NZ626083B2 - An animal housing arrangement and method of controlling a cooling system thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

shed or housing for cooling of dairy cows or other animals is described. The method seeks to reduce the electricity or energy expended in cooling cows to reduce heat stress and maintain milk yield. The method uses water or other cooling fluid to reduce the temperature of the animals. The housing (1) has an entrance (3); an exit (4); a plurality of shower heads or cooling units (6) for spraying the animals and provided with fluid by a system of pipes (9); and an arm, guide rail, or element (28) that either prevents or encourages the animals to proceed through the shed. The cooling units (6) are activated according to the position of the element (28) such that the cooling fluid is sprayed when animals are beneath them. 1) has an entrance (3); an exit (4); a plurality of shower heads or cooling units (6) for spraying the animals and provided with fluid by a system of pipes (9); and an arm, guide rail, or element (28) that either prevents or encourages the animals to proceed through the shed. The cooling units (6) are activated according to the position of the element (28) such that the cooling fluid is sprayed when animals are beneath them.

Description

An animal housing arrangement and method of controlling a g system f TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an animal housing arrangement.

The present invention also relates to a method of controlling a cooling system for cooling of domestic animals in an animal housing arrangement.

Preferably, domestic animals are referred to as cattle, preferably cows, sheep, goats or os that are housed in an enclosed area for industrial purposes, such as milk production.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It has been noted that during periods ofhigh heat conditions cattle become uncomfortable and heat stressed and, accordingly, significantly reduce their feed consumption, which may reduce the rate of weight gain for the cattle, and for dairy show in cows also reduce the milk production. The effects ofheat stress also increased respiration rate, increased water intake, sed sweating, slower rate of feed passage and decreased blood flow to internal organs, which has negative impact on the general condition of the animals as well as their reproduction y, thereby contributing to economic losses to dairy ers.

As a consequence thereof, for the purpose of suppressing the negative effects of heat areas in which such on the cattle, cooling systems have been provided in the enclosed cattle are . In the case of dairy cows, typical enclosed areas that may be provided with cooling systems are waiting areas, milking areas, feeding areas or g areas.

Prior art cooling systems generally t of an air bution duct for directing a turbulent air stream onto the cows and a separate water line that terminates with a nozzle which produces a spray. Nozzles are commonly used, in contrast to discharge directly from a hose, in order to conserve water. Sprinklers that are positioned in the feeding area of a dairy farm lly provide supplemental cooling, ng the fan hot cow to be much more comfortable. power needed and enabling a marginally Since cows sweat only one—tenth as much as humans, a spray-fan cooling system ofmoisture from serves to conduct away surface heat and increases the vaporization the skin of the cow. This body—cooling effect enhances comfort and increases milk production.

The water ejected by means of the nozzles may be of larger droplets that get into 3O contact with the animal and thereby contribute to a direct cooling thereof, or may of smaller droplets, like mist, that will contribute to a cooling of the air around the -l74 animal rather than a direct g of the animal. Such cooling of the animal through cooling of t air may be ed as an indirect cooling of the animal.

EP 1 480 725 ses a cooling system for the cooling of cows, which ses the problem of inordinate consumption ofwater in cooling systems that use water lines and nozzles for the cooling of the cows. EP 1 480 725 suggests an optimised fan and spraying device design which will provide for a more efficient use r for the purpose of cooling the animals.

WO 99/25179 discloses a stable with a climate control system, wherein the amount of air to be ed and the temperature thereof can be controlled for each fan individually, so that zones are created which can be controlled independently of each other depending on the number of animals present in each zone, as measured e.g. by C02 sensors.

