HOOF TREATMENT ARRANGEMENT AND METHOD FOR HOOF TREATMENT

Abstract

A hoof treatment arrangement arranged to spray a liquid onto hooves of animals while they are stationary in a stall of an animal arrangement includes an identification system configured to identify animals, an automatic detector arrangement configured to determine the hoof status for animals, an automatic spray device, and a control arrangement. The control arrangement is operatively connected to an information database of the animal arrangement, which includes animal specific information for a plurality of animals housed in the animal arrangement; the identification system, to obtain information regarding the identity of each of the plurality of animals; the automatic detector arrangement, to obtain information regarding the hoof status for each of the identified animals; and the automatic spray device, to control the automatic spray device.

Claims

1. A hoof treatment arrangement arranged to spray a liquid onto hooves of animals (8) while they are stationary in a stall (3, 6, 27) of an animal arrangement, the hoof treatment arrangement comprising: an information database (19a) of the animal arrangement which comprises animal specific information for a plurality of animals housed in the animal arrangement, an identification system configured to identify each of the animals (8), an automatic detector arrangement (21) configured to determine a hoof status for each of the animals (8), an automatic spray device (24), and a control arrangement (25), wherein the control arrangement (25) is: operatively connected to the information database (19a) of the animal arrangement; operatively connected to the identification system, to obtain information regarding the identity of each of the plurality of animals; operatively connected to the automatic detector arrangement (21), to obtain information regarding the hoof status for each of the identified animals; operatively connected to the automatic spray device (24), to control the automatic spray device (24); arranged to update the information database (19a) with respect to the hoof status for each of the identified animals; and configured (i) to select a subset of the plurality of animals housed in the animal arrangement based on the animal specific information and the hoof status the identified animals (8), and (ii) to control the automatic spray device (24) to spray a liquid onto one or more of the hooves of only the animals of the selected subset of the plurality of animals while the animals of the selected subset are stationary in the stall (3, 6, 27) of the animal arrangement.

2. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the automatic detector arrangement comprises a camera (21) configured to record images of the one or more hooves of each of the identified animals, and image processing means configured to process the recorded images and to determine the hoof status for each of the identified animals from the recorded images.

3. The arrangement of claim 2, wherein the camera (21) is carried by a robot arm (15) configured to move the camera (21) to appropriate positions to enable the camera (21) to record the images of the one or more hooves of each of the identified animals.

4. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the automatic spray device (24) is carried by a robot arm (15) configured to move the automatic spray device (24) to appropriate positions in order for the automatic spray device (24) to spray the liquid onto the one or more of the hooves of only the animals of the selected subset of the plurality of animals.

5. The arrangement of claim 3, wherein the stall of the animal arrangement is a stall (3) of an automated milking system, and the robot arm (15) is a part of a teat cup attachment robot.

6. The arrangement of claim 3, wherein the stall of the animal arrangement is a stall (6) of a rotary milking system (3) comprising a rotating platform (20) with a plurality of milking stalls (6) arranged thereon, each of which being provided with teat cups (11) and provided for housing a animal (8) during milking thereof, and the robot arm (15) is a part of a teat cleaning robot, a teat cup attachment robot or a teat spray robot of the rotary milking system (3).

7. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the stall of the animal arrangement is a stall (27) of an animal treatment station arranged in proximity to a milking system (3) of the animal arrangement, and into which each of the plurality of animals is passing prior, or subsequent, to the milking thereof.

8. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the stall of the animal arrangement is a stall of an animal feeding station of the animal arrangement.

9. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the automatic detector arrangement (21) is configured to determine the hoof status for each of the identified animals while the animal (8) is stationary in said stall (3, 6, 27) of the animal arrangement.

10. The arrangement of claim 9, wherein the automatic spray device (24) is configured to spray a cleaning liquid onto the one or more hooves of each of the identified animals prior to the detector arrangement (21) determining the hoof status for that animal (8).

11. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein, the hoof status includes the degree of cleanliness of the hooves; the animal specific information further includes information regarding the risk for each of the plurality of animals to become ill, which is determined based on at least one of the group consisting of age, race, behavior, lactation status, illness history, and illness history of related animals; the control arrangement (25) is configured to select the subset of the plurality of animals housed in the animal arrangement based on the degree of cleanliness of the hooves combined with the risk for each of the plurality of animals to become ill, by selecting as the subset those animals (8) having the highest risks to become ill where the degree of cleanliness is below a threshold; and the liquid is a cleaning or sanitizing liquid.

