New Broom
OPINION: The old saying 'a new broom sweeps clean' doesn't always hold up, if you ask the Hound.
Two new products added to the hum on the Rurtec stand at Fieldays last month.
In fact, the Lanati cordless handpiece was such a hit that all stock sold out and the product is now on back order, says Rurtec founder Ian Carr.
The handpiece is powered by a rechargeable lithium battery, making jobs quick and easy.
“Convenience is the key for knocking dags off sheep in the yards before loading them for transport or prior to running them into the shed for shearing,” he says.
“There was positive reaction to the Lanati, to the point where we’ve had to organise another shipment to keep ahead of orders.”
Carr says the handpiece is also handy to have in a ute or on a bike for use in the backblocks. “It’s great for quickly cleaning up flystruck sheep.”
Dairy farmers also liked it, many buying it for tail trimming. Frank Fransen and his son Tim were amazed how quick and easy tail trimming can be, with little chance of cutting into the skin.
Also new at Fieldays was Rurtec’s new Adlam harness, which combines the prolapse functionality of the Bearin harness with restraint as enabled by the Adopta harness.
Forestry Minister Todd McClay has today congratulated the winners of the 2026 Growing Native Forests Champions Awards at Fieldays.
The Government has announced $60,000 to provide one-off grants of $1,000 to each of the 60 New Zealand Young Farmers (NZYF) clubs across the country.
New Zealand’s rural sector has once again demonstrated its generosity, with the second Rural Industry Leaders Dinner, Debate and Auction raising an impressive $400,000 for the Rural Support Trust.
There has been another twist to the Federated Farmers annual election fiasco.
Analysis of decades of research has revealed the implementation of good farming practices plays a critical role in reducing nutrient losses to improve freshwater outcomes.
Yesterday the Government used the opening of Fieldays to announce a major investment, as part of its Land Use Flexibility package, to support a more productive and sustainable future across six sectors including dairy.

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