The present invention relates generally to a system and a method for distributing materials in confined spaces, such as, for example, feeding animals in captivity. The system can be used to for example, animals through the operation of a cable mounted transport mechanism that carries storage container for food, a dispenser, and sensors that assist in the movement of the transport mechanism and the dispensing of food by the dispenser. Disclosed also is a method including the steps of (A) receiving, in a cable mounted transport mechanism, information regarding the timing for dispensing, (B) accessing information about the position(s) from which food should be dispensed, (C) sensing and monitoring the amount of food in the food storage container attached to the transport mechanism, (D) moving the cable mounted transport mechanism to the position(s) prescribed by the information accessed, and (E) dispensing food from the food storage container at the desired position(s) based upon the information regarding the timing for dispensing, the position(s) for dispensing and amount of food then in the food storage container.

Terrestrial multitasking mobile robot capable of being coupled to said structure and transporting it, through the maneuvering area (Am) and along the operating corridor (Cf) between the various bays (29), providing access to the various implements (1 to 7) arranged in the aerial magazine (Ma) or for coupling to the implements in the terrestrial magazine (Mt) used to distribute products and supplies for livestock rearing.

A method for distributing feed over multiple separate feeding locations includes determining which feeding locations have a feed requirement; determining a priority for the feeding locations having a feed requirement, wherein a first feeding location has the highest priority; determining a feed composition and a first amount to be delivered to the first feeding location; determining a maximum filling amount of a feed delivery device; determining a remaining filling amount by subtracting the first amount from the maximum filling amount; determining which feeding locations have a feed requirement and require the same feed composition; apportioning at least a part of the remaining filling amount over one or more of the determined feeding locations; and filling the feed delivery device.

A control arrangement, method, and computer program for obtaining, from a real-time location system, positions of individual animals and of individual mobile agricultural devices located in a livestock area, and automatically controlling one or more of the mobile agricultural devices based on the obtained positions of the mobile agricultural devices and the individual animals so that the mobile agricultural devices are operated optimally and safely of the animals.

A monitoring and intervening assembly for rearing premises includes: a movable monitoring unit equipped with a unit for monitoring the rearing premises and the animals resident therein, the geographic coordinates of the unit in the premises being determinable with respect to an origin, at least one movable intervening module able to be driven and controlled by the monitoring unit, the intervening module, at rest, being installed in a storage area, the monitoring unit and the intervening module both including interacting mechanical coupling for linking one to the other, the coupling being lockable and unlockable, the monitoring unit being able to continuously monitor the premises and the animals, without however being coupled to the or one of the intervening modules.

An animal farm system in a includes a barn, animal related structures within the barn, such as a feeding alley and/or a milking system, and an autonomous vehicle arranged to perform an animal related action and move about in the barn. The vehicle includes a control unit to move the vehicle about, a position determining system for determining a position of the vehicle in the barn, a sensor system to determine a value of a parameter related to a position of the vehicle with respect to the barn or an object therein, such as the at least one structure therein, and a vehicle communication device. The control unit further is arranged to contain barn map information, and receive motion control and navigation information via the vehicle communication device. The animal farm system further includes an external communication device to exchange information with the vehicle communication device, wherein the control unit is arranged to send determined vehicle positions and determined parameter values to the external communication device, that is arranged to visualise the received vehicle positions and determined parameter values in dependence of the momentary determined position of the vehicle, and for inputting by a user of barn map information on the basis of the visualised position and/or parameter values, and to send the inputted barn map information to the control unit. A corresponding method includes moving the vehicle, receiving vehicle positions and vehicle position dependent parameter values, and drawing a barn map based thereon.

There is provided an autonomous vehicle for pushing feed lying on a floor, comprising a frame; a skirt rotatably connected to the frame, wherein a bottom portion of the skirt continuously contacts the floor to push the feed. The vehicle comprises a sensor assembly for detecting a magnetic field emitted from a magnetic guiding element inserted in the floor and a control unit mounted for directing rotation of the skirt and for guiding the vehicle along a predetermined path formed by the magnetic guiding element. Also provided is an autonomous vehicle with a skirt drive mechanism mounted to the frame for driving rotation of the skirt, and an autonomous vehicle comprising a prism-shaped skirt rotatably connected to the frame. There is also provided methods for installing a magnetically guided autonomous vehicle and for pushing feed using an autonomous vehicle, as well as systems and kits comprising said vehicle.

A feed-mixing device for receiving, mixing and dispensing animal feed includes a frame with a mixing bin for receiving and mixing the animal feed therein and dispensing it therefrom, at least one mixing device rotatably drivable in the mixing bin using a drive, in particular a vertical mixing auger, for mixing the received animal feed, and a weighing device for determining the weight of the animal feed received in the mixing bin, comprising N weighing elements, with N?2, each of which emits a weighing signal, and a control system for controlling the feed-mixing device and for processing the weighing signals from the weighing elements to produce the determined weight. The control system is configured to perform an, in particular fully automatic, calibration action of the weighing elements. The calibration action includes driving the at least one mixing device, reading out the respective weighing signal of each of the N weighing elements in each of M different positions of the mixing device, with M?N, calibrating the weighing elements on the basis of the read-out weighing signals, wherein the calibrating at least includes determining a respective correction factor for the weighing signal of each weighing element by analysing the read-out weighing signals of all weighing elements. Thus, all weighing elements may be calibrated without having to detach the weighing elements, which provides very reliable weight measurements in a very simple manner.

A control arrangement, method, and computer program for obtaining, from a real-time location system, positions of individual animals and of individual mobile agricultural devices located in a livestock area, and automatically controlling one or more of the mobile agricultural devices based on the obtained positions of the mobile agricultural devices and the individual animals so that the mobile agricultural devices are operated optimally and safely of the animals.

According to embodiments disclosed herein, there is provided a system for loading, mixing and transporting feed. The system includes a scoop assembly and a mixing tub that are movable overhead a series of storage bays. The scoop assembly may retrieve commodities from the storage bays and load measured quantities of the commodities into the mixing tub.