12. The arrangement of claim 11, wherein the liquid is water.

13. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein, the hoof status includes whether the animal has a hoof illness; the control arrangement (25) is configured to select the subset of the plurality of animals housed in the animal arrangement based on the information for each of the plurality of animals regarding whether that animal (8) has the hoof illness, by selecting as the subset those animals (8) having the hoof illness; and the liquid is a medicating liquid.

14. The arrangement of claim 13, wherein the liquid comprises antibiotics.

15. The arrangement of claim 13, wherein the hoof illness is digital dermatitis or foot rot.

16. A method of hoof treatment in an animal arrangement comprising: identifying each of a plurality of animals housed in the animal arrangement; determining a hoof status for each of the identified animals (8) using an automatic detector arrangement (21); updating an information database (19a) of the animal arrangement, which database comprises animal specific information for a plurality of animals housed in the animal arrangement, with respect to the hoof status for each of the identified animals (8); automatically selecting a subset of the plurality of animals housed in the animal arrangement based on the animal specific information and the hoof status of the identified animals (8); and automatically spraying a liquid onto one or more of the hooves of only the animals of the selected subset of the plurality of animals by an automatic hoof spraying device (24), while the animals of the selected subset are stationary in a stall (3, 6, 27) of the animal arrangement.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein, the hoof status includes the degree of cleanliness of the hooves for each of the plurality of animals; the animal specific information further includes information regarding the risk for each of the plurality of animals to become ill, which is determined based on at least one of the group consisting of age, race, behavior, lactation status, illness history, and illness history of related animals; the subset of the plurality of animals housed in the animal arrangement is selected based on the degree of cleanliness of the hooves combined with the risk for each of the plurality of animals to become ill, by selecting as the subset those animals having the highest risks to become ill where the degree of cleanliness is below a threshold; and the liquid is a cleaning or sanitizing liquid.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein, the hoof status includes whether each of the plurality of animals has a hoof illness; the subset of the plurality of animals housed in the animal arrangement is selected based on the information for each of the plurality of animals regarding whether that animal has the hoof illness, by selecting as the subset those animals having the hoof illness; and the liquid is a medicating liquid, which comprises antibiotics.

19. A hoof treatment arrangement arranged to spray a liquid onto hooves of animals (8) while the animals are stationary in a stall (3, 6, 27) of an animal arrangement, the hoof treatment arrangement comprising: an information database (19a) of the animal arrangement which comprises animal specific information for a plurality of animals housed in the animal arrangement, an identification system configured to identify each of the animals (8), an automatic detector arrangement (21) configured to record an indication of a hoof illness of at least one hoof of each animal and determine the hoof status for animals (8) from the indication of the hoof illness, an automatic spray device (24), and a control arrangement (25), wherein the control arrangement (25) is operatively connected to the information database (19a) of the animal arrangement; operatively connected to the identification system, to obtain information regarding the identity of each of the plurality of animals; operatively connected to the automatic detector arrangement (21), to obtain information regarding the hoof status for each of the identified animals; operatively connected to the automatic spray device (24), to control the automatic spray device (24); arranged to update the information database (19a) with respect to the hoof status for each of the identified animals; and configured (i) to select a subset of the plurality of animals housed in the animal arrangement based on the animal specific information and the information regarding the hoof status for each of the identified animals, and (ii) to control the automatic spray device (24) to spray a medicating liquid onto one or more of the hooves of only the animals of the selected subset of the plurality of animals while the animals of the selected subset are stationary in the stall (3, 6, 27) of the animal arrangement, the medicating liquid for treating the hoof illness.

20. hoof treatment arrangement of claim 19, wherein the indication for which the automatic detector arrangement (21) is configured to determine is for at least one of the group consisting of digital dermatitis and foot rot.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] FIGS. 1-3 display each a schematically outlined milking system including an automatic hoof treatment arrangement according to a respective embodiment. FIG. 1 is a perspective view while FIGS. 2 and 3 are each a top view.

[0032] Identical reference numerals are used throughout the figures to denote identical or similar components, portions, details and the like of the various embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0033] FIG. 1 shows an automated milking system or station 3 in an animal arrangement, in which an automatic hoof treatment arrangement according to an embodiment is implemented. The automated milking station 3 may be a voluntary milking station 3 comprising an enclosure having an inlet gate 4 and an outlet gate 5, which are both capable of being opened automatically.

[0034] The milking station 3 further comprises an automatic milking machine (not explicitly illustrated) including teat cups 11 connected to an end unit by means of milk lines (only the portions attached to the teat cups 11 are shown in FIG. 1). The milking station further includes a milking robot 14 having a movable robot arm 15 provided with a camera 21 and a gripper 22. The milking robot 14 is arranged to automatically attach the teat cups 11 of the milking machine to the teats of an animal 8 present in the milking station 3 prior to milking. In FIG. 1 three of the teat cups 11 are arranged in a teat cup rack or magazine 16, whereas the fourth one is held by the gripper 22 of the robot arm 15.

