WO2009090250A1

WO2009090250A1 - Feeder system for farm animals

Info

Publication number: WO2009090250A1
Application number: PCT/EP2009/050507
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jesus Pomar Goma; Candido Pomar Goma
Original assignee: Universitat De Lleida
Priority date: 2008-01-18
Filing date: 2009-01-16
Publication date: 2009-07-23
Also published as: ES2345585B1; ES2345585A1

Abstract

A feeder system for farm animals, that includes at least one feeder device (In) that dispenses feed, said device (In) comprising a plurality of compartments (3) for storing ingredients and a plurality of devices (4) for dispensing said ingredients, with said devices (4) being associated with each of said compartments (3), and it is characterised in that said feeder device (In) includes means (7) for detecting requests for feed made by any one of said animals, and controlling means (8) associated with said detecting means (7) to permit the supply of a ration of feed with a predetermined composition of ingredients whenever said animal requests the feed.

Description

FEEDER SYSTEM FOR FARM ANIMALS

The present invention relates to a feeder system for farm animals that includes at least one automatic feeder device that dispenses feed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Known in the art are automatic systems for dispensing feed to farm animals that provide a mixture of ingredients of predetermined composition. Such systems are of considerable interest in agricultural intensive- production concerns, since they facilitate management of the feeds provided to the animals. United States patent U.S. 6,779,486 B2 describes a system that is capable of mixing two or more ingredients to provide a mixture of a predetermined composition. More specifically, the aforesaid US patent describes a system that consists of a device that includes a plurality of compartments in which the various ingredients are stored. Each of said compartments supplies a predetermined amount of a particular ingredient to a common discharge zone where the mixing of the aforesaid ingredients is carried out. The feeder device of the aforesaid patent is moved along a guide to the various farm hoppers in order to dispense a certain amount of said mixture of ingredients into each one of them. The animals have access to the corresponding hopper in order to request and obtain the food. The final composition of the food supplied is determined by the proportion of each of the ingredients contained in the mixture deposited in the hoppers.

The food dispenser system of the US patent presents many disadvantages related with management of the food and of the drugs or substances supplied with it. A first disadvantage lies in the lack of control of the system in the supply of drugs or other substances provided with the food, for until all the food poured into the hopper has been consumed the health or nutritional treatment being administered cannot be ended. In most cases, therefore, the animals ingest a larger or smaller amount than they need of the drugs or other substances, given that the amount of product ingested by each of the animals individually is not known. This turns out to be particularly serious in the case of antibiotics for which it is known that excessive use builds up resistance in bacteria that affect both animals and humans.

Another disadvantage of the system of the US patent lies in the difficulty of implementing a specific individual feeding programme adapted to the needs of each of the animals on the farm. This is due to the fact that it is a system designed for supplying feed to a group of animals that all eat the same mixture, but not to a group of animals in which each one of them eats feed with a different composition or mixture of ingredients. Thus, in the system of the US patent, in order to be able to implement a specific individual feed programme or treatment it would be necessary to have each of the animals in the group in a different box or pen into whose hopper/feeder the system device would dispense a specific mixture of ingredients. It is not feasible to apply this possibility in farms with growing animals, as for example in the case of pigs for fattening, for it is neither technically nor economically viable to assign an individual pen to each animal.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The objective of the present invention is to resolve the aforesaid disadvantages by developing a system for supplying food that permits real-time supply (i.e. whenever the animal so requests) of individual rations of food of different composition.

In accordance with this objective the system of the present invention includes at least one feeder device for dispensing feed, said device comprising a plurality of compartments for storing ingredients and a plurality of devices for dispensing said ingredients, with said devices being associated with each of said compartments, and is characterised in that the feeder device includes means for detecting requests for feed made by any one of said animals, and controlling means associated with said detecting means to permit the supply of a ration of feed with a predetermined composition of ingredients whenever said animal requests the feed. Thanks to the characteristics claimed, the system of the present invention has the advantage of permitting real-time supply of a ration of feed of predetermined composition, which enormously facilitates controlling the management of the feed as well as the drugs or other substances supplied with it.

Unlike what occurs with the systems of the state of the art, with the system of the present invention the supply of feed, and especially of feed with medical drugs, can be carried out in a very effective and time-controlled manner, preventing any risk of contamination or excessive ingestion of drugs or other specific substances. Indeed, the system allows the health treatment being given to the animals to be halted at any time simply by altering the composition of the mixture of ingredients that the feeder device prepares and supplies in real time. Accordingly, and unlike the systems of the state of the art, in the system of the invention there is no need to wait until the animals have consumed all the feed with drugs contained in the hoppers in order to consider the treatment ended. Another advantage of the system of the present invention lies in the fact by making up the mixture of ingredients at the time the animal requests feed there is a substantial reduction of the problem of contamination related with the handling and supply of drugs or other substances put into the feed.

