APPARATUS FOR MONITORING NUTRITION, ESPECIALLY FERMENTATION IN THE RUMEN OF A RUMINANT

Abstract

An apparatus for monitoring nutrition, especially fermentation in a rumen of a ruminant, is designed to be orally applied to the ruminant and to stay permanently in the rumen. The apparatus includes: a) at least one sensing unit for sensing a characteristic value of dissolved carbon dioxide in the liquor of rumen and/or reticulum; and b) at least one first communication unit for the wireless communication of data with a respective second communication unit outside the ruminant. The sensing unit includes at least one attenuated total reflectance (ATR) sensor.

Claims

1. Apparatus for monitoring nutrition and fermentation in a rumen of a ruminant, wherein the apparatus is designed to be orally applied to the ruminant and to stay permanently in the rumen, the apparatus comprising at least the following units: a) at least one sensing unit for sensing a characteristic value of dissolved carbon dioxide in liquor of rumen, reticulum, or both the rumen and reticulum; and b) at least one first communication unit for wireless communication of data with a respective second communication unit outside of the ruminant, wherein the at least one sensing unit includes at least one attenuated total reflectance (ATR) sensor.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is designed to remain permanently in direct contact with the rumen liquid, reticulum liquid, or both the rumen liquid and reticulum liquid and comprises c) a hermetic casing that provides protection from an outside environment.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ATR sensor comprises a prism with a higher refractive index than rumen liquid, reticulum liquid, or both rumen liquid and reticulum liquid and the prism of the ATR sensor is designed to be in direct contact with the rumen liquid, reticulum liquid, or both rumen liquid and reticulum liquid.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ATR sensor comprises a prism exposed directly to the liquid in the rumen or reticulum, wherein the prism is a silicone prism.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one sensing unit comprises a light source emitting infrared light wherein the light source is an infrared light emitting diode.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the light source emits an infrared radiation with a wavelength ranging between 4.25 and 4.30 um.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a temperature sensor for sensing the temperature in the rumen.

8. Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a casing made at least in part from stainless steel and with a specific gravity greater than 2.3 g/cm.sup.3 to keep the apparatus on the rumen and the reticulum liquid.

9. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one sensing unit has the capacity of self-calibration.

10. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one sensing unit comprises a battery and an energy harvester used to increase battery lifetime by harvesting the energy generated by rumen peristaltic movements and cattle motion.

11. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus forms part of a network of rumen boluses.

12. Milking parlor, ham paddock or other type of ruminant housing structure and enclosure, comprising at least one second communication unit for wireless communication with a first communication unit in an apparatus according to claim 1.

13. Apparatus for monitoring nutrition and fermentation in a rumen or in a reticulum of a ruminant, wherein the apparatus is designed to be orally applied to the ruminant, reticulum, or both the ruminant and reticulum and to stay permanently and in direct contact with the rumen liquid, reticulum liquid, or both the rumen and reticulum liquid, wherein the apparatus comprises at least: a) at least one sensing unit for sensing a characteristic value of dissolved carbon dioxide in the liquor of rumen, reticulum, or both rumen and reticulum; and b) at least one first communication unit for wireless communication of data with a respective second communication unit outside the ruminant, wherein the at least one sensing unit includes at least one attenuated total reflectance (ATR) sensor, wherein the at least one sensing unit further comprises a light source emitting light, wherein a light channel is provided that leads light generated by the light source into a prism of the at least one attenuated total reflectance sensor, said prism having a higher refractive index than rumen liquid, reticulum liquid, or both rumen and reticulum liquid, wherein the prism of the at least one attenuated total reflectance sensor is capable of being in direct contact with the rumen liquid, reticulum liquid, or both rumen and reticulum liquid, and wherein the apparatus comprises a hermetic casing that provides protection from an outside environment, wherein the hermetic casing is made at least in part from stainless steel with a specific gravity greater than 2.3 g/cm.sup.3 to keep the apparatus on the rumen and the reticulum liquid, wherein the at least one sensing unit further has the capacity of self-calibration and comprises a battery and an energy harvester used to increase battery lifetime by harvesting the small energy generated by rumen peristaltic movements and cattle motion.

14. Apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the light source is an IR light source.

15. (canceled)

16. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the light source emits an infrared radiation with a wavelength of 4.27 um.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0071] The subject matter of the disclosure, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

[0072] FIG. 1A-E shows an example of an apparatus

[0073] FIG. 2 shows the allocation of the equipment on the ham

[0074] FIG. 3 shows a scheme of how the information is processed

[0075] FIG. 4 describes how the results of that analysis are used to optimize feed intake and reduce the risk of ruminal acidosis.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0076] FIG. 1 shows an example of an apparatus 1 for monitoring nutrition, especially fermentation in a rumen of a ruminant, wherein a characteristic value of dissolved carbon dioxide inside the rumen is determined. The ATR sensor unit 8 includes several sensors. The IR-ATR dCO2 sensor itself 4 contains an IR-LED light for dCO2 and water 3 IR-LED light source. The light emitted by these sources is sent through the light channel 2 into the ATR prims 1 where the IR light is completely diffracted, a small amount of light in the evanescent wave penetrates the rumen fluid in contact with the small window 20 in the rumen bolus cap 21. The amount of light absorbed by the sample is directly dependent on the dCO2 and water concentrations. The remaining attenuated IR light travels throughout the channel 7 into the Photodiode detectors 6 where the attenuated signal for dCO2 and water is sensed. The sensor unit 8 also comprises of a temperature sensor 5 and an energy harvester accelerometer, 9. The sensor unit is connected with the mainboard 16 by an electrical connector, i.e. pin headers 10. The information from the IR-ATR sensor is sent into the low power lock-in amplifier or LIA 12 which amplified the IR signal improving dCO2 detection. The information is sent into the microcontroller unit, MCU 13. The temperature 5, accelerometer 9, water and the dCO2 signals are processed within the MCU 13, compile and send it into the SD card memory 14 for storage. The rumen bolus RF module 15 is in standby mode until the receiver 22 (see FIG. 2) provides the signal to transfer the information. The whole device is powered for a lithium based battery 17, kept in place by the holders 11. The stainless steel casing 18 provides a way to hermetically isolate the bolus from the rumen environment. The plug in cap 21 is kept in place by a corrugated and rubber sealed male connector 19.

[0077] FIG. 2 shows how the receiver 22 gathers the information from the ruminants in the barn. A network of antennas 26 allocated through the ham or diary shed to provided the network for the two-way communication between the receiver and the boluses RF module. The boluses transmit of the information and wait for positive confirmation from the receiver 22, once the receiver 22 confirm that the information has been appropriately received, the boluses returns to standby mode, the information stored in the SD-card 14 can be deleted.

[0078] The units 23, 24, 25 can be applied to individual animals e.g. in risk of ruminal acidosis, to sentinel animals, e.g. animals per feeding group or to the whole herd. The information stored in the boluses is transmitted at set intervals according to the protocols set in the receiver 22 by the user. The receiver also acts as interface; in here the information is further processed for optimization and to also include animals ID, date, feeding groups and other physiological and nutritional information per animal, herd and group. The receiver is in direct contact with the server 27 via internet and telephone services to provide firmware updates, equipment diagnostic and big data analysis. A user interface 28 might display the information analyzed in the receiver's PCU and information from cloud services. The analysis displayed in the user interface 28, information might include: health alarms, nutritional information for optimizing feed conversion efficiency and health status of cattle; see examples. The user interface 28 might also be used by the farmers to enter specific nutritional and physiological information, i.e. veterinary treatments, diet composition, etc., to improve the feedback and big data analysis.

[0079] FIG. 3 shows how the information gather from the rumen boluses can be used to monitor nutrition and cattle health. The advantages of the disclosure are, per an embodiment, that an optimal rumen dCO2 concentrations lead to better anaerobiosis, higher milk productivity and lower risk of nutritional disease, high dCO2 map or high dCO2. High risk of nutritional disease can be found in diets that produce Critical dCO2 MAP, whereas Normal dCO2 MAP diets do not maximize feed conversion efficiency.

[0080] For instance, the boluses can be placed in the rumen of a sentinel cattle within feeding, all the animals in the herd, or risk cattle, prone to nutritional diseases. A receiver as a part of the second communication unit controls a two way communication with the at least one sensor, store data rom all sensing units and provide the data for a feeding management module.

