Abstract:
A footbath system for livestock includes a water and/or chemical containment tank, a footbath pan with a drainage exit door, non-turbulent flow, and a multiple branch system.

Description:
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY 
       [0001]    The invention relates to footbath systems for livestock, including methods for treating hooves of livestock. 
         [0002]    The invention arose during continuing development efforts directed toward treatment of the hooves of dairy animals as they enter and/or exit a milking parlor. The invention provides improvements in such systems, and is applicable to various livestock, including dairy animals, including cows, goats, sheep, buffalo, and to other livestock including horses and cattle. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0003]      FIG. 1  is a side elevation view of a livestock footbath system in accordance with the invention. 
           [0004]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a water and chemical supply system for the footbath of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0005]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view from a different angle of a portion of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0006]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the footbath of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0007]      FIG. 5  is like  FIG. 4  and shows a further embodiment. 
           [0008]      FIG. 6  is a top elevation view of the footbath of  FIG. 4 . 
           [0009]      FIG. 7  is a side elevation view of the footbath of  FIG. 4 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 8  is an enlarged view of a portion of  FIG. 7 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0011]      FIG. 1  shows a footbath system  20  for livestock, including dairy animals such as  22 . A footbath pan  24  is provided for livestock to walk through. The pan has an inlet manifold  25 ,  FIGS. 1 ,  4 , for receiving footbath liquid, and walls  26 ,  28 ,  30 ,  32  containing the footbath liquid therein, for example as shown at  34 . A combined water containing and chemical mixing tank  36 ,  FIGS. 2 ,  3 , is separate from pan  24 . Tank  36  receives water from a water source  38 , and receives one or more chemicals from one or more chemical sources such as  40  for mixing in tank  36  to provide a pre-mixed footbath liquid. Tank  36  supplies the pre-mixed footbath liquid to pan  24 , to be described. 
         [0012]    Tank  36 ,  FIG. 2 , has an inlet conduit  42  receiving water from water source  38 . Tank  36  has one or more outlet conduits  44 ,  46 ,  48 ,  50  supplying the pre-mixed footbath liquid to respective footbath pans such as  24 . Tank  36  is disposed in serial fluid flow communication between inlet conduit  42  and outlet conduits  44 - 50 , such that water flows from upstream to downstream from inlet conduit  42  into tank  36  and then from tank  36  to outlet conduits  44 - 50 . Tank  36  isolates outlet conduits  44 - 50  from inlet conduit  42  such that liquid pressure in outlet conduits  44 - 50  supplying pre-mixed footbath liquid to a respective pan such as  24 , e.g. at conduit  44 ,  FIG. 4 , is isolated from water pressure in inlet conduit  42  supplying water from water source  38 . Each of the outlet conduits  44 - 50  has a respective valve  52 ,  54 ,  56 ,  58 , each having an on-state permitting liquid flow from tank  36  through the respective outlet conduit to the respective pan such as  24 , and having an off-state blocking liquid flow from tank  36  through the respective outlet conduit to the respective pan. A pump  60 ,  FIGS. 2 ,  3 , pumps liquid from tank  36  via drain outlet conduit  62  then through outlet conduits  44 - 50  to a respective pan such as  24  at a pressure independent of water pressure from water source  38 . Valves  52 - 58  are provided in respective outlet conduits  44 - 50  downstream of pump  60 . 
         [0013]    Tank  36  has a chemical inlet conduit  64 ,  FIG. 2 . Chemical source  40  is a chemical container storing one or more chemicals and supplying the one or more chemicals through chemical conduit  64  to tank  36 . In one embodiment, container  40  is a hopper storing one or more powder chemicals, and chemical conduit  64  includes an auger transporting the powder chemicals to tank  36 . Powder chemicals may be desirable in various applications for the convenience of the dairy farmer enabling him to merely dump the powder into hopper  40  for storage and subsequent usage. The chemicals typically include, but are not limited to, germicides, bacteriacides, other medical treatments, and so on, to treat the hooves of livestock. 
         [0014]    Tank  36  has the noted outlet conduits  62 ,  44 - 50 ,  FIGS. 2 ,  3 , supplying the pre-mixed footbath liquid to one or more footbath pans such as  24 ,  FIG. 4 ,  24   a ,  FIG. 5 , etc. The outlet conduit includes an upstream segment  62  receiving the pre-mixed footbath liquid from tank  36 , and a plurality of parallel downstream segments  44 - 50  receiving the pre-mixed footbath liquid in parallel from upstream segment  62  and supplying the pre-mixed footbath liquid to respective pans such as  24 ,  24   a , and so on. Valves  52 - 58  are provided in respective downstream segments  44 - 50  of the outlet conduit. 
