A FEEDING OR DRINKING DEVICE FOR POULTRY PRODUCTION AND USE HEREOF IN A NUTRITION SYSTEM

Abstract

A plastic member for a feeding system for poultry production is provided. The plastic member includes an outer surface and may be configured for attracting pullets to a specific area. The plastic member may be adapted for application in a feeding system and/or a drinking system. The plastic member may include shining particles configured with reflective characteristic of reflecting incident light in one or more directions. Also provided is a use of the plastic member in nutrition systems and elements herefore.

Claims

1. A poultry equipment for poultry production, where the poultry equipment is incorporating shining particles visible on the surface of the poultry equipment, where the shining particles are either obtained as surface coating particles with a shining coating or as flakes either as free flakes or particles or embedded in a material, where the particles or flakes have a mean surface measure between 0.3 mm to 1 mm, and where the area coverage of particles or flakes is between 0.2% and 2% of the surface of the poultry equipment.

2. The poultry equipment according to claim 1, wherein the poultry equipment is a feeding or drinking device comprising an outer surface and configured for attracting pullets to a specific area and configured for application in a feeding system and/or drinking system, wherein the feeding or drinking device comprises shining particles configured with reflective characteristic for reflecting incident light in one or more directions, the shining particles arranged at or near the outer surface of the feeding or drinking device, such that the reflective characteristic is visible in full or in part when exposing the outer surface of the feeding or drinking device to light.

3. The poultry equipment according to claim 1, comprising a transparent or semi-transparent plastic base material.

4. The poultry equipment according to claim 1, wherein the plastic base material is selected from the group comprising polypropylene, polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polymethyl methacrylate, polycarbonate, polystyrene or styrene acrylonitrile.

5. The poultry equipment according to claim 1, wherein the poultry equipment has an outer surface with a flush surface with a surface roughness, Ra of 0.7 micrometer or less.

6. The poultry equipment according to claim 1, wherein the shining particles light in the range of 315-750 nm, in the range of 495-570 nm or where the shining particles reflect lights in different spectra, such that one type of shining particles reflect light in the range of 450-510 nm, whereas another type of shining particles reflect light in the range of 460-500 nm, a still further type of shining particles reflect light in the range of 600-660 nm, a still further type of shining particles reflect light in the range of 610-650 nm and where the shining particles may optionally be combined such that various shining particles which reflect light in different ranges may be combined.

7. The poultry equipment according to claim 1, with a surface density of visible shining particles on the outer surface of the poultry equipment is 10 or less particles per cm{circumflex over ( )}2 (square centimeter), in the range 1 to 5 particles per cm{circumflex over ( )}2.

8. The poultry equipment according to claim 1, wherein the poultry equipment is an additive for a pullet starter feed comprising shining particles configured with reflective characteristic of reflecting incident light in one or more directions, the additive being configured for being sprinkled on top of the starter feed or being dry-mixed with pullet starter feed, and the shining particles being configured for maintaining the reflective characteristic in full or partly when dry-mixed with the pullet starter feed.

9. The poultry equipment according to claim 8, wherein the additive is biodegradable.

10. The poultry equipment according to claim 8, wherein the equipment is a pullet starter feed mixture wherein the mean content of the shining particles is below 0.5% by weight of the pullet starter feed mixture, below 0.1% by weight of the pullet starter feed mixture, or 0.01% by weight of the pullet starter feed mixture, and where the pullet starter feed mixture optionally may contain the additive.

11. The poultry equipment according to claim 10, wherein the mean content of the shining particles is at least 5 shining particle pr. 100 ml of pullet starter feed, at least 10 shining particle pr. 100 ml of pullet starter feed, even more at least 30 shining particle pr. 100 ml of pullet starter feed.

12. The poultry equipment according to claim 1, wherein the poultry equipment is a shining floor cover for poultry production configured for attracting pullets to a specific area and configured for floor application in feeding areas and/or drinking areas, wherein the shining floor cover comprises shining particles configured with reflective characteristic of reflecting incident light in one or more directions.

13. The poultry equipment according to claim 1, wherein the equipment is provided with a surface density of the shining particles of 10 or less particles per cm{circumflex over ( )}2 (square or less particles per cm{circumflex over ( )}2.

14. The poultry equipment according to claim 12, wherein the shining particles are arranged to shape a geometric figure configured to be arranged with an orientation such that the geometric figure points toward a specific area.

15. The poultry equipment according to claim 1, wherein the shining particles (12) have a mean size of 0.3-3 mm, 0.3-1 mm, even more 0.3-0.6 mm.

