NZ209643A - Combination footbath and feeder for animals - Google Patents

Description

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PATENTS FORM NO: 5 THE PATENTS ACT 1953 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION After Provisional No: 209 643 Dated: 24.9.84 TITLE: "COMBINATION FOOT BATH AND FEEDER FOR GOATS" I, JOCELYN ERICKSEN, of Bridgewater Farm, R.D.I., Raglan, New Zealand, a British subject and New Zealand citizen hereby declare the invention for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed to be particularly described in and by the following statement: 209643 This invention concerns foot baths for animals, especially livestock.

Cloven hoof stock animals are susceptible to foot disorders some of which, for example foot scald in goats, respond to treatment by foot immersion in medication solution. It is usual to treat the affected animals by herding them into a yard and driving them through a foot bath. This treatment must be carried out weekly. Each goat must be pushed through the bath. Larger animals present greater difficulty in handling.

This invention seeks provision of an apparatus in which some handling is reduced or rendered unnecessary.

This invention provides a foot bath for cloven hoof livestock comprising: (a) a medication receptacle capable of containing a sufficient depth of liquid medication to immerse the affected foot parts of the livestock to be treated, and (b) a food receptacle positioned in relation to the medication receptacle so that the livestock are obliged to stand in the medication to reach the food receptacle.

Preferably the medication receptacle is a shallow dish and the food receptacle is locatable in a substantially central position. In order to treat a number of animals simultaneously the medication receptacle may be circular having a diameter of the order of twice the length of an animal to be treated when the animal is in the feeding position. Usually the food receptacle is integral with the medication receptacle and located at a height which renders the contents of the food receptacle visible to the animal to be treated.

It is possible to construct a bath to treat one animal at a time by constructing the bath as an elongated race incorporating a trough, the food receptacle being provided in one of the side walls of the race so that the animal can walk in at one end and out at the other but this construction would require some supervision. The food receptacle 0 7 FEB 1986 209643 may be freestanding but if so it must be heavy enough to withstand displacement by pushing as the animals jostle for access and perhaps stand on the food receptacle. Thus a bucket of food placed in the centre of the bath would not remain upright for very long and I disclaim this collocation. Alternatively the food receptacle can be constructed as a detachable part and the medication receptacle provided with locating means such as an upstanding circular wall to maintain the food receptacle in the desired location.

One embodiment of the invention is now described with reference to the single figure of the accompanying drawing which is a perspective view of the foot bath.

This foot bath is intended for goats and is a 3-6mm thick fibreglass/resin moulding taken from a wooden mould. The receptacle bath 2 is a shallow circular dish 2400mm in diameter with a wall 4 which is 100mm high. The wall terminates in an outwardly flared lip 6 which is semi-circular in section. The centre of the dish is occupied by the food receptacle which is an integral frusto-conical hollow pillar 8 about 450mm high with a shallow circular tray moulded into the end of the pillar. Moulded ribs 12 radiate from near the base of the pillar almost to the wall 4 in order to strengthen the dish when the bath is lifted, rolled or stacked.

In use, food pellets, meal or a mineral block is placed in the food tray, the dish filled with water and the crystals of zinc sulphate are added to the required concentration but often a saturated solution is made up. The goats must stand in the solution if they wish to reach the food and the diameter of the dish is such to ensure that all four feet are immersed at some stage. The sides of the pillar are smooth to discourage the goats from trying to climb it and placing their front feet in the food tray but the choice of height of the tray has more to do with discouraging this tendency than the shape or finish of the pillar.

I have found the advantages of the above embodiment to be: 1. The stock treat themselves without handling. 2. The bath is simple to manufacture by either flop moulding or vacuum forming. 3. Stock animals such as sheep, pigs, deer and cows or exotic species such as zoo 1 N.Z. PATENT QFFfiBE 1 0 JAN 1986 RECEfVED 2096 43 animals can be treated in groups. 4. Faecal contamination does not reduce the effectiveness of the bath.

. The bath is light enough to be moved from location to location.

In a non-illustrated embodiment, the dish has an associated arm which extends from the edge of the dish towards its centre from which is suspended a feeder tray.

In a further non-illustrated embodiment, the medication receptacle is semi-circular and the food receptacle is semi-cylindrical being placed at the centre of the straight edge so that the bath can be placed abutting a wall.

In another non-illustrated embodiment, the medication bath is quadrant shaped and the food receptacle is integrally moulded at the apex of the quadrant and resembles a pillar of quadrant section. This enables the bath to be placed in an internal corner of two intersecting walls.