[0081] A network of antennas that are conveniently deployed within a milking parlour, milking stall establish two-way communications, between apparatuses and the receiver. A feeding management module processes the information and provides analysis and recommendations.

[0082] To reduce power consumption the apparatus is preferably in a “hearing mode” stand by and is activated on request. In a case that continuous monitoring is preferred the apparatus records the information in predeterminate time intervals, preferably every 15 seconds, and the information is compiled, stored and sent in predeterminate time intervals, preferably every 10 minutes by the bolus. The receiver establishes communication protocols with the bolus and the receiver gives positive feedback to the boluses that information has been received. In the case that a communication is not stablished, the information is stored in a data storage 14. which is a part of the apparatus until the next uplink.

[0083] Preferably the apparatuses 1 are asked to send information by the receiver during milking session. Therefore, when cows enter the milking place and the receiver stablished communication with the apparatus, and the apparatus send information. The receiver gives positive feedback to the apparatus 1 that all information has been received. If a communication is not stablished, the information is stored until the next milking. The information achieved by the apparatus 1 is used for monitoring nutrition and to improve the animal health (see FIG. 3).

EXAMPLE

[0084] Rumen boluses are applied to the whole herd or sentinel animal within feeding groups. The information of the boluses is processed and rumen maps suggest that feeding management provide low dCO2 concentrations (FIG. 4).

[0085] Diets are adapted by increasing starch, modifying the starch source and reducing the size of fiber on the total mix ration TMR. After further monitoring the sensors suggest that those modifications lead to the diet now provides high rumen dCO2 concentrations FIG. 4.

[0086] The dCO2 data might also suggest that the diet should be provided in 4 feeding bouts throughout the day to increase dCO2 concentrations and avoid the rise of dCO2 to critical values (see FIGS. 4).

[0087] The data achieved by the boluses are also compared with the milk yield to find the optimal output for that particular diet.

[0088] All the recommendations are recorded and provided in a daily report.

[0089] The information can be also given to an automatic feeding system which uses the information to allocate feeding times and mixing conditions, preferably the type of components for example silage, hay and/or concentrates, and particle size to provide optimal dCO2 concentrations.

[0090] All the features and advantages, including structural details, spatial arrangements and method steps, which follow from the claims, the description and the drawing can be fundamental to the invention both on their own and in different combinations. It is to be understood that the foregoing is a description of one or more preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention. The invention is not limited to the particular embodiment(s) disclosed herein, but rather is defined solely by the claims below. Furthermore, the statements contained in the foregoing description relate to particular embodiments and are not to be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention or on the definition of terms used in the claims, except where a term or phrase is expressly defined above. Various other embodiments and various changes and modifications to the disclosed embodiment(s) will become apparent to those skilled in the art. All such other embodiments, changes, and modifications are intended to come within the scope of the appended claims.

[0091] As used in this specification and claims, the terms “for example,” “for instance,” “such as,” and “like,” and the verbs “comprising,” “having,” “including,” and their other verb forms, when used in conjunction with a listing of one or more components or other items, are each to be construed as open-ended, meaning that the listing is not to be considered as excluding other, additional components or items. Other terms are to be construed using their broadest reasonable meaning unless they are used in a context that requires a different interpretation.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0092] 1 ATR prims

[0093] 2 light channel

[0094] 3 IR-LED light source

[0095] 4 ATR sensor

[0096] 5 temperature sensor

[0097] 6 photodiode detector

[0098] 7 light channel (attenuated light)

[0099] 8 Sensor unit

[0100] 9 Energy harvesters, Accelerometer

[0101] 10 Electronic connector

[0102] 11 Battery holders

[0103] 12 lock-in amplifier (LIA)

[0104] 13 microcontroller (MGU)

[0105] 14 micro-SD card

[0106] 15 RF unit

[0107] 16 mainboard

[0108] 17 Lithium based battery

[0109] 18 Stainless steel easing

[0110] 19 Male connector for the plug-in cap

[0111] 20 ATR prims window

[0112] 21 Plug-in cap

[0113] 22 Receiver

[0114] 23 sensor in individual ruminants

[0115] 24 sensors in sentinel group

[0116] 25 sensors in groups

[0117] 26 Antennas in the milking parlor and ham

[0118] 27 server

[0119] 28 Software interfaces