THE OBJECT OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a cooling system for cooling domestic animals which enables efficient use of energy for the purpose of cooling said animals, in particular for the purpose of cooling animals that are moving through direction from an entrance to an enclosed area in which an element that moves in a in said direction. It should an exit of said area permits or forces the animals to move be understood that the animals do not necessarily move continuously through the enclosed area, but may stay there for a erable period of time while resting, waiting for entry into another area, or being milked etc. However, seen over time, they will move through the enclosed area. In cases in which the cooling system uses solution water as a cooling means, it is an object of the invention to suggest a according to which a required water supply line pressure can be either reduced or held at a low level for a given number of cooling units, or a predetermined supply line re will be sufficient for an elevated number of cooling units.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In a first aspect, the present invention provides an animal housing arrangement comprising an ed area ed to house ic animals and a cooling system for cooling domestic animals, said cooling system comprising a ity of cooling units ed to generate a flow of a cooling medium that will either ly or indirectly contribute to the cooling of said animals, and a control unit arranged to control the operation of said cooling units, wherein said animal g arrangement comprises an enclosed area which is arranged to house said animals and which is provided with an entrance in one end and an exit in another end, and wherein, in said area, there is provided an element which is arranged to move in a direction from the entrance towards the exit and thereby to permit or force animals to move in said direction inside the enclosed area, said plurality of cooling units being subdivided into at least two separate subgroups of cooling units, each subgroup covering at least a part of said enclosed area and sing at least one cooling unit, wherein the control unit is arranged to detect the position of said element as the latter moves in said direction and to base on this detected position control at least one subgroup on a first side of said t to be in active mode and simultaneously control at least one other subgroup on an opposite second side of said element to be in inactive mode.

It is assumed that the animals will be predominantly located on one side of the element as the latter moves through the enclosed area from the entrance thereof to the exit thereof. The invention provides for inactivation of at least one subgroup of cooling units on one side of said element, thereby also providing for use of less energy or cooling medium with regard taken to the d position of the s, indirectly defined by the position of said element.

A control unit may include computer hardware and software provided so as to enable the suggested control of the g units of the cooling system. A sensor or electric circuit that detects the on of said element that moves through the enclosed area is then preferably also part of the cooling system, and provides the control unit with information regarding the position of said t in relation to the subgroups of cooling units that are distributed over said area and cover at least a part thereof. Based on such information, the control unit controls the operation of the respective subgroups of cooling units. As an alternative to a hardware/software solution, the control unit may comprise an electric circuit which is e of detecting the position of said element in relation to the subgroups of cooling units and is designed to control the operation of the cooling units in accordance with the teaching ofthe present invention on the basis of the detected positions of said element.

Preferably, the cooling units of the cooling system cover a major part of the enclosed the element that is arranged to area, most preferably the whole area. Preferably, area to move through the enclosed area and thereby permit or force animals in said move in a direction from an entrance thereof to an exit thereof ses a gate extending over the width of the enclosed area, and is preferably driven by a motor.

The control unit may be provided with sofiware or se an electric circuit that provides for control of a motor that drives said element. Detectors for ing the position of animals in the enclosed area may be provided, and the control of the motion of said element is then preferably performed on the basis of input from such detectors. Alternatively, the operation of said element is controlled manually based is provided a on ocular monitoring of the presence of animals in said area, or there timer on the basis of which the motion of said t is controlled, or there is provided other sensors, such as sensors connected to milking ent or the like, the data output h is used as input for controlling the motion of said element. It is to be understood that the motion of said element in said direction is not necessarily continuous but may include intermediate stops along the way. Preferably, said element is arranged to be moved from a start position adjacent an entrance of said to said start area to and end position adjacent an exit of said area, and then back position. In any of the start position or the end position, said element is arranged to enable passage of animals. For example, there may be provided means for enabling element. an elevation of said element, such that the animals can pass under the According to one embodiment, said control unit is arranged to sequentially inactivate different subgroups of cooling units on at least one of said first side and second side in accordance with a predetermined order, while simultaneously controlling at least in active mode. one other subgroup on the same side to be at least periodically Thereby, some subgroups will be in active mode while some are in inactive mode, and there will be a uous ng ofwhich subgroups that are in active and inactive mode respectively. All ups will never be in active mode aneously. Thereby, peaks in the use of energy or cooling medium consumption in a supply line for can be suppressed to lower . If for example the pressure cooling water is low, the suggested sequential inactivation of predetermined subgroups will enable supply of sufficient pressure to those subgroups that are activated.

According to a preferred embodiment, there is a plurality of subgroups on said first side, and the control unit is arranged to sequentially vate ups of cooling units on said first side. Sequential inactivation is referred to as in a specific order. In other words, while one or more subgroups are inactivated to be in inactive mode, at least one other subgroup on said side of said element is in active mode. Thereby, it is avoided that all subgroups are in active mode at the same time on said first side.

