European plywood replacement now available in U.S. EcoSheet recycled plywood is a durable, weather-resistant building material for a variety of agricultural applications. It is made in the U.K., where it is increasingly popular. Manufactured from recycled waste plastics, EcoSheet contains no adhesives or preservatives. It can be sanded and painted, resists bacteria growth, is easy to clean and extremely rigid. It is distributed in the U.S. by North Brook Plastics, a division of North Brook Farms (EH 3816-3818).
New BMR corn silage hybrid Mycogen Seeds (AR 477, 478) is adding a 94-day BMR hybrid, F2F346, to its 2013 lineup. The company says F2F346 is a medium-tall silage corn with excellent tonnage and neutral detergent fiber digestibility scores.
According to Mycogen, F2F346’s features include strong agronomics, good stress tolerance and HERCULEX XTRA insect protection. It has semi-flexible ears and yields well with moderate to moderately high plant populations.Waterproof apron with slit front
Udder Tech, Inc. (AR 501-503) offers a new variation on its waterproof apron. The design makes it easier for the wearer to go up and down stairs without stepping on the garment.
Two panels across the apron’s front overlap to protect the legs when the wearer is standing upright but open up when climbing steps.
New modular chillers
The Paul Mueller Company (EH 1807-1909) is introducing a new modular chiller line dubbed Avalanche. The system combines electronic valve technology with the company’s existing HiPerForm refrigeration system. The company claims that the Avalanche’s capacities are greater than their competitors’ electronic valve systems.
Calf hutch options
The ECO hutch from Calf-Tel (EH 2011-2114) is a smaller alternative to standard-size calf housing. It requires about 23 square feet of space – 22 percent less than the company’s Pro and Deluxe models. The hutch features a rear bedding and ventilation door.
Calf-Tel is also introducing a newly designed pen front that allows dairymen to raise and lower the height of the bucket without having to move the front of the pen. Other improvements include an enhanced feed divider and a wider door opening.
Colostrum management
Dairy Tech Inc.’s MilkWorks Gold colostrum machine manages the company’s Perfect Udder bags.
The machine pasteurizes colostrum in the foil bags, chills and later reheats it – a 4-quart bag of colostrum can go from frozen to feeding temperature in less than 30 minutes. Featured at the CalfStart LLC booth (TC 929).
Plant-based bypass protein
With AminoMax Pro from Afgritech, LLC (AL 115), dairy nutritionists have the ability to blend multiple bypass plant proteins for specific nutritional properties.According to the company, the product is manufactured using soybeans and canola seeds to provide the cow with consistent levels of highly digestible lysine, methionine and other essential amino acids. The product is made in New York via an enzyme-based manufacturing system that went online last fall. A recent expansion has increased product volume and made this product newly available outside of New York State.
Drier recycled sand
The sand dewatering screen was originally developed by McLanahan Corporation (TM 654, 655) for industrial sand processing at concrete plants, foundries, etc.
The technology is now being applied to the dairy industry. The machine shakes damp sand to shear off water attached to sand grains. The water that was shed filters through a bed of sand maintained on the screen. The result is sand at less than 12 percent moisture that is ready for bedding.
Mid-size mixers
Following the success of the previously introduced larger machines, four new mid-size models have been added to the Kuhn (TM E, F) Knight VT 100 Series, Vertical Maxx twin-auger mixer line.
The company says that these mixers feature improvements to the mixing chamber and redesigned augers for quicker mixing and processing with more complete cleanout. They’re available in truck or trailer models, with capacities of 320 to 680 cubic feet.
Milk replacer additive
BoviCare from Mg Biologics (AL 190) is a natural product that contains Cryptosporidium parvum proteins. The company claims that it meets calves’ enteric needs and promotes increased feed efficiency and weight gains. The product is meant to be administered orally in milk replacer from the day of birth to day 7.
Soybean meal with lysine
Soy Best (EH 4210, 4211, IL 316) is introducing Pearl, which the company says is the only high-bypass soybean meal fortified with rumen-protected lysine. Pearl is manufactured by inserting Kemin LysiPEARL rumen-protected lysine into fresh soy gums and applying the gums onto Soy Best according to a patented process. The company suggests that the final product can be used to balance rations for high milk production at a lower cost compared to other feed ingredients.
New cluster washing system
Dairymaster USA (EH 2015-2118) says that its new ClusterCleanse system improves hygiene by minimizing the spread of contagious mastitis during milking. ClusterCleanse rinses each cluster after each cow is milked by flushing the cluster and the long milk tube with a combination of disinfectant and air. After the cluster is flushed out, it is then automatically purged. The cleansing sequence can be automatically started after detachment or initiated by the operator. PD