NZ501444A

NZ501444A - Estrus (oestrus) mounting transponder for cattle

Info

Publication number: NZ501444A
Application number: NZ50144499A
Authority: NZ
Inventors: Paul Harold Carter
Original assignee: Paul Harold Carter
Priority date: 1999-12-02
Filing date: 1999-12-02
Publication date: 2002-04-26

Abstract

An estrus indicator is attachable to the tail end of a cow, perhaps by a "peel and stick" strip and includes a pouch containing a fluid. When the cow is mounted the pouch is ruptured to release the fluid onto an activator for a wireless transponder. The wireless transponder may be activated to either not transpond or to transpond in a certain way to indicate at a remote station that the cow has been mounted and is perhaps in estrus.

Description

New Zealand Paient Spedficaiion for Paient Number 501444 Patents Forrp No. 5 THE PATENTS ACT 1953 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION AN ESTRUS INDICATOR I, PAUL HAROLD CARTER, a New Zealand citizen, of 8 Rowlands Avenue, Mt Wellington, Auckland, New Zealand, hereby declare this 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 Property . . . Office, of NZ statement: 2 4 NOV 2000 RECEIVED ESTRUS INDICATOR 1 FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an estrus indicator.

In the context of farming it can be difficult to know when live stock such as cows are in estrus (ie in heat). It is beneficial for a farmer to know which cows are in estrus so that appropriate procedures or precautions can be taken. Often the only indication that one has that a cow is in heat is that the cow is attracting the attention of other cows, or a bull, seeking to ride/mount the first mentioned cow. It is accordingly an object of at least one form of the present invention to go at least some way towards addressing the above mentioned difficulty.

In interpreting this specification, including the associated claims, the term "comprising" or "comprises" or "comprise" should be taken to be non-exclusive - ie should be taken to mean "consisting of or including".

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to one aspect of the invention there is provided an estrus indicator, the estrus indicator comprising signaling means and a container holding a fluid, the estrus indicator being formed such that it can be fitted to a female animal so that a further animal riding/mounting the female animal can cause the fluid to escape from the container and contact the signaling means, the fluid contacting the signaling means effecting operation of the signaling means such that the signaling means is unable to send a signal, or can send a particular cordless non-visible signal, to indicate that the female animal is in estrus.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF N.Z. 1 2 MAR 2002 received « I ; Preferably the signaling means comprises a suitable transponder. The transponder may be a passive transponder.

Preferably the signaling means can emit an electronic or electric signal prior to it being contacted by the fluid, but not after being contacted by the fluid.

Preferably the container comprises a pouch.

Preferably the fluid is corrosive to at least part of the signaling means, for example the fluid may be suitably acidic.

According to another aspect of the invention there is providing a method of testing a female animal for estrus, comprising the steps of: i) fitting an estrus indicator as described above to the female animal, and ii) interrogating the estrus indicator with a suitable reader, the reader formed to treat a response from the signaling means as indicative that the female animal is not in estrus, and the reader also being formed to treat a non-response from the signaling means when interrogated by the reader as indicative that the female animal is in estrus.

Optionally the method is such that the non-response from the signaling means results in the female animal being automatically directed away from other animals into a holding area.

According to one particular aspect of the invention there is provided an estrus indicator, the estrus indicator comprising signaling means capable of sending a cordless non-visible signal and a container holding a fluid, the estrus indicator being formed such that it can be fitted to a cow such that a further cow riding/mounting the first mentioned cow causes the fluid to escape from the container and contact the signaling means, the fluid contacting the signaling means effecting signal output characteristics of the signaling means to indicate that the first mentioned cow is in estrus.

Some preferred forms of the invention will now be described by way of example.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The invention comprises an estrus indicator comprising a main pouch. Within the main pouch is a transponder and a second pouch. The second pouch comprises a corrosive fluid, for example an acid of suitable strengths The estrus indicator is fitted to a cow such that a further cow riding/mounting the first mentioned cow causes the second pouch to rupture thus enabling the fluid to escape from the second pouch. The fluid thus comes into contact with the transponder and damages the transponder so that it is not capable of sending a signal. This may involve the fluid corroding a copper antenna coil forming part of the transponder.

