RHASS Gold Medal For Cattle Catcher Crate
Twelve Awards For Technical Innovation 2007
The Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland has made twelve awards under its scheme to recognise technical innovation in farming and rural industry, including a gold award to a previous silver winner.
Gold has gone to Bibbb Equipment, Whauphill, Strichen, Fraserburgh, for their cattle Catcher Crate, a tractor mounted crate developed for the easier management of grazing cattle.
Operated from the tractor seat, the crate eliminates the need for anyone to be on foot when catching an animal. It includes a simple crush and head yoke and can be used for administering drugs, calving, AI, retrieval of strays and adjusting field numbers.
The Catcher Crate, which won a silver medal in the 1990s, also provides a safe environment in which a farmer can tag a newborn calf, protected from the mother. The equipment includes an optional calf nest, which folds flat when not required, to carry a newborn calf.
Douglas Fowlie, Millhill, Longside, Peterhead, convener of the panel of judges for the awards, said: “With frequent reports of injuries to people working with livestock, the crate provides a high level of operator safety. Animals also remain calm when being caught, indeed they will walk in the crate very readily. It was these two factors that impressed the judges. The crate has been refined and improved since it originally won a silver medal and we had no hesitation in awarding gold.”
The panel also awarded seven silver medals and four certificates of commendation for 2007. Silver awards were made to:
Unistock Mobile Cattle Handling System from Premier Livestock Handling, Biggar Mill, Port Road, Dalbeattie – designed to be moved quickly around the farm or from farm to farm. Lower stress levels for operator and livestock with high standards of safety.
Calftagging Humbuggy from Algo (Blairgowrie) Ltd., Algo Business Centre, Glenearn Road, Perth – a quick hitch safe unit which isolates the calf and protects the stockperson from the cow. Used for double tagging, de-horning and castration.
Pottinger Isobus Control System from Landmec Pottinger, Cantrell Works, Bittaford, Ivybridge, Devon – facilitates the running of many different mounted and trailed implements from one in-cab control centre. Joystick allows fingertip control of up to 24 different machine functions.
John Deere Auto Trac from John Deere Ltd., Harby Road, Langar, Notts – automatic guidance product providing operator with hands free steering system. Tests show 10% saving in input costs and 18% increase in productivity.
CombiClamp from David Ritchie (Implements) Ltd., Carseview Road, Forfar – sheep handling unit which requires no power or air and is operated hands free. Ergonomically designed for the operator to catch, hold and release the animal quickly.
GT Potato Harvester from Grimme (UK) Ltd., Station Road, Swineshead, Boston, Lincs – a two row harvester featuring the new “Terra Coulter” allowing for accurate depth control, ridge pressure control and Diablo pressure control.
Bracken o’Bliterator from The Regional Sales Co, 22 Main Street, Tweedmouth, Berwick upon Tweed – a runged roller designed to go behind an ATV, crushing bracken stalks, causing the sap to bleed and the rhizomes to be starved. Simple, inexpensive, non chemical treatment for bracken.
Certificates of commendation were awarded to the Bale Buddy from G W Henry, Treaton Farmhouse, Star of Markinch, Glenrothes; Cover-All Buildings from the firm of the same name from Middlefield, Duns; ATV Mobile Cattle Grid & Bale Feeder from Donald Ingram, Rosebank House, Mains of Torryleith, Newmachar; and Easyload Trailer from Ifor Williams, Cynwyd, Corwen, Denbighshire.
Judges for the awards, including Douglas Fowlie, were Tom Arnott, Haymount, Kelso; Jim Cruikshank, Westerton of Folla, Meikle Wartle, Inverurie; Bill Gray, Rosemains, Pathhead; John Mackie, Dalfibble, Parkgate, Dumfries; Robert Maitland, West Balhalgardy, Inverurie; James Muir, The Learig, Ruskie, Stirling; John Stewart, Remote Farm, Pathhead; and John Wight, Rowangreen, Camps Road, Crawford, Biggar.
The RHASS Technical Innovation Award winners will be on display during the Royal Highland Show in an area on Avenue 7, behind the Main Ring Commentary Box.
The awards will be presented in the Board Room of Ingliston House on Saturday, June 23, at 4 pm.
29 May 2007
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