The first annual Herdwatch #Agventions competition in association with the Tullamore Show has drawn to a close. The competition has been a great success with 20 separate entries and over 2,000 votes online.
The entries were narrowed from 20 to a shortlist of 8 which was judged on Friday 4th of August by a panel of 4 judges. The judges' panel was made up of was made up of 2 members from the Tullamore Show, Rodney and Lesley Cox, a local dairy farmer, Padraig Madden and a member of the Herdwatch team, James Greevy.
The judges were blown away by the standard of the entries and spent over 3 hours deliberating the merits of each of the Agventions before finally coming to a decision, with an overall winner as well as two runners-up of the competition being announced on Tuesday 7th August .
The overall winner will receive a cash prize of €250 and is entered in the Tullamore show national inventions competition.
The two runners-up received a year's free Herdwatch membership and were also entered in the Tullamore Show National Inventions Competition.
Tom Donlon's Feed Transport Box is the first overall Agventions winner. Tom came up with the idea after getting injured on the farm last year, he needed a way to transport feed around the farm that did not involved lifting bags of meal on and off the quad. The feed transport box can carry up to 100kg of meal safely on the back of the quad. It can be fed directly from the meal bin uses gravity to release the meal once the handle is released.
Tom will be exhibiting his Feed Transport Box at the inventions stand at the Tullamore show on Sunday 12th August.
Michael Roches Portable Cattle Pen is a mobile cattle pen and crush that fits on the 3 point linkage of any tractor. Michael developed the idea because he has a number of out-farms and he needed a safe way to hold and manage cattle without the expense of building a cattle pen on each farm. The pen can expand to a 20’ by 23 ‘ cattle pen or a smaller cattle pen with a 9’ crush, sculling gate and rear gate.
Michael will be exhibiting his Feed Transport Box at the inventions stand at the Tullamore show on Sunday 12th August.
Patrick Harneys' Safety Box was invented to solve a problem on his farm. He needed his Quad to round up cattle on a piece of land away from his farm but he did not want to drive it on the main roads. The safety box allows him to carry the quad on the front of the tractor and bring the cattle trailer on the back of the tractor, saving him multiple trips up and down the road. The Safety Box can also be used carry calves or sheep around the farm.
Patrick will be exhibiting his Feed Transport Box at the Inventions stand at the Tullamore Show on Sunday 12th August.
The judges were so impressed that the remaining 5 farmers who were shortlisted have also received a year's free Herdwatch subscription.
Patrick modified an ordinary Lime spreader to take the heavy lifting out the job. It allows him to lime 100 cubicles in under 2 minutes.
Niall's Herding Truck can go between farms and has all the equipment and tools needed for general maintenance on a day to day basis, which includes a quad.
Finnian Mathes Calf Feeder allows him to feed up to 30 calves at any one time without having to open a gate. It is invaluable to him as he rears so many calves.
The Herdwatch team will be on hand at the Tullamore show to answer any question that you may have about the Agventions competition or Herdwatch.
The team will be in Business Arcade C and on the Inventions stand.
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