An automatic milking installation controlled by a system including: a graphical user interface enabling user interaction with the automatic milking installation via at least one display view, an imaging unit recording image data representing at least one portion of a dairy animal, the imaging unit having a transparent cover surface configured to protect an optics section of the imaging unit and through which transparent cover surface the image data are recorded, and a control unit receiving the recorded image data, and based thereon, producing a control signal for controlling functions of the automatic milking installation. The control unit further processes the recorded image data to determine a parameter indicating an amount of dirt on the transparent cover surface, and generates graphics data for presentation to the user via the graphical user interface, which includes at least one graphical element reflecting the amount of dirt on the transparent cover surface.

An electronic pet door is provided herein. The electronic pet door includes a pivotal flap and a frame that defines a through-way. A rotatable knob is mounted to the frame and has a handle portion and a stop wall. The handle portion and stop wall include various profiles and configurations that work in concert to control the flap's direction of pivotal movement. In a first configuration, the flap may swing outwardly or inwardly. A second configuration prevents the flap from swinging inwardly. A third configuration prevents the flap from swinging outwardly. A fourth configuration places the flap is in a locked position to prevent swinging in either direction. The electronic door also includes an electronic latch mechanism which selectively latches and unlatches the flap. The latch mechanism unlatches the flap in response to a wireless signal from an electronic transmitter that may be affixed to a pet.

A portable, trapping system for capturing and non-lethally retaining a large number of large animals, such as wild horses or feral hogs. A specialized trailer aligns and secures deployable corral components for transportation. The corral comprises a modular fence erected on-site from multiple fence panels that are hinged together by pinning. The fence panels are configured with voids to prevent animal climbing. A gate with a remotely actuated trap door is similarly pinned between adjacent fence panels. The gate threshold is concealable. Stakes secure panels to the ground, forming a stable enclosure. The trailer comprises a rigid, confining frame structure adapted to constrain and transport corral components. When the corral is disassembled, multiple individual fence panels to be moved are slidably captivated between channels on first and second confining surfaces, being maintained in a parallel and stable configuration during transportation.

The door system disclosed herein includes a frame and a door fabricated from a plurality of horizontal and vertical wire rods. The door may have an inverted hook which is aligned to a horizontal wire rod of the frame when the door is pivoted to the closed position. To close the door, the door is dropped so that the horizontal wire rod of the frame is traversed into the inverted hook. At this point, the animal inside of the pet crate cannot open the door by pushing on the door. Rather, the door must be raised so that the inverted hook clears the horizontal wire rod of the frame to pivot the door to the opened position.

A milking arrangement includes a milking module having at least two milking places, a front gate assembly, a sequence gate assembly, an entrance gate, an independent first drive device for moving the front gate assembly between lower and upper positions, and a second drive device for moving the entrance gate between open and closed positions. An independent third drive device moves the sequence gate assembly from a first position to a second elevated position in which the sequence gates are located at a level above and behind animals standing in respective milking places. The sequence gate assembly being configured to move from the second position to the first position such that the sequence gates urge animals standing in their respective milking places to leave the milking places. A control arrangement controls opening of the entrance gate on basis of the position of the sequence gate assembly.

A multi-pet locking-head-and-locking-tail-push-rod pet crate comprises: a handle bridge, a handle channel molded inside the handle bridge for containing grooming tools, handle clasps respectively molded in the handle bridge for fastening poop bags thereto, a top panel, a bottom panel, a left panel, a right panel, a front panel, a rear panel, at least one divider, panel-locking hooks and clamps for hooking and clamping the panels together, a slanted tray for draining urine, urine-storing gutters and ridges molded around the tray for supporting pet paws and for keeping pets away from urine, top and bottom low-friction rails welded to the front panel, multi-position door-glider-locking recesses formed in the bottom low-friction rail for locking the auto-indexing multi-position door gliders and for adjusting horizontal or slanted and stationary or moving positions of the auto-indexing multi-position doors, first and second auto-indexing multi-position doors inserted between the top and bottom low-friction rails, first and second auto-indexing multi-position door gliders respectively cast to the first and second doors for horizontally or slantedly being locked in the multi-position door-glider-locking recesses to horizontally or slantedly lock said first and the second doors in multiple horizontal or slanted and stationary or moving positions, first and second push-rods respectively and movably attached to the first and second doors, first and second door-locking push-rod heads respectively cast to the first and second push-rods for locking the first and second doors together, and first and second multi-position door-locking push-rod tails respectively cast to the first and second push-rods for locking and aligning the first and second doors to the front panel and for adjusting multiple positions of the first and second doors.

The present invention is a gate latching system for use in securing a pair of cooperating stock gates together. A preferred embodiment of the invention employs a pair of latching devices for securing a pair of overlapping stock gates together in a closed position. An alternate embodiment of the invention is designed with an extended arm for securing a pair of stock gates closed when the stock gates do not overlap. Both pairs of latching devices are designed so that one of the latching devices is bolted to one gate and the other latching device is bolted to the other gate. Each latching device has a u-shaped receiver for receiving a horizontal member of the opposite gate. The horizontal members enter the u-shaped receivers by lifting one of the gates as the gates are being closed and are secure therein by a lid that closes over one receiver.

A portable, trapping system for capturing and non-lethally retaining a large number of large animals, such as wild horses or feral hogs. A specialized trailer aligns and secures deployable corral components for transportation. The corral comprises a modular fence erected on-site from multiple fence panels that are hinged together by pinning. The fence panels are configured with voids to prevent animal climbing. A gate with a remotely actuated trap door is similarly pinned between adjacent fence panels. The gate threshold is concealable. Stakes secure panels to the ground, forming a stable enclosure. The trailer comprises a rigid, confining frame structure adapted to constrain and transport corral components. When the corral is disassembled, multiple individual fence panels are slidably captivated between channels on first and second confining surfaces, being maintained in a parallel and stable configuration during transportation.

A non-human primate restraint system comprising a complex of a manipulating chamber and a restraint chamber. The system provides a humane, interactive, and safe structure and methods for leading non-human primates from a chute or a cage, through the manipulating chamber, and into a restraint chamber. The restraint chamber is removably attached to the manipulating chamber. The restraint chamber has an upper part with a screen, a middle portion with slots to accommodate platforms, and a lower section with a screen. The screens can be retracted or removed to access either the top portion or lower portion of the NHP.

A position sensing device for sensing an upper limit position and a lower limit position of a hoisting line for raising and lowering a door leaf of an animal enclosure, the position sensing device comprising a hoisting line pathway for a hoisting line to raise and lower a door leaf of an animal enclosure, an actuator arm moveable between a first position and a second position, and a proximity switch having a first state corresponding to the actuator arm being in the first position and a second state corresponding to the actuator arm being in the second position.