GB2483126A - Transportable feeder and pen unit - Google Patents

Abstract

A transportable feeding pen unit comprises a bulk feeder 3 with a folding creep feeder system 2 and with hung hurdles or gates 1 which may be used to form a folding pen. The unit may be fitted with wheels 5 and a tow hitch 4, allowing it to be towed into position. The system may also be fitted with a 3-point linkage point 6 so that it can be lifted and transported by means of a corresponding linkage on a tractor.

Description

Description

Transportable Feeder and Pen Unit Transportable Feeder and Pen Unit This invention relates to a device for feeding and catching sheep! livestock and other animals in a pen for the purpose of feeding, checking stock, injecting animals, isolating animals and any other tasks.

With the average age of farmers increasing, general tasks such as catching stock in a pen for routine checks and injections of animals and other task's become difficult and even dangerous to carry out.

Often catching the stock and rounding them up is also difficult if they are in a field or in a large area.

And pregnant animals can sometimes abort if stressed when being rounded up. Also some conventional feeders mean that young animals are unable to feed so a creep system is required.

However simply tying some gates together with conventional twine or cord is unsafe, unreliable and often leads to animals escaping from the pen by simply breaking the cord or string tying the gates together and often resulting in injury to the farmer or other stock as the gate or pen is knocked over.

To overcome these problems the current invention proposes a series of fold out hurdles/gates and a feeder. The feeder will encourage the livestock/sheep or other animals to come within the area of the hurdles fold out range to create a pen suitable for carrying out routine tasks with the animals.

The freely pivoting joints that are also lockable on the hurdles/gates allow them to be moved around to create a pen around the animals or to create a large pen backing onto a hedge, fence or wall Animals can access the feeder then allowing the farmer/operator to shut the hurdles/gates together behind the animals creating an instant pen. The invention can also be used as a feeder or creep feeder if the creep feeder is unfolded. To move this from destination to destination the invention could be trailed or coupled by means of 3 point linkage to a tractor.

The invention will now be described solely by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings: Drawing label number 1) shows the hurdles/gates a fitted on either side of the feeder.

Drawing Label Number 2) Shows the folding creep feeder system Drawing Label Number 3) Shows a Feeder Drawing Label number 4) Shows the tow hitch fitted to the front of the feed pen.

Drawing Label Number 5) Shows the wheels fitted to the rear of feed pen.

Drawing Label Number 6) Shows 3, 3 point linkage points fitted to the rear of the feed pen.

Example of use with the trailed feeder and pen: They user will fill the feeder, then attach the tow hitch of the Transportable feed pen to the towing vehicle and drive to the chosen destination. Upon arrival at the destination the operator will fold out the hurdles/gates label number 1 and fold out the creep feeder if required, once all the animals required have approached the feeder the user can move the hurdles/gates to create the desired shape and size pen and secure them.

Example of use with 3 point linkage feeder and pen.

They user will fill the feeder, then attach the 3 point linkage points to their tractor and drive to the chosen destination. Upon arrival at the destination the operator will fold out the hurdles/gates label number 1 and fold out the creep feeder if required, once all the animals required have approached the feeder the user can move the hurdles/gates to create the desired shape and size pen and secure them.