AN IMPLEMENT FOR FEEDING AND/OR WATERING ANIMALS

Abstract: An implement for feeding and/or watering animals, such as cows, provided with a framework (2) in which a plurality of troughs (1) are disposed and a weighing device (3), while the weighing device (3) is provided with at least one weighing unit (4) for weighing the troughs (1), and the weighing unit (4) is movable around a central axis (5) along a guide means (7). The weighing unit (4) is provided with a drive unit (8), such as a stepper motor, and a weighing sensor (9), such as a load cell or a strain gauge.

Description: AN IMPLEMENT FOR FEEDING AND/OR WATERING ANIMALS The invention relates to an implement according to the preamble of claim 1. Such an implement is described in the non-published earlier application NL-A-1010898 and in the non-published earlier application NL-A-1011799. The former application discloses a feeding and/or drinking column for animals, such as cows, which is provided with troughs. The application NL-A-1010898 is incorporated by reference in the present application. The latter application discloses an implement for feeding and/or watering animals, in which the troughs overlap each other. The application NL-A-1011799 is also incorporated by reference in the present application. To the constructions described in the aforementioned applications there may be added a weighing device for weighing the amount of dosed feed and the amount of consumed feed. However, the existing weighing devices have the disadvantage of being difficult to integrate into the implements described in the aforementioned applications. Moreover, the existing weighing devices have a complicated construction and are very expensive. The invention aims at obviating the above-mentioned drawbacks by means of an implement according to the characteristics of claim 1. In this manner only a few weighing units for weighing a plurality of troughs will suffice. According to an inventive feature, the implement is provided with a control unit for controlling the weighing device. The control unit is also adapted for processing the weighing data. According to again another inventive feature, the implement is provided with identification means which are disposed in the vicinity of the trough and with the aid of which an animal is identified and the control unit is activated. The weighing device is provided with at least one displacing device with a drive unit, such as a stepper motor, for displacing the weighing unit. In a preferred embodiment the weighing device comprises a central axis around which the weighing unit is rotatably disposed. The position of the weighing unit relative to the troughs is determined by means of one or more positioning sensors with which the weighing unit is provided. According to another inventive feature, the framework is provided with a guide means, such as a rail or a groove, and a guide element, such as a wheel or a toothed wheel, for guiding the weighing unit along the troughs. When the guide element consists of a toothed wheel, there is preferably provided a toothing on the guide means. The weighing device preferably comprises one or more drive units for displacing the weighing unit. When the drive unit consists of a stepper motor, a positioning sensor for establishing the position of the weighing unit relative to the trough is not required. The weighing unit is preferably provided with a weighing sensor, such as a load cell or a strain gauge, for registering weighing data comprising the weight or at least part of the weight of the trough. In practice a load cell appears to be most satisfactory for establishing the weight of the trough in a cheap and accurate manner. According to a last inventive feature, the implement is provided with a control unit for displacing the weighing unit. The above-described implement operates according to the following method. An animal located in the vicinity of a relevant trough is identified with the aid of the identification means. The weighing unit is subsequently moved towards the relevant trough, whereupon feed and/or drink is supplied to the trough by means of the metering device, while the trough is weighed during and/or after metering. In this manner it is possible to determine the amount of feed in the trough during or after metering. In accordance with another method, by means of the control unit the amount of feed and/or drink in the relevant trough is determined during the supply of feed and/or drink to the relevant trough, and/or immediately after the supply of feed and/or drink to the relevant trough, and/or during the time when the animal is eating, and/or after the animal has moved away from the relevant trough. In this manner it is possible to establish the amount of feed consumed by an animal. Moreover, it is possible to analyse the animal's eating behaviour and to make conclusions, on the basis thereof, concerning the animal's condition. For example, the speed at which an animal empties the relevant trough may be an indication of the animal's health. According to a last method, by means of the control unit the remaining amount of feed and/or drink is established in the relevant trough before the feed and/or drink is supplied to the relevant trough, while the amount of feed and/or drink supplied to the relevant trough depends on the established remaining amount of feed and/or drink. In practice it occurs that an animal does not empty the relevant trough completely. In this situation, the remaining feed and/or drink in the relevant trough can be consumed by a next animal, so that it is possible to dose