NEW PRODUCTS

NEWProducts

This month, we feature a new herbicide approved for use in Great Britain, a retrofit device designed to counter the impact of uneven weight and vacuum distribution of a milking cluster, a new feature added to smaXtec’s farm tech tool and MEA’s new training scheme launch.

Countering milk cluster bias

Anew retrofit device, developed by J.F. Hudson, has been designed to counter the impact of uneven weight and vacuum distribution of a milking cluster.

Operating in conjunction with automatic cluster removal and gently supporting the cluster, it eliminates any bias between front and rear quarters, with the durable, high density polyurethane supports also helping avoid liner slip and kick-offs and the consequential time and labour involved in re-attachment.

The product was developed after the herd management software used by NMR Gold Cup-winning Metcalfe Farms, North Yorkshire, revealed twice as many mastitis cases in front quarters compared to rear quarters, despite the herd having below average cases overall.

After trials with the units on the Metcalfe family’s 72-point Boumatic rotary parlour had demonstrated accurately costed payback in a matter of months, the two businesses came together to patent and market Lactalign.

At Metcalfe Farms, the Lactalign supports have shown a 59% reduction in liner slip, a 47% reduction in kick-offs, a 65% reduction in re-attachments and a 50% reduction in mastitis cases in front quarters.

The supports, costing from £150/point, can be fitted to most types of parlour, whether rotary, rapid-exit or herringbone.

Got a new product?

JNew products are featured in each issue of Dairy Farmer.

Please send details and pictures to Hannah Park at hannah.park@agriconnect.com, or call 01772 799 450. rMore information at lactalign.com

MEA launches training scheme

JThe Milking Equipment Association is changing the name of its accreditation scheme for dairy technicians and launching a new category 4 master dairy engineering technician course.

The Milking Systems Training Accreditation scheme replaces Parlour Safe, offering training courses and assessment for dairy technicians to improve their skills and gain an industryrecognised accreditation.

The new category 4 course is an opportunity for experienced dairy technicians to be accredited with specialist status in the sector and is aimed at those looking for leadership roles which may require them to train or mentor others. rMore information about courses available at milkingsystems.co.uk/msta

Feature added to farm tech tool

JAgritech company smaXtec is expanding its system to include categorisation of diseases by severity, a feature designed to make it easier for farmers to determine the health status of an animal.

Developers explain the technology works by analysing and evaluating cow health data using artificial intelligence, with algorithms able to process individual vital signs, such as the alarm combinations of the last 72 hours or the last 72 hours or each cow’s current phase in lactation.

Animals are then automatically ranked according to high, medium or low risk in the app. rMore information at smaxtec.com

Herbicide approved for British use

JA new mode of action against grassweeds and a vital tool for controlling black-grass and Italian ryegrass is now available to growers, after BASF received approval in Great Britain for its new active substance, Luximo, and the product containing this active, Luxinum Plus.

Luximo is the BASF brand name for cinmethylin, a soil residual active substance for grass and broad-leaved weed control in winter wheat, for application at pre- and early post-emergence timings.

Luximo will be available this autumn as Luxinum Plus, in combination with partner products. Producers containing the active farmers will be able to buy are currently under evaluation at CRD and will also contain partner active substances, such as pendimethalin. rMore information at agricentre.basf.co.uk/luximo ‘Click and collect’ ser vice

PARTS WHEN YOU NEED THEM MOST

KUHN Parts

Easy access via mykuhn.kuhn.com