WO2010015598A1

WO2010015598A1 - Apparatus for trimming hooves in bovines or other farm animals

Info

Publication number: WO2010015598A1
Application number: PCT/EP2009/060027
Authority: WO
Inventors: Robertino Turato
Original assignee: Hoof System Srl
Priority date: 2008-08-07
Filing date: 2009-08-03
Publication date: 2010-02-11
Also published as: ITPD20080245A1; IT1391146B1

Abstract

An apparatus (10) for trimming hooves in bovines or other farm animals, comprising at least two cages (11, 12) for containment, restraint and movement for a bovine or other animal, and means for the support and movement of the at least two cages (11, 12) from an inactive configuration on a vehicle (13) for the transport of the apparatus to an active configuration.

Description

APPARATUS FOR TRIMMING HOOVES IN BOVINES OR OTHER FARM ANIMALS Technical Field

The present invention relates to an apparatus for trimming hooves in bovines or other farm animals. Background Art

An apparatus for trimming the hooves in bovines or other farm animals is currently known, highly appreciated and comprises a containment and movement cage for a bovine or other animal whose hooves are to be trimmed or on which other necessary operations are to be performed; means for moving such cage from an inactive condition on a vehicle for transport of the apparatus to an active condition are associated with such cage.

Such an apparatus is disclosed and claimed in EP 1269018, in the name of this same Applicant. Although field tests have determined that this apparatus is capable of reaching an hourly production rate of seven or eight heads per hour with a single operator, in contrast with the result of a single head per hour that is typically obtained with traditional methods, with the animal with its legs on the ground or by means of equipment that is adapted simply to place an animal on one of its sides and without blocking its legs, this apparatus has per se some aspects that can be improved.

Animal farms in fact currently include an ever increasing number of heads, and it must be possible to perform the operations for taking care of the individual animal ever more rapidly, without changing the necessary attention to the safety of the animal and to the operator who has to work on the animal.

Hoof care is in fact a fundamental part in the field of dairy bovine farming but also in beef bovines.

This hoof care has two distinct aspects: functional leveling and treatment of diseases. Continuous hoof growth causes changes in the angle at which the hoof (or foot) of the bovine rests on the ground, with consequent motor and walking difficulties, and this affects feeding, which for such reasons runs the risk of being less than necessary, with a consequent general decrease in milk production or reduced fattening of the animal.

Treatment of disorders is instead necessary due to lameness of various kinds that affect the foot of bovines and cause the animals to suffer from pain, shown by walking on three legs, by reduced or no movement, with reduced or no visits to the feeding trough, a corresponding more or less conspicuous loss of milk production and, in neglected cases, considerable weight losses.

For these reasons, it is important for hoof care to be frequent, and in order to be frequent it must be possible to perform it rapidly and by using the smallest possible number of operators. It is further possible to guide to such known apparatus only animals that can be already guided, i.e., are provided with a leash or reins, whereas for animals that are free within a fence guiding them into the cage requires time and workforce, since the animal is often recalcitrant. Disclosure of the Invention The aim of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for trimming the hooves in bovines or other farm animals that allows to increase the number of bovines and farm animals in general that can be treated in one hour.

Within this aim, an object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus that can be installed on a vehicle for a convenient transport to the region where the animals to be treated are gathered.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus that is easy to use like known apparatuses.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus that is safe both for the animal and for an operator who uses it. Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus that facilitates the approach and entry of an animal to be treated.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for trimming the hooves in bovines or other farm animals that can be manufactured with known systems and technologies.

This aim and these and other objects that will become better apparent hereinafter are achieved by an apparatus for trimming the hooves in bovines or other farm animals, characterized in that it comprises

— two cages for containment, restraint and movement for a bovine or other animal,

— means for the support and movement of said two cages from an inactive configuration on a vehicle for the transport of the apparatus to an active configuration, said support and movement means comprising a framework that is coupled centrally to a bed of the transport vehicle by means of a motorized center bearing, one of said cages being supported at each one of the two ends of said framework with means for rotation from a substantially horizontal configuration to a substantially vertical configuration.

Brief description of the drawings Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become better apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment thereof, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus according to the invention in the active configuration;

Figure 2 is a first perspective view of a cage of the apparatus according to the invention;

Figure 3 is a second perspective view of the cage of the apparatus according to the invention; Figure 4 is a top view of the apparatus according to the invention in the active configuration;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the apparatus according to the invention in the inactive and transport configuration;

Figure 6 is a rear view of a detail of the apparatus according to the invention in the active configuration. Ways of carrying out the Invention

With reference to the figures, an apparatus for trimming hooves in bovines or other farm animals according to the invention is generally designated by the reference numeral 10. The apparatus 10 comprises, in this exemplifying and non-limiting embodiment of the invention,

- at least two cages 11 and 12 for the containment and movement of a bovine or other animal,

- means for moving the two cages 11 and 12 from an inactive configuration, shown in Figure 5 on a vehicle 13 for the transport of the apparatus 10, to an active configuration that is shown in Figure 1.

