Summer Show brings the world of agri-innovation to Curraheen
The Munster Agri-Innovation search for winners comes to a climax at the Cork Summer Show on Saturday.
Final judging will take place in the battle for the €2,500 prize fund.
Awards will go to winners in categories such as Best Agri-Engineering/Technology, Best Agri-Environmental, Best Farm Diversification, and Best Young and Best Student Agri-Innovators.
The finalists represent some of the best farming innovations Munster has to offer, as well acous some from further afield.
The awards highlight the diversity of the agricultural industry, with entries ranging from biomass grain driers to alternative feeds and tail painting devices.
Tailpainter
For example, the latter, the is an easy-reach device that makes tail painting from the milking parlour pit a safer and cleaner operation.
The North Cork based innovators behind this device take a lot of the hardship out of tail painting, making it an easier and more effective heat detection method.
Farm Medicine Scanner
The Co Tipperary based Herdwatch have entered their Farm Medicine Scanner which utilises the technology available in your smartphone to make recording medicines for compliance and quality assurance as simple as taking a picture.
WeighRite
True North Technologies from Co Clare have put forward their WeighRite auto- recording weighing system.
It can store and track individual weights, but also tracks individual animals against herd peers and national breed averages.
Uniquely, the system automatically measures animal docility.
Suip Protector
The Galway based Suip Manufacturing Co Ltd have entered an ATV anti-theft lock that is certified by Sold Secure/The Association of UK Locksmiths.
The Suip Protector is a drive-onto system which wraps the wheel of your farm vehicle, making it impossible to remove.
Tástáil
Tástáil, a product coming out of Technological University Dublin, allows Irish farmers to instantly test their animals for parasites on the farm.
Just prepare a faecal sample through a few simple steps, and then put it into the analysis device.
Within minutes, a text message with the parasitic diagnosis is available.
Arkaline
Arkaline LCF is an entry from Ark Farm Innovations in the South East of Ireland.
It is a chlorine-free caustic based detergent for use in dairy production.
VirtualVet
An entry with recent award success is Waterford’s VirtualVet, runners up in the National Enterprise Award a fortnight ago.
VirtualVet help farmers build a compliance-ready, synchronised drug-book, for free, simply by sending them the information through a smartphone app, by text, by images, or even by voicemail.
Organic seaweed products
Westmeath-based Better Plants bring their organic seaweed fertiliser and animal feed products which have been tested on independent trials to the competition.
The 100% organic and natural products offer an alternative fertiliser and feed supplement to meet a growing consumer demand for local, natural food production methods.
Moo-Shine
A natural animal health product called Moo-Shine comes from a Clonakilty company. It is a wholesome supplement, based on fresh Irish apples, naturally fermented into high purity apple cider vinegar together with a special fortification recipe of other specially selected immune boosting herbs.
Biogold Agri
The Killavullen, Co Cork-based Biogold Agri Ltd have developed a novel method of commercial grain drying which replaces fossil fuels with biomass. In 2018, they dried over 20,000 tonnes of grain and thus reduced carbon emissions by approximately 530,000kg.
Inspect 4 Crate
The Inspect 4 Roll Over Crate, an East Cork entry, is an animal handling device for treatments such as hoof trimming and teat sealing.
Safety features in the crate enable all four feet to be restrained at a convenient height, thus easing operators’ back strain and injury potential, while the animal is kept secure and safe.
King Coupling
From an innovator situated near the Cork Summer Showgrounds at Curraheen, King Coupling can be used to join two broken pieces of hydraulic hose pipe within 20 minutes.
The hydraulic connection is made of steel and comprises of three main parts.
The product is patented internationally.
Traxsit Limited
Traxsit Limited is a Cork-based Internet of Things company tackling theft of plant, vehicles and machinery.
Traxsit are developing GPS tracking and engine immobilisation technologies which will allow users to locate and immobilise their assets globally, at the touch of a button.
Student innovators
Some of the student innovators vying for Munster Agri-Innovation awards include researchers working on herbal leys as an alternative to perennial ryegrass, who say mixtures containing 30% legumes eliminate the need for spreading any nitrogen fertiliser.
Another student project examines current water testing practices by comparing tests results at random parts of rivers in North Cork with EPA results from controlled set point texts.
The awards are supported by the Local Enterprise Office and Agri Insider.
All the competition entries will be on show in an agri-innovation zone on Saturday at the Curraheen showgrounds, as part of the one-of-a-kind family experience which the Cork Summer Show offers this Saturday and Sunday from 9am to 6pm.
Along with the agri-innovation zone, there’s the full spectrum of agriculture, food, music, home, garden, crafts, equipment, animal husbandry, entertainment, and retail trade stands which makes the Cork Summer Show one of the largest events of its kind in Ireland, attracting over 50,000 visitors.