16. The poultry equipment according claim 1, wherein the shining particles reflectance >=45% for light wavelengths in the range from 400 nm to 750 nm.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

[0218] Some of the embodiments will be described in detail, with references to the following Figures, wherein like designations denote like members, wherein:

[0219] FIG. 1 illustrates various embodiments of the feeding or drinking devices;

[0220] FIG. 2A illustrates embodiments of drinking pans, drip cups and nutrition systems comprising these;

[0221] FIG. 2B illustrates embodiments of drinking pans, drip cups and nutrition systems comprising these;

[0222] FIG. 2C illustrates embodiments of drinking pans, drip cups and nutrition systems comprising these;

[0223] FIG. 3A illustrates an embodiment of the shining floor cover having a first geometric shape;

[0224] FIG. 3B illustrates an embodiment of the shining floor cover having another geometric shape;

[0225] FIG. 3C illustrates an embodiment of the shining floor cover having another geometric shape;

[0226] FIG. 4A illustrates an embodiment of the shining floor cover having a first density of shining particles;

[0227] FIG. 4B illustrates an embodiment of the shining floor cover having another density of shining particles;

[0228] FIG. 4C illustrates an embodiment of the shining floor cover having another density of shining particles;

[0229] FIG. 5A illustrates an embodiment of shining floor cover manufactured as a web or sheets;

[0230] FIG. 5B illustrates an embodiment of shining floor cover manufactured as a web or sheets;

[0231] FIG. 6 illustrates one embodiment of the use of the shining floor cover;

[0232] FIG. 7A illustrates an embodiment of manufacturing methods of the shining floor cover;

[0233] FIG. 7B illustrates an embodiment of manufacturing methods of the shining floor cover;

[0234] FIG. 8 is a picture from inside a poultry facility with four distinct test fields;

[0235] FIG. 9 is a picture of feeding pans;

[0236] FIG. 10 is a picture from a breeding facility indicating chicken density;

[0237] FIG. 11 is a table depicting the actual measurements; and

[0238] FIG. 12 illustrates a series of comparable photos with or without shiny particles.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

[0239] 1 feeding or drinking device [0240] 2 outer surface [0241] 4 feeding pan [0242] 6 drip cup [0243] 12 shining particles [0244] 20 subarea/specific area [0245] 40 drinking system [0246] 60 feeding system [0247] 10 shining floor cover [0248] 12 shining particles [0249] 14 chick paper [0250] 16 geometric FIG. [0251] 22 feeding area [0252] 24 drinking area [0253] 26 surface [0254] 30 mixture [0255] 32 material [0256] 36 sheet [0257] 38 web [0258] 100 use [0259] 200 method [0260] 202 coating [0261] 204 mixing

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0262] Exemplary examples will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this regard, the present examples may have different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the descriptions set forth herein. Accordingly, the examples are merely described below, by referring to the figures, to explain aspects.

[0263] The drawings are not made to scale. The thicknesses of layers and areas may be illustrated in an enlarged manner for clarity and ease of description thereof. When an item is referred to as being “arranged on” another item, it may be arranged directly on the other item or intervening items may be present there between. Conversely, when a layer, area, element, or plate is referred to as being “directly on” another item, there are no intervening items there between. Further, when an item is referred to as being “below” another item, it may be directly below the other layer, or intervening items may be present there between. Conversely, when an item is referred to as being “directly below” another item, there are no intervening items there between. The previous also applies to similar spatial relative terms, this also includes ‘connect to’ and ‘directly connected to’.

[0264] The spatially relative terms “lower” or “bottom” and “upper” or “top”, “below”, “beneath”, “less”, “above”, and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe the relationship between one element or component and another element or component as illustrated in the drawings. It will be understood that the spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or in operation

[0265] FIG. 1 illustrates various embodiments of the feeding or drinking device 1. The feeding or drinking devices may constitute a drip-cup or a part hereof e.g., a drip nipple, the cup itself, a holder to be coupled to a water line, a feeding pan or a part hereof e.g., a bowl, a funnel or a cone for guiding or holding the feed in the feeding pan, a holder to be coupled to a feed line, distribution blades.

[0266] The shining particles may be arranged in varying concentrations and as randomly positioned shining particles in the plastic member 1. The shining particles should be arranged such that the shining particles are visible on the outer surface 2. For optimal usage, the shining particles should be visible when the feeding or drinking device is in use in the pullet production, i.e., the feed in a feeding pan should not cover the entire area comprising the shining particles 12.

[0267] The shining particles 12 may be arranged in a sub-area 20 of the feeding or drinking devices 1 i.e., on a rim or an edge or in a sub-area close to the where the food or water is located in the nutrition systems. Hence, the shining particles may be arranged at a lower part of a cone, an upper part of a pan or cup, in an area near a drip nipple etc. The shining particles may beneficially be arranged as close as possible to where the pullets should approach the nutrition, while still being visible for the pullets from a given distance.