Since continuous cooling of animals normally is not needed or preferred, periodical activation of the subgroups is preferred. However, d of simultaneous activation of all subgroups, followed by simultaneous inactivation thereof, the invention medium suggests sequenced inactivation. Thereby, peaks in use of energy or cooling consumption can be suppressed to Iowa levels.

According to a preferred embodiment, the control unit is arranged to control all subgroups on said second side of said elements to be in ve mode and to simultaneously control at least one subgroup on said first side to be at least periodically in active mode. As previously mentioned, it can be assumed that a group of animals are gathered only on one side of said t as the latter moves through the ed area. Provided that the first side is the one on which the s are gathered, any activation of cooling units on the second side should preferably be avoided in order to lower the energy ption or need of water supply of the cooling system. ing to yet another embodiment, said element is an element arranged to push and thereby force s in the enclosed area to move from said entrance towards said exit, the second side thereofbeing the side between said element and said entrance. Thereby, it may be assumed that there will be no animals on said second side of said element during the travel of the latter from the entrance towards the exit ofthe enclosed area. Preferably, the control unit is arranged to control all cooling units on the second side to be in inactive mode in order to avoid excessive use of energy and/or g medium ption.

According to one embodiment, the cooling system comprises animal presence detectors arranged to detect presence or absence of s in different parts of said that cover areas in which area, the l unit being arranged to control subgroups absence of s is detected to be in inactive mode, and to simultaneously control subgroups that cover areas in which presence of animals is detected to be at least periodically in active mode. Preferably, on a side on which presence of animals is detected for certain subareas thereof, only the subgroups that cover said subareas are controlled by the control unit to be in active mode. Preferably, in order to minimize medium supply line pressure, the energy consumption peaks and possible cooling control unit is arranged to tially vate and activate said ups.

Thereby each subgroup covering one of said subareas will be in active mode periodically, and there will always be at least one of said subgroups that is in inactive mode.

According to one embodiment, each of said cooling units comprises a liquid ng device arranged to eject a cooling liquid, the cooling system comprising a pipe l unit system through which liquid is conducted to said cooling units, and the being arranged to inactivate or activate said spraying device. Preferably, the cooling liquid is water. In such a system, the ples of the present invention will contribute to lower need of cooling liquid supply line pressure, since the control unit is ed to prevent that all the cooling units of the cooling system are simultaneously in active mode.

Preferably, each subgroup is provided with a valve by means ofwhich the flow of liquid to the cooling unit or units of that subgroup is controlled, the control unit being arranged to inactivate or activate the cooling unit by controlling the operation of said valve. Said inactivation of a subgroup includes inactivation of the spraying devices thereof, and said control of a subgroup to be in active mode includes control ofthe spraying devices thereof to be in active mode.

According to one embodiment, each cooling unit comprises an electrically driven fan arranged to generate a flow of air, and the control unit is arranged to l the operation of said fan. Said inactivation of a subgroup es inactivation of the fan or fans thereof, and said control of a up to be in active mode includes a control ofthe fan or fans thereof to be in active mode.

Preferably, a cooling unit comprises a fan and a spraying device. Suitable designs thereofmay be those presented in the prior art. For example, it may be conceived that the spraying device comprises a nozzle which is positioned in front of the fan, whereby the spraying device is arranged to emit a cooling liquid, preferably water, towards a dedicated area in which an animal may be present, and the fan will supplement the spraying device by generating a flow of air towards said area. The cooling liquid may either get into direct contact with an animal located in said area and thereby cool the animal directly, or may only have a cooling effect on the ambient air of the animal and thereby cool the animal indirectly h cooling of said ambient air.

Inactive mode of a cooling unit or subgroup comprising at least one such cooling unit, and in which the cooling unit comprises a fan and a spraying device, is ed to as inactivation of at least one ofthe spraying device and the fan.

According to a preferred embodiment, said enclosed area is any of a g area, a milking area, a feeding area or a resting area. Preferably, the enclosed area is particularly adopted for the housing of cows.

