Gizmos & Gadgets

Products for use on farms and ranches.

Compiled by Shauna Hermel, editor

In this month’s edition we highlight two new herbicides, a new line of forage sorghums, a mineral supplement to help cattle through transition periods, and truck/trailer product enhancements.

Herbicide solutions
Alligare announces federal EPA approval for two new products using the aminopyralid active ingredient to control broadleaf weeds: Whetstone^™ Herbicide for use in noncrop areas such as bare ground sites, utility and energy rights-of-way, and natural areas; and Gunslinger^® AMP Pasture Herbicide for vegetation management in range and pasture lands, conservation reserve program acreage, and wildlife management areas.

Aminopyralid provides effective pre- and postemergent control for select vines, broadleaf weeds and brush. It is a member of the picolinic acid family of herbicides, which also includes clopyralid, picloram and triclopyr — active ingredients already included in the company’s product portfolio. Aminopyralid works as a plant growth regulator, causing uncontrolled plant cell division, resulting in tissue destruction and plant death.

Whetstone will be packaged in 6x1 quarts and 2x2.5-gallon (gal.) cases. Gunslinger AMP will be packaged in 2x2-gal. cases, 30-gal. drums, and totes. The company plans for the first shipments of Whetstone and Gunslinger AMP to commence immediately following state regulatory approval, which is anticipated before the end of 2020.

Premier sorghum forages
Alta Seeds introduces Empyr^™ Premier Forages, a complete line of forage sorghum, sudangrass and sorghum-sudan hybrids. Empyr Premier Forages are top-of-the-line, carefully selected hybrids that consistently outperform and outproduce in field and feed.

The forage line offers the latest genetic advancements built on a wide variety of hybrid types that provide solutions for specific grazing and silage needs, including:

• Aphix^™ Elite Sugarcane Aphid (SCA) Tolerance to protect against one of the most destructive pests to Southern grain and forage sorghum.
• BMR-6 for increased palatability and digestibility, supporting more weight gain and milk production with yields equal to or greater in feed value than corn silage.
• Brachytic Dwarf for superior standability and high leaf-to-stalk ratios for high tonnage.
• Dry Stalk, a reduced moisture level for earlier baling and storage.
• Photoperiod Sensitivity for a wide harvest window.

“In side-by-side comparisons, our Empyr forage sorghum silage is equal to or better than corn silage, in many cases with fewer input costs,” says Mark Kirk, Eastern/Western regional account manager. While sorghum forages are well-known to be more drought-tolerant than other crops, Empyr hybrids offer excellent standability through all kinds of extreme environments.

Learn more about available hybrids at http://bit.ly/1021ABBx3.

Nutritional help through transitions
Through its highly palatable self-fed delivery system, Midcontinent Livestock Supplements’ (MLS) Herd Manager Transition Mineral supplies critical nutrients to cattle when they are going through periods of transition. Key features include:

• Highly palatable self-fed supplement to encourage intake and stimulate appetite;
• Targeted formulation with specific minerals, including Zinpro Availa^® 4 trace minerals, to help provide electrolyte balance that can be easily compromised with abrupt diet changes due to stress or other transition challenges;
• Low intake ensures low cost per head per day for increased profitability;
• Improve overall health and performance by encouraging feed intake at the bunk;
• Celmanax^™ SCP technology for optimal gut health and defense against pathogenic bacteria, with improved and rapid immune response when disease conditions exist; and
• Inclusion of chromium, high levels of vitamin E and B vitamins for a broad and robust approach that helps ensure multiple performance benefits such as improved rumen function, antioxidant defense and rapid recovery times when exposed to immune challenges.

For more information or to get in touch with an MLS territory manager, visit mlstubs.com or send us an email at info@mlstubs.com.

Truck/trailer enhancements
Hillsboro Industries introduces several new product enhancements for 2021.

• All Hillsboro rear receiver hitches, both in aluminum and steel truck bed models, will have the 25,000-pound (lb.) hitch rating. The 2½-inch (in.) rear receiver hitch comes standard with a 2-in. reducer. This change will allow customers to haul bigger loads.
• 2000 Series aluminum truck beds have been upgraded to have the same headache rack as all other Hillsboro aluminum truck beds. The HD adjustable headache rack now features the square aluminum tube louvers standard, providing enhanced strength and styling.
• The new adjustable gate with slider on Endura livestock trailers, a big brother to the Hillsboro Industries adjustable center gate, will now have an optional slider. Both the slider option and the standard adjustable center gate feature an HD Extruded framework. Both options are structurally manufactured the same. The customer now has a choice between the slider and full-swing version.
• The aluminum utility trailer toolbox/spare tire combo option provides a unique design that is a standalone option compatible with our optional front rock guard. It features a top-opening design with gas spring-assisted lid and a lockable, sealed push-button latch. It measures 30 in. wide, 28 in. tall and 16 in. deep for a 5.5-cubic-foot (cu. ft.) storage volume.

For more information, contact Hillsboro Industries at 800-835-0209 or visit https://www.hillsboroindustries.com/.