Patent ID: 8381539
Filing Date: 2013-02-26
Classification: A01K,F24F

Abstract:
1. A method of controlling a cooling unit in order to decrease thermal load on an animal located within a barn, the method comprising the steps of: with a first temperature sensor, a computerized control unit determining whether a first air temperature is greater than a first threshold value, wherein the first air temperature is representative of barn temperature as a whole; with a second temperature sensor, the computerized control unit determining whether a parameter, dependent on a second temperature local to the animal, is greater than a second threshold value, wherein the second temperature sensor is located to measure the second temperature as one of i) temperature in an vicinity of an animal, ii) temperature in an area that houses plural animals at a time, iii) temperature in an area that houses only one animal at a time, and iv) temperature of one individual animal; when the determined first air temperature is greater than the first threshold value, the computerized control unit starting the cooling unit to cool to lower the first air temperature within the barn; and when the parameter being greater than the second threshold value, the computerized control unit starting the cooling unit to cool and thereby lower the second temperature.