GB2378885A

GB2378885A - Combined mowing and feeding apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2378885A
Application number: GB0120620A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Charles Edward Walley
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-08-24
Filing date: 2001-08-24
Publication date: 2003-02-26
Also published as: GB0120620D0

Abstract

The apparatus comprises in combination a feed container 4 and a mowing device 3 mounted on a wheeled support frame 1. The mowing device 3 includes grass cutting means and conveying means 29 for conveying grass cut by the cutting means into the feed container 4 through an opening 31 in the front of the support frame 1. The container 4 has a plurality of openings 5 in a lower region thereof to enable an animal to feed directly on grass contained in the container. A draw bar 36 may be provided on the support frame so that both the mowing device 3 and feed container 4 can be towed behind a tractor 2. The feed container 4 is separable from the remainder of the apparatus to allow animals to feed on material collected therein.

Description

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FEEDING ANIMALS The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for feeding animals and in particular to a method and apparatus for mowing, collecting and feeding grass or other feed crop to grazing animals such as cows.

Traditionally cows and other grazing animals have been allowed to freely graze grassland within an enclosed grazing field. This is a very inefficient way of feeding cows because a large percentage of the available grass is wasted by trampling during animal movement and is damaged by urine burns and cow pats. Furthermore, such damage to the grass and ground reduces the quality of the pasture and encourages the growth of weeds.

Much greater efficiency of grass usage can be obtained by mowing the grass and delivering the fresh grass to the cows in feeding troughs. The cows are able to achieve much higher intakes of grass and less time and energy is spent by the cows looking for and eating grass while more time is spent laying out and chewing cud, greatly improving yields, particularly milk yields in dairy cattle. Cows may be fed fresh grass over a greatly extended grazing season without having to be turned out in cold or wet weather. This reduces the amount of expensive silage needed.

Furthermore, by removing the cattle from the grassland, the condition of the grazing fields and the quality of the grass are greatly improved. Cows may be fed grass collected from fields many miles away while being kept housed or on a field close to the farm, allowing grazing fields to be included into an arable rotation, further increasing the quality and yield of the grass. This also eliminates the need for expensive cow tracks and fencing and reduces commuting times between field and dairy. Furthermore, many logistical problems in relation to the movement of cattle are avoided and the transmission of disease between herds, in particular in relation to foot and mouth disease, may be reduced.

However, attempting to feed cows in this way using the traditional farming methods of mowing, collecting, delivering/unloading and feeding has a number of disadvantages. The process of mowing the grass, collecting the mown grass, transporting the grass to the cattle and then conveying the grass into suitable feeding troughs using conventional methods is extremely time consuming and labour intensive since such comprises a series of separate operations and apparatus.

Manure or silage containers having dispensing means in the form of rotary flails or beaters are known and such might be used to collect grass from a mower and transfer the grass into feeding troughs. However. such treatment can damage the grass and can result in wastage and sufficiently close access to feeding troughs may not always be possible.

According to the invention there is provided an apparatus for feeding grass or the like to animals comprising in combination a grass or like feed container or receptacle and a mowing device having grass or like cutting means and conveying means for conveying grass cut by the cutting means into the feed container, said container having at least one opening in or adjacent a lower region thereof to enable an animal to feed directly on grass or like feed contained in the container, connection means being provided such that both the mowing device and feed container can be towed behind or be carried by a vehicle, the feed container being separable from the mowing device to allow animals to feed on material collected therein.

Preferably the connection means and the mowing device are mounted or mountable on a support means or support frame, at least the feed container being detachably mounted on the support frame such that the container can be detached from the support frame to allow animals to feed on material collected therein. Two or more supporting wheels or other ground engaging and running means may be mounted on the support frame to support the

container displaceably above the ground when the container is mounted on the support frame, the connection means comprising a draw bar allowing the apparatus to be towed behind a vehicle.

In a preferred embodiment of the combination according to the invention the grass or like container or receptacle is elongate and substantially rectangular and the support frame comprises a front end portion (in relation to the normal direction of travel of a towing vehicle) and opposed side portions extending rearwardly therefrom and on either side of the container when the container IS mounted on the support frame, first and second ground engaging wheels being provided on the side portions, lifting means being provided on the support frame to allow the container to be moved between a rest position wherein the container rests upon the ground, and a raised position wherein the container is raised above the ground between the side portions of the support frame and is supported by the ground engaging wheels such that the container is supported by and carried on the support frame. The lifting means may comprise at least four hydraulic jacks provided at spaced locations on the side portions of the support frame, each hydraulic jack acting between a respective point on the side portions and a movable lifting member, the elongate sides of the container having receiving means for receiving the lifting members of the hydraulic jacks such that the container can be lifted upwardly between the side portions of the support frame. The lifting members of the hydraulic jacks may comprise inwardly extending lifting arms or members and the receiving means of the container may comprise substantially horizontally extending elongate bars extending along opposed sides of the container, the lifting arms engaging the undersides of the elongate bars in order to lift the container. Preferably the lifting members are guided along vertical portions of the side portions of the support frame. Said vertical portions of the support frame may comprise substantially vertical elongate columns or members upon which the lifting members are slidably mounted.

