DK202300067Y3 - Drinking bowl and feeding trough with drinking bowl for piglets - Google Patents

Abstract

A drinking bowl (10) for piglets, the drinking bowl (10) comprises - a cup (20) for storing a liquid, - a main channel (30) for connection to a global liquid supply, the main channel (30) comprises a global inlet (31), a global outlet (32) and between the global inlet (31) and the global outlet (32) or at the global outlet (32) a primary pressure actuated valve (40) configured to allow fluid flow into the cup (20) from the main channel (30) upon pressure actuation, - a drip bypass (60) comprising a bypass inlet (61) adapted to be connected to a local liquid container (80) and a bypass outlet (62) which is connected to the cup (20).

Description

DK 202300067 Y3 1

Drinking bowl and feeding trough with drinking bowl for piglets

The field of creation

The present invention relates to a piglet drinking bowl and a feed trough with the piglet drinking bowl designed to reduce piglet mortality by using a drip bypass to train piglets to use a drinking bowl.

The background of the creation

In Danish pig farms, piglet mortality is approx. 21%. In addition, during the last few years there has been increased political pressure in Denmark to reduce piglet mortality.

In 2018, the industry agreed to lower piglet mortality to 16%, but by 2021, piglet mortality was still over 20%.

Therefore, there is a great need for solutions that can lower piglet mortality to 16% or at least contribute to lowering piglet mortality.

The purpose of the creation

The object of the invention is to provide a drinking bowl and feeding trough designed to lower piglet mortality.

Description of the production

One purpose of the invention is achieved with a drinking bowl for piglets. The drinking bowl consists of - a cup for containing a liquid, - a main channel for connection to a global liquid supply, the main channel comprises a global inlet, a global outlet and between the global inlet and the global outlet, or at the global outlet, a primary pressure actuated valve configured to allow fluid to flow into the cup from the main channel upon pressure activation, - a drip bypass comprising a bypass inlet adapted to connect to a local fluid reservoir and a bypass outlet that is connected to the cup.

DK 202300067 Y3 2

The drip bypass comprising a bypass inlet that can be connected to a local liquid container and a bypass outlet connected to the cup can ensure a continuous drip of liquid into the liquid cup, ensuring that the piglets are always have access to liquid.

In another embodiment, the drip bypass may be configured to provide a timed drip, where the drip bypass releases a predetermined amount of fluid once every 15 minutes or 30 minutes or 60 minutes or at some other time interval.

When liquid drips into the cup, the piglets can accidentally activate the primary pressure-activated valve, which is configured to allow liquid to flow into the cup from the main channel when pressure is applied, thus teaching the piglets how to activate the primary pressure-activated valve valve. Both the continuous drip of liquid or the timed drip in the liquid cup, as well as teaching the piglets to activate the primary pressure-activated valve, ensures that the piglets always have access to liquid, which minimizes the risk of the piglets becoming dehydrated and thus reduces mortality among piglets.

The cup for liquid may include a base/bottom that is enclosed by sides so that the liquid can be contained within the cup. The base/bottom can be sloped so that the liquid is directed close to the edge opposite the movable tongue.

In one embodiment, the pressure-activated main valve can be a pin valve or a pipe valve.

The local fluid container may be configured to hold water.

A piggery will include a plurality of drinking bowls according to the invention, where the drinking bowls are connected along the global channels in series and/or parallel, where the piggery will have a system for circulating drinking liquid such as water through the plurality of drinking bowls.

The design with a drip bypass that can be connected to a local fluid container allows the drip bypass to be used only in cases where it is necessary, e.g. in the first weeks of a piglet's life to teach it to use the drinking bowl. After a few weeks it might be

DK 202300067 Y3 3 it is not necessary to use the drip bypass, so the local liquid container is therefore not replaced or refilled with a potable liquid such as e.g. water.

In addition, the extra drip function can be used locally at the individual drinking bowls, i.e. at the individual pig pens, e.g. danger trails.

