Method and apparatus for signaling parturition in large farm animals

An apparatus for signaling of the parturition of large animals comprising:

• a bearing plate in the shape of a gutter formed by two inclined planes and a substantially parallelepipedal roof ridge,
• supporting straps to maintain the bearing plate affixed to the posterior part of the back of the animal,
• a subcaudal strap affixed on the bearing plate, situated substantially in the plane formed by the bottom edges of the bearing plate,
• an arm equipped at its extremity with a ring for holding the tail of the animal and articulated on the bearing plate with a magnet placed close to the joint, the arm normally assuming, when the apparatus is in place on the animal, a position substantially perpendicular to said plane, while the raised position of the tail places the arm in a position substantially parallel to the plane thereby placing the magnet in a position closer to the parallelepipedal roof ridge;
• an electronic assembly forming a transmitter apparatus and comprising:
• a power supply dry cell,
• a magnetically operated power supply circuit breaker (ILS microbreaker),
• an oscillating and wave-shaping circuit for producing and modulating a radio signal in a discontinuous manner,
• timing means for delaying the application of power and activating the oscillator only after the passage of the preset time period resulting in low consumption of electric energy, wherein energy is consumed necessary for discontinuous radio transmission when the detector senses parturition in that the tail of the animal has assumed a raised position for an uninterrupted period of time longer than the preset period, so that the imminence of parturition is thereby indicated, and radio frequencies are emitted, and
• a receiving apparatus located either near a human monitor or a relay station.