The Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland (RHASS) has announced the 2023 winners of the Technical Innovation Awards, sponsored by Hillhouse Group, with 2 Gold, 4 Silver and 3 Certificates of Commendations being awarded.  

The awards, which are the Society's most longstanding industry accolade, showcase and reward innovation and development within the agricultural sector and are highly respected awards for manufacturers, distributors, providers and inventors. This year's technical innovations will be on display next to our new Agri Innovation Arena. 

Gold awards are presented to previous Silver award winners for continuous outstanding merit. This year, Murray Machinery Ltd won Gold for the Gravel Road Grader. The Grader has undergone major upgrades since first appearing on the market, with the addition of features such as hydraulically operated Ripper Teeth, a Tilting Frame, a Compactor Roller and the newest addition, bolt-on reversible Hardox edges, marker boards, and road lights. With its ability to perform four different functions and in utilising stone from the existing road surface, great savings can be made on time, effort and money spent on maintaining gravel roads. 

Also presented with a prestigious Gold award this year is Lely (UK) Ltd, for the Lely Collector 120. Diverging from traditional manure scrapers, the Collector vacuums manure, resulting in a cleaner floor and maintaining the cleanliness of cows' hooves. The Collector also sprays water from the front and back of the machine, as it moves through the stable. This results in better manure intake whilst leaving behind a wet floor, giving cattle additional grip, especially when passages can get slippy in drier months. The Collector was awarded the RHASS Silver award three years ago and since then sales continue to increase.  

R Mitchell & Sons were awarded a Silver for the Whitriggs Bale Unroller. Designed to aid the feeding of outwintered cattle, the Whitriggs Bale Unroller allows safe unrolling of bales without the use of heavy tractors and machinery. The Unroller also eliminates poaching and bullying at a ring feeder, ensuring cattle safety. It can carry and unroll 4ft & 5ft bales right to the core and can be used for straw, hay or silage. The Whitriggs Bale Unroller has proven popular among farmers trying regenerative farming practices as it enables the reduction of inputs, helps increase soil organic matter and spreads dung more evenly.  

Also presented with a Silver award is H L Hutchinson Ltd for TerraMap. Manufactured by SoilOptix, the TerraMap uses passive gamma-ray detection technology to provide high-definition mapping of soil nutrition, texture, organic matter, and organic carbon to generate some of the most detailed soil maps in the world. With an increase in environmental targets for farmers to consider, TerraMap delivers results that help farmers achieve their financial and environmental goals.  

A Silver award was awarded to the ClipFitter castration and tailing system which was conceived by Professor Vince Molony and commercialised by Eadie Bros and Co Ltd. ClipFitter addresses the challenge of castrating and tailing lambs older than 7 days of age. Rings are forbidden in Scotland but clips can be legally applied up to 3 months and no needles or drugs are required. ClipFitter immediately disables nerves, sperm cords and blood supply, almost eliminating blood supply entirely.  

A Silver  award was also awarded this year to Water Fuel Engineering Ltd for HydroGen. HydroGen generates a gas mixture of 2:1 hydrogen to oxygen, called oxyhydrogen, which functions as an additive to conventional fuel. This not only enhances the engine performance but reduces emissions by 70-80%. A unique trait of the HydroGen is that it can be installed on both diesel and petrol engines without modification and can be moved between vehicles, with no impact on the engines or electronics.  

Earning a Certificate of Commendation this year are Powerwasher Services Ltd for the Plantmaster Electra Power Washer, manufactured by Mac International. Traditionally, to produce hot water for a device like a power washer, a diesel burner is used. The Plantmaster Electra Power Washer uses electricity to produce continuous hot water at a constant temperature which is controlled by a thermostat. Because these machines don't use diesel or kerosene, the maintenance costs and servicing needs are reduced making them economically favourable as well as being zero-emission. 

Dr Lynsey Melville and Eilidh Geddes, of the Moredun Research Institute, have also been awarded a Commendation for the FEC Check. Sustainable control of roundworms is a challenge for the sheep industry, particularly with advancing drug resistance and climate change. Targeted application of effective drugs at optimal times is critical for continued production efficiency. This can be achieved using faecal egg count (FEC) testing. FEC Check assists farmers and those who don't have access to advisors, on how to interpret complex FEC results. This will promote the use of FEC testing, improving the sustainability of roundworm control, and reducing inappropriate chemical usage. 

A final Commendation was awarded to Krone UK Ltd for the SmartConnect Solar. The SmartConnect Solar is a self-sufficient telemetry unit that integrates simple machines into a digital data management system. It uses a solar panel and rechargeable battery for power, eliminating the need for an external power source. It includes a position sensor to detect the working and transport position when mounted on a folding arm of a rotary rake. Additionally, it can record the worked area based on the implement's working width.  

RHASS Chief Steward of Technical Innovation, Christo Shepherd said:  

"Congratulations to all the winners of this year's Technical Innovation Awards. It is fantastic to witness the incredible strides that have been made in the agricultural sector as well as the commitment to innovation and development. These contributions not only set an impressive standard for excellence but also hold the potential to shape the future of agriculture. 

"The winners will all be on display this year next to the new Agri Innovation Arena at the Royal Highland Show so please make it a priority to visit this section to view these worthy recipients." 

The Royal Highland Show, supported by the Royal Bank of Scotland, will take place 22nd-25th June 2023. Tickets, including for car parking, must be pre-purchased online this year and no tickets will be available to buy at the gate. Tickets are limited in number this year with sell out days anticipated, so it is advised to purchase early.  

For further information and to purchase tickets please visit www.royalhighlandshow.org.