DE102011086651A1 - Work device for animals such as wild pigs, has obstacle that is provided in feed reservoir, so that access of animal muzzle to feeding area of device is disabled at rest position while overcoming restoring force from rest position - Google Patents

Abstract

The work device (10) comprises a frame (16) for fixing the work device relative to a base (18). A feed reservoir (12) is movably arranged on the frame for receiving a fodder stock (24). An obstacle (30) is provided in the feed reservoir, so that the access of an animal muzzle to a feeding area (13) of the work device is disabled at rest position while overcoming a restoring force from the rest position. An independent claim is included for a fodder stock.

Description

The present invention relates to an employment facility for animals, in particular for pigs.

In the wild, pigs are busy foraging for about six to eight hours a day, pushing the ground in front of them with their proboscis and looking for food such as acorns, beechnuts, seeds of shrubs, worms and the like.

In the barn, however, pigs only eat about half an hour to one hour per day, after which food intake is complete. The natural chewing and chewing can therefore not be satisfied.

Lack of other employment can cause the pigs in the barn to bite each other, resulting in injury or death. From birth to the slaughterhouse, about 10,000,000 pigs die in Germany, that is about 20% of all born pigs, which to a large extent is due to fear and mutual biting. Furthermore, the lack of employment leads to increased stress, which in turn negatively affects feed conversion and health.

The employment opportunities prescribed by the legislator for this reason, d. H. Toys such as chains, balls, wooden beams, car tires, etc. are poorly accepted by pigs, especially since they can not be eaten.

Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide an animal care facility which can better satisfy the naturally occurring chewing and chewing sensation than is heretofore known in the art.

To achieve this object, an employment facility for animals, in particular for pigs, proposed according to the invention, which comprises a frame for fixing the employment facility relative to a floor and provided on the frame feed storage container for receiving a feed supply. Furthermore, the employment device according to the invention comprises at least one relative to the frame and / or the feed reservoir movably provided obstacle which obstructs the access of an animal snout to a feeding area of the employment facility in a rest position and is movable out of this, overcoming a restoring force from the rest position.

The animal snout may in particular be a pig's pork. The feeding area is an area of the employment facility in which the operation of feeding takes place in the operation of the employment facility. The feed storage container is understood to mean a device which is designed to receive the feed supply in such a way that access to the feed supply outside the feeding area is prevented for the animals in question.

Access to the feeding area is thus initially prevented or at least made more difficult by the obstacle in the rest position. In order to get to the feeding area and thus to the food, an animal must therefore move the obstacle out of the rest position with its snout, overcoming the restoring force, for example lifting it up or pushing it aside.

As in nature, the animals have to work with their muzzles, such as digging, pushing or pushing to get to the food, so that the time required for food intake can be increased significantly in a simple manner and the animals are employed in a welfare-appropriate manner where there is sufficient incentive to work through the feed.

The restoring force acting toward the rest position can be, for example, the weight force of the obstacle, but other return mechanisms are also conceivable, for example in the form of return springs.

In this application, indications such as "above" and "below" refer to an operating condition in which the employment facility is fixed relative to a floor, such as a stable floor. The frame can in this case fix the employment facility directly on the ground or for example on a stable wall and thus also relative to the ground.

Preferably, the obstacle is movably provided on the frame or the feed storage container, but it should not be ruled out to attach the obstacle separately from the frame or the feed storage container, for example on the floor or a wall.

In order to control the feeding process and to ensure that the food intake takes a sufficient time, it can be provided that the feed storage container is a feeding machine for free-flowing or free-flowing feed, which is designed to trigger a triggering device provided at the employment facility to deliver a predetermined portion of Futtervorats in the feeding area of the employment facility, the triggering device only after expiration a predetermined period of time after triggering is triggered again.

In this case, the triggering device may comprise the obstacle, and it may be provided that the triggering device can be triggered by the obstacle being moved to a triggering position different from the rest position.

Alternatively, for the above purpose, it may be provided that the feed storage container is designed so that only a predetermined portion of the feed supply is located in a feeding area of the employment facility, which is accessible to the animals after overcoming the obstacle.

It can be provided that the obstacle always presses against the snout of the animal during the actual feeding process due to the restoring force, which is modeled on the natural process of foraging a pig, for example, in which the pig with the trunk pushes the soil in front of him and therefore on the trunk always felt a slight pressure of the earth.

Such an obstacle may be, for example, a flap, which must push the animal with his muzzle, in particular push up, or must swing open. As will be described in more detail later, however, it is preferred that the obstacle consists of at least one guided on the frame, stable ring of an easy-to-clean material, for. As stainless steel, plastic or the like, which must be raised from the snout to get to the portion of the feed supply in the feeding area.