When the first mentioned cow moves through a drafting chute an electronic reader interrogates the estrus indicator. If the transponder has been damaged by the fluid, ie as a result of the riding mounting, then the transponder is unable to respond to interrogation by the electronic reader. A non-response INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF N.Z. 1 2 MAR 2002 received

Claims

from the transponder indicates to the electronic reader that the first mentioned cow is in estrus. The first mentioned cow can then be automatically drafted off into a holding yard for attention by an insemination technician. The interrogation of the first mentioned cow, and the drafting off of that cow when in estrus, may be completely automated so as to minimise time requirements on farm personal, etc. Preferably each cow of a herd is fitted with an estrus detector so that the entire herd can be monitored. The estrus indicators may be fitted to the cows by way of "peel and stick" strips or any other suitable means. In some embodiments of the invention the signaling means (eg the transponder) may reflect a signal received from the electronic reader. References to the signaling means sending a signal should thus be interpreted broadly to include situations where the signaling means generates a signal or simply reflects a signal. While some preferred forms of the invention have been described by way of example, it should be appreciated that improvements and modifications can occur without departing from the scope of the appended claims. intellectual Property Office of NZ 1 0 JAN 2001 received WHAT I CLAIM IS: a

1. An estrus indicator, the estrus indicator comprising signaling means and a container holding a fluid, the estrus indicator being formed such that it can be fitted to a female animal so that a further animal riding/mounting the female animal can cause the fluid to escape from the container and contact the signaling means, the fluid contacting the signaling means effecting operation of the signaling means such that the signaling means is unable to send a signal, or can send a particular cordless non-visible signal, to indicate that the female animal is in estrus.

2. An estrus indicator according to claim 1, wherein the signaling means comprises a suitable transponder.

3. An estrus indicator according to claim 2, wherein the transponder is a passive transponder.

4. An estrus indicator according to claim 1, 2, or 3, wherein the signaling means can emit an electronic or electric signal prior to it being contacted by the fluid, but not after being contacted by the fluid.

5. An estrus indicator according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the container comprises a pouch.

6. An estrus indicator according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the fluid is corrosive to at least part of the signaling means.

7. An estrus indicator according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the fluid is acidic. ______ INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF N.Z. 1 2 MAR 2002 received

8. A method of testing a female animal for estrus, comprising the steps of: i) fitting an estrus indicator according to any one of the preceding claims to the female animal, and m) interrogating the estrus indicator with a suitable reader, the reader being formed to treat a response from the signaling means as indicative that the female animal is not in estrus, and the reader also being formed to treat a non-response from the signaling means when interrogated by the reader as indicative that the female animal is in estrus.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein the non-response from the signaling means results in the female animal being automatically directed away from other animals to a holding area.

10. An estrus indicator, the estrus indicator comprising signaling means capable of sending a cordless non-visible signal and a container holding a fluid, the estrus indicator being formed such that it can be fitted to a cow such that a further cow riding/mounting the first mentioned cow causes the fluid to escape from the container and contact the signaling means, the fluid contacting the signaling means effecting signal output characteristics of the signaling means to indicate that the first mentioned cow is in estrus.

11. An estrus indicator according claim 10, wherein the signaling means is a transponder. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF N.Z. 1 2 MAR 2002 received

12. An estrus indicator according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the estrus indicator has fitting means to enable it to be fitted to the back of the first mentioned cow.

13. An estrus indicator substantially as herein described.

14. A method of testing a female animal for estrus substantially as herein described. PAUL HAROLD CARTER By His Authorised Attorney A.J. Pietras & Associates INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF N.Z. 1 2 MAR 2002 received