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Gallagher's 2019 Fieldays site.
The rapidly expanding 'virtual farming' arena looks like it's taking a step nearer reality with Hamilton-based Gallagher Group taking ownership of Australian virtual fencing developer Agersens.
Best known for its eShepherd system, Gallagher has been a minor investor in Agersens since 2016. It suggests that the acquisition will allow it to develop the technology further and drive commercial expansion in Australasia and beyond. The technology is a result of the original, licensed intellectual property - developed by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) - that demonstrated how cattle can be trained to stay within "virtual" boundaries using a combination of audio signals and aversive electrical pulses.
The system is designed to allow farmers to control the location and movement of cattle via a web-based application and a solar powered, counter-weighted neckband, connected to the internet via a base station. Boundaries can easily be drawn around entire properties or selected areas within a property, using a tablet or smart device, while also offering real-time information of individual animal locations.
In practice, when an animal moves towards the 'virtual' fence, they are given an audible warning. If they fail to back away, they are given an electrical pulse that is less than that of an electric fence - causing discomfort rather than harm. Animals are said to quickly learn to respond to the audible cue alone before any electrical pulse is required.
Recent fully-subscribed trials in New Zealand and Australia have shown that the system is particularly effective when used in rotational grazing.
It removes the risks of over/under grazing as well as helping to reduce the environmental footprint by excluding animals from sensitive areas - such as streams, rivers or riparian plantings.
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With the biannual Italian EIMA machinery Expo less than a month away, Case IH has taken out a Technical Evolution award for the Advanced Vehicle Suspension system available on its Optum 360–440 series tractors.
The Advanced Vehicle Suspension system, available on Optum 360, 390, and 440 models, responds to changing conditions, automatically adjusting how the suspension reacts to absorbs shocks and controlling vehicle movement.
In operation, sensors monitor the vibrations transmitted from the tractor chassis to the operator cabin, allowing the system to adjust suspension damping in real time. The control system incorporates key priorities, such as comfort at lower speeds and stability as speed increases, while also reacting to factors such as lower tyre pressures, where the tyres absorb more of the initial shock.
Case IH said as suspension requirements change throughout the working day, as tractors move between the paddock and road transport, the system manages suspension response in the background as tasks, speeds and conditions change, leaving the operator without the need to make manual adjustments.
Richard Hollins, Optum series tractors global product manager, said: “Pioneering technology must earn its place in the working day. Farmers and contractors will judge an investment by what it delivers, including manageable ownership costs, dependable up-time and the versatility to tackle different jobs. With AVS, we are putting intelligent control to work for comfort and stability, without giving the operator another setting to manage.”
Organised by FederUnacoma, the Italian Agricultural Machinery Manufacturers Federation, the contest has been part of EIMA since 1986, with the Technical Evolution distinction awarded to products that introduce original improvements to solutions already manufactured or patented.
www.caseih.com
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