As is well-known, there exist very strict legal regulations governing, among other aspects, those related with contamination of facilities for manufacturing, storage and supply of animal feed or feed with drugs. The regulations are often breached, however, and it is common to find feed batches contaminated with drugs proceeding from a previous batch or batches of feed in which the drug is not uniformly distributed. The system of the present invention very significantly reduces all the contamination problems related with such handling, since the drug is incorporated when the animal requests the feed, and is added in very precise amounts.

In the present invention, feed shall be taken to mean a food product made up of a predetermined mixture of ingredients (compound feed or feed pellets) . The composition of the feed so defined may include, in addition to food products as such, other products or specific substances for carrying out health, zootechnical and/or dietary treatments. In the present invention, "ingredient" shall be taken to mean any base food product for making a mixture (also called pre-mixture) , or any other product or substance, whether in liquid or solid form, that serves for carrying out specific treatments on said animals, such as medicinal, zootechnical and/or dietary treatments.

In one embodiment of the system, at least one of said ingredients is a food product that includes drug(s) or a medicine.

Optionally, in another embodiment, at least one of said ingredients is in liquid form. Thus, the system of the present invention presents the advantage of permitting real-time supply of a ration of feed that can be made up of a mixture of solid and liquid products. According to a preferred embodiment, the feeder device includes means for identifying the animal seeking feed, with said means for identifying being associated with said control means in order to permit supply of the ration of feed adjusted in amount and composition to the needs of the identified animal.

Thanks to these characteristics, the system permits supply of a ration of feed adjusted in amount and composition to the specific needs of an animal identified in advance, by means of a process of real-time micro- mixing of a variable set of ingredients stored in the compartments of the feeder device of the system. Unlike the systems of the state of the art, the system of the invention thereby allows highly optimal and effective management of the feed, significantly reducing nutrient losses and, with them, the production of contaminating wastes .

Similarly, and also unlike the systems of the state of the art, the system of the present invention has the advantage of enormously facilitating specific individual treatments for the animals on the farm. Indeed, with the system claimed it is very easy to supply drugs individually to different animals within a single group, varying the amount in function of the weight of the animal, time of day, and even (for example) varying the type of mixture of drugs in the light of the animal identified.

Preferably, the identifying means include at least one antenna for reading at least one identifying element on an animal seeking feed. According to the same preferred embodiment, the feeder device includes means for measuring the development status of the animal seeking feed, with said means for measuring being associated with said controlling means in order to permit supply of a feed ration adjusted in amount and composition to the needs of the animal in function of its development status.

Advantageously, said means for measuring the development status include means for weighing the animal seeking feed and/or means for detecting the image of said animal .

Thanks to the presence of the aforesaid means for measuring the development status the feeding of each animal can be optimised to the utmost extent in the light of its specific needs, thereby resulting in a reduction of costs and likewise in reduced production of contaminating wastes. The efficacy of health or zootechnical treatments is also optimised, since the amounts of product dispensed are adjusted to the specific needs (weight, etc.) of the animal identified. Preferably, the controlling means of the feeder device adjust the amount and composition of the feed ration by employing mathematical models of growth that calculate the needs of the animal seeking feed in function of its development status, thereby optimising in so far as possible calculation of the needs of each animal, and with this the amount and composition of the ration of feed dispensed by the feeder device. Furthermore, said calculation by means of mathematical models can be carried out in both real and deferred time. Advantageously, the controlling means of the feeder device allow the ration of feed to be dispensed after a predetermined waiting period calculated in function of the animal identified. Control of management of the feed can thus be still more effective, since it is possible to control the number of rations of feed supplied to a particular animal.

Again advantageously, the feeder device includes a common receptacle into which the dispensing devices of each compartment discharge. Said common receptacle facilitates mixing of the ingredients before they are poured into the feeder trough. The mixing can be carried out by simultaneous discharge of ingredients from each one of the dispensers or by means of a special mixing device fitted to said common receptacle. According to another preferred embodiment the system includes a plurality of interconnected dispensing devices and controlling means of said plurality of devices in order to permit real-time monitoring of the data provided by the system itself and control and management of the data from the set of devices.

The system of the present invention is adapted to various kinds of livestock farming. It can work with large groups (of, say, more than 650 animals), in this case by installing banks of two more dispensing devices accessible to the entire group, as well as with small groups (up to 15 animals) separated into different compartments (boxes), in this case by installing one dispensing device per compartment .