In a r aspect, the present invention provides a method of controlling a cooling system for cooling of domestic animals in an animal housing arrangement, wherein - said cooling system comprises a plurality of cooling units provided to generate a flow of a cooling medium that will either directly or indirectly bute to the g of said animals, and - said animal housing arrangement comprises an enclosed area which is arranged to house said animals and is provided with an entrance in one end and an exit in r end, wherein, in said area, there is provided an element which is arranged to move in a direction from the entrance towards the exit and thereby to permit or force animals to move in said direction inside the ed area, terised in that said plurality of cooling units are subdivided into at least two separate ups of cooling units, each subgroup comprising at least one cooling unit, wherein during operation of the g system, the position of said element is detected as the latter moves in said direction, and based on this ed position at least one subgroup on a first side of said element is controlled to be at least periodically in active mode and simultaneously at least one other subgroup on an opposite second side of said element is controlled to be in inactive mode. -l74 According to one embodiment, on at least one of said first side and second side, there is provided a plurality of subgroups, wherein said subgroups are tially inactivated in ance with a predetermined order, while simultaneously at least in active one other subgroup on the same side is controlled to be at least periodically mode. ably, all subgroups on said second side of said elements are controlled side is to be in inactive mode and, simultaneously, at least one subgroup on said first controlled to be at least ically in active mode.

According to yet another embodiment, animals present in said enclosed area are pushed and thereby forced by said t to move from said entrance towards said exit, the second side thereofbeing the side between said element and said entrance.

It is also preferred that the g system comprises animal presence detectors arranged to detect presence or absence of animals in different parts of said area, n subgroups that cover areas in which absence of animals is detected are controlled to be in ve mode and, simultaneously, subgroups that cover areas in which presence of animals is detected are controlled to be at least periodically in active mode.

Preferably, each cooling unit comprises a liquid spraying device and the cooling said liquid system comprises a pipe system by means ofwhich liquid is conducted to spraying devices, wherein inactivation of a cooling unit includes inactivation of said liquid spraying , and control of a cooling unit to be in active mode includes control of said liquid spraying device to be in active mode.

It is to be understood that the method according to the invention may be implemented on, or by means of, an animal housing arrangement as defined in accordance with any one of the embodiments presented in the foregoing part of this description. The advantages of the method of the present invention also pond to the advantages obtained by means of the animal housing arrangement presented the foregoing part of the description.

Further features and ages of the present invention will be presented in the following detailed description of embodiments of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention will hereinafter be described in detail with nce to the enclosed drawing, on which: Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of an animal housing ement according to one embodiment of the invention, as seen from above.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Fig. 1 shows an animal g arrangement according to one embodiment of the invention. The arrangement comprises an enclosed area 1, which is surrounded and thereby enclosed by means of a fence 2 or the like. In this particular embodiment the enclosed area is a g area for cows, but it should be understood that it could be for the purpose of at least temporarily housing a any kind of area that is arranged herd of animals such as cows. At a first end of the area 1 there is an entrance 3 h which the animals are supposed to enter the area 1. The entrance 3 may include any kind of gate device for opening and closure thereof, but may also be of a kind that is permanently open, i.e. a permanently open opening in the fence 2. At a second end of the area 1 there is provided an exit 4, which preferably es a gate device for opening and closure thereof. There may be provided a roof above the ed area 1 in order to provide for shadow and reduced temperature in said area during hot weather conditions.

The animal housing arrangement further comprises a cooling system 5, which comprises a plurality of cooling units 6. Each cooling unit 6 comprises a spraying device 7 and a fan 8. Preferably, the spraying device 7 is formed by a nozzle provided in connection with a cooling liquid supply pipe system 9. The fan 8 is driven by an electric motor (not shown). Each cooling unit 6 functionally covers a ermined cooling area, i.e. is able of g an animal present in said cooling area. Together, the cooling units 6 functionally cover a major part of the enclosed area 1, preferably more than 80% thereof, and most ably more than 90% f. The cooling liquid supply pipe system 9 comprises a pump 10, which may be either a y installed pump for generating a predetermined pressure, or may be the pressure-generating means of a common public water delivery network.

The cooling units 6 are subdivided into subgroups 11-15. In the embodiment presented in fig. 1, each subgroup 11—1 5 is formed by a predetermined number of cooling units 6 arranged in a row that extends in a direction generally perpendicular to a ht line between said entrance 3 and said exit 4. ingly, the subgroups 1 1—15 form a plurality of rows arranged between the entrance 3 and the exit 4 of the enclosed area 1. The pipe system 9 comprises a common supply pipe 16 from which there is a separate branch 17-21 to each tive subgroup 11-15 of cooling units.

