WO1993019588A1

WO1993019588A1 - Hog pen flooring

Info

Publication number: WO1993019588A1
Application number: PCT/CA1992/000148
Authority: WO
Inventors: Stuart Douglas Young
Original assignee: Design Concrete Systems Ltd.
Priority date: 1992-04-03
Filing date: 1992-04-03
Publication date: 1993-10-14
Also published as: CA2065122A1; AU1458892A; CA2065122C

Abstract

A plurality of rectangular, hexahedron concrete slabs (30) are employed and adjacently disposed to form a flooring (30) for a hog pen (21) having elevated sides (22, 23) or margins. Each slab or slat (30) has a plurality of apertures (40) so that the porosity of the slat (30), in closer proximity (W) to the walls of the pen (21), is greater than through the central region (C) of the pen (21). This provides, because of the observed behavior of the hog, a greater porous region (W) adjacent the walls (22, 23) of the pen (21) where the animal tends to defecate, the defecation running through the slots (40) into a collection region (26) below the elevation of the slats (30). The central region (C) which has a less porosity, is more suitable for the animal to walk or lay upon. When the animal walks near the sides (22, 23), (W) of the pen (21), the hoof action of the hog on the slat (30) tends to push any feces collected on the top of the slat through the apertures (40) into a collection region below (26) the elevation of the slats (30) and hence, the pen (21) is maintained clear of defecation by the actual movement of the hogs. Pen cleaning by the farmer is reduced or avoided.

Description

HOG PEN FLOORING

This invention relates to animal husbandry and particularly, to a novel hog pen; flooring for the same, whereby a novel method of hog husbandry can be achieved.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

In the animal husbandry of hogs, in Nort America, several hogs, six ten or even more, are maintained in a confined pen and several pens are housed in a barn. Generally the pens have a flat flooring or floor.

Many of the hog pen flooring designs and structures presently employed were formally novel ones used in the husbandry of cattle and were then transferred to the husbandry of hogs. Some were just flat floors with a pit region at a corner, or along one or both sides, which would allow the disposal of defecation by the animal to a region below the slat elevation. Others consisted of long smooth slats or rectangular hexahedrons juxtaposed one against the other to provide a flooring upon which the cattle could walk. At predetermined intervals, large spaces were provided between these slats so that the bowel movement of the animal could fall into a reservoir beneath the slats? , for later removal in a manner known in the art either by truck, manure pump or the like.

These cattle slats were used initially in hog husbandry; the space between adjacent slats was reduced because the size of a hog's foot or hoof is smaller than that of cattle. Subsequently, space was also provided at the edge of each slat near the rails or sides of the pen to allow collection of defecation there; such structures were still found to be unsatisfactory.

It is an object of the present invention to provide various species of slats, particularly suitable as hog pen flooring slats each of which, or as a family of slats, provide a greater smooth area upon which the hog can walk, and particularly for the baby pig, whose body is relatively smaller and whose hooves otherwise tend to fall in or through by the very wide channel between adjacent slats or at the slat edges, near the wall or rails of the pen. It is an object of the invention therefore, to get a more solid area within the hog pen, and particularly for a more solid center area whereby the gilts, and hogs have greater solid space on which to lay, and upon which to walk. it is an additional object of the invention to provide a plurality of rectangular, hexagonal concrete slabs are employed and adjacently disposed to form a flooring for a hog pen having elevated sides or margins. Each slat has a plurality of apertures so that the porosity of the slat,, in closer proximity to the walls of the pen, is greater than through the central region of the pen. This provides, because of the observed behavior of the hog, a greater porous region adjacent the walls of the pen where the animal tends to defecate, the defecation running through the slots into a collection region below the elevation of the slats. The central region which has a less porosity, is more suitable for the animal to walk or lay upon. When the animal walks near the sides of the pen, the hoof action of the hog on the slat tends to push any feces collected on the top of the slat through the apertures into a collection region below the elevation of the slats and hence, the pen is maintained clear of defecation by the actual movement of the hogs. Pen cleaning by the farmer is reduced or avoided.