[0035] Further, the milking station 3 comprises an identification system (not illustrated) arranged to identify an animal approaching the milking station 3, and a milking station controller 19, which is responsible for controlling the milking station 3, which inter alia includes the initiation of various activities in connection with milking such as e.g. opening and closing of the gates 4 and 5, and control of the milking machine and the milking robot 14. The milking station controller 19 may further comprise an information database 19a, which comprises animal specific information for a plurality of animals housed in the animal arrangement.

[0036] The camera 21, which may be a three-dimensional camera, is operatively connected to the milking station controller 19 and is arranged to visualize the teats of the animals 8 present in the milking station 3, thereby enabling the milking station controller 19 to determine the positions of the teats of the animal 8 and to control the robot 14 to move the teat cups 11 to the teats of the animals 8 present in the milking station 3.

[0037] Furthermore, the hoof treatment arrangement comprises an automatic detector arrangement 21 configured to determine the hoof status for each of the animals, wherein the control arrangement 25 is operatively connected to the automatic detector arrangement to obtain information regarding the hoof status for each of the animals and to update the information database 19a with respect to the hoof status for each of the animals.

[0038] In one version, the detector arrangement is constituted by the camera 21 on the robot arm 15 and the milking station controller 19. The camera 21 is configured to record images of one or more hooves the animal 8, and the milking station controller 19 is configured to process the recorded images and to detect whether the animal 8 has the hoof illness. To this end, the milking station controller 19 may be provided with suitable image processing software. The robot 14 is typically configured to move the camera to appropriate positions to enable the camera 21 to record the images of one or more hooves the animal 8 while the animal 8 is stationary in the milking station 3, e.g. after the robot 14 has attached the teat cups 11 to the teats of the animal. The camera 21 may be configured to record the images of one or more of the hooves, e.g. the hooves of the hind legs, of each animal.

[0039] The hoof treatment arrangement for the milking station 3 comprises an automatic spray device 24 arranged to spray a liquid onto hooves of animals while they are present and stationary in the milking station 3, and a control arrangement 25 operatively connected to the automatic spray device 24 to control the automatic spray device 24. The automatic spray device 24 is only shown schematically, but may be either a spray device fixedly mounted in the stall, such as e.g. the one described in EP1384400, or a spray device mounted on a robot arm, either the robot arm 15 or a separate robot arm, in order for the automatic spray device 24 to be moved to appropriate positions for the hoof spraying. The automatic spray device 24 may have one or more spraying orifices or nozzles.

[0040] Further, the control arrangement 25 of the hoof treatment arrangement is operatively connected to the information database 19a of the milking station controller 19 in order to be capable of retrieving the animal specific information for the animals housed in the animal arrangement. The control arrangement 25 may be implemented as a separate computer, microprocessor, circuit, or the like, or be integrated with the milking station controller 19 in a single computer.

[0041] The control arrangement 25 of the hoof treatment arrangement is configured (i) to select a subset of the animals housed in the animal arrangement based on the animal specific information retrieved from the database 19a and (ii) to control the automatic spray device 24 to spray a liquid onto one or more of the hooves of only the animals of the selected subset of the animals.

[0042] In one embodiment, the animal specific information for the animals housed in the animal arrangement further comprises information regarding the risk for each of the animals to become ill, which is determined based on e.g. age, race, behavior, lactation status, illness history, or illness history of related animals, and the control arrangement 25 is configured to 3 0 select the subset of the animals housed in the animal arrangement based also on the risk for each of the animals to become ill, particularly by selecting as the subset those animals having the highest risks to become ill. The risk for an animal to become ill may e.g. be calculated based on the stated parameters, and if the risk is above a certain threshold, the animal may be selected as part of the subset. The liquid may here be a cleaning liquid, such as e.g. water, or a sanitizing liquid.

[0043] In an alternative embodiment, the hoof status for the animals housed in the animal arrangement comprises information for each of the animals regarding whether that animal has a hoof illness, and the control arrangement 25 is configured to select the subset of the animals housed in the animal arrangement based on the information for each of the animals regarding whether that animal has the hoof illness, particularly by selecting as the subset those animals having the hoof illness. The liquid may here be a medicating liquid, such as e.g. a liquid comprising antibiotics. The hoof illness may e.g. be digital dermatitis or foot rot.

