Keenan, an Alltech company, has been announced as the machinery innovation winner of the 2017 Innovation Arena Awards for its self-propelled diet feeder at the National Ploughing Championships in Screggan, Co. Offally, Ireland.

The hugely anticipated Keenan MechFiber345SP paddle mixer, the first self-propelled machine in the range, was short listed in the established engineering innovation category. The Keenan machine was centre stage at the Enterprise Ireland Innovation Arena, where Irish farmers took a firsthand look at this long-awaited development from the farming solutions company.

“Winning the Innovation Arena Award is super accolade for the team.This is a very special win when you consider Keenan was only acquired by Alltech in April 2016. Engineering work on the self-propelled began in July 2016 and we brought it to market in July 2017 at SIMA in Paris. This award is a testament to Keenan’s knowledge and experience in identifying a market opportunity and bringing it to fruition in true rapid Alltech style,” said Robbie Walker, CEO, Keenan.

Long synonymous with excellence in nutrition and driving animal performance through optimising rumen health, Keenan focused on researching the loading and chopping mechanisms available on the market in order to fast-track product development and speed to market. Of highest importance was identifying a solution consistent with the core Keenan ethos of retaining forage structure to deliver the noted MechFiber mix with its associated production benefits. In Italian firm Storti, they identified a partner with more than 30 years of self-loading engineering expertise and fantastic results retaining the all-important fibre structure of the materials being loaded. Together the two companies worked collaboratively to engineer the optimum loading mechanism for the award-winning Keenan MechFiber 345SP.

The tungsten-coated blades feature a unique crossed arrangement, performing clean cuts without damaging the structure of the fibre, even with very compact silages. Engineered with a focus on speed, precision and versatility, the special placement of the blades and configuration of the loading channel allows the cutter to load in both directions and easily run in reverse if needed, while a high-speed loading belt drastically reduces mix preparation time.

Producing the noted Keenan MechFiber mix in 16 and 20 M³ outputs for the 2017 and 2018 seasons, the Keenan MechFiberSP range offers left or right front discharge via an adjustable conveyor for homogeneous distribution of total mixed rations. Available in both 25 kilometers per hour or high-speed “Plus” 40 kilometres per hour models, the operating system of the Keenan MechFiberSP range has been cleverly designed for ease of maintenance and features a mechanical drive to the six-paddle reel. This exclusive engineering system, by means of a specially designed gearbox and PTO shaft, transfers all the power from the engine to the mixing system, thus reducing fuel consumption by up to 25 percent as well as reducing maintenance costs.

Fitted with the Keenan InTouch controller as standard, the MechFiber SP range is connected to the Keenan InTouch service, which provides real-time feed advice and ration formulation through a dedicated team of skilled nutritionists. InTouch is proven to deliver consistency in both feed and mixing to ensure improved milk yields and milk solids and better herd health in conjunction with monitoring and control of feed costs.

The award-winning self-propelled machine is currently being showcased through a number of on-farm roadshows across Europe and will have pride of place on the Keenan/Alltech stand at AgriTechnica in Hannover this November.