Each branch 17-21 is provided with a valve 22-26, preferably a solenoid vale, by means of which the flow of cooling liquid to the respective subgroup 11-15 is controlled. For the purpose controlling the operation of the valves 22—26, and thereby the inactivation and activation respectively of the spraying devices 7 of the respective cooling units 6 of the tive subgroup 11—15, cooling system 9 also comprises a control unit 27. The control unit 27 is operatively connected to the valves 22—26 and arranged to transmit control signals to the latter, either by wire or wirelessly ing on requested setup. The control unit 27 comprises computer hardware and software adapted to control the valves 22—26. For the control of the operation of the respective fans 8 of each tive subgroup 11-1 5 the control unit 27 is arranged to it control signals to the electric motors that drive the fans 8.

Accordingly, the operation of each cooling unit 6 is controlled by means of the control unit 27.

The animal housing arrangement further comprises an element 28 which is arranged to move in a direction from the entrance 3 towards the exit 4 and thereby to permit or force animals to move in said direction inside the enclosed area 1. The movable element 28 comprises a gate which extends over the whole width of the enclosed area 1. There are provided guide members, not shown, on which the movable element 28 is suspended and by means of which it is guided when moving in said direction. Such guide members may form part of the fence 2 that encloses the ed area 1. Preferably, there is provided a motor or the like, not shown, by means of which the movable element 28 is moved between the entrance 3 and the exit 4 of the enclosed area 1. The operation of such a motor may be controlled by the control unit 27. However, manual control of such a motor is also vable.

There is also ed a detector 29 which is arranged to detect, or sense, the position of the movable element 28 in relation to the position of the subgroups 11-15.

The position data gathered by the detector 29 is transmitted to the control unit 27, which is arranged to make use of that input in order to control the operation of the respective subgroups 11-15. In other words, the control unit 27 is arranged to detect the position of said movable element 28, by means of said detector 29, and l the operation of the subgroups 11—15 on the basis f. The detector 29 may be of any suitable kind, such as an optical one.

On the basis of the input from or 29, the control unit 27 controls the subgroups 11-15 in the following way, given that the movable element 28 has the function of pushing a herd of animals already at place in the enclosed area towards and out through the exit 4 thereof: when the position data received from the or establishes that the movable t 28 has passed a subgroup on its way from the entrance 3 to the exit 4, to such a degree that the area functionally covered by that subgroup is to at least a major part on the side of the movable t 28 that is t to the entrance 3, the control unit 27 transmits a signal to the valve 22-26 of that subgroup 11-15 to close, and thereby set the spraying devices 7 of that subgroup 11-15 in inactive mode. The control unit 27 also transmits a signal to the motor or 3O motors that drive the fans 8 of said subgroup to stop, and thereby sets the fans 8 into ve mode. Thereby, the subgroup in question is set into inactive mode. As the movable element 28 passes further subgroups on its travel from the entrance 3 to the exit, the control unit 27 is arranged to go through the same procedure with each one ofthose subgroups. When the e element 28 finally reaches the region of the exit, and the area between said element and the exit 4 is free from animals, all subgroups 11-15 are controlled by the control unit 27 to be in ve mode.

The side of the movable element 28 adjacent the exit 4 may be named the first side (in contrast to the side adjacent the entrance, which may be named the second side).

The control unit 27 is ed to sequentially inactivate ent subgroups 11—15 of cooling units 6 on at least one of said sides in accordance with a predetermined order, while simultaneously controlling at least one other subgroup 11-15 on the 11—15 same side to be at least periodically in active mode. The number of subgroups that are simultaneously in active mode, and the period of time that each subgroup is in active mode and inactive mode respectively, should be determined on the basis of outer conditions such as temperature and humidity of the air. Temperature and humidity sensors, not shown, may therefore preferably be part of the cooling system and be operatively connected to the control unit 27, wherein the latter receives temperature and humidity information from such s as input and decides the details of the sequenced operation of the cooling unit subgroups 11—1 5 on the basis thereof. If, for example, the temperature is high, the control unit 27 may be arranged to only permit one subgroup at a time to be in active mode. At somewhat lower temperatures, that still requires cooling of animals present in the ed area 1, more than one of said subgroups 11-15 at a time may be in inactive mode.

It should be understood that, as an alternative, the movable element 28 may be arranged to be in front of a herd of animals moving into the enclosed area. In such a which sequenced case, the second side of the movable element is the one on activation and vation of the subgroups 11—15 is med on the basis of output from the control unit 27, while the first side is the one in which all subgroups 1 1-15 are in inactive mode.

