A feed trough for young farm birds, in particular turkeys

Abstract: The invention relates to a feed trough (4) for young farm birds, in particular turkeys. It comprises a suspended container plate (2) supported by a series of support struts (3), radially arranged, superiorly to which plate (2) is positioned a feed-dispensing cylindrical organ (4) connected to and in communication with a horizontal feed-transporting tubular conduit (6). The feed trough (1) is structured so that the distance (L) between the base (5) of the feed-dispenser organ (4) and the peripheral edge (8) of the said plate (2) is such that the small bird is able to reach the area close to the said base (5) with its beak while keeping its claws outside the plate (2). The plate (2) is further equipped with a series of spokes (9) which spokes (9) extend radially and exhibit ends (10) to which the support struts (3) of the plate (2) are movably fixed.

Description: The invention relates to a feed trough for young farm birds, in particular turkeys. More specifically, the trough is of the type having a suspended circular plate, supported by a series of support struts arranged radially, superiorly to which plate a cylindrical organ is positioned, which organ is a feed dispenser of connected to and in communication with a horizontal tubular feed transport conduit. An example of this kind of feed trough is illustrated in FR-A-2509961, wherein a plate for containing the feed is supported by a plurality of metal support arms arranged radially. The said trough is usable in series along feed distribution lines in poultry sheds. In the following description, particular reference will be made to young turkeys, but any kind of young poultry bird is intended, such as chickens, guinea-fowl etc. At present, according to prior art practices, during the first period of mother-independence of turkeys, a feed trough of the above-described type is used, having a container plate with a low-rise peripheral edge (low-rise so that the animal can reach the feed with his beak) and a large diameter (about 45-50 cm) with the aim of enabling the fixing of the plate to support struts arranged radially, which struts are structurally predisposed to support container plates for adult animals, that is large-diameter plates. The use of a large-diameter plate for turkeys during their formative period involves considerable inconvenients. The animal, tending to search for the freshest food which is at the base of the cylindrical distributor organ, climbs on to the plate, helped by the fact that the perimeter edge is low, and soils the feed as well as causing its spilling-over from the plate. In substance, therefore, there is a problem of hygiene involved on the one hand, and an economical problem, due to the waste of good feed, on the other hand. A feed trough which obviates the above inconvenient is described in EP-A- 327302. This trough comprises a suspended circular container plate, superiorly to which is positioned a cylinndrical feed dispenser, internally hollow and flared in the direction of its inferior base, which is connected to and in communication with a horizontal tubular conduit for feed transport. An appropriate distance between the inferior base of the feed-dispensing cylindrical organ and a peripheral edge of the plate is such as to provide sufficient area to feed while at the same time discouraging even small birds from climbing bodily into the feeding area of the plate. This trough, however, has a fixed plate, which, if small, is suitable for small birds while, if it is large, is suitable only for adult birds. Hence it cannot always be used throughout the life of a bird. An essential aim of the present invention is thus to obviate the drawbacks in the prior art by providing a feed trough for young farm brims, in particular turkeys, with which it is possible to avoid the young animal's stepping into the food plate, while by a simple substitution of the small plate for a larger one the trough can be made suitable for an adult bird. This aim and others besides are all attained by the feed trough of the invention, comprising a suspended circular container plate, supported by a plurality of support struts arranged radially, superiorly to which plate is positioned a cylindrical organ being a feed dispenser and being internally hollow and flared in the direction of its inferior base, which cylindrical organ is connected to and in communication with a horizontal tubular conduit for feed transport, a distance (L) between the said inferior base of the feed-dispensing cylindrical organ and a peripheral edge of the plate being such as to enable a bird to reach an area close to the said base with its beak while keeping its claws outside of the plate, characterized in that the said plate is equipped with a plurality of spokes which spokes extend radially, said spokes having ends to which ends are connected the said support struts. Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will better emerge from the detailed description that follows, of a feed trough for young birds, made here in the form of a non-limiting example with reference to the accompanying illustrations, in which: Figure 1 shows the feed trough in side view; Figure 2 shows the container plate from below; Figure 3 shows the container plate in section along line III-III of figure 4. With reference to the drawings, 1 denotes the feed trough object of the present invention. It comprises essentially a circular container plate 2, supported by a series of support struts 3 arranged radially, superiorly to which is positioned a cylindrical organ 4 which organ 4 is the feed dispenser, internally hollow and flared in the direction of its inferior base 5, which cylindrical organ is connected to and in communication with a horizontal tubular conduit 6 for the transport of the feed. The plate 2 exhibits a peripheral edge 7 of height H low enough to permit the animal to reach the internal part of the plate 2 with its beak. Also, the distance L between the inferior base 5 of the cylindrical organ 4 and the peripheral edge 8 of the plate 2 is such that the young and therefore still small bird call reach with its beak the area close to the said base 5 while keeping its claws outside of the plate 2. In this way the animal can reach the fresh feed at the base of the cylindrical organ 4, without climbing on to the plate 2 and thus the fouling of the said plate 2 and the waste of feed contained in it is avoided. The plate 2 is equipped with a series of spokes 9 (numbering four in the example illustrated in the figures), which spokes 9 extend radially and exhibit ends 10 to which the said support struts 3 are movably fixed. In this way the plate 2 can possibly be of small diameter, even where the feed trough 1 has support struts 3 which were orignally destined for container plates suitable for adult animals. Once the formative period has finished, and for a few days afterwards, it is thus possible to substitute the plate 2 with a traditional plate for adult animals, that is, having a higher peripheral edge and a larger diameter. As for the size, in the case of turkeys a plate 2 having a diameter of about 33 cm is advisable, in contrast to a diameter of about 45-50 cm for adult turkeys. Thus the invention attains its pre-established aims.

Claims: A feed trough for young farm birds, in particular turkeys, comprising a suspended circular container plate (2), supported by a plurality of support struts (3) arranged radially, superiorly to which plate (2) is positioned a cylindrical organ (4) being a feed dispenser and being internally hollow and flared in the direction of its inferior base (5), which cyindrical organ (4) is connected to and in communication with a horizontal tubular conduit (6) for feed transport, a distance (L) between the said inferior base (5) of the feed-dispensing cylindrical organ (4) and a peripheral edge (8) of the plate (2) being such as to enable a bird to reach and area close to the said base (5) with its beak while keeping its claws outside of the plate (2), characterized in that the said plate (2) is equipped with a plurality of spokes (9) which spokes (9) extend radially, said spokes (9) having ends (10) to which ends (10) are connected the said support struts (3).

Inventors: MANFRIN ADRIANO, MANFRIN, ADRIANO
Applicants: SKA SPA, SKA S.P.A.
Application year: 1992
Main classification: A01K39
IPC codes: A01K39