EP0634915A1

EP0634915A1 - Device for indicating calving in large farm animals

Info

Publication number: EP0634915A1
Application number: EP93909012A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Jean-Paul Begouen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1992-04-10
Filing date: 1993-04-09
Publication date: 1995-01-25
Also published as: CA2117790A1; WO1993020778A1; US5511560A; FR2689754B1; FR2689754A1

Abstract

A device usable in animal husbandry for monitoring calving in large animals by sensing a sustained raised position of the animal's tail. Said device includes a tail position sensor and radio frequency transmitter. The sensor consists of a bearing plate (40), a raised portion (42), straps (44, 48) and an arm (50) hinged to the bearing plate so that its position is dependent on that of the animal's tail, as well as a harness. The individual transmitter device comprises an electronic assembly including a power supply battery (62), a magnetically controlled power fuse (64) (ILS micro-circuit breaker), an oscillator and shaping circuit (68) for discontinuously generating and modulating a radio signal, and a timing means (69) for delaying the power supply and activating the oscillator only after a predetermined time lag. The harness consists of a yoke (13) and two straps (12) each connected both to said sensor (10) and to the lower portion of the yoke via respective resilient linkages.

Description

WARNING OF THE PARTITION OF LARGE FARMING ANIMALS: DEVICE AND METHOD.

The present invention is in the field of breeding large animals, such as cattle and horses, and its subject is improvements to a device for monitoring and warning of parturition, or parturition, of these animals.

It will be recalled that a characteristic phenomenon of parturition of the aforementioned large animals consists in maintaining the tail in the raised position for a period which had been estimated at two seconds. We will find in an earlier publication FR-2392599 of the present Applicant, the way in which this phenomenon has been taken into account to alert the breeder of an imminent birth, and the description of a detector and warning system consisting of a mechanism alarm by ringing triggered by the aforementioned phenomenon, the alarm being triggered only after an uninterrupted duration of the phenomenon, duration measured by an adjustable time delay. This mechanism was contained in a housing fixable by means ^~ 'vm harness at the rear end of the back of the anima _™; a flexible arm articulated on the case enclosed at its distal end the tail and followed its movements. More recently this device had been the object of improvements having consisted in the replacement of the mechanism of timer and ringing by electronic means including, for each individual device, a micro-contact, a hertzian transmitter, as well as a battery of food ; one or more transmitters was associated with a receiver located on the farm on which the herd depended, which could be either in free or captive housing, or in pasture.

This system, although having given satisfaction with its operation, had

REPLACEMENT SHEET 1 ^r disadvantage of a relatively high cost due to the fact that the transmitter of each individual device had to be powerful enough to reach the receiver, particularly in the case of the grazing herd; it must also be considered that in large flocks, several females can give birth at the same time, which practically required providing the rearing of several detectors, failing which the monitoring system lost its interest, but depending on what also the cost became comparable, as long as the herd was large than that of direct human surveillance.

Another drawback lay in the fact that, the time delay means that can be implemented by movements of the tail other than that preceding parturition, for example lifting the tail before urination, a significant consumption of electrical energy was necessary for the operation of the electronic timing, which led to a fairly frequent replacement of the batteries. In addition, the continuous analog radio signal and of a sufficiently large power to be able to reach the distant receiver, was him also a great consumer of energy. Other drawbacks related to the transmission power could result from the regulations on the use of radio waves.

A first aim of the invention was to lower the cost of the monitoring device, taken as a whole, thanks on the one hand to recent advances in microelectronics, but on the other hand also thanks to a new method of processing of the physical information provided by the aforementioned phenomenon; a second object of the invention was to make the system more reliable: on the one hand by adapting it to the physiology of the parturition of the large animals mentioned above and on the other hand by a design of the detector putting it almost

REPLACEMENT SHEET completely safe from attack (shocks, rain, humidity in stables) encountered in normal use; another goal has been to reduce its cost of use linked to wear and replacement of batteries. An important idea of

The invention was therefore to transfer to a relay station intermediate between the individual detectors and the alarm means, the maximum of functions, and particularly of energy-consuming functions, in order to make the individual detectors as inexpensive as possible In view of; their construction as their food.

