The present invention relates to a formulation that can be utilised to facilitate expression of natural behaviour in pigs, and in particular sows and weaners and a method which utilises the formulation for the same.

A system for heating animals. The heating system uses an elongated curved reflector around an elongated infrared light source to reflect heat off of the elongated curved reflector and onto piglets provided in the piglet creep of a farrowing crate. The system has a reduced thermal gradient to efficiently transfer heat to animals, such as piglets, without overheating other nearby animals, such as sows.

The present invention relates to a formulation that can be utilised to facilitate expression of natural behaviour in pigs, and in particular sows and weaners and a method which utilises the formulation for the same.

A pig production method by using a detachable and washable wet curtain for intensive pig farming The detachable and washable wet curtain includes a wet curtain mounting frame (1), a spray tube (4), a plurality of rotatable reels (7) equivalent to sleeves, a reel (6) with a buckle, a wet curtain net (8), a reel (10) with a buckle, and a manual handle (9). The wet curtain is formed by a low-cost common material, namely a plastic net and the like, is convenient to mount, detach, and wash, and is not prone to making dust, scale, algae, mosquitos, and the like accumulate thereon, thus reducing the replacement cost and use cost. Therefore, a new cooling method based on the wet curtain is provided for pig farms in summer, and it is also suitable for other livestock farms in summer.

An apparatus for raising livestock includes one or more confinement pens together with alleyways for transfer of the animals from one location to another. The apparatus includes one or more cameras for obtaining images of all animals in the containment area. A processor is provided for analyzing the images, the processor being arranged to allocate an arbitrary identification to each animal and to track all animals continually to maintain the allocation. From this tracking various data related to individual animals or the animals as a group can be obtained to assess their characteristics and to provide an indication to the worker of the animal to be extracted. The processor can be arranged to detect by image analysis of the image a quantity of feed and/or water in a feeder and to obtain images of the farrowing pen including the sow confinement area and at least one piglet confinement area.

A gestation stall gate assembly includes a gate support, a gate pivotably coupled to the gate support, and a gate control assembly. The gate is pivotable between an inwardly open position, a closed position, and an outwardly open position. The gate control assembly is configured to (i) allow the gate to pivot from the closed position to the inwardly open position when a sow pushes against the gate to pivot the gate toward the inwardly open position, (ii) prevent the gate from pivoting from the closed position to the inwardly open position for a second time until the gate is pivoted from the closed position to the outwardly open position, and (iii) allow the gate to pivot from the closed position to the outwardly open position when the sow pushes against the gate to pivot the gate toward the outwardly open position.

A detector for detecting a signal from one or more feeders. A processor is in communication with the can be configured with an artificial intelligence module and a library of pre-recorded action events and for comparing the signal with the library of pre-recorded action events and determining a likely action event. A warring device can be in communication with the processor for providing an output in response to the likely action event. At least one false positive sensor in communication with either the processor or the warning device or both of the processor and the warning device can be used for stopping the output from the warning device upon a predetermined condition.

A detector for detecting a signal from one or more feeders. A processor is in communication with the can be configured with an artificial intelligence module and a library of pre-recorded action events and for comparing the signal with the library of pre-recorded action events and determining a likely action event. A warning device can be in communication with the processor for providing an output in response to the likely action event. At least one false positive sensor in communication with either the processor or the warning device or both of the processor and the warning device can be used for stopping the output from the warning device upon a predetermined condition.

A piglet-protection device for a farrowing pen is equipped with a first side part, with a trough console, which is connected to the first side part, and with a second side part, which is connected to the trough console so as to be pivotable about a pivot axis. By pivoting the second side part, the piglet-protection device can be brought into a piglet-protection position, in which the second side part is arranged substantially parallel to the first side part, and into a movement position, in which the second side part is spread away from the first side part. A first door element and a second door element delimit the piglet-protection device at the rear in the piglet-protection position. The first door element and/or the second door element are arranged in a length-adjustable manner on the first and second side part, respectively.

A vibratory detector for detecting a vibratory signal from one or more feeders. A processor is in communication with the vibratory detector and configured for determining from at least one characteristic of the vibratory signal a possible action event, and for determining from a pattern of possible action events a likely action event. A warning device is in communication with the processor for providing an output in response to the likely action event. In an embodiment, the at least one characteristic of the vibratory signal can comprise the frequency or magnitude of the vibratory signal.