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November 10, 2019

KEENAN showcases environmentally friendly initatives at AgriTechnica 2019

Inspired by the growing need to protect the finite resources of our planet, and by Alltech's Planet of PlentyTM vision, KEENAN has focussed its R&D team on 'Green' sustainability-related projects. Under the motto 'Green on the outside, greener on the inside,' the team based at their head office in Borris, Co. Carlow, Ireland are working on a suite of environmentally friendly initiatives, with one of these being showcased at AgriTechnica in Hannover, Germany this week.

For more than 35 years, KEENAN diet feeders, renowned for their lower power requirement, have been delivering superior results on-farm, helping farmers to increase feed efficiency; producing more milk and beef from less feed. KEENAN recognises the importance of continued investment in green R&D to help reduce the carbon footprint of itself and its customers. In fact, the company has already made significant in-roads in this area.

An early prototype KEENAN e345 with a proprietary attachment and drive system is on display at the KEENAN stand at AgriTechnica
Image credit: KEENAN

Carbon Trust validated
The Carbon Trust has validated KEENAN machines as the first environmentally sustainable diet feeder in the world, proven to reduce methane emissions on-farm. Having investigated the output from the KEENAN diet feeder and reviewed the data from the KEENAN controller, the Carbon Trust established that the KEENAN machine can increase rumen efficiency by delivering feed that is more easily digestible for cattle. This means that less energy is required and produced by each animal.

The future is electric
KEENAN believes that in the future much of the machinery used on-farm will move from fossil fuels to electric power. Due to the continued shortage of farm labour, it understands that many of the machines of the future will also require autonomous capabilities. With this in mind, and building on the existing environmentally friendly initiatives, the team is currently working with several industry partners to develop exciting prototypes in the area of autonomous machinery.

Speaking at AgriTechnica, one of the world's leading trade shows for agricultural machinery, Matt Higgins, KEENAN general manager, described the current collaboration between KEENAN and tractor manufacturer, Acres Machinery: 'We are working with Acres owner and founder, David Doran, on developing a range of KEENAN feeders that can easily work alongside the new iTarra diesel-to-electric, fully autonomous tractor,' explained Higgins. 'Becoming electric-ready means focussing on smaller loads, fed more frequently throughout the day quite a move away from the ever-larger mixer wagons we often see in the more traditional machinery space.'

An early prototype KEENAN e345 with a proprietary attachment and drive system is on display at the KEENAN stand at AgriTechnica (Hall 25, Stand E05). Key in the delivery of this project will be a machine that retains the unique mix qualities of the KEENAN machine that are so important to the company's loyal customer base. The range of electric-ready KEENAN feeders is due to be commercially available from 2021.

Read the full article on the Milling and Grain website, HERE.
 

The Global Miller
This blog is maintained by The Global Miller staff and is supported by the magazine Milling and Grain
which is published by Perendale Publishers Limited.


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