The main channel can be designed as a flow channel, where the liquid flows through a plurality of drinking bowls. This design is typically chosen when using a liquid that should not be stagnant, such as milk. An example of this design is shown in Figure 3.

In other embodiments, the main channel may be designed such that the fluid flows through the global outlet to the cup when the primary pressure actuated valve is actuated.

An example of this design is shown in Figure 2.

In one embodiment, the bypass inlet is in fluid communication with the global fluid supply either directly with a direct connection or indirectly where the local fluid reservoir is filled by the global fluid supply so that a user does not need to refill the local fluid.

In one aspect, a drinking bowl may include a local fluid reservoir connected to the bypass inlet.

The local fluid reservoir can be filled with water or raw cow's milk or water filled with additives such as vitamins and/or minerals and/or glucose.

However, since the local fluid container is connected to the bypass inlet, water is the preferred fluid, as there is a high risk of the fluid being wasted. The price of raw cow's milk, vitamins, minerals and glucose is significantly higher than the price of water, so if water is wasted, the loss is minimized.

In one aspect, a drinking bowl comprises a drip valve adapted to enable a controllable liquid flow, the drip valve being located either - between the bypass inlet and the bypass outlet or

DK 202300067 Y3 4 - between the local fluid container and the bypass inlet or - at the bypass outlet.

The drip valve can be placed in different positions, as it does not have to be controlled by the piglets or pigs.

In one aspect, the drinking cup may comprise an additive channel for adding additives to the liquid in the cup, the additive channel comprising an additive inlet for connecting to a local additive liquid container and an additive outlet in fluid communication with the main channel.

In this case, the main channel should not be a through-flowing main channel, as the additives will be distributed to all drinking bowls simultaneously, which is material inefficient. If the main channel instead has the global outlet facing the cup, it is possible to add additives to the main channel without spreading the additives to other drinking bowls.

If, on the other hand, the main channel is designed to be a flow channel, as in Figure 3, then the additive channel must be implemented as in the aspect below.

In one aspect, the drinking bowl may include an additive channel for adding additives to the liquid in the cup, the additive channel including an additive inlet for connecting to a local additive liquid container and an additive facing the cup and including a second pressure actuated valve that is configured to allow fluid to flow into the cup from the additive channel upon pressure actuation.

The additive liquid in the local additive liquid container in the two aspects above may consist of colostrum and/or vitamins and/or minerals or glucose. The raw milk can come from a cow or another suitable domestic animal.

The additive liquid can be a significant expense, so it is in the farmer's interest not to use excessive amounts of additive liquid when it is not necessary. The advantage of the additive channel being connected to the local additive liquid container is that the farmer can decide whether additives should be added to the liquid dispensed in the drinking bowl in a specific pig house targeting a specific group of piglets. By adding the additive liquid locally, the farmer lowers the consumption of additives, since the liquid from the global

DK 202300067 Y3 liquid supply can be a cheap liquid such as water, and the additive liquid is supplied where the farmer finds it necessary.

This is also why the additive liquid only flows when the second pressure-activated valve 5 is activated by a piglet or a pig.

In some embodiments, the primary pressure actuated valve and the second pressure actuated valve are the same valve, where pressure actuation of the valve will cause fluid flow from both the global channel and the additive channel, e.g. when the additive outlet is in liquid connection with the main channel.

In one aspect, a drinking bowl includes a local additive fluid reservoir connected to the additive inlet.

The local additive liquid container can be filled with raw cow's milk or water filled with additives such as vitamins and/or minerals and/or glucose.

Upon activation of the second pressure-activated valve, additive liquid will flow into the cup, from which the piglet can drink the liquid with additives, which are selected with a view to lowering piglet mortality by supplying extra nutrients locally at the specific drinking bowl, as needed.

In one aspect, a drinking bowl includes a movable tongue, and the primary pressure actuated valve is adapted to be opened by displacement of the movable tongue.

