirable germs and hence take a key step towards reducing the use of antibiotics.

It not only improves animal health, but also makes a major contribution to relieving the burden on the environment. The product concentrates not only on use in the poultry sector, but with modifications offers a wide range of possible uses for other agricultural productive livestock too, with additional effects, e.g. on methane production in the case of ruminants.
Dr Eckel, Niederzissen, Germany (Hall 16, D20)

Verti-Mix self-propelled machine with removable cutting unit
The new feed unloading system for self-propelled feeder mixer wagons from Strautmann combines the advantages of the known systems cutting unit, block cutter and chopping unit. While the silage is cut out from the silo with a cutter unit that is gentle to the silage structure and conveyed to the elevator belt without mechanical stress via a blunt conveyor roller fitted with auger segments, loose bulk materials can be taken up directly with the conveyor roller by folding down the cutter unit.

On one hand this brings advantages regarding nutritional physiology thanks to gentle treatment of the structure during silage unloading; on the other hand as a result of the de facto chopper extraction of unloaded silage and loose bulk materials the labour management advantages of classic chopper extraction are retained.
B. Strautmann & Söhne, Bad Laer, Germany (Hall 27, E16)

Boar stub
Castration of piglets without anaesthetics will no longer be possible in future for reasons of animal welfare. Consequently boar fattening will become important. In future it will have to be possible to administer different feed mixes for sows and boars in one compartment in order to exploit optimal feed conversion of the two genders housed separately.

Weda has developed a retrofit set for the control of system types M 16 and 4 PX for liquid feeding systems that work with stub lines. This makes it possible to feed different mixtures one after the other via a stub line as of a live weight of 55 kg. The prerequisite for this is gender-segregated keeping and the quantity of a complete feeding block must correspond to at least twice the content of the stub.

Lührs has developed a system for single-pipe dry feeding installations that allows different mixtures to be administered in one compartment.

By installing corner drives that have been developed by the company, the chain can run both clockwise and anticlockwise. A short wait follows after feeding, before the chain is emptied by running it in the opposite direction and a new mixture is then fed to the other gender. Both innovations can be retrofitted at low cost and satisfy today’s requirements.
Weda, Lutten, Germany (Hall 12, B48) and Ringelpietz Circulating Feeding System, Lührs Gerätebau, Rehden, Germany (Hall 12, D63)

Designer Proteins
This is a new approach for optimising amino acid and phosphorous supply in line with animal and performance requirements. Through the selective fermentation of different feed proteins, anti-nutritive substances are degraded and phosphorous conversion is improved. Furthermore, the remaining lactic acid bacteria have a probiotic role to play.

By including various algae proteins the possible combinations are expanded considerably. With these developments not only do new prospects for nutrient supplies in line with animal requirements arise, but also distinct effects on the ecobalance of animal production result.
European Protein, Baekke, Denmark (Hall 14, F53)

Record amount of submissions
The German Agricultural Society, organiser of EuroTier, received more than 300 submissions, from 182 exhibitors across 23 countries – a show record. Around half of the entries come from exhibitors based outside of host country Germany.

DLG has appointed an independent, international jury committee, comprising industry experts from the UK, Switzerland and Germany, to evaluate all the submissions according to stringent criteria. Five gold medals and 19 silver medals will be honoured at EuroTier 2012. The gold medals will be awarded by DLG President Carl-Albrecht Bartmer on 13 November 2012 at the EuroTier evening, which is held each year to mark the start of the exhibition, and he will be presenting the silver medals in a separate ceremony on the opening day.

Gold award-winners

• Gold medals were given to:

• AeroScalder, Marel Stork Poultry Processing, Boxmeer, Netherlands (Hall 9, F32)

• OptiScan, Hölscher + Leuschner, Emsbüren, Germany (Hall 12, F46)

• GEA DairyProQ, GEA Farm Technologies, Bönen, Germany (Hall 27, D35)

• OptiCow, Hölscher + Leuschner, Emsbüren, Germany (Hall 12, F46)