The support frame may include an upper portion extending between the side portions of the support frame at their upper edges, said upper portion extending over the container when the container is mounted on the support frame. The container preferably comprises an upwardly open receptacle. At least the upper portion of the support frame may be closed to provide a cover for the upwardly open container when the container is in its raised position and carried by the support frame.

Preferably the mowing device is mounted on the support frame in front of the container in the norma ! direction of travel of the towing vehicle and the front end portion of the support frame comprises an opening to allow cut grass from the mowing device to be conveyed into the container when the container is mounted on the support frame. Preferably the mowing device is movable between an operative lowered cutting position wherein it is spaced to one side of the container and an inoperative raised transportation position, wherein the mowing device is substantially aligned with the container in the normal direction of travel of the towing vehicle. The mowing device may be connected to the support frame by means of pivotal linkages such the that mowing device moves in an arcuate path between its cutting position and its transportation position.

In a preferred embodiment the grass cutting means of the mowing device comprises two counter rotating drum cutters or discs, rotatable about respective vertical axes, ahead of an impeller, rotatable about a horizontal axis, to convey the cuttings up into the container.

According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a feed container for feeding animals freshly cut grass or the like comprising an upwardly open rectangular feed hopper, the inner sides of the hopper extending downwardly and inwardly from the upper portion, the lower edges or regions of the side and end portions providing an open base of the hopper through which grass contained in the hopper can pass, a plurality of

downwardly and inwardly extending tines extending from the lower edges of the inner sides of the feed hopper, the lower portion of the feed container comprising a planar floor member, the feed hopper of the feed container being supported on the floor member by means of a plurality of substantially vertically extending bars or columns extending upwardly from the floor member, the lower ends of said inwardly extending tines terminating above the upper surface of the floor member and defining the lower region of the feed hopper, lifting points being provided on the container engageable by lifting means of a towable carriage means for said container.

According to a further broad aspect of the present invention there is provided a free standing elongate feed container without wheels comprising an upper feed hopper communicating with a laterally open lower feeding region providing access for feeding animals to grass or like feed container in the hopper, lifting points being provided on said container engageable by lifting means of a towable carriage means for said container.

According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a method for feeding grass or the like to animals comprising the steps of mounting both a grass or like feed container or receptacle and a mowing device behind or on a vehicle and mowing a grass or like feed crop using the mowing device, the cut cut grass or like feed crop being collected in the feed container, transporting the feed container, containing the cut grass, and the mowing device to the location of animals to be fed, and separating the feed container from the mowing device and the towing vehicle such that animals can feed on grass or like feed crop container collected in the feed container through at least one opening provided in or adjacent a lower region thereof.

The present invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which :-

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a cattle feeding apparatus according to the invention in operation during the mowing and collection of grass; Fig. 2 is a front perspective view of the cattle feeding apparatus of Fig 1 ; Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the feed container of the apparatus of Fig. 1 detached from remainder of the apparatus such that cattle can feed on grass contained therein; Fig. 4 is a rear end elevation of the feed container of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a rear end elevation of the feed container of Fig. 3 with the rear door open to permit access to the container for cleaning purposes; Fig. 6 is a rear end elevation of the apparatus with the feed container detached therefrom ; and Fin. 7 is a side etevation of the apparatus Of Fin. 6.

As shown in the drawings, a cattle feeding apparatus in accordance with the invention comprises a frame 1 towable behind a towing vehicle 2 such as a tractor, the frame 1 having mounted thereon a mowing device 3 and a feed container 4 in which grass cut by the mowing device 3 can be collected. The feed container 4 is detachably mounted on the frame 1 and has openings 5 in a lower region thereof such that the feed container 4 can be detached from the frame 1 to allow cattle to feed directly from the feed container.