         [0015]    In the preferred embodiment, footbath pan  24  is axially elongated along a longitudinal axis  70 ,  FIGS. 4 ,  6 . The noted walls include upstream and downstream end walls  26  and  30 , and a pair of sidewalls  28  and  32  extending axially longitudinally therebetween. End walls  26 ,  30  and sidewalls  28 ,  32  have a height sufficient to contain footbath liquid around the livestock&#39;s hooves. The livestock initially steps into the pan over upstream end wall  26  and then walks axially (rightwardly in  FIGS. 1 ,  4 ,  6 ,  7 ) while between sidewalls  28 ,  32  and then exits the pan by stepping over downstream end wall  30 . Each of end walls  26  and  30  has a respective length extending laterally along lateral direction  72  between sidewalls  28  and  32 . Each of sidewalls  28 ,  32  has a respective length extending longitudinally along longitudinal axial direction  70  between end walls  26  and  30 . The above noted outlet conduit  44  from tank  36  is connected to a pan inlet  74  supplying liquid into pan  24  at manifold  25 . 
         [0016]    A door  76 ,  FIGS. 4-8 , has a closed position,  FIG. 4 , retaining liquid in pan  24 , and has an open position,  FIGS. 5 ,  7 ,  8 , draining liquid from the pan, as shown at arrow  78 . The door forms at least a portion of, and preferably most or all of, a designated one of the noted walls  26 - 32 , preferably downstream end wall  30 . Door  76  preferably has a length of at least 50% of the length of the noted designated wall, e.g. downstream end wall  30 , for reasons noted below. Door  76  has an upper edge  80  pivoted on a hinge  82  about an upper pivot axis, and has a lower edge  84  swingable in an arc  86  about the noted upper pivot axis between the closed position and the open position. Door  76  is preferably at the downstream end wall and extends laterally along lateral direction  72  substantially the entire lateral length of downstream end wall  30 , which in the preferred embodiment enhances desired flow, noted below. Door  76  is actuated between the closed and open positions by pneumatic cylinder  88 . 
         [0017]    Pan inlet  74 ,  FIG. 4 , preferably supplies liquid in non-turbulent flow into and along pan  24  via inlet manifold  25 . Inlet manifold  25  has one or more flow ports  90 ,  FIG. 4 , provided by one or more slots or openings or the like, along a given lateral span  91  and preferably discharging liquid at high volume, low velocity flow, namely selected to provide a Reynolds number less than 600,000, to provide non-turbulence. In a further preferred embodiment, the flow is selected to provide a Reynolds number between 300,000 and 600,000, to provide non-turbulent transitional flow. In a yet further preferred embodiment, the flow is selected to provide a Reynolds number less than 300,000, to provide non-turbulent laminar sheet flow. Door  76  is distally opposite flow ports  90  and preferably has a length at least as great as the noted lateral span  91  thereof. In the preferred embodiment, the noted non-turbulent flow is along a rectilinear flow path from the inlet at flow ports  90  to the outlet at door  76  without eddy currents, and further preferably in the noted laminar sheet flow. At the downstream end, if the lateral length of door  76  is not as great as the lateral length of downstream end wall  30 , then it is preferred that tapered ramp surfaces be provided as shown at  92 ,  94 , to guide the noted flow in non-turbulent manner, and without eddy currents, to door  76 . 
