Hytek in the News
Canadian pork industry awards
28 Jan 2008
Several innovators in the Canadian pork industry were honoured for their contributions to pork production at the 2008 Banff Pork Seminar, held Jan. 15-18. The F.X. Aherne Prize for Innovative Pork Production is an opportunity for the industry to recognize those individuals who have developed either original solutions to pork production challenges or creative uses of known technology.
Phil Beaulac received an F.X. Aherne Prize for his development of a wall-mounted geared box system to open breeding stock tube feeders at once. The geared box replaces the traditional cable on a roll-up crank that over time would fray, resulting in maintenance issues and eventually a danger to staff. The gear system turns a horizontal bar above the tube feeders ensuring the cable is wound straight up onto the bar instead of to the side as with the traditional crank cable system.
“This innovation reduces cable repairs, maintenance and feeder replacement costs, helping drive profitability in the process,” says Beltranena. “The system has been recognized by Fast Genetics staff as a quick and efficient way for both experienced and inexperienced staff members to drop feed into rows of feeders at a boar stud."
Held since 1972 in Banff, Alberta, the Banff Pork Seminar is coordinated by the Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, in cooperation with Alberta Pork, Alberta Agriculture and Food and other pork industry representatives from across Canada.
