This month’s edition of “Gizmos & Gadgets” features a spray-on antimicrobial solution, carbon-testing technology, a rectangular bale carrier, stronger livestock needles and a small square baler.

Spray-on antimicrobial solution

Merck Animal Health has announced the commercial availability of Armatrex™ (silane quaternary ammonium salt), an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered, spray-on antimicrobial solution, as part of a partnership agreement with Good Salt Life LLC, the product manufacturer. Merck will market and sell the product in the United States.

Armatrex is an odorless, colorless and nontoxic solution. It creates an invisible and durable barrier to inhibit the growth of bacteria, fungi, mold and algae. The barrier provides up to 90 days of protection and antimicrobial activity and can enhance biosecurity when used in conjunction with cleaning and disinfecting protocols.

The ready-to-use formulation does not require mixing or measuring. Armatrex can be applied with induction-charged technology to provide uniform coverage of treated surfaces, decreasing product waste. It does not cause microbial adaptation, resistance or mutation.

It is available in 1-gallon, 5-gallon or 55-gallon presentations from Merck or its distributors.

For more information visit https://bit.ly/3S1ZC4w.

Soil carbon test

EarthOptics, a leader in soil intelligence technology, has launched its mid-infrared (MIR) carbon analysis solution — the first at-scale, registry-quality carbon test using MIR technology. This innovation slashes the cost of traditional carbon testing while delivering fast, reliable results that meet the high-integrity data needs of carbon markets, sustainability initiatives and Scope 3 reporting.

By integrating automated MIR spectroscopy workflows with soil texture analysis, EarthOptics’ new pathway streamlines testing from start to finish, reducing manual labor, increasing throughput and dramatically accelerating carbon verification and modeling timelines.

“This is a game-changer for soil carbon measurement,” says Lars Dyrud, CEO of EarthOptics. “For the first time, carbon project developers and sustainability leaders can access affordable, high-quality carbon data — at scale — without sacrificing rigor or accuracy.”

Key features and benefits include:

• registry-quality results suitable for Scope 3 reporting and potential Verra methodology compatibility;
• faster turnaround times through highly automated MIR workflows;
• much lower cost than traditional soil carbon-testing methods;
• includes soil texture analysis, enabling more precise modeling and management; and
• commercially scalable, providing access for large-acreage carbon projects and enterprise ESG efforts.

For more information visit https://bit.ly/3ET6xu1.

Large square bale carrier

The Large Rectangular Bale Carriage from Worksaver for telehandlers, large tractor loaders and wheel loaders is ideal for the hay producer who needs to move and stack large or midsize rectangular bales, multiples at a time.

Built with 4 inch (in.) x 4 in. square tubing for strength and performance, the unit’s design provides excellent through-the-frame visibility for the operator when picking up and transferring bales.

The bales are supported by five bolt-in (42 mm) spears, spaced 18 in. apart on the lower tube with a usable length of 40 in. Four 1¼ in. x 21 in. balance spears are placed in the uprights to steady the bales during transport.

The square tube-built frame is 79.77 in. wide and 79.88 in. tall to allow the operator to handle two 4 feet (ft.) x 4 ft. x 8 ft. or three 3 ft. x 3 ft. x 8 ft. rectangular bales with ease.

Models are offered for select Manitou and JCB telehandlers, John Deere wheel loaders and units using the standard skid steer or euro/global attaching systems. All models use our bolt-in spears for ease of installation and long service life.

For more information visit https://bit.ly/3SFWjQF.

Detectable needles

As pioneers of detectable needles, the Neogen Ideal^® D3™X Needle is the evolution of the D3 Needle product line, with innovative features designed to provide protection and ease of mind for producers, workers, packers and consumers. Created with common causes of broken needles in mind — such as bending or straightening of the needle or improper technique — D3X is intuitive, easy to use and requires no additional training.

The D3X Needle is made with stronger sidewalls, which are crimped and pressed into sturdy, aluminum hubs. These thick-walled cannulas increase strength load and decrease bending and breaking, keeping the needle tip sharper longer than conventional needles.

The newly developed easy-to-grip extraction collar is adhered to the needle and allows for immediate needle removal following a broken needle. Using our trusted detectable metal alloy and highly visible extraction collar, D3X needles detect needle fragments at line speed using X-ray or magnetic technology.

For more information visit https://bit.ly/3GV0qWM.

Double output small square baler

Achieve better efficiency and unmatched bale consistency while doubling the output with the Hesston by Massey Ferguson SB.1436DB small square baler. Designed for commercial hay producers, this innovative machine tackles today’s biggest challenges — labor shortages, tight harvest windows and bale inconsistency — while delivering Hesston’s legendary premium-quality hay. With industry-leading uptime, the SB.1436DB’s heavy-duty design, SimplEbale™ system and advanced features let you bale faster, longer and with double the output, saving time and cutting costs.