EP1173056A1 - A feeding device for piglets and pigs - Google Patents

Abstract

When piglets are set out in their own self-feeding sties, e.g. 30 piglets per sty, it takes some weeks before the animals can operate ordinary self-feeding devices, and during this time use is made of devices of another type, from which by remote control and motor power an automatically-controlled dosing of the feed can take place. With the invention, a more or less extensive integration of the two relevant types of devices is disclosed, based among other things on the recognition that by frequent automatic feeding in relatively small amounts, the crowding of the piglets at the feeding trough can be avoided, which otherwise makes it necessary to configure automatic feeding aggregates with relatively large troughs. Such a large trough can, however, form part of a replacement set in connection with a device part for the provision of active feeding.

Description

A feeding device for piglets and pigs

The present invention concerns a feeding device, namely for piglets and pigs, and of the kind which is constructed for self-operation, in that it comprises or is in- tended for connection to a downwards-leading supply tube for dry feeds, is respectively connected to an overlying feedstuff silo, and has a mounting suspension for a dosing-out arrangement in the form of a dosing sluice with an outwards- extending, preferably downwards-hanging operating arm, which can be brought into movement upon being influenced by the animals themselves for activation of the dosing sluice, so that with each activation of the operating arm a larger or smaller quantity of feed will be dosed out to fall down in an underlying feeding trough, which is preferably a round dish element. This kind of feeding device is known in different configurations, based on different forms of dosing-out arrangements, and reference is made to WO 96/16537 merely as an example .

These devices are intended for young pig and larger pigs which can themselves operate the devices for feeding in accordance with individual requirements, typically by the given device being operated by a single or just a few animals at a time. For piglets which have just been taken from the sow, other conditions apply over the first 2-3 weeks thereaf- ter, in that these animals are hardly able to operate the devices and moreover should preferably be allotted limited amounts of feed many times a day. It has proved that this applies particularly in order to avoid diarrhoea when use is made of feeds without growth promoting agents and antibio- tics.

Consequently, for these piglets use must be made of a completely different type of feeding device which is automatically controlled for effecting periodic feeding, and it is normal practice for these devices to be configured with a distinctly larger feeding trough, i.e. so that all the piglets in a given sty area, e.g. 30 piglets, can come to the trough at the same time, typically a larger circular trough with an overlying distribution funnel for the leading out of feeds supplied in portions through a tube from above.

With the invention it has been realised, however, that the devices of the two types thus described will be able to be integrated to a greater or lesser degree. As a starting point, the invention has an arrangement with a device frame which is configured with a feeding trough and with fixture means for a self-operated aggregate, and which comprises an accessory unit in the form of an actuator-driven feeding aggregate for replacement mounting instead of the self-operated aggregate while making use of the same or specially adapted fixture means . For the actuator-driven aggregate there can be associated a somewhat larger feeding trough with an upright distribution funnel which distributes the feed from the aggregate to an outer, circular feeding trough, which can thus be placed above and outside the dish trough which belongs to the self-operated aggregate. The actuator-driven aggregate is mounted in the device frame before a new batch of piglets are received into the sty, and the larger circular trough is brought into place so that in the beginning feed can be dis- pensed automatically to all of the piglets at the same time. When a change must later be made to self-operation, the aggregate is replaced by the self-operation aggregate and the circular trough is removed to expose the dish trough. This can be of smaller circumference, precisely because there will be less crowding at the trough in connection with the self- operation.

However, in connection with the invention it has been ascertained that with relatively frequent activation of the actuator-driven dispensing of the feed, e.g. for a short period every fifteen minutes, there will not be any great degree of crowding by the piglets around the outer trough. Apparently this is because the animals will hereby know that they can obtain feed whenever they become hungry, also even though in the individual periods this is dispensed in modest amounts, and it has been observed that many of the animals in the relevant area remain quite passive, possibly continuing to sleep, during several of the frequent, brief feeding periods. On this basis it can be a realistic possibility with the invention that the addition of the outer trough with its associated distribution funnel can be omitted, and for it to be sufficient to allow the actuator-driven unit to send the feed directly down into the existing dish trough, which can be of suitable capacity for the servicing of the reduced number of piglets which desire to be fed by one or more of the frequently repeated dispensations of the feed.

Such an omission of the larger circular trough has the advantageous consequence from the device point of view that a device frame can be built up by the use of posts which are placed right in at the circumference of the dish trough. However, there will be several other integration possibilities, including that in connection with one and the same device frame, the two different aggregate types are permanently mounted with supply to one and the same feeding trough area, regardless of whether or not use is made of the extra circular trough. A necessary changeover can thus be established merely by a changing of the feed supply to the respective aggregates .

