US 5,309,864 A · Method and apparatus for feeding animals

Abstract

A method and apparatus for feeding animals, particularly for feeding livestock, includes a plurality of individual feeding stalls (2) each having a feeding trough (24), a feed container (25), and a door (21) with a locking device (23). Feed is deposited in the troughs from the containers by operation of a flap (26) at the bottom of each container operated by a common operating device (27, 29). A shuttle feeding station (3) is movable along rails (12) to positions adjacent to each feeding stall and deposits feed therefrom into each feeding container. An identification label (50) is attached to each animal for generating a unique code for each animal in an electromagnetic interrogation field. A transmitter/receiver (37) on the feeding station generates an electromagnetic interrogation field and receives the unique code from each animal and transmits this identification to a computer (1) which has stored therein data relating to each unique code. After initial feeding in equal amounts, the shuttle feeding station is operated by the computer to deposit additional feed through a jack screw device (35, 36) into each feeding container in amounts depending upon the specific unique code for each animal.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A method of feeding animals, suitable for unconfined livestock, comprising:

providing a plurality of feeding stalls having an entrance opening for individual separated animals;
generating a unique code for each animal by an electronic responder on each animal in an electromagnetic interrogation field;
storing in a computer data representing each of said animals and identified by each of said unique codes;
supplying feed to each feeding stall by a feeding station movable to and between said feeding stalls;
generating said electromagnetic field adjacent each feeding stall by a transmitter/receiver on said feeding station;
supplying first equal portions of feed to each feeding stall from said movable feeding station;
identifying a respective animal in each feeding stall by said transmitter/receiver detecting said unique code of a respective responder on said respective animal;
determining for each animal the amount of a second portion of feed in response to said unique code for each animal detected by said transmitter/receiver at each of said feeding stalls based on said stored data;
and
supplying to each feeding stall said determined amount of said second portion of feed.

7 more elements

Feeding apparatus for feeding animals, suitable for unconfined livestock, comprising:

electronic responder means associated with each of said animals for generating a unique code for each animal in an electromagnetic interrogation field;
a plurality of feeding stalls, each having an entrance opening for an individual animal;
door means operatively mounted on each of said feeding stalls for opening and closing said entrance opening;
locking means for each feeding stall operatively connected with said door thereof for locking said door in said closed position;
feeding station means movable to positions adjacent to each of said feeding stalls;
transmitter/receiver means mounted on said feeding station means for generating said electromagnet interrogation field adjacent to each feeding stall and identifying an animal present in said feeding stall in response to a respective unique code for each animal;
computer means operatively connected to said transmitter/receiver means containing information relating to individual ones of said animals;
a feed container on each feeding stall for receiving feed supply from said feeding station means;
computer-controllable feed supply means for depositing feed into said containers from said feeding station means;
a movable closing member operatively mounted on each of said feed containers for movement between a closed position for retaining feed therein and an open position for discharging feed in said container to a respective feeding stall on which said container is mounted;
an operating element connected to said closing members so that said closing members are jointly coupled for simultaneous operation so that feed in all of said containers is simultaneously discharged into all of said feeding stalls upon opening of said closing members simultaneously by said operating element;
and
operating means for operating said operating element.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and apparatus for feeding animals

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus for feeding animals

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19