The feed container 4 or bunker comprises an upwardly open elongate rectangular grass or like receptacle and the frame 1 comprises a front end 6 (the preceding and all following references to front and rear are with respect to the normal direction of travel of the towing vehicle) and opposed side portions 7,8 extending rearwardly therefrom on either side of the container 4 when the container 4 is mounted on the frame 1, first and second ground engaging wheels 9,10 being mounted on respective side portions 7,8. Feed container lifting means 11,12, 13,14 are provided, in the form of four inwardly extending lifting members 15, 16,17, 18 slidably mounted on spaced vertical uprights 19,20, 21,22 of the side portions 7,8 of the frame 1 and acted upon by respective double acting hydraulic jacks 23,24, 25,26, said lifting members

15, 16, 17, 18 of the lifting means 11, 12, 13, 14 engaging the undersides of elongate beams 27,28 extending along either side of the feed container 4 to allow the container 4 to be lifted from a rest position, wherein the container 4 rests upon the ground, and a raised position, wherein the container 4 is raised above the ground between the side portions 7,8 of the frame 1 and is supported by the ground engaging wheels 9,10 such that the container 4 IS mounted on the frame.

The side portions 7,8 of the frame 1 are interconnected by upper horizontal members 37 extending between the upper ends of vertical upright members 19,20, 21,22 provided along respective side portions of the frame. The uppermost portion of the frame in enclosed by means of closure panels 38 attached to on upper ends of the vertical upright members 19,20, 21,22 and the interconnecting horizontal members 37 to provide a cover for the feed container 4 when the first container 4 is mounted on the frame 1 in its raised position.

The mowing device 3 is mounted on the front end 6 of the frame 1, the mowing device 3 comprising a pair of counter rotating drum cutters or discs (not shown), rotatable about respective vertical axes, mounted ahead of a conveying means 29 in the form of an impeller (not shown), rotatable about a horizontal axis, in order to convey grass cut by the drum cutters up a conveying chute 30, through an opening 31 in the front end 6 of the frame 1 and into the feed container 4. A drive shaft 32 extends forwardly from the mowing device 3 for connection to a power take off of the towing vehicle 2.

As can be seen from Fig. 6, the mowing device 3 is connected to the frame 1 by means of pivotal linkages 33,34 acted upon by a double acting hydraulic jack 35 such the that mowing device 3 can be moved in an arcuate path between an operative lowered cutting position wherein it is spaced to one side of the container 4 (as shown in Figs. 1 and 2) and an inoperative raised transportation position, wherein the mowing device 3 is substantially aligned

with the container 4 in the normal direction of travel of the towing vehicle 2 (as shown in Figs. 6 and 7). The mowing device 3 is conventional in the art and hence need not be described in more detail.

A draw bar 36 is provided on the front end 6 of the frame 1 to allow the apparatus to be attached to a towing vehicle 2. The draw bar 36 is articulated about a vertical axis and a double acting hydraulic jack (not shown) associated therewith to allow the orientation of the frame 1 with respect to the towing vehicle 2 to be varied such that the frame 1 can be towed behind the towing vehicle 2 with the wheels 9, 10 of the frame 1 substantially aligned with the towing vehicle 2, when the apparatus is being towed to or from either cattle to be fed or grass to be mowed and collected, or can be moved to one side of the towing vehicle 2, as shown in Fig. 2, when a grass mowing and collecting operation is being carried out.

As shown in Figs. 3,4 and 5, the feed container 4 comprises an upper portion 40 defined by a rectangular frame 41 having substantially vertical elongate side plates 42,43 and wire mesh end portions 44,45 extending upwardly therefrom to define the upper portion of an upwardly open rectangular feed hopper. The elongate side members forming the sides of the rectangular frame 41 comprise square section beams 27,28, the lower faces of which are acted upon by the lifting members 15,16, 17,18 of the lifting means 11, 12,13, 14 of the frame 1.

The inner sides of the hopper comprise plates 46,47, 48,49 extend downwardly and inwardly from the upper portion 40. The lower edges of the plates 46,47, 48,49 define an open base of the hopper through which grass contained in the hopper can pass.

The lower portion 50 of the feed container 4 comprises a flat floor member 51, the upper portion 40 of the feed container 4 being supported on the floor member 51 by means of a plurality of substantially vertically extending bars or

columns 52 extending upwardly from the floor member 51 in two rows adjacent elongate sides thereof and further upwardly and outwardly extending beams 53 extending from the upper ends of said columns 52.