For easy realization of automatic refilling of feed in the feeding area, it may be provided that the feed storage container is open at a lower end and provided on the frame such that the lower end is spaced from the ground. In particular, when using a one-piece, solid chuck body will fall in this case in a very simple manner due to gravity another portion of feed from above into the feeding area or move up when the first portion present in the feeding area is eaten. So it can be ensured that always only the predetermined portion of the feed supply is in the feeding area.

In order to prevent the animal, in particular a pig, from digging through a hole in the stable floor underneath the open end of the feed storage container and thus inadvertently enlarging the accessible feed portion, provision may be made for the employment unit to comprise a base plate below is provided spaced from the lower end of the feed storage container and from this lower end.

According to a preferred development, the feed storage container may comprise a tube which is open at a lower end and preferably has a circular cross-section.

This tube may for example be filled with a solid, cylindrical chuck body which is rotatable about its longitudinal axis within the tube when, for example, a pig presses with its trunk laterally against the accessible feed portion, which makes the feed intake for the pig somewhat more difficult and thus for further employment opportunities provides.

In order to control the movement of the obstacle from the rest position and into the rest position, provision may be made for the employment device to comprise at least one guide structure along which the obstacle is movable, in particular displaceable. In particular, it may be provided that the obstacle has an opening and that Frame comprises at least one in the form of a guide rod formed guide structure, wherein the at least one guide structure extends through the opening of the obstacle, so that the obstacle along the guide structure movable, for. B. is displaced.

Here, the animal, z. As a pig, the obstacle from the rest position with the muzzle, for example, against the force of gravity as restoring force and move along the guide structure to get to the feeding area.

Such an obstacle is mechanically simple, robust and easy to clean, especially if the obstacle and / or the guide structure made of metal, preferably made of stainless steel.

Preferably, the guide structure is in the form of a support, which supports the feed storage container on the ground and so at the same time fulfills the functions of stabilizing or fixing the employment facility and the guidance of the obstacle.

Preferably, the frame comprises at least two, preferably three support structures formed as supports, which are distributed around a circumference of the feed storage container provided thereon and support the feed storage container on the ground, wherein a supporting structure formed from the supports tapers upwardly, and wherein the supports through the Openings of the obstacle run. Since the support structure tapers upwards, this can Obstruction by applying a force through the animal's snout (the pig's trunk) raised at least on one side and upwards along the supports, while the tapered support structure can be defined by a certain height on which the obstacle rests at rest.

The support or the supports may be formed, for example, as support rods. Alternatively or additionally, it is possible to provide support walls or support struts, wherein care must be taken that there is sufficient space between the support struts or support walls for the snout of the animal in question so that it can reach the feeding area.

A high stability coupled with sufficient accessibility results, for example, for three support rods or support walls distributed about the circumference of the feed storage container at approximately the same angular distance.

In particular, it may be provided that the employment facility comprises a plurality of obstacles in the form of rings of different inside diameters arranged one above the other in the rest position. In an upwardly tapered support structure so a rest position is defined at different heights above the ground for each of the different rings. In order to get to the feeding area, the pig must raise all or at least several of the rings, which further complicates the accessibility and therefore satisfies the pique and play instinct of the pig.

The rings can optionally be wrapped with chains, which will additionally satisfy the play instinct. If desired, the rings can also be partially or completely replaced by chains, in particular metal chains.

Furthermore, protection is also claimed for a feed supply for an employment facility, in particular according to one of the preceding claims.

In order to satisfy the natural game and chewing and to ensure that the food intake the relevant animal, especially a pig, employs a sufficient time, the invention provides that the feed stock as a solid, preferably cylindrical, chuck body with a length of more than about 20 cm or / and a diameter of about 4 cm to about 10 cm is formed.

The feed stock according to the invention is relatively hard, so that only a small amount of feed can be picked up at once, which corresponds to foraging in the forest where the feed is also found only sporadically and in small quantities.

In order for the chuck body to harden and for the chuck to be easily digestible, the chuck body may be made by extrusion from a cereal based feed material. Preferably, the chuck body can be eaten to 100%.

In particular, for use in one of the previously described employment facilities can be provided that the chuck body further has a length between about 20 cm and about 1 m.

The circular cross-section of the feed bar ensures that it can rotate in a tubular feed storage container around its own axis, which makes food intake a little more difficult and thus more interesting for the animals.

Thus, the feed supply retains its example round cross-sectional shape and do not crack over time, the feed oil, z. As rapeseed or soybean oil and / or their meal are added.

Next, the feed supply may also have a different cross-sectional shape, such as square, rectangular, oval, etc ..

