It’s a far cry from the milk maid and the three-legged stool

Stephen Cadogan

If a cow needs to be diverted out of the milking parlour, a transponder is slipped up onto her tail during milking. Then, as she leaves the milking parlour, this transponder sends a signal which automatically activates a gate which diverts the cow into a holding pen.

It won the 600 for Alfco Engineering Limited, Newtown, Trim, Co Meath.