The invention has several objects linked together to achieve the aforementioned aims, namely: a new, more ergonomic and simpler configuration of the detection equipment, a method of processing the information delivered by the latter, and a special arrangement of the electronic assembly of the detector. According to the invention a device intended for the implementation of a method of monitoring and warning of parturition of large animals, such as cattle and horses, of the kind of method according to which the physiological phenomenon constituted by maintaining in position reading of an uninterrupted duration greater than a predetermined duration, from the tail of the animal, a phenomenon indicative of the imminence on the part, said method being implemented by means of a detector device, called individual, of said position and radio frequency transmitter, fixed to the posterior part of the animal's back by means of a harness, and a receiver and alarm device located near a human watch, device in which, in addition, a detector is structurally composed of a gutter-shaped support plate formed by two inclined faces and a ridge

REPLACEMENT SHEET substantially parailélépipèdique, support straps, a sub-tail strap called "under-tail" and an arm provided with a strap for gripping the tail of the animal, said arm being articulated on the plate support for bringing said magnetic assembly closer to a magnetized mass when the tail of the animal assumes the raised position, is characterized in that the individual transmitting device consists of an electronic assembly comprising a supply battery, a cutter -magnetically controlled power supply circuit (ILS micro-switch), an oscillator and shaping circuit to produce and modulate a radio signal in a discontinuous manner, timer means for delaying the power supply and not implementing the oscillator until after the predetermined period has elapsed. This arrangement results in a low consumption of electrical energy, namely that necessary for discontinuous radio transmission when the detector detects parturition,

According to another aspect of the method of the invention, the individual detector emits a radio signal, said individual signal, or primary signal, discontinuous, or periodically interrupted, or even "chopped", the discontinuity having the effect on the one hand of sparing the batteries which do not debit during the interruption periods, and to produce a modulation which either avoids the pickup of parasitic signals, or makes it possible to characterize the signal emitted by an individual detector among the signals of the other detectors (case of an ins¬ advanced installation to differentiate signals). According to another aspect of the method, each individual signal is picked up by a unique receiver, called a relay station, located within range of said individual detectors, said relay station having the function of sending, upon receipt of a first signal.

REPLACEMENT SHEET individual, said primary, a signal, said secondary, to the alarm post located near the human watch.

A result of this way of proceeding resides in the fact that the relay station can be a fixed station having an energy capacity allowing it to process the information of the primary signals and to send the secondary signal very far, while the means of power supply (batteries) of the individual detectors may only be of very low energy capacity.

Still according to the invention, a farrowing monitoring and warning device, in which a detector is structurally composed of a support plate in the form of a gutter formed by two inclined faces and a substantially parailelepiped ridge, of support straps, a sub-tail strap called "under-tail" and an articulated arm provided with a strap for gripping the tail, said arm being articulated on the support plate, said device being intended when implementing the above-defined method, is characterized in its ergonomics by the much more "remote" arrangement of the detector towards the tail of the animal, and, incidentally, by the simplicity of the harness composed of two straps each connected to the detector on the one hand, and on the lower middle part of the collar on the other hand, each through an elastic link adjustable in tension.

The invention will be better understood and details will be apparent from the description which will be given _. of preferred embodiments thereof, in relation to the figures of the appended plates, in which:

- Fig.l illustrates a detector of the prior art fitted to a cow,

REPLACEMENT SHEET - Fig.2 schematically illustrates the monitoring method according to the prior art, using a plurality of detectors of the previous figure, - Fig.3 illustrates comparati¬ vely in Fig.1 the new detector according to The invention,

- Fig. schematically illustrates the monitoring method implemented by the new detector, applied to a herd in the stable, ^lî - Fig.5 illustrates a variant of the same method applied to a herd on pasture,

- Fig.6 is a perspective view of the detector in Fig.2, - Fig.7 is a longitudinal section of the same,

- Fig.8 is an end view,

- Fig.9 is a top view, and

- Fig.10 is an illustrative diagram of a radio signal used by the device of the invention.

In Fig.l we note in particular the fairly "advanced" position of the detector 2 in the direction of the animal's head, in accordance with the aforementioned publication, as well as the fairly complex harness 4.

