Motorized feeding vehicle

A retrofit kit for a motorized feeding vehicle for an animal farming system, said animal farming system comprising a field having a building accommodating a plurality of cages, each cage adapted for accommodating one or more animals, preferably a furred animal, most preferably a mink, said motorized feeding vehicle comprising:

• a power system for driving said motorized feeding vehicle;
• a steering system for determining a direction of said motorized feeding vehicle;
• a user operated movement control system for manually controlling said power system and said steering system;
• and
• an animal feeding system comprising a feed storage tank for storing animal feed and a feeding pipe for conveying said animal feed from said feed storage tank to said cages individually;
• said retrofit kit comprising:
• a satellite navigation system receiver for generating a first set of parameters constituting location information from a satellite navigation system;
• a proximity sensor for generating a second set of parameters constituting spatial information of an area adjacent said motorized feeding vehicle;
• an internal position sensor comprising a direction sensor and a velocity sensor for generating a third set of parameters constituting motion information:
• a feeding control system for user controlled feeding or non-feeding said animals via said animal feeding system and for establishing a fourth set of parameters constituting feeding parameters;
• and
• a control unit connected to said satellite navigation system for receiving said first set of parameters, to said proximity sensor for receiving said second set of parameters and to said internal position sensor for receiving said third set of parameters, said control unit defining:
• a first mode constituting a learn mode in which said user is controlling said motorized feeding vehicle via said user operated movement control system and said feeding control system, and in which said control unit records data representing said first set of parameters, said second set of parameters, said third set of parameters, and said fourth set of parameters;
• and
• a second mode constituting an autonomous mode in which said control unit is controlling said power system, said steering system, and said animal feeding system by comparing said recorded data with said first set of parameters, said second set of parameters, said third set of parameters, and said fourth set of parameters.

A method of operating an animal farming system, said animal farming system comprising a field having a building accommodating a plurality of cages, each cage adapted for accommodating one or more animals, preferably a furred animal, most preferably a mink, said method comprising providing a motorized feeding vehicle, said motorized feeding vehicle comprising:

• a power system for driving said motorized feeding vehicle;
• a steering system for determining a direction of said motorized feeding vehicle;
• a user operated movement control system for manually controlling said power system and said steering system;
• a satellite navigation system receiver for generating a first set of parameters constituting location information from a satellite navigation system;
• a proximity sensor for generating a second set of parameters constituting spatial information of an area adjacent said motorized feeding vehicle;
• an internal position sensor comprising a direction sensor and a velocity sensor for generating a third set of position parameters constituting motion information;
• an animal feeding system comprising a feed storage tank for storing animal feed and a feeding pipe for conveying said animal feed from said feed storage tank to said cages individually, said animal feeding system further comprising a feeding control system for controlled feeding or non-feeding said animals via said animal feeding system based on a fourth set of parameters constituting feeding parameters;
• and
• a control unit, said control unit connected to said satellite navigation system for receiving said first set of parameters, to said proximity sensor for receiving said second set of parameters, and to said internal position sensor for receiving said third set of parameters,
• said method comprising the additional steps of:
• moving said motorized feeding vehicle in a first mode constituting a learn mode, in which said user is controlling said motorized feeding vehicle via said user operated movement control system and said feeding control system, and in which said control unit records data representing said first set of parameters, said second set of parameters, said third set of parameters, and said fourth set of parameters;
• and
• moving said motorized feeding vehicle in a second mode constituting an autonomous mode in which said control unit is controlling said power system, said steering system, and said animal feeding system by comparing recorded data with said first set of parameters, said second set of parameters, said third set of parameters, and said fourth set of parameters.