Patent ID: 8425434

Claim:
A method for automatically determining a condition of an animal, the method comprising the steps of: moving an animal to be measured adjacent a height gauge, the height gauge configured for measuring a height of the animal located on a level reference surface, the height gauge comprising a control device ( 10 ), comprise memory storing an algorithm, and a processor, and animal files relating to individual animals; automatically determining a identity of the animal using the height gauge, the height gauge further comprising a transponder receiver ( 14 ), by the transponder receiver co-operating with a transponder ( 20 ) worn by the animals; automatically determining a current height of the animal using the height gauge, the height gauge further comprising five receivers ( 7 ) positioned vertically spaced from each other at a regular interval (a) along a length direction axis ( 29 ) of the height gauge, the receivers measuring one of a signal emitted from the animal and a reflected signal reflected from at least one of a reflector panel and animal, based on signals received by the receivers and using the algorithm in the memory of the control device, making a determination of the height of the animal; automatically storing the determined current height in the control device; automatically determining a current weight of the animal and storing the determined current weight in the control device; automatically deriving, using the processor, a height-to-weight ratio of the animal from the stored current height and stored current weight; automatically storing the derived height-to-weight ratio in the control device; automatically comparing the derived height-to-weight ratio value with a predetermined expected height-to-weight ratio to obtain a result; automatically storing the result in the control device; and automatically using the stored result to determine a condition of the animal, wherein, in the moving step, the animal is moved between the height gauge and the reflector, in the determining a current height step, the receivers measure a reflected signal reflected from the reflector panel and plural reflected signals reflected from the animal, and the method comprises the further step of using the height gauge to emit signals, which are reflected off the reflector panel and off the animal, by plural emitters emitting the signals toward the animal and the reflector panel, the emitters positioned vertically spaced from each other at the regular interval (a) along the length direction axis ( 29 ) of the height gauge.