The apparatus 10 also comprises an opening 14 for preparing and guiding a bovine or other animal toward the first loading cage 11.

The means for supporting and moving the two cages 11 and 12 comprise a framework 15, which is coupled centrally to a bed 16 of the transport vehicle 13 by means of a motorized center bearing 17.

One cage 1 1 or 12 is supported at each one of the two ends of the framework 15 by way of means for rotation from a substantially horizontal configuration to a substantially vertical configuration. Such means for rotation from a substantially horizontal configuration to a substantially vertical configuration and vice versa are constituted by hydraulic actuators 18, which are hinged at one end to the framework 15 and at the opposite end to a corresponding first flange 19 that is jointly connected to the cages 1 1 and 12 and is arranged in an upper region with respect to second flanges 20 that support pivots 21 that form the horizontal axis of rotation of the cages 11 and 12 with respect to the framework 15.

Each cage 1 1 and 12 comprises an internal partition 22, to which the flanges 19 and 20 are fixed, an opposite external grille 23, which together with the internal partition 22 defines the space in which the bovine is to be arranged, and an upper frame 24 that connects them.

The cages 1 1 and 12 are provided with automatic or semiautomatic means for restraining the animal, of a per se known type and in any case listed below.

Such means for restraining the animal comprise: - fastening clamps 25 for the legs of the animal, operated by hydraulic actuators 26, supported by the internal partition 22,

- two arms 27 for lifting the animal, which are also actuated by further corresponding hydraulic actuators 28, which are fixed to a slider 28a, which in turn is moved upward and downward and vice versa with respect to the partition 22 by a further central actuator 29, and protrude from the internal partition and are adapted to be arranged below the body of the animal between its four legs,

- a bar 30 for restraining the neck of the animal, which is pivoted to the upper frame 24 and is adapted to cooperate with a corresponding contact shoulder 31 for the neck of the animal, the shoulder 31 protruding from the internal partition 22.

The means for restraining the animal also comprise a tail retention bar 32, which is supported by way of movement means by the upper frame 24 of the cages 1 1 and 12 and is provided with a substantially horizontal bar 33 that is adapted to contain the movements of the tail of the animal.

The tail retention bar 32 and the neck restraining bar 30 are moved by respective hydraulic actuators 34 and 35.

The opening 14 for preparing and guiding an animal toward the first cage 11 is constituted by a gate 36 with double-hinged leaves, which is supported by rotation means 37 by way of which it is coupled to the bed 16 of the transport vehicle 13.

The rotation means, to be understood as being of a known type, are constituted by a cantilever supporting structure 38 that is pivoted to a plate 39 that is fixed to the bed 16, and by one or more hydraulic actuators, not shown for the sake of simplicity.

By way of such rotation means, the opening 14 can pass from a vertical active configuration to a horizontal inactive and transport configuration.

Two opposite shoulders extend from the gate 36, a first internal shoulder 40 and a second external shoulder 41.

The shoulders 40 and 41 are substantially parallel and define the compartment for passage between the gate 36 and the contiguous first cage 11.

In order to allow the complete rotation of the framework 15 and the consequent transit of the cages 11 and 12 while the opening 14 is in the active configuration, the internal shoulder 40 is at least partly collapsible, with its upper part 40a that can be lowered at 90°, while the external shoulder 41 can be opened outward through an angle of at least 45°.

The operation of the apparatus according to the invention is as follows.

From the transport configuration of Figure 5, it is possible to pass to the active configuration of Figure 1 by turning the framework 15 through 90° and lowering the first cage 11 and optionally the opening 14, if there is one. The opening 14 is particularly useful for preparing animals that are free within a fence.

From the opening 14, if there is one, the animal is transferred to the first loading cage 11 , in which an operator restrains and lifts the animal and restrains its legs and neck by way of the restraining means. Once the animal has been restrained, the first cage 1 1 is returned to the horizontal configuration and the framework 15 is rotated through 180°, so that the first cage 11 passes onto the other side of the vehicle, bringing the animal to the horizontal configuration and making it available for an operator who must work on its hooves. While such second operator is busy on the hooves of the animal loaded into the first cage 11, the second cage 12, on the opposite side, is brought to the vertical configuration and loaded with a further animal.

