A method for recording and predicting position data for a self-propelled wheeled vehicle (1) carrying a load (14) is provided whereby the vehicle (1) is caused to move along a ground surface (5) along a predominantly straight line trajectory (17) by rotating at least one load carrying wheel (3) in frictional engagement with the surface (5), angular rotation data of at least one wheel (3) is obtained, absolute position data are obtained at different predetermined fixed positions P.sub.n of the vehicle (1) with respect to the surface (5) along the straight line trajectory (17), whereby the distance travels is measured independently and used to calibrate motion sensors on board the vehicle. The invention also comprises a delivery or pick up system, a program for an on-board computing device and an on-board computing device.

An autonomous vehicle for transporting and delivering livestock feed to a feed bunk in a feedlot without human intervention. The vehicle includes a chassis having a translation assembly for moving the vehicle across a surface, a delivery box operably engaged with the chassis and defining a chamber for carrying the feed. A load-dispensing assembly and a load-advancement mechanism are provided on the delivery box. Actuating the load-advancement mechanism moves the livestock feed toward the load-dispensing assembly. A control assembly is provided with programming configured to autonomously control movement of the vehicle along a predetermined pathway in the feedlot, autonomously control the load-advancement mechanism and load-dispensing assembly to deliver feed from the delivery box into a feed bunk at a preset location along the pathway, and/or control the ground speed of the vehicle so that an exact weight of feed is delivered per linear foot traveled by the vehicle.

A feeding system to feed non-human animals includes a first autonomous mobile device and a second autonomous mobile device. The first autonomous mobile device includes a feed holder to receive feed, a feed mixer to mix the received feed, and a feed dispenser configured to dispense feed to the second autonomous mobile device. The second autonomous mobile device includes a feed holder to receive feed from the first autonomous mobile device.

An animal farm system 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.

An autonomous and self-propelled vehicle for laterally displacing feed, having a frame and a housing, the housing including a rotatable feed-displacement device, at least a bottom section of the feed-displacement device being rotationally symmetrical about a cylinder axis, the cylinder axis being at an angle to the vertical direction in such a manner that a part of the feed-displacement device which, viewed in the direction of travel, is situated at the front is arranged closer to the ground than a part of the feed-displacement device which, viewed in the direction of travel, is situated at the rear.

The present invention discloses, inter alia, a free dome range system (FDR) comprising at least one front elevated rail (FER); at least one rear elevated rail (RER); a plurality of mobile units, each of the plurality of mobile units movable along a member of a group consisting of: the at least one FER, the least one RER and any combination thereof. The invention also discloses a method of positioning at least one of a plurality of mobile units in an FDR comprising steps of providing a free dome range system (FDR) comprising at least one front elevated rail (FER); at least one rear elevated rail (RER); and the plurality of mobile units, each of the plurality of mobile units movable along a member of a group consisting of: the at least one FER, the least one RER and any combination thereof. The present invention further discloses a dairy farm characterized by (a) an array of n stalls side-by-side along an X axis on the dairy animal's level. Each of the stalls is configured by means of size and shape to accommodate a dairy animal, having a main axis Y that is substantially perpendicular to axis X, a front side and an opposite rear side; and (b) a common elevated road surface provided on a higher level, above the stalls. This upper road surface extends along the X axis and is constructed to allow free passage of mobile units, including mobile longitudinal milking units, in a direction along the X axis, along the Y axis, a rotation about the X axis, a rotation about the Y axis, a rotation about the Z axis, and any combination thereof. The present invention further discloses means and method that in a stall, a gate located between the animal and the feeding line is thereby configured to at least temporarily prevent or otherwise limit free access of said animal to its feed.

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.

A method and system are arranged to perform a feed-related action at a feed table, upon which fodder for feeding of a group of animals is present. The system includes a sensor, configured to measure constituents, physical property or chemical property of the fodder on the feed table at a first point in time; a database, configured to store the measured constituents, physical property or chemical property of the fodder, associated with the first point in time; and a controller, configured to perform the feed-related action, based on the measured constituents, physical property or chemical property of the fodder.

An automatic feeding system includes an autonomously moveable feeding device for feeding animals. The feeding device includes a feed container for accommodating feed, a feed dispensing device for dispensing feed from the teed container, and a safety device suitable for halting the autonomously moveable feeding device in case of collision with an obstacle. The safety device includes a bumper for establishing a first contact with such an obstacle. The bumper defines an outer safety contour of the autonomously moveable feeding device. The safety device further includes a partition opener configured to open a partition provided in a door opening for enabling the autonomously moveable feeding device to pass through the door opening. The door opening provided with partition may be provided in a barn for housing animals. The opening device is provided separately and independently from and is not directly, connected to the safety device. In this way, the partition opener acts independently from and does not affect the safety device.

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.