• • • EU beef producers ready for robotic feeders
With labour shortages increasing across the agricultural industry internationally, robotic feeding is set to play a significant part on livestock farms in the future. In Europe and other parts of the world, small and large beef units, even outdoor feedlots, are all targets for autonomous feeding systems backed up by the latest sensors, clouds and software. Farmers attending the huge EuroTier livestock equipment show in Hanover, Germany last November left with heads full of ideas on how to make their businesses more efficient, but wondering in some cases how to afford it.
One of the latest systems consists of the Shuttle Eco developed by Austrian company Wasserbauer. It acts as vehicle with a 2.2-cubic metre capacity for collecting the feed and distributing it to the cattle. There is an excellent YouTube video to watch if you Google “Wasserbauer Nano”.
The Shuttle Eco — a self-unloading robotic feed tub on wheels — is part of a Wasserbauer-developed feeding system. The feeding robot is battery powered and moves freely around the shed via magnets in the floor. As a result, it can easily be used in several sheds and can move to several silos. The Shuttle Eco feeds animals around the clock, 365 days a year, with precisely tailored fresh ration and the best part is, it never will ask for time off.