Each row of columns 52 is interconnected at or adjacent their upper ends by means of first and second elongate horizontal beams 54,55, 56,57, the first beams 54,56 being joined (for example by welding) to inner surfaces of the columns 52 in respective rows and the second beams 55,57 being joined to the outer surfaces of the columns 52 in respective rows, the first beams 54,56 being mounted below the second beams 55,57. The first and second beams 54,55, 56,57 on each row of columns 52 support a plurality of downwardly and inwardly extending tines 58 mounted thereon, the lower ends of said tines 58 terminating above the upper surface of the floor member 51 and defining the lowermost region of the feed hopper.

When the feed container 4 is filled with cut grass, cattle are able to feed on the grass through the gaps 5 between the downwardly extending tines 58.

Any excess grass pulled between the tines 58 by the cattle falls onto the upper surface of the floor member 51 where it can be picked up by the cattle. Hardly any grass falls onto the ground beside the floor member 51 where it would otherwise be trampled and wasted. As can be seen in Figs. 4 and 5, the side edges of the floor member comprise inwardly and downwardly sloping surfaces 59,60 such that any grass falling from the feed hopper 4 tends to fall into the central region of the floor member 51.

The plates 46,47, 48,49 defining the inner sides of the feed hopper are arranged at a steep angle, preferably no more than 25 degrees from the vertical, in order to prevent bridging of the grass in the upper portion of the hopper as it is removed from the lower region of the hopper by feeding cattle.

Furthermore, the lower edges of the plates 46,47, 48,49 define a large open area therebeneath, further reducing the likelihood of bridging. As such the feed container is far superior to prior art manure or silage containers, with

reduced wastage and no bridging problems, and is thus uniquely suitable for use with fresh grass.

As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the rear wall 61 of the lower portion of the feed hopper is mounted on hinges on one side thereof to allow the wall 61 to be opened in the manner of a door to allow the feed container 4, and in particular the upper surface of the floor member 51, to be cleaned. The rear edge of the floor member 51 is level with the upper surface of the floor member 51 to allow uneaten grass to be swept out of the rear of the feed container 4.

In use, the frame 1 of the apparatus is attached to a towing vehicle 2 via the draw bar 36 with the mowing device 3 in its raised inoperative position and the draw bar arranged such that the wheels 9,10 of the frame 1 are substantially aligned with the wheels of the towing vehicle 2. The towing vehicle is reversed such that the frame 1 is positioned over an empty feed container 4 resting on the ground, the container 4 being straddled or lying between the side portions 7,8 of the frame 1, the feed container 4 passing through the open rear end of the frame 1 during the reversing operation. Once the frame 1 is in position over the feed container 4, the double acting hydraulic jacks 23,24, 25, 26 associated with the lifting members 15,16, 17,18 of the lifting means 11,12, 13,14 are activated to urge the lifting members 15,16, 17,18 upwardly into contact with the lower faces of the square section beams 27,28 forming the elongate side members of the upper portion 40 of the feed container, whereupon further upward movement of the lifting members 15,16, 17,18 causes the feed container 4 to be lifted off the ground Into its raised position between the side portions 7,8 of the frame 1. The entire apparatus may then be towed to a field containing grass to be mown.

Once in the field, the double acting hydraulic jack associated with the articulated draw bar 36 is activated to move the wheels 9,10 of the frame 1 out of alignment with the wheels of the towing vehicle 2 and the double acting hydraulic jack 35 associated with the mowing device 3 is activated to move

the mowing device 3 into its operative lowered cutting position and the drive for the mowing device 3 is actuated. The grass can then by mown, the conveying means 29 of the mowing device transferring the cut grass into the feed container 4, until sufficient grass has been collected in the feed container 4. Subsequently the respective hydraulic jacks can be actuated to return the mowing device 3 to its raised inoperative position and to move the wheels 9,10 of the frame 1 into alignment with the wheels of the towing vehicle 2 such that the apparatus can be transported to the field or shed where the cattle to be fed are located.