The movable tongue can be displaced by a piglet's snout, causing the tongue to actuate the primary pressure-activated valve.

The arrangement can be that the primary pressure-activated valve is located behind the movable tongue.

The movable tongue can extend into the cup, increasing the chance of a muzzle activating the movable tongue.

DK 202300067 Y3 6

In one aspect, a drinking bowl wherein the second pressure actuated valve is adapted to be opened by displacement of the displaceable tongue.

In the situation where a local additive fluid reservoir is connected to the additive inlet and the displaceable tongue is displaced, fluid will flow from both the primary pressure actuated valve and the second pressure actuated valve and the fluids will mix in the cup for the piglet or pig to drink.

In one aspect, a drinking bowl in which the drip bypass is downwardly sloped between the bypass inlet and the bypass outlet to prevent accumulation of liquid in the drip bypass.

The slope prevents stagnant liquid in the drip bypass, as this can be dangerous for a weakened piglet.

In one aspect, the cup may be a combined liquid and feed trough, and the drinking bowl may include a feed channel for delivering feed to the feed trough.

Thereby, the cup/feeding trough will contain feed and liquid.

In one aspect, the drip valve may be located at the bypass outlet. The drip valve may comprise a ball and a grid for holding the ball near the bypass outlet, wherein the diameter of the ball is greater than the bypass outlet.

When the cup is filled with liquid and/or feed, the liquid will lift the ball as the density is lower than water. The ball will thereby block the bypass outlet and stop the fluid flow from the bypass channel.

Thus, the bypass outlet is located below the highest possible water level in the cup, so that the bypass outlet is blocked before liquid is spilled.

The grid ensures that the ball is kept under the bypass outlet. One purpose of the production is achieved by a feeding trough for pigs and especially piglets. The feeding trough comprises one or more drinking bowls according to one or more of the previously described embodiments.

DK 202300067 Y3 7

One or more drinking bowls can be placed on either side of the feed trough.

Drawing description

Embodiments of the invention will be described in the figures, in which:

Fig. 1 illustrates a drinking bowl;

Fig. 2 illustrates an embodiment of the back of a drinking bowl in Figure 1;

Fig. 3 illustrates another design of the back of a drinking bowl in Figure 1;

Fig. 4 illustrates a feeding trough comprising drinking bowls;

Fig. 5 illustrates a drinking bowl with a cup that is a combined liquid and feed trough;

Fig. 6 illustrates a further embodiment of a drinking bowl in Figure 1; and

Fig. 7 illustrates yet another embodiment of a drinking bowl in figure 1.

Detailed description of the production owen [0 phase 9

DK 202300067 Y3 8

CC

Fig. 1,2, 3, 6 and 7 illustrate a drinking bowl 10. The back of the drinking bowl 10 can vary as shown in 1 figure 2 and 3.

The drinking bowl 10 comprises a cup 20 for liquid. The liquid in the cup 20 can be water, additive liquid or a mixture. The additive liquid can include colostrum, vitamins, minerals or a mixture of liquid additives.

The drinking bowl 10 comprises a main channel 30 for connection to a global liquid supply.

The main channel 30 comprises a global inlet 31, a global outlet 32 and between the global inlet 31 and the global outlet 32 (in Figure 3), or at the global outlet 32 (in Figure 2), a primary pressure-activated valve 40 configured to to allow liquid to flow into the cup 20 from the main channel 30 by pressure actuation - the valve 40 is actuated by displacement of the tongue 110. In one embodiment, the pressure actuated main valve 40 is a pin valve or a pipe valve. The pressure-activated main valve 40 can be activated by the pressure from a piglet's snout or leg.

The drinking bowl 10 comprises a drip bypass 60 comprising a bypass inlet 61 which can be connected to a local liquid container and a bypass outlet 62 connected to the cup 10.

