4 October 2016

2 minute read

Europe

This was the 30th edition of SPACE, with over 100,000 attendees passing through the turnstiles.

SPACE is a multi species show with around 550 cattle of many different breeds competing for awards in the main ring. Highlighted this year were the Montbeliarde and Rouge de Pres breeds.

There were also 150 sheep and goats of 10 different breeds attracting visitors’ attention.

At the moment French dairy farmers are getting paid 24.5p/litre, just above the EU weighted average of 22.5p/litre but 10 cents below the cost of production, with average herd size increasing.

Having said that, the cattle lines were buzzing and there were a good number of companies receiving Innov’SPACE awards for their innovative cattle products.

Injecting or dosing cattle can be a difficult task at the best of times. Ideally one person can restrain the animal whilst another carries out the task, but sadly labour is a scarce resource these days.

With this in mind, French company Mazeron Naudot won a 2 star award for its ingenious labour saving restraint device.

This is a moveable frame which moves along the pen front. The heads of 2 or 4 cattle are restrained by large metal “blinkers” (to borrow a term from the equine industry),  so enabling the cattle to be easily treated or injected. 

Cleaning out water bowls by hand is a thankless task – net result – it doesn’t happen. Hence Irish company JFC Manufacturing of County Galway, Ireland has come up with an ingenious solution, the JKC “Dumpy-Tip-over Drinker”.

This is a 3.5 litre drinking bowl which is hinged at one side, so that at the press of a button the bowl swings sideways through 180 degrees, empties itself and then returns empty to its normal position. This new product also gained 2 stars.

TheCattleSite News Desk