Once at the location of the cattle, the hydraulic jacks 23,24, 25,26 associated with the lifting members 14,15, 16,17are activated to lower the feed container 4 until it engages the ground and the lifting members 14,15, 16, 17 move out of contact with the lower faces of the square section beams 27,28 forming the elongate side members of the upper portion 40 of the feed container 4. The frame 1 can then be towed away leaving the feed container 4 in a position where the cattle can feed on the grass contained therein.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. An apparatus for feeding grass or the like to animals comprises in combination a grass or like feed container and a mowing device having grass cutting means and conveying means for conveying grass cut by the cutting means into the feed container, said container having at least one opening in or adjacent a lower region thereof to enable an animal to feed directly on grass or like feed contained in the container, connection means being provided such that both the mowing device and feed container can be towed behind or be carried by a vehicle, the feed container being separable from the mowing device to allow animals to feed on material collected therein.
2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connection means and the mowing device are mounted or mountable on a support means or support frame, at least the feed container being detachably mounted on the support frame such that the container can be detached from the support frame to allow animals to feed on material collected therein.
3 An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein two or more supporting wheels or other ground engaging and running means are be mounted on the support frame to support the container displaceably above the ground when the container is mounted on the support frame, the connection means comprising a draw bar allowing the apparatus to be towed behind a vehicle.
4. An apparatus as claimed in claims 2 or 3, wherein the grass or like container or receptacle is elongate and substantially rectangular and the support frame comprises a front end portion (in relation to the normal direction of travel of a towing vehicle) and opposed side portions extending rearwardly therefrom and on either side of the container when the container is mounted on the support frame, the first

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and second ground engaging wheels being provided on the side portions, lifting means being provided on the support frame to allow the container to be moved between a rest position wherein the container rests upon the ground and a raised position wherein the container is raised above the ground between the side portions of the support frame and is supported by the ground engaging wheels such that the container is supported by and carried on the support frame.
5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the lifting means may comprise at least four hydraulic jacks provided at spaced locations on the side portions of the support frame, each hydraulic jack acting between a respective point on the side portions and a movable lifting member, the elongate sides of the container having receiving means for receiving the lifting members of the hydraulic jacks such that the container can be lifted upwardly between the side portions of the support frame.
6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the lifting members of the hydraulic jacks comprise inwardly extending lifting arms or members and the receiving means of the container comprise substantially horizontally extending elongate bars extending along opposed sides of the container, the lifting arms engaging the undersides of the elongate bars in order to lift the container.
7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 5 or claim 6, wherein the lifting members are guided along vertical portions of the side portions of the support frame.
8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein vertical portions of the support frame may comprise substantially vertical elongate columns or members upon which the lifting members are slidably mounted.

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9. An apparatus as claimed in any of claims 2 to 8, wherein the support frame includes an upper portion extending between the side portions of the support frame at their upper edges, said upper portion extending over the container when the container is mounted on the support frame.
10. An apparatus as claimed in any of claims 2 to 9, wherein the container comprises an upwardly open receptacle, at least the upper portion of the support frame being closed to provide a cover for the upwardly open container when the container is in its raised position and carried by the support frame.
11. An apparatus as claimed in any of claims 2 to 10, wherein the mowing device is mounted on the support frame in front of the container in the normal direction of travel of the towing vehicle and the front end portion of the support frame comprises an opening to allow cut grass from the mowing device to be conveyed into the container when the container is mounted on the support frame.
12. An apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the mowing device is movable between an operative lowered cutting position wherein it is spaced to one side of the container and an inoperative raised transportation position, wherein the mowing device is substantially aligned with the container in the normal direction of travel of the towing vehicle.
13. A feed container for feeding animals freshly cut grass or the like comprising an upwardly open rectangular feed hopper, the inner sides of the hopper extending downwardly and inwardly from the upper portion, the lower edges or regions of the side and end portions providing an open base of the hopper through which grass contained in the hopper can pass, a plurality of downwardly and inwardly extending

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tines extending from the lower edges of the inner sides of the feed hopper, the lower portion of the feed container comprising a planar floor member, the feed hopper of the feed container being supported on the floor member by means of a plurality of substantially vertically extending bars or columns extending upwardly from the floor member, the lower ends of said inwardly extending tines terminating above the upper surface of the floor member and defining the lower region of the feed hopper, one or more lifting points being provided on the container engageable by lifting means of a towable carriage means for said container.
14. A free standing elongate feed container without wheels comprising an upper feed hopper communicating with a laterally open lower feeding region providing access for feeding animals to grass or like feed container in the hopper, one or more lifting points being provided on said container engageable by lifting means of a towable carriage means for said container.
15. A method of feeding grass or the like to animals comprising the steps of mounting both a grass or like feed container or receptacle and a mowing device behind or on a vehicle and mowing a grass or like feed crop using the mowing device, the cut cut grass or like feed crop being collected in the feed container, transporting the feed container, containing the cut grass, and the mowing device to the location of animals to be fed, and separating the feed container from the mowing device and the towing vehicle such that animals can feed on grass or like feed crop container collected in the feed container through at least one opening provided in or adjacent a lower region thereof
16. An apparatus for feeding grass or the like to animals substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

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17. A method of feeding grass or the like to animals substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.