Furthermore, the feed z. As well as magnesium and / or other trace elements are added, so that in addition to the satisfaction of natural needs even a sedative effect z. As magnesium for very aggressive pigs can contribute to the elimination of anxiety. The addition of other feed ingredients such. B. Vitamins and amino acids is possible.

By an employment device according to the invention in combination with a feed supply according to the invention, the natural needs of animals, especially of pigs, are satisfied in a special way to spend a large part of their time with rooting, chewing and eating.

This z. As the pigs calmer and disturb each other much less. In particular, the fear of the pigs from their conspecifics and the mutual biting can be largely eliminated, so that the stress decreases and thus the feed conversion is improved.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained in more detail with reference to a particularly preferred embodiment, which is illustrated in the accompanying figures. It shows

1 a side view, and

2 a plan view of an embodiment of an employment device according to the invention.

The figures are highly simplified schematics, which in particular are not to scale.

1 shows a side view of an employment device according to the invention 10 ,

The employment institution 10 includes a feed storage container 12 in the form of a cylindrical tube open at both ends 14 is trained.

The feed storage container 12 is by means of a frame 16 on the ground 18 a pigsty fixed so that the longitudinal axis 12a of the feed storage container 12 essentially vertical and the lower end 12u of the feed storage container 12 not on the ground 18 gets up but is spaced from this.

Below the lower end 12u of the feed storage container 12 is a floor plate 20 at a distance d from the lower end 12u of the feed storage container 12 arranged and by means of screws 22 in the ground 18 anchored.

The bottom plate 20 stabilizes the employment institution 10 and further prevents the pigs below the feed reservoir 12 dig a hole in the stable floor.

Inside the hollow cylindrical feed storage container 12 is a feed supply 24 in the form of a cylindrical chuck body 26 taken, which is shown hatched in the figures for better distinctness.

This is a very hard and solid chuck body 26 so that the pigs have to work with the mouth and the teeth when eating in a similar way, as when foraging in a natural environment. In order to ensure the desired hardness and at the same time easy digestibility, the chuck body can 26 for example by extrusion from a cereal-based feed material, e.g. As wheat, be prepared.

The chuck body 26 gets into the feed reservoir from the top 12 ie in the pipe 14 introduced and stands at the bottom of the bottom plate 20 on. Consequently, there is always only one portion of the feed supply 24 , namely a portion of the length d of the chuck body 26 in a feeding area 13 between the lower end 12u of the feed storage container 12 and the bottom plate 20 accessible to pigs.

Will be a piece of the chuck body below 26 eaten, the chuck body moves 26 due to gravity continues down, leaving a frequent refilling of the feed reservoir 12 can be avoided.

The feed storage container 12 is about three in the form of support rods or guide rods 29 trained props 28 on the ground 18 supported. As in particular the in 2 shown top view, the three support rods are each at approximately equal angular intervals around a circumference of the feed storage container 12 distributed around. As a result, on the one hand the feed storage container 12 in a very stable way on the ground 18 supported and on the other hand, the pig can practically from all sides to the predetermined portion of the feed supply 24 in the feeding area 13 access.

However, this access is due to three obstacles 30 in the form of rings 32 difficult so on the support structure formed from the three support rods 34 rest all the support rods through the central openings 300 the obstacles 30 run. The support rods thus form guide structures in the present embodiment 31 along which the obstacles 30 are displaceable.

So that the pigs the rings 32 can not bite, these are preferably made of metal, especially stainless steel, which is also for reasons of ease of cleaning advantage.

In 1 are all obstacles 30 shown in the rest position. In this position, they hinder access of the pig's tail to the feeding area.

To get to the food, the pig must with his trunk the rings 32 Raise something from the resting position on at least one side and support it during the entire feeding process with its trunk from below, so that it feels the pressure of the rings on the trunk during the feeding, which comes close to the natural pressure of the earth during the foraging.

Because of the three support rods or guide rods 29 formed support structure 34 tapered towards the top, lie the three rings 32 , each having different inner diameters, at different heights on the support structure 34 so that it is not possible for the pig to avoid lifting up the individual rings by tilting them from above onto the feeding area 13 accesses.

Because the rings 32 only on the support structure 34 They can be cleaned up by simply lifting them up from the employment facility 10 be removed.

For reasons of stability and hygiene, the feed storage container 12 and / or the frame 16 preferably made of metal, for example made of iron, particularly preferably made of stainless steel.

Instead of the support rods shown in the figures, for example, three support walls could be provided in a similar manner to a feed storage container.

The shape and number of rings shown here 32 can also be modified and adapted to the respective needs.

As a further alternative, it could be provided to form the obstacles, for example in the form of one or more flaps, which must lift the pig with his trunk, must push up or to the side to get to the feeding area. Such flaps could, as well as the rings shown here, be acted upon by its own gravity to the rest position. However, it should not be ruled out to provide appropriate spring devices for this purpose.

