The Farmers Mart Jun-Jul 2019 - Issue 63 | Page 15

FARM NEWS 15
• JUN/JUL 2019
RHASS 2019 TECHNICAL
INNOVATION AWARD WINNERS
THE awards, RHASS’ most long-
standing industry accolades and
sponsored by Hillhouse Quarry
Group, showcase and reward in-
novation and development within
the agricultural sector and are a
highly respected award for man-
ufacturers, distributers, providers
and inventors.
Gold awards are presented to
previous Silver award winners
for continuous outstanding merit
and this year the only Gold award
was presented to Kverneland
Group Klepp, from Norway, for
their Kverneland 2500 i-plough®.
Their invention is recommended
for tractors around 206kW/280hp
and has four essential functions
that utilise ISOBUS technology –
ploughing, transport, marking and
connecting. Its hinged headstock
means that changing from trans-
port to ploughing positions can be
done from the tractor cab, while
its innovative aero-profile legs
prevent potential blockages when
ploughing in high-residue fields.
Presented with a Silver award
this year is Canadian firm Can-Am,
for their anti-lock braking (ABS)
system for ATVs. Their ABS system
underwent a comprehensive engi-
neering programme that included
more than 40,000 kilometres on
a variety of surfaces, including
mud, snow, pavement, gravel and
dirt. The ATV ABS works with a
specially calibrated control unit,
which analyses break
lever pressure and
individual wheel
speeds to
apply the
cor-
rect amount of breaking force,
using information from the wheel
speed sensors to prevent the
brakes from locking up in emer-
gency situations.
Case IH, from Cranes Farm in
Basildon was too presented with
a Silver Award for their Maxxum
145 Multicontroller, which is fitted
with the new eight-speed power-
shift ActiveDrive 8 transmission.
The Maxxum produced the best
fuel economy for a four-cylinder
tractor ever seen in the DLG Pow-
ermix tests last year – almost 9.5%
below its nearest competitor. The
ActiveDrive 8 is suited to pow-
er-hungry tasks where maintaining
momentum is critical, such as culti-
vations or operating large mowers,
because the clutch pedal is not
required to change gear - meaning
practically all field operations can
be carried out without having to
cut power to the wheels.
Also receiving a Silver award
this year is Oran Oak Engineering,
from Northern Ireland, for their
DipFast enclosed sheep shower-
ing unit. DipFast is designed for
treatment and control of ecto-par-
asites on sheep. Mark Kelly and
his three sons developed DipFast
after they saw the potential of a
prototype that Mark had manufac-
tured on his farm for personal use.
The system allows for one-person
operation, thus reducing labour,
and there is minimal contact with
the sheep and dip held within. The
DipFast unit comes in either static
or mobile versions.
Easyfix, from Galway in Ire-
land, impressed the judges and
received a Silver award for their
Easyfix Evolve animal feeding sys-
tem. The Easyfix Evolve optimises
cow welfare and performance,
with a unique design allowing for
maximum feed intake for cows
and both safe access and egress
for farm workers. It allows for
essential head movements in
cattle, which encourage natural
behaviour, eliminating injuries
and marks associated with steel
barriers and reducing stress.
Penderfeed Livestock Equip-
ment, from Dun in the Scottish
Borders received a Silver award
for their Arrowquip Q-Catch.
This 86 series squeeze cattle
crush claims to be the quietest
crush ever manufactured - this is
achieved by using nylon bushes
on the hinges and rubber ab-
sorbers on the access panel slam
bolts. The heavy-duty rubber
floor provides complete silence
and sure footing for cattle, while
the vet cage squeezes in with the
crush so it can be narrowed so
that young animals are unable to
turn around. The yoke gate handle
can be operated from anywhere
along the side of the crush, while
top and bottom access doors can
be opened separately or together
to make a full side exit.
A final Silver award for 2019 was
awarded to Pollock Farm Equip-
ment in Cumnock, Ayrshire, for
their Pollock Rope Scraper System.
Housed within a fully galvanised
frame, the drive system utilises a
hollow shaft gearbox fitted with
a torq spring to dampen shock
loading and a microswitch to back
up the system’s in-built animal
overload safety sensor. At the
heart of the system is the Pollock
Superior Rope, a 12-strand woven
rope with a breaking strain of ap-
proximately 12,000 kilograms with
virtually no stretch. The inverter
drive allows for the exclusive use
of 3-phase motors, eliminating the
need for costly and troublesome
single-phase motors.
RHASS Chief Steward of Techni-
cal Innovation, Christopher Shep-
herd said: “As part of our Royal
Charter, at RHASS we support and
encourage innovation within the
agri and rural industry as a key
way to ensuring the future of the
sector in Scotland.
“Awarding manufacturers, dis-
tributors, providers and inventors,
the Technical Innovation Awards
are a highly influential accolade
providing a respected stage to
promote new ideas and acknowl-
edge the work and commitment
necessary to develop new prod-
ucts. We’d like to extend a huge
congratulations to all of this year’s
winners on their outstanding
achievement.”
The Technical Innovation
Awards were presented to win-
ners on Saturday 22nd June at the
Royal Highland Show.