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Laser-Focused Bird Control
Cockatoos are notorious for their intelligence and persistence, but there's now a smarter way to outwit them.
Australian farmers are all too familiar with the damage birds can cause to crops. From grain fields to vineyards, pest birds like cockatoos, starlings, and parrots pose serious threats to both yield and quality. Enter the AVIX Autonomic laser—a cutting-edge solution that’s revolutionising bird control.
Developed in the Netherlands by Bird Control Group, the AVIX Autonomic has evolved into an efficient, user-friendly deterrent. “The latest AVIX Autonomic Mark II can be controlled via a smartphone app, making it incredibly easy for farmers to use,” explains Michelle Kerr from Bird Beam Laser Bird Systems. Covering up to 5 hectares, the system operates silently 24/7, ensuring no harm to birds or the environment. Endorsed by the World Wildlife Fund and Birdlife Australia, it stands out for its high-performance effectiveness, sustainability, and quality modular design.
Michelle brings hands-on experience from her vineyard background, where bird damage is all too common. “After leaving the viticulture industry, my husband and I were looking for something new when we came across a video of the AVIX Autonomic in action, clearing birds from a vineyard. We were impressed by the results and soon installed 11 units at a large property,” she recalls. “What makes this system different is its ability to prevent birds from becoming accustomed to it. Unlike gas guns or kites, the laser’s constantly rotating patterns keep birds on their toes.”
The numbers tell the story: Australian farmers lose nearly $300 million annually to bird damage, according to the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development. With more than 60 bird species targeting crops like grain and grapes, the AVIX Autonomic provides a proven, reliable solution to safeguard yields and crop quality.
Beyond crop protection, the AVIX Autonomic has important biosecurity applications, particularly in combating the spread of Avian Influenza. “Birds contaminate water sources, which is a major issue for poultry farmers,” Michelle notes. “Independent research confirms the AVIX Autonomics’ effectiveness in keeping pest birds away, making it a valuable tool for biosecurity.”
Farmers typically see a return on investment within one to two years. “At the end of the day, the question is: how much are you willing to lose? Bird damage is costly, and protecting your land is just smart business,” says Michelle.
“Did you Know?”
Bird damage to Australian horticulture production is estimated at over $300 million annually, do you know what it’s costing you? It’s worthwhile to do the sums, invest confidently and decrease that number.
Key Benefits
- Immediate and long-lasting results
- 24/7 deterrence of pest birds
- Effective bird deterring across long distances and wide spaces
- Easy to deploy
- Animal friendly
- Humane and sustainable
Website: https://www.birdbeam.com.au
Email: info@birdbeam.com.au
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Trace minerals are required for optimal growth, reproduction, and immunity. Optimising trace mineral status relying solely on oral supplements across a herd may fail because of variation in individual intake and reduced absorption due to antagonism of other ration components and minerals. The use of injectable trace mineral supplements has been associated with positive reproductive outcomes including improved conception rate, increased odds of pregnancy and greater final in calf rate. A study conducted on 2,168 dairy cows, administered injectable trace minerals, four weeks prior to calving and again four weeks prior to the start of mating showed treated animals had a 3.3 per cent greater final in-calf rate, and a reduced time from start of mating to conception, compared to control animals 1 . The Importance of B12 Dr Carl Eden, Technical Services Veterinarian with Boehringer Ingelheim says “Vitamin B12 is sometimes referred to as a ‘super vitamin’ because it is only required in very small amounts but vital to many essential metabolic pathways. However, demand for B12 can vary considerably during the year and we see serum levels of B12 fall at critical times, such as the first few months after calving.” Vitamin B12 contains cobalt, so deficiency in cobalt can lead to deficiency in vitamin B12 because ruminants get most of their B12 as a byproduct of ruminal fermentation where the bacteria in their rumen assemble B12 from cobalt for use by the cow. Sub-optimal trace mineral and vitamin B12 status at calving, mating, and drying off has been shown to negatively impact growth, reproduction, and immunity. Using a trace mineral injectable containing vitamin B12 can improve trace mineral and vitamin B12 status at these critical times. Marks-Min with Vitamin B12 – The Evidence In the largest trace element study to date, Marks-Min Injectable Trace Mineral with Vitamin B12 demonstrated remarkable results when compared to a reference trace mineral injection. “Given the differences between Marks-Min and other products on the market, we wanted to generate a compelling data set to demonstrate how effective it was compared to the pioneer product. We entrusted this work to a third-party research company” says Dr Eden. “We chose farms that were at the top of their game from a reproductive perspective. We made sure that the farms had no evidence of trace element or vitamin B12 deficiencies or excess.” Across all outcomes of interest, Marks-Min demonstrated clear non-inferiority when compared to the reference product. Outcomes measured included submission, pregnancy and conception rates, and six week in-calf rate. Marks-Min demonstrated it is highly suited as an alternative treatment to the reference product. Reference: 1. Hawkins, D., and B. V. S. Franklin. New Zealand Dairy Veterinarians Newsletter 24 (2007): 12-16 Company website: livestockfirst.com.au Company email address: CustomerCare.Australia@boehringer-ingelheim.com Company video: https://vimeo.com/1138807630?fl=pl&fe=cm
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