GB2266650A

GB2266650A - Barrier for containing piglets

Info

Publication number: GB2266650A
Application number: GB9210045A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Brian Edward Henman
Original assignee: HENMAN CAROLYN MARIE; HENMAN JAMES EDWARD; HENMAN JANE EVELYN
Current assignee: HENMAN CAROLYN MARIE; HENMAN JAMES EDWARD; HENMAN JANE EVELYN
Priority date: 1992-05-09
Filing date: 1992-05-09
Publication date: 1993-11-10
Also published as: GB9210045D0

Abstract

The barrier is for containing piglets within an enclosure whilst permitting a larger pig, such as a sow, to leave and enter the enclosure. It comprises a roller (3) mounted in a substantially horizontal orientation the height of which can be adjusted and a pivotably mounted one-way flap (4) which occludes a space beneath the roller (3) and is arranged to prevent a pig let from leaving the enclosure through the said space but if a piglet does manage to get over the roller (3) it can re-enter the enclosure through the flap (4). <IMAGE>

Description

A BARRIER This invention relates to a barrier for containing piglets within an enclosure whilst permitting a- larger pig to leave and enter the enclosure.

The conventional method of containing piglets within an enclosure such as an outdoor hut has been the use of a fender set at a height which allows a sow access over the fender whilst acting as a barrier to the smaller piglets.

During recent years it has been found, with improved genetic breeding producing larger pigs, that the sow is reluctant to venture over the fender (as her underside may hang very low to the ground) and she may also be reluctant to use a small door as provided in the side of a conventional half-round pig hut. However, the growth rate of piglets at about 3 weeks is so great that they can be sufficiently agile to jump over such a fender. This leads to problems in catching the piglets at the time of weaning.

The invention seeks to overcome these problems by providing a barrier for containing piglets within an enclosure whilst permitting a larger pig, such as a sow, to leave and enter the enclosure, the barrier comprising a first member mounted in a substantially horizontal orientation the height of which can be adjusted and a pivotably mounted second member which occludes a space beneath the first member and is arranged to prevent a piglet from leaving the enclosure through the said space whilst, at least when the first member is adjusted to its highest position, allowing a piglet to enter the enclosure through the said space.

Preferred features of the invention will be apparent from the following description and from the subsidiary claims of the specification.

The invention will now be further described, merely by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a barrier according to one embodiment of the invention mounted within a door frame, e.g. of a pig hut; Figure 2 shows a front view of the barrier shown in Figure 1; and Figure 3 shows a side view of the barrier shown in Figure 1 when fitted within a pig hut.

Figure 1 shows a barrier 1 mounted within the door frame 2 of a pig hut. The barrier comprises a first member in the form of a roller 3 mounted between brackets 2A provided on each of the side members of the door frame 2. The roller 3 is mounted for rotation about a substantially horizontal axis A. The height of the roller 3 is adjustable as it may be mounted in any of a plurality of mounting holes 2B provided in the brackets 2A as shown in Figures 1 and 3.

It will be appreciated that, except when the roller is mounted in the lowermost set of holes 2B, a space or aperture exists in the door frame 2 beneath the roller 3. The barrier 1 is therefore provided with a pivotably mounted door or flap 4 which occludes this aperture. In the arrangement shown, the flap 4 is mounted so as to be rotatable about the same axis A as the roller 3. The flap 4 is of a size such that it is larger than the aperture beneath the roller 3 even when the roller is mounted in the uppermost pair of holes 1C as shown in the Figures.If the flap 4 is mounted on the inner side of the door frame, i.e. that facing into the enclosure or pig hut, it thus acts as a one-way flap which prevents piglets leaving the hut but, if a piglet has managed to jump over the roller 3 and escape from the hut, it is able to re-enter the hut through the aperture beneath the roller 3 by pivoting the flap 4 into the hut as shown in Figure 3 in a similar manner to a conventional cat-flap.

Although the precise dimensions of the barrier 1 may vary according to the application, it has been found that an arrangement providing for four different heights of the roller from a minimum height of about 30cms above ground level (taking into account that the door frame 2 such as that shown in the Figures would typically be mounted so that the lower member of the frame is about 25cm above the ground - see Figure 3) to a maximum height of 50cm above ground level. The lowest set of holes 2B and highest set of holes 2B would . thus be approximately 5cm and 25cm, respectively, above the lower member of the door frame.

A heavily pregnant sow is thus able to venture over the roller 3 when in its lowest position without major difficulty. The roller 3 can also be left at this height when the piglets are first born. Having the roller 3 as low as possible at this stage helps avoid the sow injuring her teats when she climbs over the roller.

The height of the roller 3 can then be adjusted as necessary as the piglets grow. At the age of 3 weeks, when the piglets are weaned, the roller 3 can be set to the maximum height of 50cm above ground level which the sow should be able to climb over but which should be sufficiently high to prevent the piglets escaping from the hut.

However, if a piglet does manage to get over the roller 3, it is able to re-enter the hut relatively easily through the flap 4. With the roller 3 in the uppermost position, the aperture beneath the roller 3 has a height of around 20cm which is sufficient to allow the piglet to return to the hut through the aperture.

