NZ531089A - Animal husbandry means - Google Patents

Abstract

Animal husbandry means (2) having at least three underside compartments (5, 6, 7) shaped to substantially compliment a part of a four legged animal (1) under the belly of the animal, and at least two side compartments (3, 4). The husbandry means is formed such that when it is in use it can be arranged with the side compartments under the side of a four legged animal which is laying on its side and the underside compartments arranged such that one of these is between the fore and hind legs of the animal, another of the underside compartments is between in front of the fore legs, and another of the underside compartments is behind the hind legs. The husbandry means is formed such that when it is in use underside compartments and the side compartments can be inflated such that the side compartments inflate one after the other to cause the animal to assume, in stages, a standing position such that it is supported on its underside by the underside compartments.

Description

1 53 1 0 8 9 Patents Form No. 5 THE PATENTS ACT 1953 INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF N2 II FEB Mi RECEIVED COMPLETE SPECIFICATION ANIMAL HUSBANDRY MEANS I, MARTEN LAMMERT DIJKSTRA, a citizen of the Netherlands, of RD 4, Kaitaia, 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 the following statement: 2 TITLE Animal Husbandry Means.

FIELD OF INVENTION This invention relates to a means of animal husbandry. A preferred form of the invention relates to means for raising a four legged animal to its feet.

BACKGROUND In the context of farming, an animal may be incapacitated and in need of being raised to 10 its feet from a laying position. For example, a cow which has recently given birth, which is suffering from paralysis, or which is suffering from milk fever, etc, may have difficulty in getting to its feet. In these circumstances it is known to use a front end loader or a winch mechanism to raise the animal. Such methods have been known to cause injury or stress to the animal. It is accordingly an object of at least one form of the present 15 invention to go at least some way towards addressing the need to assist an animal to its feet, or to at least provide the public with a useful choice.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to one aspect of the invention there is provided animal husbandry means 20 having an underside compartment means shaped to substantially compliment a part of a four legged animal underneath the belly of the animal, and a side compartment means, the husbandry means being formed such that when it is in use it can be arranged with the side compartment means under the side of a four legged animal which is laying on its side and the underside compartment means arranged between the front and hind 25 legs of the animal, the husbandry means being formed such that when it is in use the underside compartment means and the side compartment means can be inflated such 3 that the side compartment means causes the animal to assume a standing position such that it is supported on its underside by the underside compartment means.

Preferably the underside compartment means is made up of a number of compartments 5 (eg three) which are shaped to collectively substantially compliment the underside of the four legged animal. One of the underside compartments is able to support the underside of the animal in front of the animal's forelegs when it is standing. One of the underside compartments is able to support the underside of the animal behind the animal's hind legs when it is standing.

Preferably the side compartment means is made up of a number of side compartments (eg two).

Preferably the husbandry means has a cover which can be drawn over the animal when 15 it is in a standing position to provide a measure of shelter to the animal.

Preferably the husbandry means has a skirt which can be arranged around a side part of the animal opposite the side compartment means when the animal is in a standing position to provide a measure of protection to the animal and/or to facilitate support or 20 positional retention of the underside compartment means.

Preferably the side compartment means has two compartments, one of which when inflated positions the animal at an angle between horizontal and upright (eg about 45 degrees), and the other of which when subsequently inflated positions the animal 25 substantially upright. 4 Optionally the husbandry means includes an air blower suitable for use in inflating the underside compartment means and the side compartment means.

Optionally the husbandry means is formed for use with the animal when it is a cow.

According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a method of raising a four legged animal from a laying to a standing position by positioning an inflatable body under the animal when it is laying, and inflating the inflatable body to force the animal to a standing position. Optionally the inflatable body has compartments and each 10 compartment is inflated separately to move the animal to the standing position in stages. Optionally the inflatable body is, when inflated, substantially beneath the animal when it is standing to give a measure of support to the animal when in that position. Optionally the inflatable body is an animal husbandry means as described above.

DRAWINGS Some preferred forms of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: Figure 1 shows an incapacitated cow laying on its side with a cow lifter according to the invention arranged ready for use, Figure 2 shows the cow lifter partially inflated with a skirt thereof done up, Figure 3 shows the cow lifter in the process of lifting the cow, Figure 4 shows the cow lifter when it has lifted the cow to a standing position, and Figures 5, 6 and 7 show various details of the cow lifter.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION In the context of farming, cows or other four legged animals often become incapacitated, for example as a result of paralysis, nerve damage after calving, milk fever, or other infections, etc. Referring to figure 1, there is shown one such cow 1 laying on its side 10 and unable to stand up.

To assist the cow to its feet a cow lifter 2 is positioned underneath the cow. More specifically, the cow lifter 2 has a pair of inflatable side compartments 3 and 4 and these are arranged under the side of the cow. The cow lifter 2 also has three inflatable 15 underside compartments 5, 6, and 7 arranged in front of the cow's forelegs, between the fore and hind legs, and behind the hind legs, respectively. Further, the cow lifter has an outside skirt 8 as will be described in more detail hereinafter.

