JPH048010B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] The present invention relates to poultry farming equipment.

Currently, commercial poultry farming is carried out on a large scale, and many cages or cages are arranged horizontally in one tier or vertically in multiple tiers, and each cage houses two or two chickens, and water and feeding are carried out. It's summery. Management of water supply and feeding is one of the most important matters in poultry farming management, and proper management is a major factor in securing profits.

Conventionally, devices have been proposed that automatically feed the appropriate amount of chicken according to the number of chickens housed in each cage, but it is not sufficient to simply feed the chicken in an amount that corresponds to the number of chickens housed in each cage.

For the most effective water feeding, it is necessary to control the water feeding according to the individual conditions of each chicken, ie, the physical and surrounding (environmental) conditions of each individual chicken.

The present invention was proposed in view of this point.
Each of a large number of cages is identified, information related to each cage (referred to as cage-specific information) is collected and stored, and information is sent to the chickens in the corresponding cage based on the cage-specific information stored and accumulated for each cage. It is designed to manage poultry farming including water and feeding.

Each cage can be identified by reading an identification mark or symbol (for example, a barcode) attached to each cage with a reader (for example, a barcode reader).

Cage-specific information includes (1) chicken-related information and (2) surrounding (environment) information, and (1) chicken-related information includes the number of chickens in each cage, feeding amount, mixing ratio, water feeding amount, and egg laying. information (number of eggs laid, weight of each egg), physical information of the chicken (e.g. body temperature), etc. (2) Ambient information includes the ambient temperature, humidity, oxygen concentration, carbon dioxide concentration, ammonia concentration, sunlight of each cage. including ultraviolet ray intensity, infrared ray intensity, illuminance, brightness, noise, air pollution, etc.

The reader of the identification mark, the device for collecting cage-specific information, the processing or computing device for the collected information, and the storage device can be installed in a moving device that moves along the row of cages.

According to the present invention, feeding and watering and other poultry farming management are automatically performed according to cage-specific information, and the above-mentioned moving device can also be equipped with a feeding and watering machine and an egg collecting machine for this purpose.

Embodiments will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

In FIG. 1, 1 is a cage row in which a large number of cages or cages 2 are consecutively arranged next to each other.
Each cage 2 has two or three chickens 4 (not shown)
is accommodated. 3 is a feed receiving gutter attached along the lower front of the cage row, 4 is an egg receiving gutter attached below the feeding gutter, and E is a laid egg. Although the water gutter is not shown, it can be provided in parallel within the feed receiving gutter 3.

5 is an identification tag attached to each cage, and the identification number of each cage is displayed by, for example, a bar code 6.

FIG. 2 is a plan view schematically showing the configuration of the present invention, in which the moving device 10 travels in the direction of arrow X along the front surface of the cage row 1 shown in FIG. Collect other information, collect eggs, feed, and water.

In FIG. 2, the same reference numerals as in FIG. 1 indicate corresponding parts.

The mobile device 10 is a self-propelled vehicle (robot) or a vehicle driven by a worker, which is equipped with the following devices and devices. That is, 11 is a barcode reader which reads the barcode 6 representing the cage number shown on the identification mark 5 of each cage 2. Reference numeral 12 denotes a device for collecting the number of chickens and physical information about each chicken, for example, a photoelectric detector can be used to detect the number of chickens, and an infrared detector can be used to detect physical information, such as the body temperature of the chickens.

Reference numeral 13 denotes an ambient information collecting device, which includes one or more of the ambient temperature, humidity, oxygen concentration, etc. detectors described above for the cage.

Reference numeral 14 denotes an egg collecting machine, which picks up and collects the eggs on the egg receiving trough 4 using a suitable grasping machine. Reference numeral 15 denotes a device for collecting egg laying information, which measures the number of eggs laid in each cage, the weight of each egg, etc.

Reference numeral 16 denotes a data processing and control device, which processes the signals from the above-mentioned devices or devices 12, 13, and 15 to obtain the necessary information, and controls the feeding machine etc. based on the stored data as described below. .

Reference numeral 17 denotes a drive device for the moving device (vehicle) 10, which automatically controls running and stopping of the moving device 10 based on data processing and signals from the control device 16.

Reference numeral 18 denotes a storage device that receives the above-mentioned arithmetic-processed information and stores it for each cage.

Reference numeral 19 indicates a feeding machine, and numeral 20 indicates a water supply machine, which are controlled by command signals from the data processing and control device 16 to feed and water, respectively.

The data processing and control device 16 determines the contents of the command based on the information for each cage stored in the storage device.

FIG. 3 shows a schematic appearance of a specific example of the mobile device (self-propelled vehicle) shown in FIG. 2, and the same reference numerals as in FIG. 2 indicate the same equipment or devices. In Fig. 3, an infrared radiation thermometer 12a is installed to detect the body temperature as one of the chicken's physical information, but in addition to this, for example, a reflective photoelectric detector (not shown) is used to detect the number of chickens. Other required equipment can be installed in parallel.

In addition, a thermohygrometer 13a that measures the temperature and humidity in and around the cage is provided as one type of environmental information, but instead of or in addition to this, other environmental information such as the above-mentioned environmental information is provided. Detectors or measuring devices can also be provided.

14' is a contact type egg detector for counting the number of eggs; in this embodiment, egg collection is performed by a separate device. Instead of the detector 14', for example, an egg collector having a magic hand (not shown)
may be deployed. In this case, an egg storage container, an egg counter, and, if necessary, an egg weight measuring device (not shown) may also be provided.

In addition to the feeder 19, a waterer (not shown) can also be provided. 19' is a feeding port.