THE INVENTION

The invention contemplates, as an article of manufacture, a rectangular hexahedron having an upper flat rectangular plane top surface with families of apertures each with a longitudinal axis, preferably relatively parallel to each other or, with families, some parallel to each other and some ortogonal to the other.

In these embodiments, the apertures are preferably rectangular (because of the simplicity of concrete casting of the same) but, the apertures may be obround or even elliptical or of other geometrical longitudinal shape. Within each of these several slat (hexahedron) embodiments, the apertures may be parallel to the longitudinal axis of the hexahedron, or orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the hexahedron or a mixture of both. Within each of those embodiments, the recesses may be organized in families of adjacently disposed rows, the rows organized either orthogonal or parallel to the longitudinal axis of the slat.

Referring now to a preferred embodiment of pen layout, using the aforesaid slats, the pen preferably has near its marginal walls and ends, greater porosity or aperture area than in the central region of the pen. This allows easier defecation removal to occur by the action of the hog walking near the sides or ends of the slat where the hog finds itself more secure than in the center.

In a preferred pen environment, the orientation of the longitudinal apertures are such that, near the ends and side walls, the longitudinal apertures preferably run parallel to the adjacent side or end wall while in the center region of the pen, the porosity is less dense than around the edges. This has advantage since it has been observed that for walking or resting, the hog prefers the central region of the pen, but while defecating, prefers to be close to an adjacent wall or end. The hog preferably walks parallel or obliquely to the wall or end and hence, it is preferred that the hooves of the animal tread upon a longitudinal aperture in a line approximating the direction of travel of the hog as it walks rather than lateral to the direction of the travel of the hog as it walks. It has been observed that greater cleansing of the defecation near the walls occurs thereby since the feces are squashed in the direction of hog travel by the hoof and the boundary walls of the slot act as marginal barriers to the lateral transgression of the feces. Hence, the central region of the pen stays more clean. This is particularly useful in humid and hot weather occurring during the summertime where, if the central region of the pen is not maintained free of bowel movement, the hogs get dirty and they tend to suffer.

The invention additionally contemplates a method of animal husbandry, preferably hog husbandry, where a plurality of hogs are maintained within a confined pen region having surrounding walls and a flat floor with a porosity greater near the edges and ends of the pen than in the center. The invention therefore contemplates as an article of manufacture, suitable for assembly into a flooring structure for hog pens, a hexahedron having an upper planar top surface with a family of apertures extending through the hexahedron each providing channel passage means for conveying animal defecation dropped on the top of the hexahedron through the same. Preferably, the hexahedron is rectangular, and composed of concrete, and the apertures are selected from a group of geometrical shapes consisting of rectangular, obround, and elliptical; preferably rectangular since they are easier to cast in concrete.

The invention also contemplates a method of hog husbandry where a plurality of hogs are maintained within confines of a pen having surrounding walls standing to an elevation above that of a flat floor which extends between the walls, the floor having greater porosity nearer the walls than throughout its center.

The invention further contemplates a pen for rearing a plurality of hogs, the pen comprising a relatively flat floor upon which the hogs can walk, rest, or defecate, side wall bounding the said floor and elevated relative thereto so that hogs are bounded by the walls, feeder means located at an elevation above the floor, adapted for supplying feed and water to the hogs; wherein, the floor has a greater porosity near its perimeter than through its center. It has been observed, that baby pigs, are more agile than older pigs or hogs and hence the sizing of the apertures, which are preferably longitudinal according to the invention, provide a width of sloth which is generally slightly larger than the hoof of a baby pig, smaller than the hoof of a mid-sized grown-up pig. The mid-size pig and grown-up pig therefore can walk on the sloth without falling through. The baby pig if it walks on the sloth its foot goes into the sloth, when sized according to the preferred embodiments of the invention, but he is agile, and small enough in weight to withdraw his foot from the sloth without harm. In short order, 8 to 10 days, the baby pig learns not to put its foot in the sloth. As he grows up he then learns that he can walk on the sloth without falling through.