The drip bypass supplies the cup 20 with liquid with a continuous drip of liquid from the local liquid reservoir 80, ensuring that the piglets always have access to liquid in the cup 20, even if the piglets have not yet learned how to activate the primary pressure-activated valve 40.

Figure 3 shows that the drinking bowl 10 comprises an additive channel 90 for adding additives to the liquid in the cup 20. The additive channel 90 comprises an additive inlet 91 for connection

DK 202300067 Y3 9 to a local additive liquid container 81 and an additive outlet 92 facing the cup 20 and comprising a second pressure activated valve 50 configured to enable flow of liquid into the cup 20 from the additive channel 90 upon pressure activation.

Although not shown, the drinking bowl 10 in Figure 3 may include an additive channel 90 for adding additives to the liquid in the cup 20. The additive channel 90 includes an additive inlet 91 for connection to a local additive liquid container 81 and an additive outlet 92 that is in liquid communication with the main channel 30.

Fig. 4 shows a feed trough (110) comprising one or more drinking bowls (10), which can be the same embodiment as shown in fig. I and 2 or 3.

Fig. 5 shows a drinking bowl 10 with a cup 20, which is a combined liquid and feed trough 110.

The feed trough 110 includes a drip bypass 60 and a main channel 60 that enables flow into the feed trough 110. Figure 4A shows a cross-section of the feed trough 110, and Figure 4C shows a close-up view of the cross-section of the feed trough 110, and Figure 4B shows a perspective view - ning of the feed trough 110.

The feed trough 110 includes a drip bypass 60 with a bypass inlet 61 that can be connected to a local liquid container 80 and a bypass outlet 62 that is connected to the feed trough 110 to enable liquid flow into the feed trough 110. The bypass valve 70 can be similar to the bypass valve 70 shown in Figure 1B.

The main channel 60 includes a global inlet 61 for connection to a global fluid supply, a main outlet 62, a primary pressure actuated valve 40 configured to allow fluid flow into the feed trough 110 from the main channel 60 upon pressure actuation.

The primary pressure actuated valve 40 extends from the global outlet 62 .

In the figure, the local liquid container 80 and the local additive liquid container 81 are shown as being the same unit, but the containers 80, 81 are separate, as shown in Figures 1-4.

DK 202300067 Y3 10

Fig. 6 shows a drinking bowl (10) with the primary pressure-activated valve (40), and the second pressure-activated valve (50) may be a pin valve. The primary and secondary pressure-activated valves 40, 50 are activated by pressure-activating means (not shown), and the pressure-activating means may be a movable tongue as shown in Figure 1.

The drinking bowl 10 includes a drip bypass 60 that is downwardly sloping between the bypass inlet 61 and the bypass outlet 62 to prevent accumulation of liquid in the drip bypass 60. The bypass outlet 62 is located below the highest possible water level in the cup 20.

The drinking bowl 10 includes a drip valve 70, which may include a ball 71 and a grid 72 to keep the ball 71 near the bypass outlet 62, in which the diameter of the ball 71 is larger than the bypass outlet 62. When the cup 20 is filled with liquid , the liquid will lift the ball 71, as the density is lower than water. The ball 71 will thereby block the bypass outlet 62 and stop the flow of liquid from the bypass inlet 61, which prevents spillage of liquid by overfilling the cup 20.

Fig. 7 shows a drinking bowl 10 connected to a global liquid supply, a local liquid container 80 and a local additive liquid container 81. This embodiment includes a number of valves to configure and change how and from which liquid supply liquid enters the drinking bowl 10. The valves can be opened individually or in combination.

In the standard configuration, the global fluid supply to the drip bypass valve 33 is closed so that the fluid from the global fluid supply can flow into the drinking bowl 10 upon actuation of the primary pressure actuated valve 40, and in one embodiment, the primary pressure actuated valve 40 is actuated by displacement of the sliding tongue 100.