less feed and/or drink to the relevant trough. In practice this will produce a considerable saving of the amount of feed and/or drink. The invention will now be explained in further detail with reference to the Figures. Figure 1 is a plan view of an implement for feeding and/or watering animals, which implement is provided with a weighing device; Figure 2 is a cross-section of Figure 1 according to the line II-II, and Figure 3 is a cross-section of Figure 2 according to the line Ill-ill. The implement for feeding and/or watering animals is described in the non-published earlier Dutch application NL-A-1010898. The implement comprises troughs 1 which are disposed in a framework 2. A weighing unit 4 for weighing the troughs 1 is rotatably disposed on a central axis 5 extending in vertical direction. The framework is provided with a guide means 7 for guiding the weighing unit 4. The weighing unit 4 is moved along the guide means 7 by means of a drive unit 8. The position of the weighing unit 4 relative to the trough 1 is determined by means of a positioning sensor 6. This sensor may be constituted by a proximity switch, an ultrasonic sensor or a light sensor. Figure 2 shows a cross-section of a detail of the implement in Figure 1. The weighing unit 4 is hingeably disposed on the central axis 5 and rests on the guide means 7 by means of the wheel 11 driven by the drive unit 8. The trough 1 is provided with a bracket 10 by means of which the trough is lifted, such that part of the weight of the trough rests on the roller 12 which is connected to the weighing sensor 9. Because of the fact that not the entire weight rests on the weighing sensor, the weighing data should be processed in order to determine the weight of the feed and/or drink in the trough. The positioning sensor 6 serves to determine the correct position of the weighing unit 4 relative to the trough to be weighed. When the guide means 7 is provided with a toothing, a stepper motor can be used as a drive in the drive unit 8. In that case, the determination of the position of the weighing unit relative to the trough can be omitted. Figure 3 shows a detail of Figure 2 according to the cross-section III-III. The bracket 10 for lifting the trough is provided with curves as a result of which the roller 12 of the weighing unit 4 can easily lift the trough 1.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. An implement for feeding and/or watering animals, provided with a framework (2) in which a plurality of troughs (1) are disposed, a metering device for supplying feed and/or drink to a relevant trough ( 1 ) , a weighing device ( 3 ) for weighing the amount of feed and/or drink, characterized in that the weighing device is provided with at least one movable weighing unit (4) for weighing the troughs (1). 2. An implement as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the implement is provided with a control unit for controlling the weighing device. 3. An implement as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the implement is provided with identification means which are disposed in the vicinity of the trough and with the aid of which an animal is identified and the control unit is activated. 4. An implement as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the weighing device is provided with at least one displacing device (8) with a drive unit, such as a stepper motor, for displacing the weighing unit (4). 5. An implement as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the weighing device (3) comprises a central axis (5) around which the weighing unit (4) is rotatably disposed. 6. An implement as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the weighing unit (4) is provided with one or more positioning sensors (6) for determining the position of the weighing unit (4) relative to the troughs (1). 7. An implement as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the framework (2) is provided with a guide means (7), such as a rail or a groove, and a guide element, such as a wheel or a toothed wheel, for guiding the weighing unit (4) along the troughs (1). 8. A method of feeding and/or watering animals by means of an implement as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an animal located in the vicinity of a relevant trough ( 1 ) is identified with the aid of the identification means, the weighing unit (4) is subsequently moved towards the relevant trough (1), whereupon feed and/or drink is supplied to the trough (1) by means of the metering device, while the trough (1) is weighed during and/or after metering. 9. A method as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that by means of the control unit the amount of feed and/or drink in the relevant trough (1) is determined during the supply of feed and/or drink to the relevant trough (1), and/or immediately after the supply of feed and/or drink to the relevant trough (1), and/or during the time when the animal is eating, and/or after the animal has moved away from the relevant trough (1). 10. A method as claimed in claim 8 or 9 , characterized in that by means of the control unit the remaining amount of feed and/or drink is established in the relevant trough (1) before the feed and/or drink is supplied to the relevant trough (1), while the amount of feed and/or drink supplied to the relevant trough depends on the established remaining amount of feed and/or drink.

Inventors: VAN DEN BERG KAREL, VAN DEN BERG, KAREL
Applicants: BERG KAREL VAN DEN, MAASLAND NV, MAASLAND N.V., VAN DEN BERG, KAREL
Application year: 1999
Main classification: A01K5
IPC codes: A01K5, A01K7