REARING SYSTEMS FOR KEEPING FARM ANIMALS, IN PARTICULAR POULTRY ANIMALS, AND RELATED FARM ANIMAL SHED

Abstract

A rearing system for keeping farm animals, in particular poultry animals. The rearing system having at least one light source for illuminating the animal bodies of the farm animals with light, wherein the at least one light source is designed as a UV-B light source which is configured to emit UV-B light onto the animal bodies.

Claims

1. A rearing system for keeping farm animals, in particular poultry animals, characterized in that the rearing system has at least one light source for illuminating the animal bodies of the farm animals with light, wherein the at least one light source is designed as a UV-B light source which is configured to emit UV-B light onto the animal bodies.

2. The rearing system according to claim 1, wherein the UV-B light source emits light in a wavelength range of 280 nanometers to 315 nanometers.

3. The rearing system according to claim 1, wherein the rearing system has at least one floor, in particular a grid floor, for accommodating the poultry animals, and wherein at least one UV-B light source is configured to irradiate the poultry animals kept on the floor in the region of the shanks of the poultry animals.

4. The rearing system according to claim 1, wherein the rearing system comprises a foot rail, and wherein at least one UV-B light source is arranged on the foot rail.

5. The rearing system according to claim 3, wherein the rearing system comprises: an air duct which extends in particular below the floor; and wherein at least one UV-B light source is arranged on the air duct and is configured to emit light through openings in the floor in the direction of the poultry animals.

6. The rearing system according to claim 1, wherein the rearing system comprises a separating grid for separating living areas, and wherein at least one UV-B light source is arranged on the separating grid.

7. The rearing system according to claim 1, wherein the rearing system comprises a feed trough and wherein at least one UV-B light source is arranged on the feed trough.

8. The rearing system according to claim 1, wherein the rearing system further comprises: a perch in which a cavity is formed in which at least one UV-B light source is arranged; wherein the perch is formed from a material which is at least partially transparent to UV-B light, in particular from a transparent material.

9. The rearing system according to claim 1, wherein at least one UV-B light source is arranged on an outer face of the rearing system and is configured to emit UV-B light in the direction of an adjacent rearing system.

10. The rearing system according to claim 1, wherein the rearing system comprises a sheet metal perch and wherein at least one UV-B light source is arranged on the sheet metal perch.

11. The rearing system according to claim 1, wherein the rearing system comprises a group cage or an aviary or is designed as a group cage or aviary.

12. A farm animal shed for keeping farm animals, in particular poultry animals, comprising a rearing system according to claim 1.

13. A use of a rearing system according to claim 1 for keeping farm animals, in particular poultry animals, in a farm animal shed, preferably in a farm animal shed.

14. A method for illuminating farm animals in particular poultry animals, by means of a rearing system according to claim 1, the method comprising the steps of: illuminating the farm animals with UV-B light, in particular in the region of the shanks or further body parts of the farm animals, wherein the illumination is carried out continuously or discontinuously.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] In the Figures:

[0020] FIG. 1 shows a first exemplary embodiment of a rearing system according to the invention in a sectional view; and

[0021] FIG. 2 shows a second exemplary embodiment of a rearing system according to the invention in a sectional view.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0022] FIG. 1 shows a rearing system 2 for keeping farm animals 10, in particular poultry animals 10. The rearing system 2 is arranged in a schematically indicated farm animal shed 100. In the present case, the rearing system 2 has three levels E, wherein appropriately inclined floors 8 are provided in a lower level E for accommodating poultry animals 10. Furthermore, such an inclined floor 8 is also shown in an upper level E of the rearing system 2. The rearing system 2 has multiple light sources 4 for illuminating the animal bodies of the farm animals (not shown in FIG. 1) with light. The light sources 4 are designed as UV-B light sources 6, each of which is configured to emit UV-B light onto the animal body. FIGS. 1 and 2 show, by way of example, different installation locations for the UV-B light sources 6. A rearing system 2 can basically comprise all or only some or a single one of the UV-B light sources 6.

[0023] In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the rearing system 2 has an air duct 16. In particular, the air duct 16 extends below the floor 8. A UV-B light source 6 is arranged on the air duct 16 and configured to emit light through openings 18 in the floor 8 in the direction of poultry animals kept on the floor 8. In this manner, the UV-B light source 6 is protected from contamination and at the same time it is achieved that the poultry animals are illuminated with UV-B light in the area of their legs, i.e. their shanks. The rearing system 2 further comprises a feed trough 22. At least one UV-B light source 6 is arranged on the feed trough 22.

[0024] Moreover, the rearing system 2 includes perches 24. A cavity 26 is formed in each of the perches 24. At least one UV-B light source 6 is arranged in the cavity 26. The UV-B light source 6 can be formed, for example, as a light strip. The perch 24 is formed from a material that is at least partially permeable to UV-B light, in particular from a transparent material, so that the UV-B light can be emitted from the cavity 26 of the perch 24 in the direction of the poultry animals. The rearing system 2 further comprises an outer face 28. At least one UV-B light source 6 is arranged on the outer face 28 of the rearing system 2, which is in particular configured to emit UV-B light in the direction of an adjacent rearing system 30. In this manner, an adjacent rearing system 30 which does not have any UV-B light sources 6 can also be illuminated with UV-B light. The rearing system 2 further comprises a sheet metal perch 32. At least one UV-B light source 6 is arranged at the sheet metal perch 32 so that a targeted illumination of the shanks of the farm animals is also made possible here. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the rearing system 2 is designed as an aviary 36.

[0025] FIG. 2 shows a schematically illustrated farm animal shed 100 with a rearing system 2 which includes group cages 34. The rearing system 2 has multiple light sources 4 for illuminating the animal bodies 11 of the farm animals 10 with light, wherein the light source 4 is designed as a UV-B light source 6. The UV-B light source 6 is configured to emit UV-B light onto the animal body 11. In particular, the light emitted by the UV-B light source 6 has a wavelength range of 280 nanometers to 315 nanometers. The rearing system 2 has at least one floor 8, in particular a grid floor 8 for accommodating the poultry animals 10. At least one UV-B light source 6 is configured to irradiate the poultry animals 10 kept on the floor 8 in the region of the shanks 12 of the poultry animals 10.

[0026] Furthermore, the rearing system 2 shown in FIG. 2 comprises a foot rail 14. At least one UV-B light source 6 is arranged on the foot rail 14. The arrangement makes use of the fact that a farm animal 10, shown as an example in FIG. 2, with an animal body 11 is illuminated in the region of its shanks with UV light by the UV-B light source 6 which is arranged at the foot rail 14. The rearing system 2 shown in FIG. 2 further comprises a separating grid 20 for separating living areas. At least one UV-B light source 6 is arranged on the separating grid 20, so that the poultry animals 10 can also be illuminated here.

[0027] The embodiment shown in FIG. 2 also has an air duct 16. The air duct 16 extends below the floor 8. A UV-B light source 6 is arranged on the air duct 16 and aligned in such a manner that light can be emitted in the direction of the poultry animals 10 through openings in the floor 8, which are not shown in FIG. 2.