Furthermore, it is possible to attach the employment facility to a wall so that the animals can only reach the feeding area on three sides.

Optionally, instead of the hard chuck body, a free-flowing or flowable feed can be introduced into a feed machine as a feed storage container. Moves the animal with his muzzle a z. B. attached to the lower end of the feed dispenser triggering device, so an opening is opened at the lower end of the feed storage container for a certain time, wherein the opening cross-section and the opening duration are dimensioned so that only a small feed portion is discharged into the feeding area. For example, it is possible that a feed delivery is triggered by the animal moves the obstacle from the rest position to a different triggering position of this. In order to control the intake of food, it may be provided that the triggering device can be triggered again only after a predetermined period of time has elapsed after a triggering. In this embodiment, for example, a pig must move an obstacle, such as in the form of rings, chains or flaps, over the trunk for a longer period of time until feed is returned to the feeding area.

The employment device according to the invention shown here 10 can reduce stress and boredom especially of pigs in the stable housing and thus contribute to a more species-appropriate attitude and an improved meat quality.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

10

employment device

12

Feed storage container

12a

Axle of the feed storage container

12u

lower end of the feed storage container

13

feeding area

14

cylindrical tube

16

frame

18

ground

20

baseplate

22

screw

24

feed storage

26

chuck body

28

support

29

guide rod

30

obstacle

300

Opening of the obstacle

31

management structure

32

ring

34

support structure

d

distance

Claims (13)

Employment Agency ( 10 ) for animals, in particular for pigs, comprising: a frame ( 16 ) to fix the employment scheme ( 10 ) relative to a floor ( 18 ), one on the frame ( 16 ) provided feed storage container ( 12 ) for receiving a feed supply ( 24 ), and at least one relative to the frame ( 16 ) and / or the feed storage container ( 12 ) movably provided obstacle ( 30 ), which in a rest position the access of an animal snout to a feeding area ( 13 ) of the employment service ( 10 ) and is movable out of the rest position by the animal snout, overcoming a restoring force. Employment facility according to claim 1, characterized in that the feed storage container is a feeder for flowable or free-flowing feed, which is designed to deliver a predetermined portion of Futtervorats in the feeding area of the employment facility when triggering provided on the employment device triggering device, the triggering device only can be triggered again after a predetermined period of time after a trip. Employment Agency ( 1 ) according to claim 1, characterized in that the feed storage container ( 12 ) is designed so that only a predetermined portion of the feed stock ( 24 ) in the feeding area ( 13 ), Employment Agency ( 10 ) according to claim 3, characterized in that the feed storage container ( 12 ) at a lower end ( 12u ) open and so on the frame ( 16 ) is provided that the lower end ( 12u ) from the ground ( 18 ) is spaced. Employment facility according to claim 4, characterized in that it comprises a base plate ( 20 ) located below the lower end ( 12u ) of the feed storage container ( 12 ) and from the lower end ( 12u ) is provided spaced. Employment facility according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the feed storage container ( 12 ) a tube open at the lower end ( 14 ) having a preferably circular cross section. Employment Agency ( 10 ) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises at least one management structure ( 31 ) along which the obstacle ( 30 ) is movable, in particular displaceable, is provided. Employment Agency ( 10 ) according to claim 7, characterized in that the obstacle ( 30 ) an opening ( 300 ) and the management structure ( 31 ) as a guide rod ( 29 ), which through the opening ( 300 ) of the obstacle ( 30 ), so that the obstacle ( 30 ) along the guide rod ( 29 ) is movable. Employment facility according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the guide structure in the form of a support ( 28 ) is formed, the feed storage container ( 12 ) on the ground ( 18 ) is supported. Employment Agency ( 10 ) according to claim 9, characterized in that the frame ( 16 ) at least two, preferably three, as supports ( 28 ) trained leadership structures ( 31 ) around a circumference of the feed storage container ( 12 ) are provided distributed to this and the feed storage container ( 12 ) on the ground ( 18 ), one of the supports ( 28 ) formed support structure ( 34 ) is tapered upwards, and wherein the supports ( 28 ) through the opening ( 300 ) of the obstacle ( 30 ). Employment Agency ( 10 ) according to claim 10, characterized in that it has several obstacles ( 30 ) in the form of in the rest position superimposed rings ( 32 ) with different inner diameters. Feed stock ( 24 ) for an employment facility according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it as a solid, preferably cylindrical, chuck body ( 26 ) having a length greater than about 20 cm or / and a diameter of between about 4 cm and about 10 cm, preferably made by extrusion from a cereal-based feed material. Employment Agency ( 10 ) according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that it further comprises a feed stock ( 24 ) according to claim 12.

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