The invention therefore additionally contemplates that the width of a sloth, be rectangular or simplistic of concrete casting, the width of the sloth dimension approximately 1.75 cm.. The length of the sloth is not material but for simplicity concrete casting is about 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 times the width. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described by way of example and reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective, partially broken away, of a barn employing the invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view of a hog pen having a flooring, according to one embodiment of the invention; Figure 3 is an alternative plan view embodiment of hog pen flooring layout, according to the invention;

Figure 4 is a plan view of a barn flooring layout having a plurality of adjacent hog pens employing the hog pen layout of figure 2;

Figures 5 through 8 are plan views of respective slats, having laterally oriented rectangular slots in different spacial arrangements, according to other embodiments of the invention;

Figure 9 is a perspective view of the slat of figure 5;

Figures 10 and 11 respectively are side and end elevational views of slats, according to the invention; Figure 12 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of slot, obround in shape, according to the invention;

Figure 13 is a partial plan view of the slat of figure 12; Figure 14 is a plan view of a pen employing an alternative pen layouts (feeder not shown) orientation for the rectangular slot;

Figures 15 and 16 are respectively plan views of alternative rectangular slot arrangements; Figure 17 is a partial plan view of yet a further alternative embodiment of slot profile, elliptical in shape; located on that sheet of drawings with figures 9 through 13.

Figures 18 and 20 are a diagrammatic plan view of alternative pen layouts (feeders not shown) wherein the aperture, adjacent the side walls and end walls run generally parallel thereto and the apertures in the central region of the pen run parallel to the longitudinal axis of the pen. Figure 19 is a diagrammatic plan view of an alternative embodiment (feeder not shown) where the central region has no apertures whatsoever but there are longitudinal channels between adjacent slats and those longitudinal apertures or slots located in closer proximity to the sides and end walls, are relatively parallel thereto.

THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to figure 1, a barn (20) consists of a plurality of hog pens (21) having side rails or side walls (22) which separate one hog pen (21) from another, see figure 4, and end walls or rails (23). The hog rails (22) and (23) stand approximately three feet high on either side and at the end (23) of the pen (21). Where the pen (21) is juxtaposed an adjacent outside barn wall (25), the barn wall (25) can be substituted for one or more of the rails (22) and (23). A plurality of slats (30) are suspended from one side rail (22) or a barn wall (25) to the opposite side rail (22) since each side rail (22) has a lip or seat (24) running along the bottom thereof upon which the ends of each slat (30) rest. One layout or configuration is illustrated in figure 14, where the slats are oriented so that the longitudinal axis of the slat is lateral to the pen in the same fashion as shown in figure 1. Alternatively, the slats may have their longitudinal axis oriented parallel to the longitudinal direction of the pen (21) in a fashion shown in figures 2, 3 or 4; or even a mixture thereof - see figures 18 and 19 as well as the description of those figures. In figure 3, slats (30⁴ _H) are slats that are half as long as the plan view slat (30*) of figure 8. Whatever the orientation of the longitudinal axis of the slat (30), relative to the longitudinal axis of the pen (21), the slats (30) are disposed in the pen (21) so that a longitudinal channel (D) is defined by the longitudinal margins of adjacent slats, irrespective of the relative orientation of the longitudinal axis of the slats. This distance (D) , see figures 2, 3, 4 and 14 is preferably about 2cm (3/4 of an inch) and provide a communicating space from the top of the slat or floor to the plenum. Returning now to figure l as a result of the suspension of the slats (30) from lip (24) to lip (24), they over-cover a plenum (26) which is a collection region for hog urine and feces beneath the elevation of the slats (30) and which may have an inclined bottom floor, not clearly shown in figure 1, from one end of the pen to the other, so that feces and urine collected within the plenum are allowed to decay and become fertilizer. The means by which the collection is removed is determined by the precise design of the barn, and is known in the prior art and is not part of this invention.