Storage media used in the storage device 18 include:
For example, a cassette tape or a floppy disc can be used. Before the storage capacity of the tape or floppy disk runs out, the contents can be transferred to a higher-level host computer, and an entire large-scale poultry farm can be managed by that host computer based on the data.

The storage device 18 may not be placed on the self-propelled vehicle 10 but may be placed somewhere else, and the data obtained by the data processing and control device 16 may be transmitted to this storage device by wire or wirelessly. Data from data processing controller 16 can also be sent directly to a computer.

In feeding and water supply control based on stored data, the data processing control device 16 reads out the contents stored in the storage device 18 or the computer, determines an optimal control mode based on this, and controls the feeder and waterer.

In addition, the feeder must be configured to change the amount of feed based on the above directive, or be configured to change the amount of feed and/or feed mix ratio or nutritional value, or add nutrients or medicines. You can also do it. Nutrients and medicines may be added at the water dispenser.

The traveling vehicle 10 may be guided on rails, or in order to cope with the case where the cage rows are arranged in multiple stages above and below, the necessary devices or devices on the traveling vehicle may be configured to be vertically adjustable. .

In the example shown in FIG. 2, a feeder 19 and a waterer 20 are installed in the vehicle 10, but these may not be installed in the vehicle and feeding and water may be supplied by other means. Even in that case, the control is performed based on the above-mentioned stored or accumulated information. Further, the egg collecting machine may not be installed on the traveling vehicle, and the egg collection may be performed by other means.

The stored information can be used for purposes other than feeding and water control. For example, if the temperature in a particular part of the poultry house is too high (for example, it receives too much direct sunlight), if the temperature and/or humidity of the whole house is too high, or if the ammonia concentration in the air is too high, Able to take appropriate measures in response to changes in environmental) conditions. That is, ambient (environmental) condition regulating devices such as temperature and/or humidity regulating devices, air purification devices, etc. of the poultry house can be controlled based on the collected and stored ambient (environmental) information.

The number of chickens in each cage is usually 2-3, but
It may be one bird or four or more birds. However, it is not desirable to have too many. If one bird is housed in one cage, complete individual management is possible.

Collection of information can be performed periodically, for example once a month, or as needed. The period of collection is also free, but spawning starts (approximately 150 days after hatching)
It is also possible to collect information from the beginning to the end (approximately 500 days after hatching).

As described above, according to the present invention, in large-scale poultry farming, each cage is given an identification number, each cage is identified, and cage-specific information related to each cage is collected and stored. Poultry farming management, including feeding, watering, and environmental management, is based on the information stored in the memory, so it is possible to monitor which types of chickens are grown under what body and environmental conditions, in what amounts and contents (mixing ratio, nutritional value, etc.). If you are given feed (with or without chemical additions), you can know how many eggs of what quality and weight they will lay and for how long, and based on this cage-specific information, each cage The most effective feeding and other poultry farming conditions can be selected for chickens in cages or for individual chickens. In other words, we provide optimal food and water supply according to the physical condition or environmental condition of each chicken in each cage or each chicken, and also deal with abnormal changes in the body or environment of each chicken most effectively. This can improve egg quality and increase production. In addition, each cage is given an identification symbol, and the identification symbol detection means and information collection means that move along the row of cages are used to identify each cage and collect information for each cage.
There is no need to install a means to collect cage information for each cage, there is no problem of maintenance of the information collection means against feathers and dust, and there is no need to install a means for collecting cage information for each cage, and there is no need to install a means for collecting cage information for each cage. No wiring equipment is required, making it possible to reduce cage installation costs and increase the degree of freedom in installation.

The object of the present invention may be not only chickens for eggs but also chickens for meat, and is not limited to chickens, but may also be other poultry.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a part of a cage row to which the present invention is applied, FIG. 2 is a block diagram schematically showing the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a cage used in the present invention. FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of an example of a moving device. 1... Cage row, 2... Cage, 3... Feed receiving gutter, 5
...Identification tag, 6...Barcode, 10...Mobile device, 1
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Barcode reader, 12... Number of birds and physical information collection device, 13... Surroundings information collection device, 14...
Egg collecting machine, 15... Spawning information collection device, 16... Data processing and control device, 17... Drive device, 18... Storage device, 19... Feeding machine, 20... Water supply machine.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A cage row consisting of a number of cages each housing at least one chicken and having a unique identification symbol; moving along the cage row, an identification symbol of each cage; an identification symbol detection means for detecting; moving along the cage row together with the identification symbol detection means, and identifying each cage associated with each of the cages corresponding to each of the identification symbols detected by the identification symbol detection means; an information collecting means for collecting information; a storage means for storing cage-specific information collected by the information collecting means in association with each of the identification symbols detected by the identification symbol detection means; A poultry farming apparatus comprising: breeding management means for managing the breeding of chickens housed in each of the cages based on the cage-specific information stored in the means. 3 consisting of a cage row consisting of a large number of cages each housing at least one chicken and having a unique identification symbol attached thereto, and a moving device that can selectively stop moving along the cage row; Means for detecting an identification symbol of each cage in the device, means for collecting cage-specific information related to each cage, and feeding means or water supply means whose operation is controlled based on the collected cage-specific information, or both of these. Poultry farming equipment characterized by being equipped with means. 4 A cage row consisting of a large number of cages each housing at least one chicken and having a unique identification symbol attached thereto, and a moving device that can selectively stop moving along this cage row, A poultry farming apparatus characterized in that the apparatus is further equipped with a means for detecting an identification symbol of each cage, an egg collecting means, and a means for collecting cage-specific information related to each cage.