The World Ag Expo has once again released its list of the top-10 new product award winners.

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The competition, sponsored by Bank of America, was judged by a panel of ranchers, farmers and industry professionals ahead of the show, taking place Feb. 14-16 in Tulare.

Afimilk – AfiAct II – Calving Alert Service

This service provides Afimilk customers with the ability to receive an alert when any of their cows or heifers have started the process of calving. This is a service provided to Afimilk customers who utilize AfiAct II tags on their dry cows. The service is free of charge, and only requires activation within the software (version AfiFarm 5.1 or higher). Within seven days of activation, calving alerts can be sent automatically to users in the form of SMS (text messages) and\or e-mails. These alerts are sent once the system detects the specified changes in an animal’s pattern of behavior.

Automated Ag Systems – Melon Wrangler

The Melon Wrangler is a harvest assist machine that helps to maximize the safety and efficiency of the worker, while protecting the fruit and helping to lower harvest costs. The Wrangler can attach to a trailer, truck or bus in less than one minute. Two side conveyors eliminate the toss method, which can bruise and damage the fruit as well as cause injuries to the crew. The Wrangler is equipped with two 24 horsepower gas engines that use approximately four gallons of gas in an eight hour work period. Due to the short picking season and the high heat, the Wrangler is equipped with lights allowing for harvesting to be done outside of daylight hours. Growers who use the Melon Wrangler have seen an exponential increase in efficiency during harvest.

Cool-Calf Covers – Cool-Calf Cover Product Series: Cool-Calf Cover™, Warm Calf Cover™, Calf Rescue Blanket™ (Patent Pending)

These covers use the latest in heat reflective and absorptive technology to improve the health, growth and welfare of newborn calves. Simple to use, they help control for heat and cold stress. Calf hutches can absorb 83 percent of solar radiation, so heat stress is an unavoidable problem. Cool-Calf Covers™ reflect 84% of the sun’s heat, resulting in a 10-15 degree reduction in temperatures. Warm-Calf Covers™ absorb 94 percent of solar heat, while insulating the hutch, reflecting body heat back to the calf and improving temperatures by up to 10 degrees.

J & D Manufacturing, Inc – 72″ Torque Drive Mega Storm II Fan

The 72″ Torque Drive Mega Storm II Fan is the first exhaust fan of its size with no belts, pulleys or tensioners. This fan is the highest performing exhaust fan-46,225 CFM at .10 SP-and it still meets the 20.3 CFM/Wt. requirement for many energy rebates. Both dealers and farmers will enjoy virtually no maintenance issues and increased efficiencies with this fan.

Logan Clutch Corporation – Flexadrive
 
Flexadrive is a multiple pump drive system that facilitates diesel, diesel-electric and hybrid drives for all sizes of agricultural production equipment. This multiple pump drive system enables you to connect and disconnect hydraulic pumps on demand. Further, it has a power management system that enables you to switch from diesel to hybrid mode much easier. Among the list of features, data collection and wifi capability are beneficial for those interested in big data. Flexadrive boasts fuel savings and lower emissions which results in reduced costs and environmental benefits.

Protekta Inc. – X-Zelit

X-Zelit is the answer to preventing clinical and subclinical hypocalcemia in dairy cows. It is added to the close-up ration at the rate of 17.6 ounces per cow, per day, for the 14 days prior to calving. When using X-Zelit, no other methods of prevention are necessary (i.e., calcium supplements or acidification of the ration/DCAD balance). X-Zelit binds excess calcium from the close-up ration in the small intestine. Thereafter, the calcium leaves the cow through her feces. At this point, there is no calcium in the close-up ration available for absorption. This activates the cow’s natural process of mobilizing calcium from her bones/body reserves (triggering her parathyroid hormone). Triggering this process allows her to maintain an optimum calcium level at calving and into lactation. To prevent subclinical hypocalcemia, it is crucial to consistently maintain calcium levels at 8.5 mg/dl (2.15 mmol/l) or higher at calving. X-Zelit is the only product on the market today that is capable of achieving this result.

Silostop – SilostopMAX

SilostopMAX has been developed by the creators of the worldwide leading oxygen barrier film. It is an orange on black film that is virtually impermeable to oxygen and, for this reason, prohibits the entry of air into ensiled crops. It is crucial that ensiled crops are stored in an anaerobic environment to prevent energy and dry matter (DM) losses. SilostopMAX is a robust film that complies with CA ARB rule 4750 and is therefore suitable for larger applications. It is easy to handle and apply. It has unique oxygen barrier properties that reduce VOCs and is proven to be over 100 times more effective than conventional silage sheeting.

Sutton Ag Enterprises – Ortomec Cleaner 2

The Ortomec Cleaner 2 is an innovative, in-field crop cleaning system. The self-propelled Cleaner 2 cuts crops at variable heights and vacuums away the cut product and foreign material with its high powered suction system. By running the Cleaner 2 through a post-harvest field, the machine enables an increase in the number of harvests on the same seeding bed and the quality of the next crop. This is made possible by removing the residuals of the previous cut, harmful insects and any other unwanted material in the field, while cutting the crop to a uniform height.

Veda Farming Solutions, Inc. – Scorpion

The Scorpion is a self-propelled automatic weeder that has a built-in frame and engine which allows it to control weeds by carefully cutting the weed at the root without hurting nearby plants. The Scorpion removes weeds within 1/2 inch around each plant, with hydraulically operated blades. The weeder can be used on as many rows as needed for each bed, with flexible configurations. One single pass is all you will need to get the job done.

Watch Technologies – AutoFlood

AutoFlood completely automates on-farm flood irrigation by retrofitting existing delivery gates with linear actuators that open and close the gates based on sufficiently irrigating fields. AutoFlood completely controls all aspects of flooding, from the time water enters an on-farm canal until flooding is completed. AutoFlood controls delivery gate operations, manages flow in all “checks” or “lands” to nearly eliminate tailwater spill, reduces cost of irrigation labor by 75-90 percent, reduces water consumption by 5-10 percent, reduces standing water on crops due to over-flooding, provides real-time data to farmers on progress of irrigation via telemetry and allows a farmer to change system operational parameters remotely.