The slats (30) each define families of longitudinal slots (40). In that respect and referring to figures 2 and subsequent, the generic longitudinal slat is referenced (30) while each different type of slat is denominated by reference (30') through (30⁶). Each slat (30), defines therefore, a family of apertures, channels or slots (40) which communicate the upper side of the slat (30) to the underside of the slat (30) and hence, the top of the floor to the collection plenum (26). These longitudinal apertures or channels (40) may be rectangular, as shown in figures 2 through 11 and figures 14 through 16; obround, as in figures 12 and 13, or elliptical figure 17. Other geometric shapes are possible but it is preferred, particularly because of the simplicity of manufacturing when the slats are made manufactured by concrete casting methods, that the slots be rectangular, sized 3/4 inch by 4 and 2/3 inch (2cm by 9cm).

By way of example and referring to figures 2, 4, 5 and 6, the slats of figures 5 and 6, organized in the pen (21) of figure 2 and a plurality of those pens when laid out adjacent to each other in a quadrant of a barn, as illustrated in figure 4.

Referring now to figure 2, as an example, the same illustrates the pen as (21), the longitudinal side rails or walls as (22) and the end rails, not really shown but referenced in the figure as (23). In one corner of the pen (21), is a feeder F, known in the prior art and by way of example only, one manufactured under the trading style "Crystal Spring" by a company known as Crystal Springs Ltd. of Crystal Spring Manitoba Canada. Referring temporarily to figure 4, two adjacent feeders (F) are disposed in back to back juxtaposed position along the boundary margin or boundary rail (22_B). If every other pen (21) is the mirror of its adjacent pens, then the feeder layout in the barn (20), as shown, in part, in figure 4 or, can be achieved. The pen layout allows two adjacent feed bins (F) to constitute a single feed station (S) within the barn which has a plurality of stations (S), less in number than the number of feed bins (F). This increases the efficiency of food handling by simplifying the distribution of feed to the stations (S).

Returning now to figure 2, since it has been observed that hogs are particularly prone for frequent bowel movement, and when they are within pens (21) with side rails (22), the emotional desire is to protect themselves from other swine so that they are not jostled or knocked off their feet during the bowel movement process. As a result, they tend to collect in a "secure" place and find the shorter or end rail (23) more secure, to urinate and defecate there rather than the longer side rails (22). Hence, their preference is, for bowel movement, to defecate in the proximity to or against that wall that has the shortest dimension; hence, adjacent to or against end walls (23), rather than the side rails (22). As a second alternative, defecation along the side walls (22) is the next alternative, then the central pen region (C) which has more solid area and is most suited for walking and exercising; or for laying down; or, for resting and sleeping.

It is therefore preferred, in order to allow the passage of the defecation into the plenum (26) for the upper surface of the floor to have a greater number of more closely disposed apertures (40) arranged at either end of the pen (12), which in figure 2, have been designated as zone (60) on each slat (30). On those slats (30') and (30³), which run adjacent the longitudinal rails (22) of the pen (21), these are identical to those shown in figures 5 and 7 and provide more porosity against adjacent side rails (22) because of the aperture row (45) while the central panels (30²) are those shown in the plan figure 6.

Observations are such that greater porosity is needed about the margins of the pen and not in the interior or central region of it since the central region is the laying down and resting area and is shown in figures 18 and 19 as region (C). In that respect and referring to all figures, save figure 19, there is greater rigid area and less aperture area in the central region (C) in the floor region than adjacent the walls of the pen. In figure 19, the central region is solid, save except for the longitudinal channels (D) , which run parallel to adjacent slats (30).

