Patent classifications
A01K5/02
Method and system for remote monitoring, care and maintenance of animals
A system for remote care of an animal that includes a mobile robotic unit having a housing, a mobility portion coupled to the housing and operable to move the housing, an animal waste detection system configured to detect deposited animal feces, a microprocessor disposed within the housing in communication with the animal waste detection system being operable to give navigational instructions to the mobility portion to travel along a path, and collect deposited animal's feces encountered along the path.
Rotary dispenser
A treat dispenser includes a housing having an interior compartment. The housing has an opening formed therein communicating with the compartment. The treat dispenser further includes a turntable within and rotatable with respect to the housing and an actuator coupled to the turntable. The actuator is configured to impart rotation to the turntable based on manipulation of the actuator, such that an animal treat disposed within the compartment and on the turntable is ejected radially from the housing through the opening.
Method and Apparatus for Controlling Herbivore Fowl Populations
A method and apparatus is provided for controlling the location in which herbivore fowl populations congregate by altering the behaviour of the fowl through the combination of providing a strong disincentive to populate areas where the presence of the fowl is not desired and a strong incentive to populate a proximate area where the presence of fowl can be tolerated. For herbivore waterfowl, and in particular Canada geese, the adjacent area also provides the waterfowl with a means of egress to water as an escape from predators and other perceived threats. The method uses a deterrent in the form of adulterated feed to dissuade the herbivore fowl from congregating in areas in which their presence is not desired and the use of an attractant in the form of non-adulterated feed to encourage the herbivore fowl to congregate in a proximate area in which their presence can be tolerated.
SYSTEM FOR MOWING PLANTS, IN PARTICULAR GRASS, AND METHOD OF FEEDING ANIMALS BY MEANS OF SUCH A SYSTEM
A system for mowing plants, in particular grass, includes a piece of land on which the plants grow, and an autonomous, self-propelled mowing vehicle. The mowing vehicle includes a mowing device for mowing plants on the piece of land while the mowing vehicle (hives across the piece of land, and a holder for accommodating plants mowed by the mowing device. A control system is provided for controlling the mowing vehicle. The system includes a dwelling space for keeping animals, such as cows, in particular an animal shed. The dwelling space includes a feeding area for feeding mowed plants to the animals. The feeding area in the dwelling space is connected to the piece of land by means of a travelable connection. The mowing vehicle includes a dispensing device for dispensing mowed plants accommodated in the holder. The control system is configured to (i) mow plants on the piece of land by means of the mowing device while the mowing vehicle drives across the piece of land, (ii) displace the mowing vehicle with mowed plants accommodated in the holder from the piece of land to the feeding area in the dwelling space, and (iii) dispense mowed plants to said feeding area by means of the dispensing device in order to feed the mowed plants to the animals.
SYSTEM FOR MOWING PLANTS, IN PARTICULAR GRASS, AND METHOD OF FEEDING ANIMALS BY MEANS OF SUCH A SYSTEM
A system for mowing plants, in particular grass, includes a piece of land on which the plants grow, and an autonomous, self-propelled mowing vehicle. The mowing vehicle includes a mowing device for mowing plants on the piece of land while the mowing vehicle (hives across the piece of land, and a holder for accommodating plants mowed by the mowing device. A control system is provided for controlling the mowing vehicle. The system includes a dwelling space for keeping animals, such as cows, in particular an animal shed. The dwelling space includes a feeding area for feeding mowed plants to the animals. The feeding area in the dwelling space is connected to the piece of land by means of a travelable connection. The mowing vehicle includes a dispensing device for dispensing mowed plants accommodated in the holder. The control system is configured to (i) mow plants on the piece of land by means of the mowing device while the mowing vehicle drives across the piece of land, (ii) displace the mowing vehicle with mowed plants accommodated in the holder from the piece of land to the feeding area in the dwelling space, and (iii) dispense mowed plants to said feeding area by means of the dispensing device in order to feed the mowed plants to the animals.
SMART HOPPER AND FEEDER ASSEMBLY
A device, system, and method for autonomously feeding livestock animals includes receiving signals from RFID tag readers, determining animals associated with the signals are eligible for feeding, causing a motor to rotate an auger for dispensing an output feed amount, and updating a feed history of the animal. The animals are determined to be eligible for feeding based on a feed history associated with the RFID tag and a feed schedule or a feed routine.
FEED DISPENSING ASSEMBLY
A feed dispensing assembly that is capable of dispensing feed material (finely ground grain, powered grain, powdered peanut waste, or rice bran) and otherwise difficult to feed material in a reliable manner, where the feeder can be adjusted and adapted to dispense a wide variety of feed material, and where the feeder is physically operated by rotation of a container (such as enclosed cylinder) to dispense feed material. The container is physically rotated by various means, and openings in the walls of the container allow feed to exit to the target feeding surface at the feed location. The feed dispensing assembly can be incorporated into an existing feed trough or can be assembled as a standalone unit.
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IDENTIFICATION OF INDIVIDUAL ANIMALS BASED ON IMAGES OF THE BACK
The present disclosure relates to a system and a method for identification of individual animals based on images, such as 3D-images, of the animals, especially of cattle and cows. When animals live in areas or enclosures where they freely move around, it can be complicated to identify the individual animal. The present disclosure relates to a method for determining the identity of an individual animal in a population of animals with known identity, the method comprising the steps of acquiring at least one image of the back of a preselected animal, extracting data from said at least one image relating to the anatomy of the back and/or topology of the back of the preselected animal, and comparing and/or matching said extracted data against reference data corresponding to the anatomy of the back and/or topology of the back of the animals with known identity, thereby identifying the preselected animal.
Animal feed dispenser
An animal feed dispenser, in particular for horses, comprising a downwardly open, substantially vertically oriented tube with at least one filling opening for animal feed that is arranged in the upper portion of the tube. At least two elastic cables which project through in the interior transversely with respect to the longitudinal axis of the tube are arranged above one another, wherein a clearance remains above each cable and in each case allows only the reception of an individual portion unit of the animal feed, and wherein each cable is connected to an end of an associated pulling element which is guided outwardly substantially normal to the respective elastic cable via an opening in the tube wall, wherein a biting element is fastened to the end of the pulling element that is situated outside the tube.
MATERIAL WEIGHT MEASUREMENT SYSTEM WITH AUTOMATIC TARE ASSOCIATED WITH OBJECT PRESENCE DETECTION
A presence sensor combined to a first storage carrier for detecting a presence of a second storage carrier. A load cell measures the weight of the material expelled from the first storage carrier. A scale controller in communication with the presence sensor responds to the presence of the second storage carrier by recording of the weight measurement from the load cell.