In this manner, as soon as the operator assigned to treating the hooves has finished with the first head of livestock, the framework 15 is rotated so as to bring the second cage 12 onto the hoof treatment side and the first empty cage 11 onto the loading side.

If the apparatus 10 also comprises the opening 14, whenever the framework 15 is turned the internal shoulder 40 is partially collapsed and the external shoulder 41 is opened outward, so as to allow the passage of the cages.

In practice it has been found that the invention thus described achieves the intended aim and objects.

In particular, the present invention provides an apparatus for trimming hooves in bovines or other farm animals that allows to increase the number of bovines and farm animals in general that can be treated in one hour, by way of the two cages 1 1 and 12 that can be transported from a loading region for an animal to a region for working its hooves, the two operations being substantially executable simultaneously, starting from first loading, with a considerable increase in the number of heads of livestock that can be treated in one hour.

Moreover, the present invention provides an apparatus that can be installed on a vehicle for convenient transport to the region where the animals to be treated are gathered, for example a field, a pasture or a shed.

Further, with the present invention an apparatus has been provided which is easy to use like known apparatuses, since the means for restraining the animal in the cage are very similar to what is known, with the arms 27 that replace the more awkward traction belts that are typical of known similar equipment, and with the addition of the tail retention bar 32, which protects the operator from unexpected movements of the tail of the caged animal.

Moreover, the invention provides an apparatus that is safe both for the animal and for an operator who uses it.

Finally, thanks to the opening 14, an apparatus has been devised which facilitates the approach and entry into it of an animal to be treated. Moreover, the present invention provides an apparatus for trimming hooves in bovines or other farm animals that can be manufactured with known systems and technologies.

The invention thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims; all the details may further be replaced with other technically equivalent elements.

In practice, the materials employed, so long as they are compatible with the specific use, as well as the dimensions, may be any according to requirements and to the state of the art. The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No. PD2008A000245 from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference.

Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.

Claims

1. An apparatus (10) for trimming hooves in bovines or other farm animals, characterized in that it comprises

- two cages (11, 12) for containment, restraint and movement for a bovine or other animal,

- means for the support and movement of said two cages (1 1, 12) from an inactive configuration on a vehicle (13) for the transport of the apparatus to an active configuration, said support and movement means comprising a framework (15) that is coupled centrally to a bed (16) of the transport vehicle (13) by means of a motorized center bearing (17), one of said cages (11, 12) being supported at each one of the two ends of said framework (15) with means for rotation from a substantially horizontal configuration to a substantially vertical configuration.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises an opening (14) for preparing and guiding a bovine or other animal toward a first loading cage (11).

3. The apparatus according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that each cage (11, 12) comprises an internal partition (22) that is directly coupled to said rotation means, an opposite external grille (23), which together with said partition (22) defines the space into which said bovine is to be arranged, and an upper frame (24) that joins them, said cage (11, 12) being provided with automatic or semiautomatic means for restraining the animal.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that said means for restraining the animal comprise

- clamps (25) for fastening the legs of the animal, which are actuated by hydraulic actuators (26) and are supported by said internal partition (22),

- two arms (27) for lifting the animal, which are also actuated by additional corresponding hydraulic actuators (28) that protrude from said internal partition (22) and are adapted to be arranged below the body of the animal between its four legs,

- a bar (30) for restraining the neck of the animal, which is pivoted to the upper frame (24) and is adapted to cooperate with a corresponding resting shoulder (31) for the neck of the animal that protrudes from said internal partition (22).

5. The apparatus according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said means for restraining the animal comprise a tail retention bar (32), which is supported by way of movement means by said upper frame (24) of the cage and is provided with a substantially horizontal bar (33) that is adapted to contain the movements of the tail of the animal.

6. The apparatus according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said opening (14) for preparing and guiding an animal toward a first cage (1 1) is constituted by a gate (36) with double-hinged leaves and is supported by rotation means, by way of which it is coupled to the bed (16) of the transport vehicle (13), said rotation means allowing it to pass from a vertical active configuration to a horizontal inactive and transport configuration, two opposite shoulders (40, 41) extending from said gate (36), being substantially parallel and forming the passage opening between said gate (36) and the contiguous first cage (1 1).

7. The apparatus according to the preceding claim, characterized in that in order to allow the complete rotation of said framework (15) and the consequent transit of said cages (1 1 , 12) with the opening (14) in the active configuration, the internal shoulder (40) of said opening (14) can be at least partly collapsed, and the external shoulder (41) can be at least partly opened outward.