Configuration 1: The local fallout to global supply valve 82 is open and fluid is supplied from the local additive fluid reservoir 81 to the main channel 30 where the fluid from the global fluid supply is mixed with additives from the local additive fluid reservoir 81 so that the fluid from the global fluid supply mixes that with additives can flow into the drinking bowl 10 upon activation of the primary pressure-activated valve 40.

DK 202300067 Y3 11

Configuration 2: The global fluid supply to the drip bypass valve 33 is open and fluid is supplied from the global fluid supply through the main channel to the drip bypass 60 through the bypass inlet 61 bypassing the local fluid reservoirs 80, 81, enabling a continuous drip with liquid from the global liquid supply into cup 20.

Configuration 3: Local fallout to drip bypass valve 83 is open and connects the contents of the local liquid container 80 and/or a local additive liquid container 81 to the drip bypass 60, enabling a continuous drip of liquid from a local liquid container into the cup 20 .

Claims (12)

DK 202300067 Y3 12 UTILITY MODEL REQUIREMENTS 1. A drinking bowl (10) for piglets, the drinking bowl (10) comprises - a cup (20) for storing a liquid, - a main channel (30) for connection to a global liquid supply, the main channel (30) comprises a global inlet (31) ), a global outlet (32) and between the global inlet (31) and the global outlet (32) or at the global outlet (32) a primary pressure actuated valve (40) configured to allow fluid flow into the cup ( 20) from the main channel (30) upon pressure actuation, - a drip bypass (60) comprising a bypass inlet (61) adapted to connect to a local liquid container (80) and a bypass outlet (62) ), which is connected to the cup (10). 2. Drinking bowl (10) according to claim 1, in which the drinking bowl (10) comprises a local liquid container connected to the bypass inlet (61). 3. Drinking bowl (10) according to claim 1 or 2, in which the drinking bowl (10) comprises a drip valve (70) adapted to enable a controllable liquid flow, the drip valve (70) is located either - between the bypass inlet (61) and the bypass outlet (62); or - between the local fluid container (80) and the bypass inlet (61); or - at the bypass outlet (62). 4. Drinking bowl (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the drinking bowl (10) comprises an additive channel (90) for adding additives to the liquid in the cup (20), the additive channel (90) comprises an additive inlet (91) for connection with a local additive liquid container (81), and an additive outlet (92) which is either in liquid connection with the main channel (30), or - the additive outlet (92) faces the cup (20) and includes another pressure-activated valve ( 50) configured to allow fluid to flow into the cup (20) from the additive channel (90) upon pressure actuation. 5. Drinking bowl (10) according to claim 5, in which the drinking bowl (10) comprises a local additive liquid container (81) which is connected to the additive inlet (91). DK 202300067 Y3 13 6. Drinking bowl (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the drinking bowl (10) comprises a movable tongue (100) and the primary pressure-activated valve (40) is arranged to be opened by displacement of the movable tongue ( 100). 7. Drinking bowl (10) according to claim 6, in which the second pressure-activated valve (50) is arranged to be opened by displacement of the displaceable tongue (100). 8. A drinking bowl (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the drip bypass (60) is downwardly sloping between the bypass inlet (61) and the bypass outlet (62) to prevent accumulation of liquid in drips - the bypass (60). 9. Drinking bowl (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the cup (20) is a combined liquid and feed trough (110), and the drinking bowl (10) comprises a feeding channel (120) for supplying food to the feeding trough ( 110). A drinking bowl (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the drip valve (70) is located at the bypass outlet (62), and the drip valve (70) comprises a ball (71) and a grid (72) to keeping the ball (71) near the bypass outlet (62), in which the diameter of the ball (71) is larger than the bypass outlet (62). 11. Drinking bowl (10) according to claim 10, in which the bypass outlet is located below the highest possible water level in the cup. 12. Feeding trough (110) for pigs, the feeding trough (110) comprises one or more drinking bowls (10) according to any one of the preceding claims.