Year 13 agribusiness students wowed six judges with their creativity, problem solving and presentation skills when they succinctly pitched their innovation in this year’s Crocodile Pit.
From calf feeding dividers, recyclable mesh wrap for growing fruit to apps that assist with stock management, the students displayed a range of innovative concepts.
Jana Stokes, Cate Wilson, Pearl Lovell, Abby Bartels and Lucy Gray, were the winning team who took out the competition with their floating electro unit for keeping animal water troughs clean. ‘Bobble Trough’ is a 24/7 automated trough float with a small submerged electrode, which releases small amounts of copper ions into the trough water, preventing the growth of algae and microorganisms.
The group received a $400 cash prize.
In second place was ‘Gate +’, designed by Daniel Pearse, Sanraj Dhaliwal and Douwe de Boer. It is a custom-built gate for calf trailers preventing calves from escaping when being unloaded. The product attaches to the back of existing trailers and can be modified to fit.
Third place went to Teaghan Singh, Carlin Vollebregt and Mikayla McClennan, who devised an aluminium divider for a calf feeder. It works to train and assist calves while feeding on a calfateria, stopping them from coming in contact with each other and ensuring they receive the same amount of milk.
The judging panel consisted of Bob Weir, Carla Muller, Elaine Cook, Tony Egan, Nick Dromgool and Peter Welham.
All three teams will exhibit their inventions at Fieldays in June, vying for the title of Fieldays’ ‘Young Inventor of the Year’. If you are heading to Fieldays, you can visit their stand and see the products for yourself in the Innovation Centre.
