Gizmos & Gadgets
Products and services for the farm and ranch.
September 18, 2024
This edition features a pickup truck built for ranchers, an all-natural oral drench for calf scours, a new self-propelled forage harvester, a commercially available nitrogen fertilizer certified for organic use, and an upgraded telehandler with new safety features.
A pickup built for farmers and ranchers
The Certified Agriculture Group and Fox Factory Performance Vehicle Development introduce the AGwagon, a pickup truck engineered to “outfarm and outranch them all.” Designed by more than a dozen farmers and ranchers for their peers, the pickup combines rugged durability with performance and comfort.
The first build unveiled in Kansas City Sept. 13 uses the Ford Super Duty® platform, but the AGwagon will ultimately be available on all domestic manufacturer HD chassis, including Chevrolet, GMC and RAM.
Each pickup will be assembled at the FOX Factory Trussville, Ala., plant. They will carry standard manufacturer’s warranties along with a concurrent three-year, 36,000-mile warranty from Fox Factory on components custom-designed and manufactured specifically for the AGwagon.
Built for tough agricultural use, the model boasts advanced suspension, rugged wheels, HD front and rear bumpers, two-way radio capabilities, proprietary easy-access bed steps at the rear and sides, and 360° high-intensity LED lighting. With a wide array of standard features and multiple optional upgrades, each pickup can be fully customized to meet the specific needs of the customer.
Every AGwagon comes with AgPack to help offset the cost of the truck through exclusive rebates and discounts on dozens of ag supplies and services. The AGwagon will only be available through Certified Agriculture Dealerships (CAD). For more information visit https://bit.ly/4deiNAe.
All-natural oral drench for calf scours
Ralco, a leading innovator in natural animal health, introduces Rapid Strike™, an advanced oral drench designed to maintain health during times of calf scours, a common and costly issue for beef producers.
Traditional treatment options for calf scours have relied heavily on antibiotics, but the increasing threat of antibiotic resistance has driven the industry to seek alternative solutions. With some pathogens associated with calf scours not bacterial but viral in nature, antibiotics offer little to no benefit in these cases.
Rapid Strike utilizes essential oils, prebiotics and electrolytes to support gut health, encourage healthy eating and drinking patterns, and help maintain overall well-being in calves.
Rapid Strike is easy to administer, requiring no veterinarian prescription or refrigeration, and is available in 250 milliliter (mL) and 60 mL bottles. Administer 10 mL per head during periods of digestive stress and repeat with follow-up doses if needed after 24 hours.
For more information visit: https://bit.ly/4egz88v.
Self-propelled forage harvester
The 2025 New Holland FR Forage Cruiser self-propelled forage harvesters are benefiting from multiple upgrades. Updates include: an enhanced cab interior with refined controls and electronics to boost operator comfort and productivity, a new system to significantly reduce the risk of machine overload and blockage, and the CustomSteer™ system, which speeds up headland turns. These enhancements, along with the Inspired by Nature styling, can be found on the four-model lineup, from the 544-maximum hp FR550 to the 911-maximum hp FR920.
Compared to the previous cab, there’s 12.5% more floor space, plus 2.36 inches (in.) more seat travel and additional storage space.
An industry-first blockage detection and prevention system has been developed in-house at New Holland’s forage harvester Center of Excellence in Zedelgem, Belgium. The first system of its kind in the industry, it is based around a spout-mounted radar sensor that monitors the crop flow leaving the machine, detecting any change in its rate in relation to the forage harvester’s forward speed.
For more information visit: https://bit.ly/3XkH0il.
Commercial organic nitrogen fertilizer
Bion Environmental Technologies Inc., a leader in advanced livestock/organic waste treatment technology and sustainable livestock production, announced its commercial 10-0-0 nitrogen fertilizer is now listed by the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) for use in organic production.
The ‘pure’ nitrogen fertilizer produced by Bion’s patented Ammonia Recovery System (ARS) represents state-of-the-art nutrient control and recovery for livestock manure and other organic waste streams. The ARS captures nitrogen that was going to be lost to the environment and redirects it into a stable concentrated liquid nitrogen fertilizer that can be used in the production of certified organic fruits, vegetables and grains.
The breakthrough approach will reduce the carbon footprint associated with current organic systems and will significantly reduce nitrogen runoff and off-gassing to protect surface waters, aquifers and the atmosphere. It can quickly bring soil microbes in organic systems back to a healthy and productive balance while reducing the yield gap of organic crops as compared to conventional.
For more information visit: https://bit.ly/47mtLlU.
Upgraded telehandler
The new TH Series telehandlers from New Holland boast features designed to lift operator productivity to new heights.
Inside the 360° Vision Cab, operators will immediately notice the new 7-in. InfoView™ color LCD display in the right front corner. At a quick glance, key operating information can be viewed, like ground speed, engine revolutions per minute and fuel levels, as well as the optional rearview camera when in reverse. Adjacent to the display, a new LED-based Load Moment Indicator with stability risk level alerts the operator if the machine reaches the maximum authorized load condition.
Operators will benefit from a new armrest designed to maximize arm and wrist comfort when using the joystick. This armrest features an encoder that lets operators make machine adjustments and interact with the InfoView display without changing hand position. A new keypad is also found on the armrest and includes controls for a variety of operating modes, engine speed management, hydraulic power management, boom aggressiveness, the rearview camera and more.
A new joystick is mounted to the front of the armrest and integrates control of third-function hydraulics, forward and reverse shuttling, transmission declutch and boom operation.
For more information visit: https://bit.ly/47oFoc4.
Editor’s note: Paige Nelson is a freelance writer and cattlewoman from Rigby, Idaho.
Angus Beef Bulletin EXTRA, Vol. 16, No. 9-B
Topics: Equipment / Facilities , Health , Industry News , Management
Publication: Angus Beef Bulletin