In Fig.2 it appears that the emission of each detector stowed on an animal tied up in the stable 6, is received directly by the alarm device 8 located in the remote farm 9, which requires, for each detector, complex instrumentation that consumes electrical energy.

REPLACEMENT SHEET In Fig.3, to be compared to Fig.l, we note the much more "remote" arrangement of the detector 10 towards the tail of the animal, as well as the simplicity of the harness 12 composed of two straps such as 14, connected each to the detector 10 on the one hand, and to the lower median part of the collar 16 on the other hand, each through an elastic link 13 adjustable in tension.

In FIG. 4, the primary radio signal 11 of each individual detector 10 is picked up by the relay station "18 located in the stable 20 where the animals are attached; the relay station is supplied by the sector 23, with a backup power supply 24; the relay station processes the information received from the detectors and sends a so-called secondary alarm signal via a wired link 26 to the alarm station 28 located near the human watch, in the farm 30 by example, the wired link can be one of the sector's wires Fig. 5 proposes an alternative for the case where the herd is in pasture 32; the relay station 18, placed on a drinking tank 38 by example, is therefore associated with a large battery, or battery, 34 and with a transmitter 36 whose signal 27 emitted after processing of the primary signals is received by a radio receiver 29 associated with the alarm device 30.

In FIGS. 6 to 9, the detector 10 has a structure composed of a support plate 40 in the form of a gutter formed by two inclined faces and a ridge 42 substantially parailélépipèdique, support straps 44, a sub-caudal strap 48 called "under-tail" and an arm 50 articulated on the support plate and provided with a strap 52 for gripping the tail of the animal. The arm 50 consists of a tube 58

FE I REPLACEMENT in flexible and elastic material at each end of which two rigid bars 57 and 59 have been forcibly introduced, the distal bar 57 used for fixing the collar while the proximal bar 59 is used for articulation and supports the magnetized mass; we note (Fig. 6) that the latter, in the form of a pellet 53 is placed on the end face of the bar 59 close to the articulation 54 thereof, so that it is located near the electronic assembly when the bar 59 is raised by the tail of the animal (arrows 55, Fig. 7j.

The support plate with its ridge is made up of a one-piece assembly, thermoformed for example, made of plastic, such as polyethylene, to be robust, inert and not to hinder the propagation of waves.

It is noted in these figures, and particularly in FIGS. 8 and 9, that the ridge 42 forms a housing for containing a parailelepipedic block 60 containing the individual emitting device consisting of an electronic assembly comprising a battery 62 of supply, a cut -magnetic control supply circuit 64 (ILS micro-switch), an oscillator and shaping circuit 68 to produce and modulate a radio signal in binary, or discontinuous fashion, according to a code specific to the individual detector, timer means 69 to defer the power supply and to operate the oscillator only after the expiration of the predetermined time, a waterproof switch 65 for testing the operation of the batteries and the transmitter, finally an antenna 67; the electronic assembly is enclosed in a waterproof case.

In another embodiment, the electronic assembly, more integrated than that described above, is embedded in a resin (silicone or

REPLACEMENT SHEET eopxy for example) so that, thanks to the low cost of miniaturized electronics and the low energy consumption necessary for discontinuous wireless transmission, said assembly can be considered as disposable when the battery is worn out, and it can be very simply replaced by introduction of a new assembly in the housing of the ridge.

In the current embodiment, the time delay is of the RC (capacitive) type; in another, more integrated form, it could be of the frequency division type.

Still on FIGS. 6 to 9, it appears that the underside 48 is situated substantially in the plane formed by the lower edges 45 of the support plate 40, and facing the articulation of the arm, such so that when the device is in place on an animal, the arm normally occupies a position substantially perpendicular to said plane, while the raised position of the tail places it in a position substantially parallel to this plane so that the magnetized mass is close to the electronic assembly housed in the ridge 42; it also results from this arrangement of the underside a more "remote" position of the detector and therefore the possibility of simplification of the harness, at the same time as better ergonomics in relation to the aforementioned phenomenon and therefore a more high reliability of the system as a whole.

