A formidable duo for tillage
The new Lemken Solitair MR series mounted drills, available in three or four metre working widths, features a 1500-litre tank, which is suitable for fertiliser even in its basic configuration.
Growing up on a South Waikato sheep and beef farm, Penny Ranger has firsthand experience on the day-to-day challenges.
One such challenge, when drenching sheep in a race, is working out which animals have been treated.
This led to the idea of developing a user-friendly marking tool; to give a clear indication of animals drenched and the arrival of the Mark-It drench gun attachment.
Penny, currently a Year 13 student at St Peters School in Cambridge, was the winner of a Fieldays Innovation Award, which she admits was originally her elder sister’s idea, but oversaw the development and refinement into a saleable product.
Like many great ideas, simplicity is the key, with a 3-D printed nozzle attachment, which houses a pre-loaded coloured sponge which leaves a mark on the side of the animal’s face as it’s drenched.
Said to offer a 100% indication when drenching, the attachments help reduce increasingly expensive drenching costs by eliminating double- drenching, while also giving confidence that the whole mob has been treated.
The earliest prototype was built in metal, but proved to be heavy and clumsy, so was refined with the use of a PLA plastic, with the attachment now only weighing thirty-three grams.
During the development, Penny overcame initial issues with sourcing and cutting the applicator sponges, then dyeing them with ink. The current version now uses a paint-like marking solution that, with a thicker consistency, doesn’t clog or drip.
Penny was selling starter packs at Fieldays, including the attachment and three dyed sponges for a bargain $35 and is currently setting up a website for online purchasing.
Applications are open for Horticulture New Zealand’s (HortNZ) 2025 scholarship programme with18 funding opportunities for students with a special interest in the commercial fruit and vegetable industry.
A lot depends on what happens in the next few months. That's the view of Federated Farmers Otago president, Luke Kane.
A group of volunteers from Lincoln University known as the 'Handy Landies' is among those descending on Otago to help farmers get their properties back to normal.
In another sign of improving agribusiness sentiment, two listed companies have lifted their forecast earnings for the year.
Three nominations have been received for two vacant director positions on meat processor, Alliance Group's board.
Canterbury milk processor Synlait says some farmer suppliers have been inquiring about the process to remove their cessation notices, handed in earlier this year.
OPINION: In a to the 1990s, our old mates at Greenpeace continued their crusade against affordable food by abseiling down…
OPINION: Big surprise, Fish & Game find themselves at odds with farmers, once again, and at risk of costing their…