An enclosed litter box is provided that includes a housing sized and shaped for an animal and litter tray. The apparatus includes a self-closing door that impedes airflow between the interior and exterior of the housing and can be utilized by an animal as an entrance and exit to the housing. The apparatus further includes a recirculation ventilation system that includes a fan to draw air from the interior of the housing through a filter and then circulate the filtered air back into the interior of the housing. This filter is configured to remove odor from the air.

A tailboard system for horse stalls. A tailboard system for a horse stall includes a plurality of tailboard sections, each tailboard section including a first arched portion between a first pair of integral flanges including an upper flange and a lower flange, the arched portion including a pair of straight, angled sides connected by a rounded tip, and a first tapered end adjacent to a second tapered end of an adjacent section of the plurality of tailboard sections to form a triangular gap therebetween, and a joint strap covering the triangular gap, the joint strap including a second pair of flanges between a second arched portion, and wherein the plurality of tailboard sections are adapted to be mounted by the pair of flanges in a row around at least a portion of an inside perimeter of the horse stall to form the tailboard system.

A system for managing objects is provided. The system comprises a data collection gateway and a plurality of apparatus. Each of the plurality of apparatus obtains parameters relating to objects in a farm from a server through the data collection gateway. The parameters include a reference threshold weight of the objects. Each of the plurality of apparatus collects weights of the objects through sensors. Also, each of the plurality of apparatus adjusts the reference threshold weight based on the obtained parameters to generate an adjusted threshold weight. Further, each of the plurality of apparatus sorts the objects to different areas in the farm based on the adjusted threshold weight and the collected weights.

A fan assembly for use in a sidewall of an animal house. The fan assembly includes an impeller, a motive force configured to rotate the impeller about a fan assembly axis, and a butterfly shutter. A shutter operation mechanism moves the butterfly doors of the shutter between the closed position and the open position in synchrony with an operating speed of the impeller. The shutter operating mechanism includes pushrods connected to the butterfly doors, and a linkage between the impeller and the second pushrods. The linkage includes at least one weight configured to rotate with the impeller about the fan assembly axis, wherein rotation of the at least one weight causes the linkage to exert a force on the pushrods to push the butterfly doors toward the open position when the impeller is rotating.

An apparatus for growing invertebrates, such as arthropods, rheumatoid worms and nematodes is described. The apparatus includes a rotatable casing defining a chamber and at least one growing platform inside said casing. Inside the casing there is a group of first pipes having a pipe wall. The first pipes are configured to act as growing platforms providing growing spaces for the invertebrates. Preferably the number of first pipes is more than three. The first pipes may be immovably attached to the casing.

A barn curtain having a transparent panel and a non-transparent panel is prepared by a welding machine. The welding machine has an inner heater assembly including a first roller wheel, an inner plate assembly having a lower inner plate and an upper inner plate spaced apart from the lower inner plate in a vertical direction, and a heater, and a first roller assembly including a second roller wheel aligned with the first roller wheel. A side of a transparent panel is fed through the lower inner plate and a side of a non-transparent panel is fed through the upper inner plate. The plates are heated with the heater to partially melt the side of the transparent panel and the side of the non-transparent panel. The side of the transparent panel and the side of the non-transparent panel are pressed between the roller wheels and joined.

A barn curtain having a transparent panel and a non-transparent panel is prepared by a welding machine. The welding machine has an inner heater assembly including a first roller wheel, an inner plate assembly having a lower inner plate and an upper inner plate spaced apart from the lower inner plate in a vertical direction, and a heater, and a first roller assembly including a second roller wheel aligned with the first roller wheel. A side of a transparent panel is fed through the lower inner plate and a side of a non-transparent panel is fed through the upper inner plate. The plates are heated with the heater to partially melt the side of the transparent panel and the side of the non-transparent panel. The side of the transparent panel and the side of the non-transparent panel are pressed between the roller wheels and joined.

A durable feral cat shelter adapted to be inviting to feral cats year-round by having two entrances/exits for each compartment or sub-compartment, wherein each entrance/exit has a conduit of a predefined cross-section that protrudes a predefined length from the body of the shelter, thereby inviting feral cats while deterring most would be predators of the feral cats. Two or more feral cat shelters can be connected by a coupler that allows access to the connected plurality of feral cat shelters.

A pet container includes: a housing comprising a fan for creating an airflow; electronics for operating the fan; and a door configured to transition between a closed position and an open position for ingress and egress of a pet. The pet container defines a pet containment space, and the pet container comprises ducts through which the airflow created by the fan flows into the pet containment space for blowing air onto a pet. The fan preferably is an impeller and the at least one of the duct preferably is defined at least an interior passageway that is formed in the housing. The pet container further preferably includes a heater for heating the airflow; an aromatherapy diffuser; a light, laser, or array of LEDs for emitting infrared or near infrared light into the containment space with a wavelength of between about 620 and about 1000 nanometers for providing photobiomodulation.

A ventilation control system for an animal facility. The ventilation control system has a movable ventilation control member mounted in an opening of the animal facility, the ventilation control member being movable relative the opening to control the amount of air that is able to pass through the opening. The ventilation control system also has a positioning strap attached to the ventilation control member, the strap having a strap thickness. A strap drive control apparatus is configured to control the positioning of the ventilation control member at a constant control member speed.