Referring to figure 20, it shows a pen layout similar to that of figure 18 and the center area (C) has slots (40) while around the peripheral, of end slat (30⁷) and (30⁸) , the same have slots at their respective ends parallel to the longer side rails (22) than to the ends (23). This configuration of slats could also be modified to utilize the slats (30⁸), shown in figure 19 for the center walk and rest area (C) . The sizing, in the preferred embodiment, is for a rectangular pen (10), 10 feet by 16 feet (270cm X 430cm) approximately. The preferred slat side is one being a rectangular hexahedron having sufficient length to extend from one wall to another and having a width of approximately 2 feet (54cm) and a rectangular slot dimension of 3/4 inches by 4 2/3 inches (1.70cm X 10.5cm). Around the perimeter of the pen, the spacing between the longitudinal parallel axis of each rectangular slot is approximately 3 inches (6.75cm) and oriented parallel to the closest wall or end, and in the central region (C) where less porosity is desired, and by way of example and referring to figure 2, and slat (30²), the central region (C) of that slat has central parallel apertures (40), (not part of region (60)), spaced adjacent to each other approximately 9 inches apart (20.25cm). In another preferred embodiment the pen has a slat layout as shown in Figures 18 or 20.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET

Claims

I CLAIM:

1. As an article of manufacture, suitable for assembly into a flooring structure for hog pens (21), a hexahedron (30) having an upper planar top characterized by with a family of apertures (40) extending through the hexahedron (30) each providing passage means (40) for conveying animal defecation dropped on the top of the hexahedron (30) through the same.

2. The hexahedron (30) as claimed in claim 1, characterized by a rectangular hexahedron (30) having a longitudinal axis.

3. The hexahedron (30) as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized by a family of longitudinal apertures (40) having their respective longitudinal axis relatively parallel to each other.

4. The hexahedron (30) as claimed in claim 3, characterized by a second family of longitudinal apertures (40) relatively parallel to each other but orthogonal to the first family.

5. The hexahedron (30) as claimed in any of claims 1 through 4, comprising concrete.

6. The hexahedron (30) as claimed in any of claims 1 through 5, characterized by the apertures (40) having geometrical shape selected from a group of geometrical shapes consisting of rectangular (R) , obround (0) , and elliptical (E) .

7. A method of hog husbandry, where a plurality of hogs are maintained within confines of a pen (21) having surrounding walls (22, 23) standing to an elevation above that of a flat floor (30) which extends between the walls (22, 23), characterized by the floor (30) having greater porosity (W) nearer to the walls (22,23) than throughout its center (C) .

8. The method as claimed in claim 7, characterized by the pen is rectangular in shape.

9. The method as claimed in claim 7 or 8, characterized by feeding (F) hogs, within the pen (21), with feed and water, at an elevation beneath the surrounding walls but above that of the floor (30).

10. A pen (21) for rearing a plurality of hogs, the pen (21) comprising: (a) a relatively flat floor (30) upon which the hogs can walk, rest, or defecate;

(b) side wall (22, 23) bounding the said floor

(30) and elevated relative thereto so that hogs are bounded by the walls (22, 23); (c) feeder means (F) located at an elevation above the floor, adapted for supplying feed and water to the hogs; characterized by/

(d) the floor (30) has a greater porosity (W) near its perimeter than through its center (C) .

11. The pen as claimed in claim 10, characterized by a rectangular shaped pen (21).

12. The pen as claimed in claim 11, characterized by a pen (21) size dimensioned (270 cm x 430 cm).

13. The pen as claimed in claim 10, 11 or 12, characterized by the apertures (40) selected from a group of geometrical shapes comprising rectangular (R) , obround (0) and elliptical (E).

14. The pen as claimed in claim 10, 11 or 12, characterized by a plurality hexahedronal slats (30) shaped in any fashion as claimed in claims 1 through 6.