[0044] The automatic spray device 24 may be configured to spray a cleaning liquid, such as e.g. water, onto the hooves of each of the animals prior to the detector arrangement determining the hoof status for that animal.

[0045] FIG. 2 illustrates a further embodiment which differs from the embodiment of FIG. 1 in that the automatic hoof treatment arrangement is not implemented in, but instead in proximity of, an automated milking system. Here, a treatment stall 27, at which the automatic spray device 24 and the control arrangement 25 of the automatic hoof treatment arrangement are arranged, is located separate from the milking station 3. A gate arrangement 28, or similar, is arranged to automatically guide the animal 8 to the treatment stall 27 after having been milked in the milking station 3. Since the animal is sent directly from the milking station 3 to the treatment stall 27, there is no need for a separate identification system—instead the identification system in the milking station 3 (not illustrated) can be used.

[0046] As in the previously illustrated embodiment, an automatic detector arrangement 21 configured to determine the hoof status for the animals may be provided. However, in the disclosed treatment stall no robots are provided, and therefore, if the automatic detector arrangement is to be based on existing equipment, detection has to take place in the milking station 3. Alternatively, an automatic detector arrangement is arranged in the treatment stall 27.

[0047] Note that the gate arrangement 28 may be arranged to only automatically guide animals selected to obtain a hoof treatment to the treatment stall 27 after having been milked in the milking station 3. Other animals may be automatically guided elsewhere by the gate arrangement 28. This is of course only possible if the automatic detector arrangement is arranged prior to the gate arrangement 28, e.g. in the milking station 3.

[0048] In a yet further embodiment (not illustrated), the automatic hoof treatment arrangement is implemented in a stall of a feeding station, which the animals of the animal arrangement can visit.

[0049] FIG. 3 shows a rotary milking system 3, in which an automatic hoof treatment arrangement according to a further embodiment is implemented.

[0050] The rotary milking system 3 comprises a rotatable carousel or rotating platform 20, which forms the support for a plurality of milking stalls 6, which animals 8 may enter in a sequential order. The rotary milking station 3 comprises an identification system (not illustrated), which may e.g. be located at the entrance to the rotating platform 20, in the milking stalls 6, or at a fixed point which the rotating platform 20 passes during rotation. Each of the milking stalls 6 comprises milking equipment including teat cups 11 that are attached to the teats of the animal present in the milking stall prior to milking. For the sake of simplicity, teat cups 11 are illustrated only for one of the milking stalls 6. The rotary milking system 3 may be of parallel, tandem, or, as illustrated, herringbone configuration, wherein the longitudinal directions x of the milking stalls 6 and of the animals 8 present therein extends partly radially, partly circumferentially.

[0051] A robot 14 provided with a robot arm 15 is arranged to automatically attach teat cups 11 to the teats of the animals 8 present in the milking stalls 6 under the control of a milking station controller 19, which is operatively connected to the milking robot 14. The milking robot 14 is preferably stationary with respect to the rotating platform 20 of the rotary milking system 3. Alternatively, the milking robot 14 is movable back and forth in e.g. a circumferential direction. A three-dimensional camera 21 is operatively connected to the milking station controller 19 and is arranged to visualize the teats of the animal 8 present in each milking stall 6, thereby enabling milking station controller 19 to determine the positions of the teats of the animal 8 and to control the robot 14 to move the teat cups 11 to the teats of the animal 8 present in each milking stall 6. The milking station controller 19 comprises a database 19a comprising animal specific information for the animals.

[0052] The automatic hoof treatment arrangement comprises an automatic spray device 24 arranged to spray a liquid onto hooves of animals while they are stationary in a respective 3 0 one of the milking stalls 6, and a control arrangement 25 operatively connected to the automatic spray device 24 to control the automatic spray device 24. The automatic spray device may be fixedly mounted on a post which the platform rotates past, or a spray device mounted on a robot arm 15. The robot arm 15 may be a part of a teat cleaning robot, a teat cup attachment robot or a teat spray robot.

[0053] The control arrangement 25 of the hoof treatment arrangement is operatively connected to the information database 19a and is configured (i) to select a subset of the animals visiting the rotary milking system based on the animal specific information and (ii) to control the automatic spray device 25 to spray a liquid onto one or more of the hooves of only the animals of the selected subset of the animals.

[0054] In other respects, the hoof treatment arrangement of FIG. 3 may be similar to the hoof treatment arrangement of FIG. 1.

[0055] It shall be appreciated by a person skilled in the art that the above disclosed embodiments are exemplary embodiments and may be modified or altered without departing from the scope of the invention defined by the appended patent claims.