If the movable element 28 is used as a divider between two groups of animals, which are then present on both sides of the movable element 28, sequenced inactivation subgroups in accordance with the teaching of the invention is preferably performed on both sides f.

As a supplement to the above—mentioned input to the control unit 27, the latter may also be provided with input regarding the presence or absence of s in different parts of the ed area 1. For that purpose, the cooling system 5 suggested in fig. 1 comprises a plurality of detectors 30, such as optical detectors, for detecting the of said area 1. Preferably, there is at least presence of animals in predetermined parts of animals one or for each subgroup 11-15, i.e. a detector s the presence in the area that is functionally covered by the respective subgroup. As long as absence of animals is detected in the area of a specific subgroup 11—15, the control unit 27 is arranged to control the subgroup 11-15 in on to be in inactive mode. ced activation and inactivation of subgroups is then preferably only performed with the subgroups for which presence of animals has been detected by the detectors 30. Since full coverage of the enclosed area 1 by means of such detectors 30 may be expensive, it may suffice that only a limited part, even a minor the remaining part, part, of said enclosed area 1 is covered by said detectors 30. For not covered by such s, control of the operation of the respective subgroups is preferably only performed on the basis of input regarding weather conditions (temperature, ty, etc) and the on of the movable element 28, and, how much g is needed for each course, on the basis of the knowledge of specific weather condition.

In the casein which the enclosed area 1 is a waiting area in which animals, preferably cows, are waiting to enter a subsequent milking area, it is preferred that the subgroup or subgroups closest to the exit 4 should be in inactive mode sufficiently often and long such that the animals are sufficiently dry when entering the milking area. Accordingly, the control unit may be arranged to control said group maximum period or groups not to be in active mode for more than a predetermined be in of time, regardless of for how long time the other ups are controlled to active mode.

H 'JI The embodiments suggested in the foregoing description have been presented by way of example. It is d that the person skilled in the art will be able of ng the invention to practice without undue burden once presented with the principles thereof. It is must therefore be assumed that numerous solutions of hardware/software and electric circuits for implementing the principles of the invention will be realised by the person skilled in the art, wherein such embodiments of the will still be within the scope of protection as defined in the independent claims present application, supported by the description thereof.

Claims (21)

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. An animal housing arrangement sing an enclosed area arranged to house domestic s and a cooling system for cooling domestic animals, said cooling system comprising a plurality of cooling units provided to generate a flow of a cooling medium that will either directly or indirectly contribute to the cooling of said animals, and a control unit ed to control the operation of said cooling units, wherein said animal housing arrangement comprises an enclosed area which is arranged to house said animals and which is provided with an entrance in 10 one end and an exit in another end, and wherein, in said area, there is provided an element which is arranged to move in a direction from the entrance s the exit and thereby to permit or force animals to move in said direction inside the enclosed area, said plurality of g units being subdivided into at least two separate subgroups of cooling units, each subgroup covering at least a part of said enclosed 15 area and comprising at least one cooling unit, n the l unit is arranged to detect the position of said element as the latter moves in said direction and to base on this detected position control at least one subgroup on a first side of said element to be in active mode and simultaneously control at least one other subgroup on an opposite second side of said element to be in inactive mode.

2. An animal housing arrangement ing to claim 1, characterised in that said control unit is arranged to sequentially inactivate different subgroups of cooling units on at least one of said first side and second side in accordance with a ermined order, while simultaneously controlling at least one other subgroup on the same side 25 to be at least periodically in active mode.

3. An animal housing arrangement according to claim 2, characterised in that there is a plurality of subgroups on said first side and that the l unit is arranged to sequentially inactivate subgroups of cooling units on said first side.

4. An animal housing ement according to any one of claims 1-3, characterised in that the control unit is arranged to control all subgroups on said second side of said element to be in inactive mode and to simultaneously control at least one subgroup on said first side to be at least periodically in active mode.

5. An animal housing arrangement according to any one of claims 1-4, characterised in that said element is an element arranged to push and thereby force animals in the enclosed area to move from said entrance towards said exit, and said 10 second side thereof being the side between said element and said entrance.