Interconnection of the set of dispensing devices installed on the farm to the aforesaid controlling means permits real-time recording and monitoring of the dietary and productive response of each of the animals and of the group, as well as detection of anomalies and supervision in order to ensure that the system is running properly.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of the matters set out,

Figure 1 consists of a diagram of the system which, schematically and solely by way of non-restrictive example, shows a practical case of embodiment that includes a plurality of interconnected dispensing devices.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

There follows a description of a preferred embodiment of the system that permits automatic real-time supply of individual rations of feed adjusted in amount and composition to the specific needs of identified animals, as well as the carrying out of individualised specific health treatments.

According to this embodiment, the system includes a plurality of dispensing devices In in order to pour feed into the bowl 2 of the feeder to which the animals go. Each one of said devices In includes a plurality of compartments 3 for holding ingredients, such as a base food product, also called pre-mixture, or a medicinal drug. Each compartment 3 has a dispensing mechanism 4, or equivalent element, capable of dispensing a precise amount of a particular ingredient directly into the bowl 2, or into a common receptacle for mixing and gravity discharge, for pouring into a single bowl 2.

In the embodiment described the dispensing mechanism 4 of each compartment 3 is made up of a variable-speed electric motor which in function of its speed and actuation time is able to dispense a specific amount of a predetermined ingredient . As noted above in the description of the invention, said ingredients can be solid or liquid products.

Beside the bowl 2 of each feeder device In are provided identifying means 5 that are in this case made up of an inductive antenna for reading from transponders (identification chips), for identifying each animal when it comes into the feeding zone. Similarly, conveniently located in the entrance zone to the dining facility means 6 are provided for measuring the development status of the animal identified. Said means 6 include at least one load cell and one video camera that allow the weight of the identified animal to be obtained and a picture provided as the animal enters the feeding facility. The system also provides for installation on the bowl 2 of a levered button 7 or the like connected to a sensor that has the function of detecting a request for feed made by any of said animals to said device In.

Each feeder device In has built-in controlling means 8, which in the embodiment described are made up of an electronic controller or equivalent appliance equipped with interfaces and circuitry appropriate for connection to the associated sensors and actuators. The electronic controller 8 is programmed to take readings from the various sensors connected to the device In, and to control the actuations of the ingredients dispensers 4 of each compartment 3. The data picked up by the identifying means 5 (antenna and identifying chips), the means 6 for estimating the development status of the animal identified (load cell, video camera, etc.) and the means 7 for detecting a request for feed (button and sensor) are transferred to said electronic controller 8 for processing. Depending on the characteristics of the data picked up, the controller 8 determines the feed requirements of the animal identified, assigning in real time the amounts and proportions of ingredients to be supplied to said animal in order to meet the requirements. The controller 8 accordingly orders actuation for a precise time of the motors that dispense the ingredients from each of the compartments 2, such that they pour out the necessary amount of each ingredient to yield the desired mixture composition. In the embodiment described, all the devices In the system includes are interconnected to the central unit that includes controlling means 9 for said devices for supervising, controlling, storing, parameterising and monitoring data coming from said devices In. Said controlling means 9 also have the function of managing alarms and that of implementing the mathematical models of growth for calculating the nutritional needs of the animals in function of their development status. One important point to be stressed about the system of the present invention lies in the fact that it can be used simultaneously to carry out specific health and zoosanitary treatments through individualised supply of products such as medicines, additives or other substances. The system permits the health of a group of animals to be monitored on the basis of functional analysis of the feed-consumption and weight-gain data provided by each one of the devices In of the system, adjusting the food supplied to each one of said animals in function of its weight and weight gain, and, if prescribed by the veterinary doctor, an individualised medical treatment .

The system of the present invention has the further advantage of being able to operate with different animal-management and feeding systems. Thus, for example, it can work with animals kept in large groups, in this case by installing banks of two or more devices accessible to the entire group, or it can also work with animals divided into small groups separated into compartments (boxes), in this case by installing one device per compartment or box. Concerning feed systems, choices include :

^■ ad-libitum individualised feeding (without restriction on amount and composition of the specific feed for each animal) ^■ restricted individualised feeding (with restriction on amount and composition of the specific feed for each animal)

^■ ad-libitum group feeding, adjusting the composition of the feed to the estimated daily needs of the group (no individual identification of the animals required) .

For a better understanding of the invention there follow two examples of application of the system of the present invention.

Example 1: Application of the system for the individualised treatment of an illness on a farm in which the animals are arranged in boxes of 12 to 16 animals

This system is applied to a farm of animals for fattening in which one device In is placed in each compartment or box. The feeding system is "ad-libitum (without restriction on amount and composition of the specific feed for each animal) . A treatment is to be implemented with a medicine given to the animals whose feed consumption has fallen significantly over the last three days. The veterinary doctor feels that this is a symptom that they are incubating an illness also confirmed by other signs found on the farm.

There follows a summarised description of operation of the system.

