Cow rod inventor strikes gold
A SIMPLE yet effective method of carrying out a fairly routine animal care procedure on livestock breeding farms has earned national recognition and a Gold Award for a Co Cork AI technician on his first venture into the world of inventions.
The Gold Medal in the Engineering section of the National Dairy Awards 2016 was presented to AI technician Daniel Power for the Bovine Wash Out Rod.
“It is a stainless steel rod for the introduction of uterine medications for cattle which is 98pc more effective than products currently on the market and easier to use,” said Daniel.
He explained that it is intended reduce or eliminate frustrations from trying to navigate through the cervix with the standard flexible plastic tube which is currently commonly used for the purpose of bovine wash out.
Engineered to fit Metricure and ordinary syringes, it is being manufactured in Cork using the highest grade of stainless steel.
“The end is blanked off with two parallel holes to squirt in the solution which will go down the uterine more evenly and because it is manufactured from high grade stainless steel it can easily be sterilised to avoid any cross contamination for repeated use,” said Daniel.
It is his first invention which has already met with a lot of acclaim from farmers.
“As an AI technician visiting farmers I was aware of the problem that many were finding with the system available for the procedure and felt that a solid rod would be easier to use and more effective,” he added.