Treadmill Captures Cow Power

Treadmill Captures Cow Power ENERGY Miscellaneous 34-2-44 Willie Taylor says his cows help power his farm and get valuable exercise using his Livestock Power Mill (LPM). The Northern Ireland inventor says animals move at their own speed while they eat from an integrated feeding station. "If you watch animals when grazing, they eat a bit and then move a bit and then eat a bit and move again," notes Taylor. "What we're asking them to do is move at that pace, just a natural movement. I estimate they could produce between one and two kW per 7-hr. day, depending on the size of the animal." Taylor sees the LPM being used by confined feeders and bred beef cows as well as dairy. He does concede that some weight gain or milk production might be traded for energy production. However, he also expects a health benefit from the exercise. The welfare issue in countries like Holland could also play a role. Taylor says 24/7 confinement of cows in that country is a growing public concern. "Once we finish some refinements on the working model, we will start animal health and welfare studies," says Taylor. "If you put beef animals on it, the question is will it increase muscle or just increase the cost of gain?" Taylor hopes to get his system up and running by this coming fall and gather data through the winter. The next step after that will be production. Taylor envisions entire ranks of machines built into animal housing systems. He hopes to get the cost of production down to where a farmer ordering 50 machines would pay around $1,500 (U.S.) per machine. Taylor admits that when farmers first see the machine, they scratch their heads. "When we explained it, they wanted to know how much it will cost and when it's going to be available," says Taylor. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, William Taylor,á55 Letterloan Road, Macosquin, County Londonderry, BT51 4NU Northern Ireland (ph 011 353 44 028 703 43534; taylor.w@btconnect.com; www.livestock-controller.co.uk).

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