Guest guest Posted December 15, 2005 Report Share Posted December 15, 2005 New device makes it easier to catch birds - New Straits Times IPOH, Dec 13: -- Two assistant veterinary officers have come up with a simple yet effective device for catching birds and small animals. This will put an end to tree-climbing exploits to collect chicken samples. Free-range chicken, roosting on tree branches, were more prone to being infected with avian influenza from migratory birds, but were difficult to catch, said A. Muniandy, one of the officers, reminiscing the falls he had on the job. Sample collection would also have to be done at night, when the birds were less alert, making the task even more challenging, he add- ed. To solve the problem, Muniandy and Bakhtiar Manap created the " BM catcher " , named after their initials, which has clamps for grasping and could be extended up to 3.3 metres to reach for the birds through the leaves and branches. Used since September, the telescopic fowl catcher is estimated to save some RM1.8 million for Perak and RM10.7 million for the country, in terms of labour costs and money spent on safety suits. Inventing " BM catcher " only costs RM2,700, Muniandy said, adding that farmers were already placing orders for the device after seeing veterinary officers use it for sampling. A full set with accessories costs RM500, he said, pointing out that the device could also be used to harvest fruits or catch small animals, including snakes and cats. The invention, which won awards at the national level both from government agencies and private organisations, also won the Civil Service Innovation Award 2005 (new technology category) during the Quality Day celebration hosted by the Perak Government today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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