With the cow positioned on top of the side compartments 3 and 4, the skirt 8 is done up, 20 and the underside compartments 5, 6 and 7 are then inflated using an air blower. The underside compartments are shaped to compliment the underside of the cow, although as will be appreciated the "underside" of the cow is not yet underneath the cow as the cow is lying on its side.

Referring to figure 2, the cow 1 is shown on its side with the underside compartments inflated. The hooves of the cow are shown at 9 and the rump of the cow at 10. 6 Referring to figure 3, one of the side compartments 3 is then inflated until the cow is at an angle of approximately 45 degrees - ie half way to a "standing up" position. As shown in figure 4, the other side compartment 4 is then inflated to push the cow into a 5 standing position. As the underside compartments 5, 6 and 7 are already inflated the cow is fully supported and maintained in a standing position even if its legs are unable to take its weight - ie the cow's body weight is taken up by the underside compartments 5, 6 and 7.

Figure 5 shows the cow supported in a standing position with the outside skirt shown in dotted lines so that detail of the underside compartments 5, 6 and 7 can be seen. As shown in figure 5, the contour of the underside compartments 5, 6 and 7 closely matches that of the cow.

Referring to figure 6, the cow lifter incorporates a cover 11 attached to the side compartment 3 which can be drawn over the top of the cow. As shown in figures 6 and 7, the cover 11 and the skirt 8 together give the cow a substantial measure of shelter from wind and rain. The skirt may also assist in supporting, or retaining in place, the underside compartments 5, 6 and 7.

Optionally the cow lifter is inflated by way of a high volume air pump 12 as shown in figure 5, for example a conventional leaf blower may suffice. Preferably there are colour coded tapes or tubes forming part of the cow cover so that a user can readily identify which tubes must be used to inflate which compartments. The compartments themselves may be colored in a manner corresponding to the tubes or taps. 7 The invention enables a downed animal to be raised without being pulled by to its feet by an item of machinery, for example a front end loader, which machinery may increase the risk of injury to the animal.

While the invention has been described with reference to a cow, it will be appreciated that it can be used with a variety of animals and in a variety of applications. For example the invention may be used to recover animals generally, or to support them while surgical or other procedures are performed.

While some preferred forms of the invention have been described by way of example it should appreciated that modifications and improvements can occur without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

Claims (10)

8 WHAT I CLAIM IS:

1. Animal husbandry means, having at least three underside compartments shaped to substantially compliment a part of a four legged animal under the belly of the animal, 5 and at least two side compartments, the husbandry means being formed such that when it is in use it can be arranged with the side compartments under the side of a four legged animal which is laying on its side and the underside compartments arranged such that one of these is between the fore and hind legs of the animal, another of the underside compartments is in front of the fore legs, and another of the underside compartments is 10 behind the hind legs, the husbandry means being formed such that when it is in use the underside compartments and the side compartments can be inflated such that the side compartments inflate one after the other to cause the animal to assume, in stages, a standing position such that it is supported on its underside by the underside compartments. 15

2. Animal husbandry means according to claim 1, wherein one of the underside compartments is able to support the underside of the animal in front of the animal's forelegs when it is standing. 20

3. Animal husbandry means according to claim 1 or 2, wherein one of the underside compartments is able to support the underside of the animal behind the animal's hind legs when it is standing.

4. Animal husbandry means according to claim 1, 2 or 3, having a cover which can 25 be drawn over the animal when it is in a standing position to provide a measure of shelter to the animal. ________________ INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF N.Z 2 8 JUL 2005 RECEIVED 9

5. Animal husbandry means according to any one of the preceding claims, having a skirt which can be arranged around a side part of the animal opposite the side compartments when the animal is in a standing position to provide a measure of 5 protection to the animal and/or to facilitate support or positional retention of the underside compartments.

6. Animal husbandry means according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein one of the side compartments, when inflated, positions the animal at an angle between 10 horizontal and upright, and the other side compartment, when subsequently inflated, positions the animal substantially upright.

7. Animal husbandry means according to any one of the preceding claims, having an air blower suitable for use in inflating the underside compartments and the side 15 compartments.

8. Animal husbandry means according to any one of the preceding claims, formed such that it is suitable for use when the animal is a cow. 20

9. Animal husbandry means substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

10. A method of raising a four legged animal from a laying to a standing position by positioning an animal husbandry means according to any one of the preceding claims 25 under the animal when it is laying, and inflating the animal husbandry means to force the animal to a standing position. I INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF N.Z. 2 8 JUL 2005 RECEIVED 10 11 A method according to claim 10, wherein each side compartment is inflated separately to move the animal to the standing position in stages. 5 12. A method according to claim 10 or 11, wherein a portion of the animal husbandry means is, when inflated, substantially beneath the animal when it is standing to give a measure of support to the animal when in that position. MARTEN LAMMERT DIJKSTRA By His Attorney INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF N.Z 28 JUL 2005 RECEIVED