A treadmill has provided the inspiration for the champion agricultural invention at Sheepvention.
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NSW farmers Patrick and Margaret Daniher took out the Elanco Animal Health Robert F Stewart Major Award and received $4000 cash with their invention, which makes feeding out large square bales quick and easy.
The 2.68 metre long and 1.79m wide steel-framed feeder can be attached to the back of a ute or a trailer and drops biscuits of hay onto the ground.
It has four steel rollers and a 1.6m wide belt made of 3ply PVC and can be remote controlled driven by a 12 volt winch.
“With this, you can sit inside the cab of the ute with the toggle switch or hand-held remote and unload the bale safely.”
The Danihers manufactured the first few units themselves but are now using a Griffith-based engineering firm.
“We have sold half a dozen in the last six months,” he said.
“The first one went to Coleraine, Vic, and he has put over 500 square bales and is happy, which is great.”
Tom Marriott, Barooga, NSW, won the livestock equipment and technology class with his Lamb Box which catches lambs after they have been released from the marking cradle to enable them to be weighed.