An animal relocation system and method comprising a perimeter net system a trapping net system, and a flushing device, wherein the flushing device channels the animal through the perimeter net system and into the trapping net.

A poultry transport system and method involving at least one frame structure configurable for baseless suspension in which said system and method may include a frame structure top of a first frame structure engageable to a frame structure bottom of a second frame structure to form paired frame structures.

To produce chicks from hatching eggs, the eggs are incubated in a hatcher incubator. After hatching, chicks of lesser quality are screened out, and the remaining chicks are transferred to a poultry barn. During the first week in the barn, a number of chicks are lost. When the loss rate exceeds a certain value, treatment with antibiotics is usually applied. Methods and compositions for reducing the loss rate during the first week and thus the number of antibiotic treatments are disclosed. The methods include providing in the air of the hatcher incubator at least during a final stage of the incubation and hatching of the eggs in the hatcher incubator, an active amount of a pheromone composition with the appeasing effect of the mother hen pheromone. The pheromone composition can be applied in the hatcher incubator at a specific height in the form of a formulation.

The present invention relates to a cover for a poultry container for holding live poultry, comprising: two substantially parallel guides; plural longitudinal supports, on opposite sides moveable connected to the guides; a flexible cover sheet, connected to the longitudinal supports; wherein the parallel guides are provided with preferred holding locations for preferred positioning of the longitudinal supports onto the guides. The invention also relates to a poultry container including such a cover as well as to a poultry container assembly of plural stacked poultry containers.

Stackable poultry container systems are described herein along with methods of using the systems in connection with the care of poultry. The stackable poultry container systems described herein may include feeder apparatus that allow for the distribution of feed to all of the containers within a stack of containers through the feeder apparatus provided in the uppermost container in the stack. The stackable poultry container systems described herein may include a floor that has waste apertures formed therein to allow waste from animals located in the container to fall through the floor to improve sanitation for the animals located in the container system. The stacks of poultry containers may include waste shields located beneath each floor such that waste falling through the floor of a container does not pass into the container located below when the containers are stacked on top of each other.

An unloading system for unloading at least one transport unit having at least one rack and at least one transport crate mounted for receiving poultry. The rack includes a transport restraint for each transport crate, which include a bottom and side walls. A cover arranged at a distance from the upper edge of the side wails. The system includes an unloading station for at least one transport unit, a pushing device for ejecting transport crates in an ejection position, and a receiving device for receiving and conveying ejected transport crates. In the ejection position, position of transport crate to the cover is vertically controllable during the entire ejection operation so a maximum distance between the upper edge of trailing side walls of the transport crates in the pushing direction and the cover are maintainable depending on the position of the transport crate within the rack during the ejection operation.

A reduced-weight poultry cage is used in conjunction with a reduced-weight trailer to transport live poultry for maximizing the poundage of poultry being transported while reducing the number of trips and fuel expenses. The poultry cage includes a combination of aluminum and plastic elements that reduce cage weight, provide for nesting of cages in stacks as well as easy replacement of failed parts. Furthermore, a drop-deck aluminum trailer with a reduced floor and guide rail alignment stops allows for a durable yet lightweight trailer that can haul a plurality of stacks of these poultry cages, thereby maximizing cubic feet availability while being compliant with various road and bridge laws.

A method of enhancing the growth of an animal is provided. The method includes causing the animal to ingest or absorb an effective amount of one or more Fe III complex compounds, including but not limited to Fe III complexes comprising ligands bound to the iron center selected from amino acids or ?-hydroxy acids, o-hydroxy benzoic acids or pyridine-2-carboxylic acids, such as ferric quinate, ferric tyrosine, ferric DOPA and ferric phenylalanine. Compounds which are structural and/or functional variants, derivatives and/or analogs of the foregoing compounds, as further described herein are also disclosed. Methods for inhibiting, reducing, or preventing biofilm formation or buildup on a surface; the treatment of, inhibition of growth of, and inhibition of colonization by, bacteria, both in biological and non-biological environments; disinfecting surfaces, potentiating the effects of antibiotics and other anti-microbial agents, and increasing the sensitivity of bacteria and other microorganisms, to anti-microbial agents are also provided.

A mortality recovery device is described. The mortality recovery device provides for autonomous recovery of expired poultry within an environment, such as a poultry barn. The mortality recovery device includes a linkage assembly by which the expired poultry is conveyed to a container. The mortality recovery device includes one or more cameras for detecting the expired poultry. The mortality recovery device also includes one or more cameras for object detection purposes. The mortality recovery device also includes a camera or a LiDAR for mapping the position and orientation (pose) of the mortality recovery device within the environment. By the object detection and the pose information, the mortality recovery device autonomously travels within the environment. The mortality recovery device also includes a spinner assembly for deterring live poultry from the path of the mortality recovery device.

A depositing device for depositing poultry from a pile of one or more stacked crates to a poultry conveyor. A tilting unit is configured for tilting the pile of one or more stacked crates around a tilt axis between a receiving position and a depositing position. A chute is tiltable between the receiving position and the depositing position independently to the tilting unit.