Innovation Award EuroTier 2026

Electrically operated heating systems are becoming increasingly important in pig barns, especially in piglet nests within farrowing pens. The benefits of using renewable energy such as PV electricity from the barn roof, simple installation and individual controllability are just a few of the advantages worth mentioning here. However, electrical systems in barns can also pose risks due to moisture ingress and short circuits as well as overheating and acting as fire sources.

The optimised ATX AluXheat is a logical evolution of infrared heating technology for pig rearing that has been designed specifically for the conditions in pig barns. The system combines a sealed aluminium housing with energy-optimised infrared technology and an ingenious safety concept to reduce fire risks and protect against moisture and short circuits.

To accomplish this, all electrical components of the IR heating element are completely and reliably protected against moisture, aggressive barn gases and mechanical effects by means of a sealed aluminium housing. At the same time, the housing acts as a safety barrier and prevents the ignition of combustible materials in the event of an electrical defect or a short circuit. Thanks to its IPX9-certified design, the heating element is resistant to high-pressure cleaners and the ingress of water is reliably prevented. This significantly improves hygiene, operating safety and the service life, factors that are essential for making electric heating systems the new standard in farrowing pens.

The ATX AluXheat therefore represents a significant evolution in electric heating systems in pig rearing.

In cattle feeding, the microorganisms in the rumen break down a large part of the ingested protein. As this can increase the animals' milk yield without reducing the protein content, with the result that milk protein yield increases of around 10% are possible, diverse approaches have already been taken in the past to protect proteins in the feed from being broken down in the rumen. Formaldehyde treatment was often used to do this until it was banned in animal feeding in 2023. Proteins treated in this way are relatively stable at the pH level prevailing in the rumen, but are fully digestible and usable in the small intestine after passing through the acidic abomasum.

Developed by FeedValid, Covamino 2.0 bypass protein is a range of rumen-protected protein products that are produced using a completely new technology and which offer an equivalent or better rumen protective effect and digestibility compared to formaldehyde treatment. The protein is protected against premature breakdown in the rumen and is available in the small intestine as a bypass protein with high small-intestinal digestibility. In addition, its tastiness is positively emphasised compared to other products or treatment methods.

The multi-phase Maillard reaction is used to protect against breakdown. The objective of this is to use the melanoidin phase, as this is central to protecting against breakdown in the rumen. An additional aim is to prevent the onset of the carbonisation process, which is related to a reduction in digestibility and energy losses. With the conventional methods, it was not previously possible to transfer all proteins into the melanoidin phase without the occurrence of carbonisation. 

As recent studies carried out in cooperation with the ILVO research centre in Belgium and Schothorst Feed Research in the Netherlands show, the new technology developed by FeedValid enables a high quantity of digestible protein to be obtained from both rapeseed and soya protein for the first time. This allows dairy farmers to increase the content of protein that is digestible in the small intestine in the ration, to feed their animals more in line with their needs and to reduce nitrogen excretion. 

In pig farming, thorough and efficient barn cleaning is one of the most labour-intensive, but also one of the most important, tasks in farm management, and impacts directly on animal health and performance. Thanks to the use of cleaning robots, success had already been achieved in the past in partially replacing the extremely physically demanding manual cleaning process.

In the form of the MS Smart Cleaning Robot, MS Schippers is now presenting an innovative, extensively evolved cleaning robot that combines the phases required for efficient cleaning: chemical soaking, washing and disinfection. The MS Smart Cleaning Robot is therefore completely redefining autonomous barn hygiene.

With the aid of a high-precision 3D LiDAR scanner, the software built into the robot autonomously recognises the barn structures and is able to clean the barn without the need for time-consuming programming or standardised sensor technology. In this process, the intelligent software can also recognise the differences between aisles and pens. The robot is easy to manoeuvre using a remote control. In future, the system should also be able to recognise any remaining dirt stains by means of photos and digital feedback with the aid of AI.

Even deeper group pens can be cleaned precisely and efficiently thanks to the 5.50-m-long, extendable washing arm. Adjustable pressure regulation on the cleaning nozzle enables the intensity to be adjusted fully automatically so that even barn ceilings are cleaned reliably.

In parallel, the MS Smart Cleaning Robot is the first system to combine the three essential phases of optimised barn hygiene. The pen is first prepared by means of chemical soaking. The barn or pen is then cleaned with water and can finally be disinfected using the same appliance. 

This 3-in-1 function in an autonomously operating robot is unique and therefore enables work to be completed more efficiently. Efficient and optimised barn hygiene offers effective protection against infections, minimises hard physical labour for the farmer or employees and reduces the need to handle aerosols and disinfectants. 

Herding cattle involves stress for both humans and animals and also poses a significant risk of injuries. Despite the use of behaviourally appropriate herding route concepts, actually herding animals into the hoof trimming or treatment box remains a challenging working situation for the farmer. So far, the animals have primarily been driven forwards manually or using passive herding aids such as swivel arms, pendulum flaps or curtains. Whether an animal moves forwards is extensively dependent on the overall situation, the animal's behaviour and the operator's intervention. Moving backwards, stopping and unexpected reactions can interrupt the workflow or progression and repeatedly lead to stressful and hazardous situations. Existing waiting boxes are primarily used for separating and preparing the animals. Actual driving in is still left up to humans or passive aids.

