New farming technologies in the years ahead

Muckit

There has been some great advances in farming technolgy down through the years.

On your farm or in your sector what would you like to see commonly available that would help with farming on a day to day basis?

For me l could see the static 'calving' camera taken to a new level. With the advent of drones, l would like to make the camera mobile so that it could herd stock in the fields. A farmer could access a 'herdsman' app on their phone and direct the drone remotely to certain fields/paddocks.

For shed work this time of year, an auto silage pusher and/or meal dispenser. There was a silage pusher that was invented that ran on a track and ran on its own engine or by electricity. One of these that could be operated remotely with obvious safety sensirs and cameras would mean cattle could be feed twice a week. Even this will go autonomous.

These are just off the top of my head. I see capital investment in technology as the way to go for low margin systems such as beef anyways.

tractorporn

Muckit wrote:

For shed work this time of year, an auto silage pusher and/or meal dispenser. There was a silage pusher that was invented that ran on a track and ran on its own engine or by electricity. One of these that could be operated remotely with obvious safety sensirs and cameras would mean cattle could be feed twice a week. Even this will go autonomous.

Have you not seen the Lely juno/vector? Does exactly what your describing.

Say my name

I'd like to have a go at this biochar lark.
Currently looking up retorts on the web.
The rocket stove type looks the most promising and efficient atm.
Pros - potentially never having to spread fertiliser ever again or at least cut down on fert.
Still haven't seen a bad report on it.
I could say then I'm doing my part on climate change.;)
I'll leave the fancy machinery and try and get back to where the money comes from.

Now where/how to start?...

Muckit

tractorporn wrote: »

Have you not seen the Lely juno/vector? Does exactly what your describing.

Yes seen videos of those. I'd like to see it handling silage blocks! It's light fluffy stuff that you ever see them working on.

tractorporn

Muckit wrote:

Yes seen videos of those. I'd like to see it handling silage blocks! It's light fluffy stuff that you ever see them working on.

There an accountant running a beef finishing unit down in Cork has one. Think he was interviewed on ettg before and it seemed to cope well. Tis not cheap now muckit.

kevthegaff

Has to be driverless technology for fert spreading

patsy_mccabe

I'd like to see a mobile toilet for cows. You could have those sensors on the tails like Moocall. When a cow lifts her tail , the toilet would dash to the back of the cow and collect her poo poo and pee pee.
No more scraping of yards and no need for slats.

Nekarsulm

In the local hardware store this morning, and they have offers on Husqvarna robot lawnmowers. Jeez, a thing the size of a child's school bag is 3000 euro.
More of interest is the battery chainsaw.
Light, quiet and will cut continuously for 45 minutes on a charge.
Super yoke to keep in the car boot this time of year.

Only major downside in my eyes, is that a child could easily start it and take it to their brother/cousin etc.

Timmaay

Micro tractors for all field work are around the corner, at the minute the only reason tractors and machinery is becoming bigger and bigger is down to the labour limitation, bigger the better as you need less labour. However once everything becomes more automated, it will be an utter no brainer to go right back to small machinery that weights no more than a few 100kg, that will cause almost zero compaction, no issues with irregular field sizes or narrow gaps/ limited access.

cosatron

i would love to see in this country, where slurry is used as an energy source on a larger scale.

I says

A yoke for gathering bale netting.
Bastard of a thing

Snowfire

Auto steer that doesn’t crash into electricity pylons..!