This year’s overall winner of the AXA National Dairy Innovation Awards went to True North Technologies for its E-Gate Grazing Management System.

The annual awards, held as part of the AXA National Dairy Show, recognise a new product or service which has been launched over the past 12 months that has revolutionised some aspect of dairy farming.

12 companies were shortlisted for this year’s awards across the technology; scientific and engineering categories. There were also awards presented for sustainability and for the best start up company.

E-Gate

The E-Gate Grazing Management System, developed by True North Technologies in Shannon, Co. Clare, won the overall award along with gold in the engineering section.

Speaking with Agriland following the ceremony, Diarmuid McSweeney executive director at True North Technologies said he was humbled by the accolades.

“We were in the room with some of the best people in the Irish agricultural industry developing products and services for farmers at a world level. To be considered to take home that accolade was a real privilege and an honour,” he said.

Diarmuid explained that the E-Gate can be controlled and monitored from anywhere in the world using a specially designed smart phone app.

The system uses technology to interpret a range of environmental and device factors including the fence strength in kilovolts (KVs), if the gate is open or closed, the device’s location, temperature and rainfall.

All of the data collected is reported back to the farmers phone in real-time allowing them to make an informed decision on whether or not to bring in their cows.

The software can also be linked with a weather station hosted on the farm and connected via the home Wi-Fi.

The E-Gate is powered by a built-in solar panel, but can also be charged up for several days’ usage during periods of the year with less sunlight.

Diarmuid said that farmers using the system are encouraged to set up schedules which correspond with milking times on their farm.

A farmer can also select the “open now” option to instantly open the fence when weather conditions quickly change and they want to bring cows in.

E-Gate can provide for a “breakfast break” in a clover grazing system where cows can be let into a fresh paddock after an hour in an effort to reduce bloat issues.

TrueNorth Technologies winner of the AXA National Dairy Innovation Awards 2024. (l-r) Pat Flanagan judge, Denis Kiely National Dairy Show director, Christy Doherty AXA, Diarmuid McSweeney TrueNorth Technologies, Barry Clarke AXA, Ursula Forrest Cork IHFA president, Laurence Feeney IHFA chief executive
(l-r) Pat Flanagan judge, Denis Kiely National Dairy Show director, Christy Doherty AXA, Diarmuid McSweeney TrueNorth Technologies, Barry Clarke AXA, Ursula Forrest Cork IHFA president, Laurence Feeney IHFA chief executive

Diarmuid said that the product is promoted for both its labour saving and animal welfare benefits.

“No-one will argue with you that it can take 20-30 minutes per milking to bring in the cows, that’s an hour per day. We all try to get 250 days at grass a year, 300 on a miracle year, but at 250 hours that’s almost 7 working weeks,” he said.

“We’d much rather see farmers do something more productive with that time, spend it on themselves, spend it with family, have a better quality of life,” he added.

Diarmuid said that the system can help reduce lameness in cows as the animals are allowed to walk at their own pace when travelling to and from the milking parlour.