A further possibility will be that the operating element on the self-operation aggregate is coupled together with an electrical contactor, which with the periodic servicing results in the supply of feed by activation of precisely that actuator which is used in the start phase for the remote-controlled dispensation of the feed. The two aggregates will hereby be totally integrated, in that the only thing required to take place is a changeover between remote control and local control of the actuator, which can possibly be arranged with a sliding transition between the two functions, so that for a short transition period the automatic dosing is throttled down, while the self-operated dosing is correspondingly increased, whereby the change becomes less abrupt. With a further variant, with the view of making possible a remote-controlled activation of the same dosing means, which are otherwise activated by the physical movement of the operating element, the actuator can be mounted in a co-movable manner in the operating element for the self- operation aggregate.

In the following, the invention is described in more detail with reference to the drawing, in which fig. 1 is a schematic side view of a known self- feeding device, fig. 2 is a corresponding view of a modified de- vice, fig. 3 is a side view of a complete feeding device cf. fig. 1, fig. 4 is a corresponding view of the modified device, fig. 5 is a side view of a second type of known self- feeding device, and fig. 6 is a corresponding view of this device in modified configuration.

The known device shown in fig. 1 has an upper part A which is in more or less fixed connection with a downwards- leading supply tube 2 which extends downwards from an overlying feed-stuff conveyor (not shown) . The upper part A has a fixture 4 to which in a not-shown manner is fastened a dome- shaped element 6 with a central opening 8 down under the tube 2. Secured in a swinging manner to an axle part of the fixture 4, there is a hanging funnel element 10 which from the area at the axle part has a part 12 extending up through the opening 8, and which uppermost supports a curved plate 14 disposed in the space between the opening 8 and the mouth of the tube 2.

When the animals push the funnel element 10 so that it swings sideways, the plate 14 will swing in a corresponding manner and allow feed-stuff to fall down from the tube 2 for the sluicing down of feed through the funnel element 10 in a requirement-controlled manner. The feed is thus brought down to an underlying feeding trough 16 , which can be a circular trough in which the feed can distribute itself more or less uniformly, all depending on how the direction of the sluicing down is oriented. Several other and varying arrangements are known for the same purpose, i.e. to deliver feed-stuff to a feeding trough 16 by self-operation on the part of the animals.

As mentioned, the problem here consists of how to ensure a delivery of feed to a larger number of piglets which are not yet able to operate a self-operated feeding device. One desire with the invention , however, is that this problem can still be overcome by making use of the same feed delivery pipe 2 and the same upper part A, in that as a repla- cement part for the device there exists a motor-driven feeding aggregate 16 which can be arranged in the fixture in the upper part instead of the part B, and in such a manner that a motor-driven dispensing vane 18 comes to lie down under the mouth of the tube 2 for controlled dispensation of the feed to an underlying, circular distribution plate 20. Associated with this equipment there is a lower distribution funnel 22 and a larger, circular trough E which is preferably configured integral with the funnel 22, and can with advantage be configured in such a way that it can surround the trough 16, cf. fig. 1, so that this can merely remain standing for the few weeks for which the relevant form of feeding must be utilised.

When the time comes when the piglets must change over to self-feeding by means of the device according to fig. 1, the parts 16, 22, and E are replaced by the unit B. The animals will be totally familiar with the unchanged positioning of the feeding device, and therefore it will occur quite natural for them to immediately seek to obtain feed from the changed device by various assaults against it, whereby they quickly recognise the required form of activation of the device. From the aggregate point of view, an advantage is achieved by a partial integration of the two types of feeding devices . As mentioned, there are two types of devices already known, and where both are concerned each in their different configurations, and the invention is not limited to any certain configuration of either of these.

It will be understood that the curved plate 14 in fig. 1 could well be pivotally mounted by connection to a motor housed in the swinging part 10. If this plate is configured with upright carrier parts, it will be further able herewith to fulfil the same function as the vane 18 in fig. 2, and thus a change can merely be made between automatic fee- ding, possibly with associated mechanical blocking of the swinging element 10, and feeding by self-operation. With such a configuration, the swinging element 10 could be used solely for the activation of an electric motor, since the "automatic feeding" will still have the character of self-operation. In fig. 3 there is shown a detail configuration of a known device, cf. fig. 1, where the delivery tube 2 leading down from an upper conveyor has been replaced by a supply container 24 which, however, still ends in a lower delivery tube 2 to an underlying self-feeding aggregate 26 which is arranged exactly as described in connection with fig. 1, i.e. with a downwards-extending, sideways swinging funnel element 10 placed e.g. in a cardan suspension in a support part 28, which in turn is supported by means of supporting arm parts 30 connected to upright mounting columns 32 in the associated device frame, which at the bottom surrounds a bottom-mounted, dish-shaped feeding trough 34.