The controlling means 9 of the central unit record and monitor the data from the devices In relating to the amount of feed supplied to each animal and the time each animal has remained in the feeding facility. The necessary information is thus provided for determining the animals that fulfil the established condition of reduced feed consumption . When one of the animals that fulfils the established condition goes to the feed facility fitted with a device In, the identifying means 5 recognise said animal and the electronic controller 8 of the corresponding device In connected to the means 9 of the central unit orders real-time supply of the ration of feed with the amount of medicine that corresponds to said animal by its weight.

As can be deduced from the example outlined, the system of the invention allows detection of the animals that have eaten less, and administration only to those animals of an amount of medicine suitable for their weight. It is thus possible to control the amount of medicine ingested by each animal, unlike what happens in the systems of the state of the art, in which, paradoxically, the animals that eat least ingest less medicine, while the animals that eat most and are healthiest ingest more medicine.

Example 2: Application of the system for individualised treatment of an illness on a farm in which the animals are kept together in large groups of 200 to 500 animals

The system is applied to a farm of fattening animals which has been equipped with a bank of devices for feeding all the animals together (with estimate of one device for every 15-20 animals) .

The feeding system is the restricted individualised system (with restriction on amount and specific composition of the feed for each animal) . This type of feeding system can only be implemented with the system of the present invention, since it is the only one that recognises each animal and has provision for realtime supply of a predetermined mixture of ingredients adjusted to the needs of the animal identified. In the systems of the state of the art, this type of feeding would not be possible, since all the hoppers to which the animals go to take feed would be filled with the same type of mixture.

It is wished to implement a treatment with a medicine to the animals whose feed consumption has fallen significantly over the last three days. The veterinary doctor feels that this is a symptom that they are incubating an illness also confirmed by other signs found on the farm. There follows a summarised description of operation of the system.

The controlling means 9 of the central unit of the system record and monitor the amount of feed supplied to each animal and the time each animal has remained in the feeding facility 2. The necessary information is thus provided for determining the animals that fulfil the established condition of reduced feed.

When one such animal goes to the feed facility fitted with the device In, the identifying means 5 recognise said animal and the system supplies it its ration with the amount of medicine that corresponds to it by its weight, which has been previously determined thanks to the load cell 6 in the entrance zone to the feeding facility . As can be deduced from the example outlined, and as in the preceding case, the system of the invention allows detection of the animals that have eaten less, and administration only to those animals of an amount of medicine suitable for their weight. It is thus possible to control the amount of medicine ingested by each animal, unlike what happens in the systems of the state of the art, in which, paradoxically, the animals that eat least ingest less medicine, while the animals that eat most and are healthiest ingest more medicine.

Claims

C L A I M S

1. System for supplying feed to farm animals that includes at least one feeder device (In) that dispenses feed, said device (In) comprising a plurality of compartments (3) for storing ingredients and a plurality of devices (4) for dispensing said ingredients, with said devices (4) being associated with each of said compartments (3), characterised in that said feeder device (In) includes means (7) for detecting requests for feed made by any one of said animals, and controlling means (8) associated with said detecting means (7) to permit the supply of a ration of feed with a predetermined composition of ingredients whenever said animal requests the feed.

2. System according to claim 1, characterised in that said feeder device (In) includes means (5) for identifying the animal seeking feed, with said means (5) for identifying being associated with said controlling means (8) in order to permit supply of the ration of feed adjusted in amount and composition to the needs of the identified animal.

3. System according to claim 2, characterised in that said identifying means (5) include at least one antenna for reading at least one identifying element on an animal seeking feed.

4. System according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that it includes means (6) for measuring the development status of the animal seeking feed, with said means (6) for measuring being associated with said controlling means (8) in order to permit supply of said ration of feed adjusted in amount and composition to the needs of the animal in function of its development status.

5. System according to claim 4, characterised in that said means (6) for measuring the development status include means for weighing the animal seeking feed.

6. System according to any of claims 4 to 5, characterised in that said means (6) for measuring the development status include means for detecting the image of the animal seeking feed.

7. System according to any of claims 4 to 6, characterised in that said controlling means (8) adjust the amount and composition of said ration feed by employing mathematical models of growth that calculate the needs of the animal seeking feed in function of its development status.

8. System according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that said feeder device (In) includes a common receptacle into which the dispensing devices (4) of each compartment (3) discharge.

9. System according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that it includes a plurality of interconnected dispensing devices (In) and controlling means (9) of said plurality of devices (In) in order to permit real-time monitoring of the data provided by the system itself and control and management of the data from the set of devices.

10. System according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that at least one of said ingredients is a food product that includes a medicine.

11. System according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that at least one of said ingredients is a medicine.

12. System according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that at least one of said ingredients is a liquid product.