EuroTier 2012: 104 innovations and four silver medals
The Big Dutchman group is proud of four innovation medals
One silver medal was awarded to the first system for automatic manure belt monitoring and controlling in layer houses. The innovative manure removal is very animal-friendly, requires little time and effort and greatly reduces wear of the conveyor belts. The new system can be used for all housing systems.
Save money by recognising saving potentials: The user-friendly FarmPowerManager collects all relevant information about energy consumption centrally, analyses tariff-dependent costs in real time and predicts the future consumption.
Visitors were very interested in a new heat detection system developed for sows in group housing with ESF stations and for outdoor systems. The new SowCheck system analyses and recognises when the sows are in heat by taking a look at what their senses perceive - automatically, without causing them stress and with a very high success rate.
Pig producers using feeding-on-demand systems know: Health checks for sows housed in groups are of great importance and require a lot of time and effort. A software extension developed by Big Dutchman now provides unique support for these tasks: The new tool registers the sequence of the sows' visits to the ESF stations and can thus directly point to problem sows.
"Free movement for pigs - through all stages of their life" was the basic idea of the Big Dutchman concept study "Pig Production 2030". The ambitious goal is a professional and profitable pig management without restriction of the pigs except for situations which call for the special protection of individual pigs.
BD BlueSystems presented an innovative membrane filtration system called MemFis for livestock farming at the EuroTier 2012. In a three-stage process, MemFis transforms manure and digestate into clear water, valuable fertiliser or useful input material for biogas plants.
With six stands, 104 innovations and a stand area of about 3,000 m2, Big Dutchman showed what they are made of at this year's EuroTier. It was the greatest show presence in the history of the group based in Calveslage.
Apart from the representative stands for the main business units poultry and pig equipment, the innovative Big Dutchman subsidiaries BD BlueSystems (treatment of slurry and digestate), BD PowerSystems (energy from biomass) and BDW Feedmill Systems (technology for mixed feed production) were also part of the largest international trade fair for animal production.
Before the start of the show, the German Agricultural Society (Deutsche Landwirtschafts-Gesellschaft, DLG) international expert committee had awarded four Big Dutchman innovations with silver innovation medals.
Four silver medals
One medal was granted for the first automatic manure belt control for layer management and the FarmPowerManager for livestock production. The FarmPowerManager is the very first energy management system for livestock farmers and was jointly developed by the Big Dutchman business units Poultry and Pig. Big Dutchman Pig Equipment GmbH received two more silver medals: The new heat detection system SowCheck as well as a new software tool for health monitoring of sows in group housing with electronic sow feeding system convinced the renowned jury.
The concept study "Pig Production 2030" proved to be especially popular with the visitors: On an area of 500 m2 Big Dutchman presented a real-life housing concept for the future. The pig house provided a practical basis for discussion and encouraged the viewers to get actively involved in the further development of livestock farming – even after the show.
Image barometer: Big Dutchman on top
In the run-up of the show, leading farmers in all parts of Germany again confirmed the world market leader's innovative capacity as was illustrated by the recently published DLG image barometer 2012: According to the barometer, Big Dutchman is leading in livestock farming technology for the sixth time in a row and has further strengthened its top position. Pig and poultry farmers perceive the group as an excellent and especially innovative company. Big Dutchman also secured the first place for its on-line communication.