6. An animal housing arrangement according to any one of claims 1-5, characterised in that the cooling system comprises animal presence detectors arranged to detect presence or absence of animals in different parts of said enclosed 15 area, the control unit being arranged to control subgroups that cover areas in which absence of animals is detected to be in inactive mode and to aneously control subgroups, that cover areas in which presence of animals is detected to be at least periodically in active mode. 20

7. An animal housing arrangement ing to any one of claims 1-6, terised in that each of said cooling units comprises a liquid ng device arranged to eject a cooling liquid, the cooling system comprising a pipe system through which liquid is conducted to said cooling units, and the control unit being ed to inactivate or activate said spraying device.

8. An animal housing arrangement according to claim 7, characterised in that each subgroup is provided with a valve by means of which the flow of liquid to the cooling unit or units of that subgroup is lled, the control unit being arranged to inactivate or activate the g unit by controlling the operation of said valve.

9. An animal housing arrangement according to claim 7 or 8, terised in that said inactivation of a subgroup includes inactivation of the spraying devices thereof, and said control of a subgroup to be in active mode includes control of the ng s thereof to be in active mode.

10. An animal housing arrangement according to any one of claims 1-8, characterised in that each cooling unit ses an electrically driven fan arranged to generate a flow of air, and that the control unit is arranged to control the operation of said fan.

11. An animal housing ement according to claim 10, characterised in that said inactivation of a subgroup includes inactivation of the fan or fans thereof, and said control of a subgroup to be in active mode includes a control of the fan or fans f to be in active mode.

12. An animal housing arrangement according to any one of claims 1—11, characterised in that each cooling unit comprises a liquid spraying device ed to eject a cooling liquid and an electrically driven fan arranged to generate a flow of air, and said inactive mode is referred to as inactivation of at least one of the spraying 15 device and the fan.

13. An animal housing ement according to any one of claims 1-12, characterised in that said enclosed area is any of a g area, a milking area, a feeding area or a resting area.

14. A method of lling a cooling system for cooling of ic animals in an animal g arrangement, wherein - said cooling system comprises a plurality of cooling units provided to generate a flow of a cooling medium that will either directly or indirectly contribute to the 25 g of said animals, and — said animal housing arrangement comprises an enclosed area which is arranged to house said animals and is provided with an entrance in one end and an exit in another end, wherein, in said area, there is provided an element which is arranged to move in a direction from the entrance towards the exit and thereby to permit or force animals 30 to move in said direction inside the enclosed area, characterised in that said plurality of cooling units are subdivided into at least two separate subgroups of cooling units, each subgroup comprising at least one cooling unit, wherein during operation of the cooling system, the position of said element is detected as the latter moves in said direction, and based on this detected position at least one subgroup on a first side of said element is controlled to be at least periodically in active mode and simultaneously at least one other subgroup on an te second side of said element is controlled to be in inactive mode.

15. A method according to claim 14, characterised in that, on at least one of said first side and second side, there is provided a plurality of subgroups, wherein said subgroups are sequentially inactivated in accordance with a predetermined order, 10 while simultaneously at least one other up on the same side is controlled to be at least periodically in active mode.

16. A method according to claim 15, characterised in that all subgroups on said second side of said element are controlled to be in inactive mode and, 15 simultaneously, at least one subgroup on said first side is controlled to be at least periodically in active mode.

17. A method according to any one of claims 14—16, characterised in that animals present in said enclosed area are pushed and thereby forced by said element to move 20 from said ce towards said exit, the second side thereof being the side between said element and said entrance.

18. A method according to any one of claims 14-17, characterised in that the cooling system comprises animal presence ors arranged to detect presence or 25 absence of animals in different parts of said area, wherein ups that cover areas in which absence of animals is detected are controlled to be in inactive mode and, simultaneously, subgroups that cover areas in which ce of animals is detected are controlled to be at least periodically in active mode. 30

19. A method ing to any one of claims 14—18, characterised in that each g unit comprises a liquid spraying device and the cooling system comprises a pipe system by means of which liquid is conducted to said liquid spraying devices, wherein inactivation of a cooling unit includes inactivation of said liquid spraying device, and control of a cooling unit to be in active mode includes control of said liquid spraying device to be in active mode.

20. An animal housing arrangement according to claim 1, substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the anying drawing.

21. A method according to claim 14, substantially as herein described or exemplified with reference to the accompanying drawing.