• In fig.10, a primary radio signal is transmitted in a hashed fashion in a sequence of transmission slots which can be either regularly spaced to constitute a "single word", or (in the case of the figure) irregularly spaced according to a predefined coding to constitute a "code word" such as the code words 70; each word, simple or coded, with a duration of

REPLACEMENT SHEET a few milliseconds is separated from the next word by a "dead time" 71 with a duration of the order of l / 10th of a second, or more. This arrangement results in an economy of the battery 62 of the block 60, economy such that the battery can have a normal service life of several years. It will also be noted that the relay station can also advantageously be provided with light indicators indicating the one or which of the individual transmitters, which must then each have their own code, sent the signal.

'/ Although particular forms of devices for implementing the invention have been described and / or shown, it should be understood that the scope of the latter is not limited to these forms, but that 'it extends to the general definitions formulated above.

REPLACEMENT SHEET

Claims

1.- Device intended for the implementation of a method of monitoring and warning of whelping large animals, such as cattle and horses, of the kind of method according to which the physiological phenomenon constituted by maintaining in the raised position d 'an uninterrupted duration greater than a predetermined duration, of the' tail of the animal, phenomenon indicative of the imminence on the part, said method being implemented by means of a detector device, said individual, of said position and transmitter radio frequencies, attached to the posterior part of the animal's back by means of a harness, and a receiving and alarm device located near a human watch, the individual detector being structurally composed of a support plate in the form of a gutter, support straps, a undertail strap called "under-tail" and an arm provided with a strap for gripping the tail of the animal, says it arm being articulated on the p support lacquer for bringing said electronic assembly closer to a magnetized mass when the tail of the animal takes the raised position, characterized: in that the individual emitter device consists of an electronic assembly comprising a battery (62) power supply, a magnetically controlled power supply circuit breaker (64) (ILS micro-switch), an oscillator and shaping circuit (68) for producing and modulating a radio signal in a discontinuous manner, timer means ( 69) to delay feeding and do not

REPLACEMENT SHEET operate the oscillator only after the predetermined period of time has elapsed, which results in a low consumption of electrical energy, namely that necessary for discontinuous wireless transmission when the detector detects parturition,

2.- Device according to claim 1, characterized: in that the magnetized mass (53) is placed on the face of the end of the arm (50), close to the joint (54);

3.- Device according to claim 2, characterized: in that the support plate is formed of two inclined faces (40) and a ridge (42 substantially parallelepipedic, and in that the underside (48) is located substantially in the plane formed by the lower edges (45) of the support plate (10), and facing the articulation (54) of the arm (50), so that when the device is in place ^' on an animal, the arm (50) normally occupies a position substantially perpendicular to said plane (45), while the raised position of the tail places the arm (50) in position substantially parallel to this plane, and the magnetized mass (53 ) in the close position of the electronic assembly (60, 64) housed in the parallelepiped ridge (42); (fig. 7,9)

4.- Device according to claim 3, characterized: in that the harness is composed of a collar (13) and two straps (12) each connected to said detector (10) on the one hand and at the bottom of the collar, on the other hand, each through an elastic link (13); (fig.l)

REPLACEMENT SHEET

5.- Device according to claim 1, characterized: in that the radio signal

(11) emitted by an individual detector, said individual signal, or primary, of short range, has a modulation which characterizes it among the signals of the other detectors, and in that said primary signal is a binary signal constituted by alternations of radio transmission and no transmission, the absence of transmission lasting more than 1/10 of a second;

6.- Device according to claim 1, characterized: in that each individual signal (11) is picked up by a single receiver, called relay station (18), located within range of said individual detectors;

7.- Device according to claim 6, characterized: in that, said ^" relay station (18) being located in a meadow (32), its power is supplied by battery or battery (34); (fig.5)

8.- Device according to claim 6, characterized: in that said relay station

(18) being placed in a housing installation, (20) its supply is made by the mains voltage (22), with backup battery

(24); (fig. 4)

9.- Device according to claim 8, characterized: in that the relay station (18) is associated with a radio transmitter (36) to ensure

SUBSTITUTE SHEET its radio link with the alarm device (28); (fig. 5)

10.- Device according to claim 9, characterized: in that said relay station (18) is connected to the alarm device (28) by a wire connection (26); (fig.4).

REPLACEMENT SHEET