New Tools for Your Farm
A closer look at the 2015 Top-10 New Products from World Ag Expo
Halfway through this year’s World Ag Expo, Jon Curry was well on his way to selling out of the 400 Earth Talon Shovels he’d brought to the California farm and equipment show.
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World Ag Expo attendees were eager to see the |
Curry’s asymmetrical shovel not only earned one of the show’s Top-10 New Product awards, but it also caught the interest of farmers and others. For people who spend a lot of time digging holes, the shovel promises an easier, more efficient job of penetrating the ground surface. Its rigid blade curves like a normal shovel on one side, then sharply dips on the other, leaving a point that pierces hard dirt.
“We moved the digging edge forward, concentrating the force at the point for deeper soil penetration,” says Curry, president of Arizona-based Curry Toolworks.
Another of 2015’s Top-10 picks was the MoleCat. The mole trap uses a percussion blast, or deadly shock waves, to kill pesky rodents. Placed in the rodent’s burrow, the device is triggered by the animal’s movement.
“It’s 100% effective,” says MoleCat vice president Vernon Reitenbaugh.
The other Top-10 New Product winners of benefit to crop and livestock producers include:
- Simple Pump Solar Package: This fully automated water-well pump runs via solar power. “It’s the ideal off-grid pump that works especially well for watering livestock in remote locations,” said Peter Dugan, Simple Pump Company. The package comes with a pump, motor, control systems and a solar power unit. For a 100' well, the pump costs about $3,500, including a 30% federal renewable energy tax credit.
- Deep Root Irrigation (DRI) System: DRI’s new underground irrigation system uses the concept of drip irrigation but delivers water directly below the root zone. Founder and manager Jeff Ciudaj says the DRI system has shown water savings of up to 50% in vineyards and orchards compared with traditional drip systems.
- Polydress 02 Barrier 2-in-1: Created to protect silage, PolyExcel’s oxygen barrier film is the first to combine silage film with vacuum film so it can be applied in one step during the covering process.
- Hybrid Shipper: Macro Plastics’ lightweight all-plastic container allows farmers to handle product directly from the field, store it and ship it in this returnable-reusable bin.
- DeLaval BCS System: Using a 3-D camera and software, the BCS System automatically calculates the body condition score of dairy cows.
- DairyProQ: GEA Farm Technologies has delivered the long-awaited robotic rotary milking parlor for large-scale herds. The high-tech system can handle up to 4,500 cows.
- Vet Check Maxx: The Android-tailored software from Dairy Records Management Systems provides a broad view of cow information for reproductive and veterinary management. It comes bundled with PocketDairy.
The World Ag Expo, held every February in Tulare, Calif., features 2.6 million square feet of exhibit space on 260 acres. This year, 1,500 exhibitors demonstrated their latest products and technologies. The Top-10 New Products are chosen by a group of farmers, ranchers and industry professionals.
To read more about the World Ag Expo and the Top-10 New Products, visit www.FarmJournal.com/World_Ag_Expo
