THE Hammond family were absolutely chuffed when their Silencer and Flight Zone Avoidance unit was awarded The Land Machine of the Year yesterday evening at the Australian National Field Days (ANFD), Orange.
The Hammonds own Catagra Group at Caloundra, Queensland, and are already known in the beef world for their ReproScan, which is used for pregnancy scanning cattle.
The business specialises in cattle handling equipment, the Silencer and Flight Zone Avoidance unit being all about removing people from the high risk points of cattle handling, namely the forcing gate in the “tub” where cattle marshal into the race.
Central to the design is a remote control device, like a large television remote, which the operator uses to manage automated gates and therefore the stock flow.
Catagra Group manager Sean Hammond and his brother Ben Hammond, who also works in the family company, were at ANFD to receive the award.
Sean said along with removing people from the high risk area of the forcing tub, the design had the added benefit of a slide-through cylindrical hinge which meant the gate wasn’t opened back on the next group of cattle.
Instead, it was shuttled through the hinge and came in behind the next group of cattle, aiding in a smooth flow of stock into the race.
Mr Hammond said this was driven by an electric motor at the top of the gate which drove both the swing and shuttle actions of the gate.
As cattle entered the crush, the backing gate was also automated, removing the need for an operator to have to stand beside the race, opening and closing the gate.
Mr Hammond said the crush also featured a fully adjustable squeeze, top and bottom, so the operator could bring the sides in for smaller cattle, create a V-shape, or widen the base for stirry cattle which might require more foot room.
Once restrained, the head bail’s three-way head control gave improved restraint of the beast allowing the operator to turn its head left, right or extend it forward.
Mr Hammond said it also featured a noise reduction system – hence the name “Silencer”.
They used poly lugs to prevent any steel on steel friction or catch points, therefore preventing noise that is otherwise typical of steel crushes.