         [0018]    The present system provides a method for treating hooves of livestock, including dairy animals. The method includes the steps of providing a footbath system including a footbath pan  24  for livestock to walk through, the pan having walls  26 - 32  containing footbath liquid therein, providing a combined water containing and chemical mixing tank  36  separate from pan  24 , supplying water from a water source to the tank, supplying one or more chemicals from a chemical source  40  to the tank, mixing the water and the one or more chemicals in the tank to provide a pre-mixed footbath liquid, and supplying the pre-mixed footbath liquid from the tank to the pan. The method includes providing the tank with an inlet conduit  42  receiving water from the water source  38 , providing the tank with an outlet conduit  62 ,  44 - 50 , supplying the pre-mixed footbath liquid to one or more pans  24 ,  24   a , etc., disposing the tank  36  in serial fluid flow communication between inlet conduit  42  and outlet conduit  62 ,  44 - 50 , supplying water to flow from upstream to downstream from inlet conduit  42  into tank  36  and then from tank  36  to outlet conduit  62 ,  44 - 50 , isolating outlet conduit  62 ,  44 - 50  from inlet conduit  42  by tank  36  therebetween such that liquid pressure in outlet conduit  62 ,  44 - 50  supplying the pre-mixed footbath liquid to pans  24 ,  24   a , etc., is isolated from water pressure in inlet conduit  42  from water source  38 . The method further includes providing tank  36  with a chemical inlet conduit  64 , providing the chemical source  40  as a chemical container storing one or more chemicals, and supplying the one or more chemicals from the container  40  through the chemical conduit  64  to tank  36 . The method further includes providing the container  40  as a hopper, storing one or more powder chemicals in the hopper, providing the chemical conduit  64  as an auger, and transporting powder chemicals with the auger to tank  36 . The method further includes providing the pan with a door  76  having a closed position retaining liquid in the pan, and having an open position draining liquid from the pan, providing the pan with an inlet  74  including inlet manifold  25 , and supplying liquid from the inlet manifold  25  at flow ports  90  in non-turbulent flow into and along pan  24 . The method includes supplying the liquid in non-turbulent flow into and along pan  24  in each of the noted closed and open positions of door  76 . 
         [0019]    In one embodiment, the system has a drain mode, a flush mode, and a fill mode. In the drain mode, the method preferably includes opening door  76  without liquid flow into pan  24  at inlet  74 . In the flush mode, the method preferably includes opening door  76  and supplying liquid in non-turbulent flow from the inlet at flow ports  90  into and along pan  24 . In the fill mode, the method preferably includes closing door  76  and supplying the liquid at inlet  74  in non-turbulent flow into and along pan  24 . In the fill mode, the method further preferably includes additionally supplying one or more chemicals into pan  24  through the same inlet  74  and same manifold  25  and same flow ports  90  supplying water into the pan in non-turbulent flow. 
         [0020]    The present system desirably eliminates high velocity jet nozzle flow into the pan, and consequent turbulence and eddy currents. Prior art systems typically include an agitation phase prior to the drain phase, wherein high velocity turbulent and eddy current flow is used for agitation, followed by draining and flushing. The present system desirably eliminates turbulent agitation and eddy current flow because of undesirable splatter and jet spray, and undesirable release of bacteria and odor upon break-up and/or dissolution of manure and the like. Laterally elongated door  76  is desired over prior smaller discharge orifices because door  76  facilitates easy drainage without agitation and turbulence. The high volume, low velocity inlet flow at ports  90  at Reynolds number less than 600,000, and preferably less than 300,000 to provide laminar sheet flow, is further desired because it enables the noted chemicals to be introduced through the same inlet flow ports  90  as the water, without requiring a second separate set of one or more chemical inlets as in the prior art using a first set of high velocity jet nozzle ports for water inlet, and a second set of ports for chemical inlet. 
         [0021]    In another embodiment, one or more liquid chemical containers  102 ,  104 ,  106 ,  FIG. 2 , may be used instead of, or in addition to, powder chemical container  40 . The liquid chemicals are pumped by respective pumps  108 ,  110 ,  112  through respective conduits  114  and  116 ,  118  and  120 ,  122  and  124 , from respective storage tank containers  102 ,  104 ,  106  to mixing tank  36 . The footbath liquid may include water plus one or more chemicals, or water only, or one or more chemicals only. The system may be manually controlled, or in another embodiment may be automated including a control panel  126  or the like responsive to livestock count, sensed chemical conditions in the footbaths, timing patterns, including time of day or week, and so on. In a further embodiment, one or more of the footbaths may have folding hatch doors such as  128 ,  130 ,  FIG. 5 , for closing and covering the footbath when not in use. In further embodiments, auger  64  may instead be a conveyor or some other transport mechanism transporting chemicals therealong to tank  36 . In further embodiments, the various chemical inlets may be unused or not connected, e.g. for a water-only flush, fill, etc., wherein tank  36  only contains water, which water is the sole constituent of the footbath liquid. 
         [0022]    In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness, and understanding. No unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirement of the prior art because such terms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadly construed. The different configurations, systems, and method steps described herein may be used alone or in combination with other configurations, systems and method steps. It is to be expected that various equivalents, alternatives and modifications are possible within the scope of the appended claims.