According to the invention it will be an advantageous possibility that the self-operation unit 26 can be repla- ced by a remote controlled actuator unit 36, cf. also fig. 2, although now shown without any addition of an extended feeding trough. As shown in the related section view, the actuator unit 36 is preferably connected to two connection pipes 38 and 40, respectively for the feeding of cables to the ac- tuator motor and the supply of drinking water to the trough 34.

Fig. 4 hereby illustrates a quite important novelty aspect, i.e. that in addition to or even quite independent of the delivery of the feed, a supply of drinking water can be arranged through a water pipe 40 with a programme-controlled stop valve. It is hereby of quite special interest that it has been ascertained quite recently that the drinking requirements for piglets vary considerably during the course of 24 hours, in that e.g. it has been found that their need for drinking water is evident especially during the period from 4pm to 7pm, and thus with a suitable control of the valve it can be ensured that precisely the amounts of water which are relevant for the different times of the day can be supplied to the feeding trough. The control can thus be arranged to avoid appreciable over-watering/under-watering, and the water pipe 40 can be mounted on the aggregate 36 so that it participates directly in the mounting and the dismounting of the aggregate. The mentioned programme-controlling of the water supply will be advantageous regardless of the type of feed dispensing system used.

It must be mentioned that diarrhoea can occur among piglets which have just been weaned when they eat and drink well, without them receiving various medicines, including the controversial growth-promoters. However, it has proved that this complaint can be relieved by supplying a little less feed/water than the piglets could desire over the first few weeks, and thus on the other hand control the supply in a more differentiated manner in order to accommodate the variations in their needs. It can be expected that the eating and drinking requirements vary in more or less the same way, for which reason it is suitable to supply feed and water at the same time for moistening of the feed in a controlled manner. Care should preferably be taken that a certain supply of water takes place at shorter intervals, and it will be understood that with the invention there is full possibility of programming the opening of the water supply in any desired sequence.

In fig. 5 is shown an example where a known self- service unit consists of a tube 44 suspended in a swingable manner in a frame 42, where the top of the tube is connected with a feed pipe 46 for supplying feed from an upper conveyor 48, while lowermost it reaches almost completely down to a central raised portion 50 in the dish trough 34. The animals can hereby obtain feed by influencing the tube 44 so that it swings out from the raised part 50 as indicated by the stippled lines. The tube 44 is configured as a telescopic tube with a setting screw 52 for fine adjustment of the height at which the bottom of the tube opens out in relation to the raised part 50. Alternatively, the tube can be suspended in a fixed manner, but be flexible so that it can be bent out sideways . As shown in fig. 6, a feeding device of this type will also easily be able to modified for automatically- controlled operation, i.e. by the necessary extensive raising of the telescopic tube 44 and the mounting under the tube of an automatic aggregate 36 in the same way as shown in fig. 4, here with the addition of a support arm 54 on the column 42. Alternatively, the aggregate 36 can be supported on a centrepiece extending from the raised part 50 of the trough.

Claims

C A I M S

1. Feeding device, especially for piglets and pigs, and of the type which is intended to be activated by self- operation, in that the device, which has a lower feeding trough and an upper inlet for the connection of a downwards- leading supply tube for dry feed-stuffs, respectively configured with an upper silo container for dry feed-stuffs, has a device frame with a mounting suspension for an operating ele- ment which is influenced by the animals themselves to bring about a dosing of the feed down into the feeding trough, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the device is either a) configured with a dosing aggregate which possibly in a selective manner can be used both for self- operation and for remotely-controlled automatic dosing, or b) has fixture means for a replaceable accessory unit in the form of a dosing aggregate which can be remotely controlled, and which is prepared for mounting in said fixture means in a position for the supplying of feed to the feeding trough, and with upper connection to the supply tube.

2. Device according to claim 1, configured with a supply pipe for drinking water, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that it has a separate supply pipe for automatically-controlled supply of water to the area in which the feed dispensed from the remotely-controllable dosing aggregate is deposited.

3. Device according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that as an accessory it has a loose feeding trough of increased size for placing over or instead of said lower feeding trough during periods of use for the remote- controlled dosing of feed.