Dairymaster, the Kerry-based milking technology company, has scooped the top award at the 2019 Innovation Arena run by Enterprise Ireland at the National Ploughing Championships.

At an awards ceremony on Monday evening at the site of the 2019 Ploughing Championships in Carlow, Dairymaster was awarded the overall Enterprise Ireland Innovation Arena award for its Mission Control system - a self-learning computer programme which optimises carousel speed in rotary parlours.

Adjusting speed

The system uses a technology called OptiCruise to adjust the speed of milking so that milking time is optimised and cows are not idle on the rotary.

Dairymaster’s Mission Control system also uses artificial intelligence technology to recognise individual cows in the herd.

Known as CowNow, this artificial intelligence technology identifies the history of each individual cow, predicts its milk out time and combines it with the milk out time of the cows already featured on the problem.

Ground-breaking products

Enterprise Ireland’s Innovation Arena, in association with the National Ploughing Association, showcases ground-breaking agri-related products and innovations from 50 Irish agri-companies, acting as a funnel for agri-tech innovation in Ireland.

Almost 100 companies and start-ups applied to exhibit at this year's Innovation Arena, with the top 50 exhibitors selected for the final competition.

Visitors to the 2019 Ploughing Championships will be able to see all 50 innovations at this year's Innovation Arena at the Enterprise Ireland stand.

The full list of winners

Overall winner (Established company category):

Dairymaster Mission Control, Causeway, Co Kerry.

Anna May McHugh Female Leadership in Agriculture Perpetual Trophy:

Caroline Keeling, CEO, Keelings.

Agri-Engineering Start-Up:

The Cotter Crate, Abbeyfeale, Co Limerick.

Agri-Engineering Established Company:

SAMCO, Silage Wheel Loader Extensions, Adare, Co Limerick.

Agri-Technology Start-Up:

FarmEye, Oranmore, Co Galway.

Agri-Technology Established Company:

Dairymaster Mission Control, Causeway, Co Kerry.

Agri-Environmental:

Woodco Renewable Energy, Tipperary.

Research Emerging from Third-Level:

Micron Agritech, Tástáil, Dublin.

IFAC best newcomer award, exclusively for 1st time participants:

HerdEye, Strokestown, Co Roscommon.

One-to-watch Award:

Beotanics Ltd, Stoneyford, Co Kilkenny.