ALA Engineering wants to make feedlots more efficient and safer using technology and automation to feed cattle.
The Nebraska-based startup, co-founded by Jacob Hansen, a 2021 graduate with a degree in software engineering, is developing autonomous feed trucks for cattle feeding operations utilizing innovative hardware and software to reduce labor risks, lower feed costs for farmers and ranchers, and provide more efficiency in the cattle feeding process whether it’s better fuel efficiency or more consistent food delivery.
“There are so many ways to improve safety and efficiency with robotics and automation in agriculture,” said Hansen, a Gering, Nebraska native who was recently featured in an interview on the Rural Radio Network.
Still in the testing phase, the company’s prototype is a standard feed truck with the transmission, steering and electrical systems replaced with sensors and computer systems serving as driving and navigation tools using GPS, radar, LIDAR and cameras with the ability to stop if the vehicle detects objects in the way.