The first member is preferably in the form of a roller 3 as described above since as this is able to rotate it helps reduce the scraping against the sow's underside as she climbs over it. As it rotates it also makes it more difficult for the piglets to get a purchase on the barrier should they try to climb out of the hut. However, it would be possible for the first member to be a simple non-rotatable bar, or other substantially cylindrical member, so long as its height can be adjusted The height adjustment is preferably provided by a quick-release adjustment mechanism for mounting the roller 3 at the selected height.

The roller 3 may, for instance, be mounted on a shaft which in turn is mounted within holes 2B in the brackets 2A as shown with a pin fitted through one or both ends of the shaft to retain the roller 3 in position. This is preferred to a mounting using bolts as it reduces the time taken to adjust the height of the rollers. This can be of considerable benefit when there may be many huts which require adjustment at any one time.

The flap 4 may be pivotably mounted in some other manner but the arrangement described above in which the flap 4 is mounted to pivot about the same axis A as the roller provides a simple and inexpensive arrangement. The flap 4 may be of any form able to withstand the attention of piglets over a period of time. However, the flap 4 is preferably made of transparent material or with apertures, e.g. in the form of a netting, so that the piglets can see through the flap 4 as it is found that if they can see through the flap 4 they are more likely to try to escape through the flap 4 rather than to try to climb over the roller 3.

Although the barrier 1 has been described above for use within a door frame 2, a similar type of barrier could be used with other forms of enclosure such as a low wall or fender which is sometimes used around a hut or just outside the doorway of a hut or with a farrowing device.

The piglets can then leave the hut but are contained within the enclosed space outside the hut by the barrier 1 fitted on the upper surface of the fender whilst the sow is able to climb over the barrier 1.

Doorways to pig huts are often provided with ramps pivotably mounted to the lowermost member of the door frame 2. The sow can walk up the ramp when entering the hut and the ramp can also be used to completely close the doorway when desired by swinging it to the closed position. Figure 3 shows such a ramp 5 fitted to the door frame 2 which is mounted within a pig hut 6.

The hut 6 stands on the ground 7 and it will be seen that in the open position the ramp 5 leads up from the ground 7 to the bottom of the door frame 2.

It will be appreciated that in a further arrangement (not shown) the barrier may be designed so that the roller 3 can be adjusted to a height which prevents the sow from leaving or entering the hut 6 whilst the piglets can enter or leave the hut through the flap 4 which, with the roller in its highest position, is able to swing open in both directions. Such an arrangement may be useful for keeping the sow separate from the piglets.

The barrier described above may be provided .- ready fitted to a door frame or other structure or may be provided as a kit of parts for constructing such an arrangement.

Claims

1. A barrier for containing piglets within an enclosure whilst permitting a larger pig, such as a sow, to leave and enter the enclosure, the barrier comprising a first member mounted in a substantially horizontal orientation the height of which can be adjusted and a pivotably mounted second member which occludes a space beneath the first member and is arranged to prevent a piglet from leaving the enclosure through the said space whilst, at least when the first member is adjusted to its highest position, allowing a piglet to enter the enclosure through the said space.

2. A barrier as claimed in claim 1 in which the first member is substantially cylindricaL

3. A barrier as claimed in claim 2 in which the first member is a roller mounted for rotation about a substantially horizontal axis.

4. A barrier as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 in which the height of the first member is adjustable by means of a quick-release adjustment mechanism.

5. A barrier as claimed in claim 4 in which the first member comprises a shaft and the adjustment mechanism comprises a mounting having a plurality of holes for mounting the shaft at different heights.

6. A barrier as claimed in claim 5 in which the shaft is retained in selected holes by means of a pin fitted through at least one end of the shaft.

7. A barrier as claimed in any preceding claim in which the second member is in the form of a flap or door

8. A barrier as claimed in claim 7 in which the flap or door is arranged to swing only in one direction to open the said space.

9. A barrier as claimed in claim 8 in which the dimensions of the flap or door are greater than the dimensions of the said space at least for some, if not all, adjustment positions of the first member.

10. A barrier as claimed in claim 7, 8 or 9 in which the flap or door is mounted so as to pivot about a substantially horizontal axis.

11. A barrier as claimed in claims 3 and 10 in which the roller and the flap or door are mounted for rotation about the same axis.

12. A barrier as claimed in any preceding claim mounted within a substantially rectangular door frame.

13. A barrier as claimed in claim 12 in which the first member is adjustable between a lowermost position substantially 5cm above the lowermost member of the door frame and an uppermost position substantially 25cm above the lower member of the door frame.

14. A barrier as claimed in any of claims 1 to 11 mounted on the top of a fender for enclosing a given space.

15. A barrier for containing piglets within an enclosure whilst permitting a larger pig, such as a sow, to leave and enter the enclosure substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

16. A kit of parts for constructing a barrier as claimed in any preceding claim.

17. Any novel feature or combination of features disclosed herein.