15. The pen as claimed in claim 11, where the rectangular slots (40) are sized approximately 1.75cm x 9cm.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET AMENDED CLAIMS

[received by the International Bureau on 29 June 1993 (29.06.93); original claims 1-15 replaced by amended claims 1-14 (3 pages)]

1. As an article of manufacture, a concrete hexahedron (30), suitable for juxtaposed assembly with a plurality of similar concrete hexahedrons (30), into a flooring structure for hog a pen (lθ)which has a vertical enclosing wall (22,23) in juxtaposition with the peripheral margin of the flooring structure, so as to confine the hogs onto the flooring structure, characterized in that the concrete hexahedron (10) has an upper planar top surface, figure 10, with at least two families of apertures, (R,E,O,40), defined by the top surface, wherein the apertures extend as passage means (40) through the hexahedron, (30) each aperture, (E,0,40) providing the passage means, (40) for conveying animal defecation dropped on top of the hexahedron, (10) through any of said apertures, (R,E,0,40) one of said families, (60,C) defining an aperture of greater area than that of the other family and each family positioned on the hexahedron so that the family with the greater porosity, (10) is located at either one end of the hexahedron or adjacently along one of the longitudinal margins of the hexahederon, whereby the hexahedron thereby defines at least two zones, (30^1-8) of different porosity.

2. The hexahedron (30) as claimed in claim 1, characterized by a family of longitudinal apertures (40) having their respective longitudinal axis relatively parallel to each other.

3. The hexahedron (30) as claimed in claim 2, characterized by a second family of longitudinal apertures (40) relatively parallel to each other but orthogonal to the first family.

4. The hexahedron (30) as claimed in any of claims 1 through 3, comprising concrete. 5. The hexahedron (30) as claimed in any of claims 1 through 5, characterized by the apertures (40) having geometrical shape selected from a group of geometrical shapes consisting of rectangular (R) , obround (0) , and elliptical (E) .

6. A pen (21) for rearing a plurality of hogs, the pen (21) characertized by:

(a) a relatively flat concrete floor (30) upon which the hogs can walk, rest, or defecate;

(b) sidewalls (22,23) bounding the said floor (30) and elevated relative thereto so that hogs are bounded by the sidewalls;

(c) feeder means (F) located at an elevation above the floor (30), adapted for supplying feed and water to the hogs; wherein,

(d) a plenum (26) underlying the flat concrete floor and having as its upper margin, the underside of said concrete floor; and, (e) the concrete floor (30) defining a plurality of apertures (R,E,O,40) therethrough communicating the upper surface of the floor with said plenum, (26) the apertures, (R,E,O,40) arranged in families, (30^1-β) wherein the families provide a greater porosity adjacent the perimeter of the floor than throughout its center, (C) .

7. The pen as claimed in claim 6, characterized by a pen (21) size dimensioned (270 cm x 430 cm).

8. The pen as claimed in claim 6 or 7, characterized by the apertures (40) selected from a group of geometrical shapes comprising rectangular (R) , obround (O) and elliptical (E) .

9. The pen as claimed in claim 6, wherein apertures are defined by the floor, that are adapted to provide the porosity zones, the apertures being selected from a group of geometrical shapes comprising rectangular, obround and elliptical.

10. The pen as claimed in claim 9, wherein the 5 floor defines a plurality of juxtaposed rectangular hexahedrons and the apertures are rectangular slots.

11. The pen as claimed in claim 10, where the rectangular slots are sized approximately 1.75cm x 9cm. 0

12. A method of hog husbandry comprising the steps of:

(a) selecting a plurality of hogs;

(b) maintaining the hog within the confines of 5 surrounding walls standing at an elevation above a flat floor characterized by;

(i) selecting the floor having families of apertures therethrough arranged to provide greater porosity nearer the 0 walls than throughout its centre; and,

(ii) placing said floor over a sub- terranium plenum whereby the upper surface of the floor communicates through the apertures to the plenum 5 permitting hog defecation on the surface of the floor to be conveyed into the plenum for collection.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, 0 characterized in that the pen shape is selected as being rectangular.

14. The method as claimed in claim 12 or 13, characterized by the additional step of feeding the hogs 5 with feed and water at an elevation beneath the surrounding walls but above that of the floor.