Wainui feedlot's 'Fence cleaning attachment' Innovation

Clever ideas and innovations that have been incorporated into day-to-day feedlot operations are encouraged to enter the ALFA Innovation Competition, proudly supported by Integrated Animal Production (IAP).

The winner and runner-up will be determined by popular vote and announced at BeefEx, held on 22 - 24 September 2026 at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre.

To vote for your favourite entry, simply click the 'heart' button on the post (this indicates a like i.e. vote). The top four most 'hearted' entries will be offered a complimentary full delegate ticket to attend BeefEx 2026. 

The entry with the most votes will be announced as the winner. The entry with the second highest will be awarded the runner up. Voting is open from August 07 - August 21. The decision made will be final.

wainui feedlot's 'fence cleaning attachment' Innovation

What is your innovation?

A fence-pulling attachment fabricated in-house from recycled materials, designed to be handled by the grapple of a 4-in-1 bucket on a standard skid steer. It lets one machine do work that previously required two, and its mounting system reduces the risk of digging into the pen base — unlike commercial attachments with cutting edges that can damage manure pad integrity and drainage. Benefits include reduced equipment needs, improved workflow efficiency, cost and time savings, and better animal health/welfare outcomes through more frequent, less disruptive pen cleaning.

How does the innovation/idea work?

Our innovation brings together recycled materials to fabricate a fence pulling attachment in-house, that can be handled using the grapple of a 4-in-1 bucket, on a standard skid steer. The attachment allows for more efficient use of machine hours where a single skid steer can now complete the tasks which had previously required a second machine. The attachment and innovated mounting system reduce the implement's ability to dig through the pen base, improving the user friendliness of the fence cleaning system and maintains the integrity of the pen base. What issue/challenge is your innovation solving? This innovation has addressed two key challenges within the feedlot pen cleaning process. Firstly, it has significantly reduced the risks associated with commercially manufactured fence-cleaning attachments. Traditional attachments often incorporate cutting edges that can penetrate and damage the pen base during operation. This can adversely affect manure pad integrity and compromise pen drainage. The new attachment design minimises this risk, helping to maintain pen surface structure and ensuring more consistent pen conditions. Secondly, the innovation has delivered substantial operational efficiencies by consolidating tasks that previously required two separate machines into a single skid steer unit. Through the attachment's ability to quickly transition between fence pulling and bunk/trough pad scraping functions, one machine can now undertake both components of the pen cleaning program. This has reduced equipment requirements, improved workflow efficiency, and generated both time and cost savings associated with pen maintenance operations. These efficiency gains have also contributed to improved animal health and welfare outcomes. More frequent and timely pen cleaning can now be achieved with less time spent operating within the pens, resulting in cleaner environments and reduced disruption to livestock. Overall, the innovation has enhanced both the effectiveness and efficiency of feedlot pen management practices.

Cost of Innovation:

$3000

Decided by popular vote, the top four most popular innovations will receive a full delegate ticket to BeefEx 2026 at the Gold Coast this September. The overall winner and runner up will be announced at BeefEx, receiving a prize of $2,500 and $1,000 respectively.

Vote for your favourite innovation!

To vote for your favourite entry, simply click the 'heart' button on the post (this indicates a like i.e. vote). The top four most 'hearted' entries will be offered a complimentary full delegate ticket to attend BeefEx 2026. 

The entry with the most votes will be announced as the winner. The entry with the second highest will be awarded the runner up. Voting is open from August 07 - August 21. The decision made will be final.

With thanks to our long-term supporter of this award, Integrated Animal Production (IAP)