Rosensteiner's Moover comes into play precisely at this crucial step in the work and pursues a fundamentally new technical approach. For the first time, the cattle are finally driven into a treatment or hoof trimming box with the support of an actively driven, patented progression system. Two continuously circulating, motor-driven progression elements move alongside the animal in a controlled manner and guide it continuously towards the hoof trimming or treatment box. As a result of this, progression is no longer determined solely by the animal's behaviour or the operator's manual intervention. The automatic return of the progression elements is a particular feature of this system. After driving the animal forwards, these independently return to their starting position above the animal and are immediately available for the next animal. This leads to a continuous movement sequence that does not require the driving aid to be reset manually.

The Moover's innovation therefore lies not only in the evolution of existing waiting boxes, but also in the active technical support offered for actual progression. The Moover replaces previous manual or passive driving with continuous, automated progression and therefore establishes a new technical solution that structures the work sequence, relieves the operator and makes progression more controlled and, above all, safer for both humans and animals

Mobile poultry barns are the current trend. They enable laying hens and broilers to be moved to a new site on a regular basis. More consistent use of grassland also prevents nitrogen and phosphorus from being entrained into deeper layers of soil. So far, however, a tractor or a winch has been needed to relocate mobile barns, and adjusting the ventilation and providing feed and water also require a great deal of work.

The ROVABARN SE is a film barn from UKKÖ Robotics. By means of an app, it not only monitors water and feed consumption, but can also move autonomously across the land up to 20 times a day. The chickens are therefore constantly provided with a new feeding area within the barn. At the same time, high N and P spot loads are avoided because the area over which they are distributed is significantly larger. The system is also equipped with automatic folding walls for temperature control, integrated systems for providing feed and water and protection against predators. As in the case of systems found only in stationary barns so far, the farmer has continuous access to the barn's feed, water and energy supply as well as an analysis of their consumption values. This enables intelligent, data-supported flock monitoring for the first time in a mobile barn.#

The evolution of the ROVABARN SE therefore consistently exploits the advantages of a mobile barn system in poultry farming and combines this with a high level of automation. It therefore outstandingly meets the criteria for the award of the silver medal.

Automatic feeding systems are increasingly making their way onto dairy farms around the globe. The potential of these systems is growing continuously along with technological progress. They offer numerous advantages for both the animals and farms, as the feeding system extensively undertakes the feeding process autonomously. The system automatically retrieves the required quantities of various feeds such as silage, hay or concentrate that have been stored in designated storage areas, mixes them to form the specified ration and then moves autonomously into the barn areas to distribute the feed along the feeding table. Thanks to the frequent provision of fresh feed, a consistently high-quality ration is available to the animals around the clock. This can foster feed consumption and impact positively on animal health and milk yield. Due to the comparatively low mixing volume of automatic feed mixers, several different rations can also be produced precisely, even in smaller batches.

So far, however, such automatic feeding systems have operated exclusively based on the settings and parameters stored in the control program beforehand by the user. The systems are unable to register or give consideration to changes in the actual feed quality during feed presentation. A technology that enables continuous, real-time monitoring of a central feed quality parameter is now available for the first time with the development and implementation of a dry matter sensor (DM sensor). The sensor determines the dry matter content of the entire mixed ration immediately during the mixing process and therefore supplies up-to-date information about the actual characteristics of the feed. Determination is carried out using standard sensors, which reliably calculate the dry matter content on the basis of electrical conductivity. However, the actual innovation does not solely involve the measurement itself, but above all the system's automatic response to the registered data. The measured values are immediately compared against the specified nominal values. If the dry matter content deviates from the target values, the feeding robot responds autonomously and automatically adjusts the addition of water for each individual mixture. As a result of this, the desired dry matter content is achieved without any intervention by the user.

The integration of the DM sensor therefore transforms the automatic feeding system from a purely executive system into an intelligent, self-regulating process. For the first time, the work is not carried out solely according to fixed settings; instead, the actual quality of the feed ration is registered and actively regulated in real time. This enables significantly greater accuracy in ration mixing and establishes the basis for constant feed quality in the long term.

So far, head locking feed barriers have not been used readily for calves, because the young animals often have great difficulty in raising their heads above the pivot point of the swing arm. Added to this is the fact that injuries can occur in the freshly dehorned area. Temporary fixation of the animals is nevertheless necessary time and again. On the one hand, to be able to examine or treat sick animals; on the other hand, some farms use milk feeding buckets at the feed barrier, in which case restraining the animals enables them to be controlled better and prevents them from suckling one another. 

This gap is now being closed by the PARAREVO head locking feed barrier. The PARAREVO is a self-locking feed barrier with central locking and unlocking as well as individual triggering. In contrast to conventional self-locking calf feed barriers, however, the locking mechanism is not controlled by a swing arm but by two parallel locking bars at each feeding place. These are linked together and are held in the open position by a spring as standard. The locking bars close behind the head in the neck area, which significantly improves the calves' welfare. Thanks to this and because barrier closing is not dependent on the height of the pivot point, the barrier enables rapid acclimatisation and grouping early on – even in large, heterogeneous groups or according to the in/out principle in grouping. The PARAREVO ensures the necessary calm, especially in stressful situations. 

For the farmer, the PARAREVO equates to shorter times for the calves to become familiar with the barrier, less jostling at the feeding table and the less frequent need to simultaneously lock two calves in one feeding place. This not only improves safety for both the animals and the owner, but also improves the calves' welfare during feed consumption. The PARAREVO therefore represents a significant evolution in the area of head locking feed barriers.