Revolutionary Robotic Grazing System
Intensive grazing just went high-tech with a solar-powered barn and pens that move down a forage lane by themselves. Zack Smith, the Stock Cropper, partnered with Joe Bassett, CEO of Dawn Equipment Company and Underground Agriculture, to develop the ClusterCluck Nano.
At a recent field day in Indiana, Basset and Smith introduced the Nano. “This is the most exciting thing happening in American agriculture today,” says Bassett. “This is the first radical change that I’ve seen, integrating animal agriculture with no-till and cover crops. From a soil health perspective, this will take us to the top of the pyramid.”
The 96-in. wide Nano is an autonomous, robotic, grazing system designed for alleys between 120 in. strips of row or perennial crops. Smith and Basset see the system as ideal for use with equally radical 60 or 90-in. twin-row corn.
The Nano shares basic design features of Smith’s larger prototypes, including front and rear pens and the inverted V roof for water collection. Pens and barns are each 8 by 8 ft. in size with 4 by 4 interiors.
It also carries solar panels to provide motive power. The Nano uses electric motors powered by onboard batteries to complete an 8-ft. pen move in 3 min. An onboard air compressor activates airbags to lift the barn for its move and then sets it down tight against the ground. The 200 Ah battery storage provides about an hour’s running time, while the solar panels can produce more energy than the system needs.
Smith emphasizes the prototype nature of the Nano. “There are no particular rules as to how it has to be,” he says. “What we foresee is a base power unit with multiple options for pens front and back to match the user’s needs.”
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, The Stock Cropper, 45982 180th Ave., Lake Mills, Iowa 50450 (ph 641-512-0379; thestockcropper@gmail.com; www.thestockcropper.com).
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Revolutionary Robotic Grazing System CROPS New Techniques Intensive grazing just went high-tech with a solar-powered barn and pens that move down a forage lane by themselves Zack Smith the Stock Cropper partnered with Joe Bassett CEO of Dawn Equipment Company and Underground Agriculture to develop the ClusterCluck Nano At a recent field day in Indiana Basset and Smith introduced the Nano “This is the most exciting thing happening in American agriculture today ” says Bassett “This is the first radical change that I’ve seen integrating animal agriculture with no-till and cover crops From a soil health perspective this will take us to the top of the pyramid ” The 96-in wide Nano is an autonomous robotic grazing system designed for alleys between 120 in strips of row or perennial crops Smith and Basset see the system as ideal for use with equally radical 60 or 90-in twin-row corn The Nano shares basic design features of Smith’s larger prototypes including front and rear pens and the inverted V roof for water collection Pens and barns are each 8 by 8 ft in size with 4 by 4 interiors It also carries solar panels to provide motive power The Nano uses electric motors powered by onboard batteries to complete an 8-ft pen move in 3 min An onboard air compressor activates airbags to lift the barn for its move and then sets it down tight against the ground The 200 Ah battery storage provides about an hour’s running time while the solar panels can produce more energy than the system needs Smith emphasizes the prototype nature of the Nano “There are no particular rules as to how it has to be ” he says “What we foresee is a base power unit with multiple options for pens front and back to match the user’s needs ” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup The Stock Cropper 45982 180th Ave Lake Mills Iowa 50450 ph 641-512-0379; thestockcropper@gmail com; www thestockcropper com
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