Ravensdown’s HawkEye Pro Wins Technology Award at Southern Field Days
Ravensdown's next evolution in smart farming technology, HawkEye Pro, was awarded the Technology Section Award at the Southern Field Days Farm Innovation Awards in February 2026.
New legislation resulting in a ban on tail docking arrived in 2019, causing a surge in demand in the already strong dairy sector, while a red clipper version was subsequently launched for clipping horses and for those preferring a clipper for trimming cows’ tails.
While the convenience was obvious, many customers asked, “why couldn’t a cordless handpiece be more slimline like a normal handpiece?”
Around the same time, motor and lithium battery technology was moving forward; development and prototype testing resulted in the new Lanati Astron Cord-free Handpiece rolling off the production line. It’s unique, slimline design is suited to all users and sectors but now offers a handpiece that is easier for those with small hands or arthritis.
At the heart of the unit, a brushless, slotless 18V motor produces torque that makes shearing speed more comparable to that achieved on the board, offering the ability to power a wide/concave comb through the fleece with ease. The use of a trilateral metal drive cog system and motor trip for safety, and to prevent machine damage, are major advances in the currently available cordless technology.
Purchasers comment about the light weight of the Astron handpiece being a similar weight to a machine-driven handpiece, even though it incorporates a battery.
Available in two options, the Astron Standard Kit has a 2.5Ah and a 6Ah battery, one wide/concave/shearing comb, one narrow/ convex/dagging comb and four cutters. The Lite Kit includes two of the lighter 2.5Ah batteries and two narrow/convex/dagging combs and four cutters. The Lite Kit is ideal for dairy, with both batteries being light and the combs ideal for dagging tails. Farmers that run a few sheep can also use it to keep them clean and tidy and deal with flystrike.
The original Gold Lanati Handpiece and Red 180W Clipper are still available along with the Standard and Lite Astron options.
Offered with a threeyear warranty, the Astron handpiece should be returned to Rurtec for any service issues, while the company also offers sharpening for combs, cutters and clipper blades.
Visit www.rurtec.com