[0268] FIG. 2 illustrates various embodiments of drinking pans, drip cups and nutrition systems comprising these.

[0269] FIG. 2A illustrates different embodiments of feeding pans 4 holding a small amount of feed. The illustrated feeding pans comprise a bowl and a distribution top. The illustrated embodiments include some well-known types. FIG. 2B illustrates the use of one of these feeding pans in one embodiment of a feeding system 40. A feeding system may comprise multiple feeding pans 4 and a feed supply line (dashed line) comprising a pipe for guiding the feed to the feeding pans 4.

[0270] FIG. 2C illustrates one embodiment of a drip cup 6 comprising a bowl for holding water, a drip nipple, and a holder for coupling the drip cup to a water supply line. The illustration is meant as a general depiction of well-known types of drip cups. FIG. 2C furthermore illustrates the use of the drip cups in one embodiment of a drinking system 60. A drinking system may comprise multiple drip cups 6 and a water supply line (dashed line) comprising a pipe for guiding the water to the drip cups 6.

[0271] FIG. 3 illustrates three embodiments of the shining floor cover 10 each having a particular geometric FIG. 16 and comprising shining particles 12 with a given surface density. FIG. 1A illustrates the shining floor cover 10 with a rectangular shape. FIG. 1B illustrates the shining floor cover 10 with a circular shape. FIG. 1C illustrates the shining floor cover 10 with a triangular shape. Other geometric figures may be used for the shining floor cover 10, if suitable for the facilities.

[0272] The three embodiments of the shining floor cover 10 are all illustrated with a more or less uniform surface density and with a density being the same for the three embodiments. This is only for illustrative purposes and hence, the surface density could vary between the three embodiments and from one shining floor cover 10 with a rectangular shape to another shining floor cover 10 with also a rectangular shape; and likewise for other geometric shaped floor covers 10.

[0273] The shining floor covers 10 may comprise chick paper 14 with shining particles 12, as illustrated in FIG. 1A

[0274] FIG. 2 illustrates three embodiments of the shining floor cover 10 having different surface densities of shining particles 12. The surface density of each floor cover 10 may vary within that floor cover 10.

[0275] FIG. 2A illustrates a rectangular floor cover 10 with a surface density of shining particles 12, which increases towards a center line. This may have an effect of guiding the pullets to a specific area 20, here the center line. In a further embodiment not illustrated here, a number of feeding pans, drinking pans or other nutrition sources may be arranged e.g., above that line i.e., the center line may be a feeding area 22 or a drinking area 24.

[0276] FIG. 2B illustrates a circular floor cover 10 with a surface density of shining particles 12, which increases towards a center area or point. This may have an effect of guiding the pullets to a specific area 20, here the center area. In a further embodiment not illustrated here, one or more feeding pans, drinking pans or other nutrition sources may be arranged e.g., above that area.

[0277] FIG. 2C illustrates a rectangular floor cover 10 with a surface density of shining particles 12, which increases towards a center area or point. This may have an effect of guiding the pullets to a specific area 20, here the center area. In a further embodiment not illustrated here, one or more feeding pans, drinking pans or other nutrition sources may be arranged e.g., above that area.

[0278] FIG. 3 illustrates two embodiments of shining floor cover 10 manufactured as a web 36 or sheets 38.

[0279] FIG. 4 illustrates one embodiment of the use 100 of the shining floor cover 10. In the illustrated embodiment, the floor cover 10 has a graded surface density of shining particles 12, which density increases from one edge of the floor cover 10 towards a center line of the floor cover 10 and decreases again towards the opposite edge of the floor cover 10. The illustrated floor cover 10 may comprise chick paper 14, which may be characteristic in that it makes a rustling noise when the pullets step on it, is highly absorbent e.g., of bird droppings amongst other parameters previously described herein. The illustrated floor cover 10 in this embodiment is comparable to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2A, where the surface density of shining particles 12 increases towards a center line. This may have an effect of guiding the pullets to the center line where a number of feeding pans 22, drinking pans 24 or other nutrition sources may be arranged e.g., above the center line as illustrated here.

[0280] Other floor covers 10 could be illustrated for this embodiment of a use including those illustrated in any of FIGS. 1A-C, 2A-C, 3A, 3B amongst others. Depending on the form of the surface density, one or more feeding pans 22, drinking pans 24 or other nutrition sources may be arranged accordingly.

[0281] FIG. 5 illustrates two embodiments of methods 100 of manufacturing the shining floor cover 10.

[0282] FIG. 5A illustrates a method comprising an act of coating 202 a surface 26 with a mixture 30 comprising the shining particles. The coating may be suitable for being applied directly onto the surface of a floor, a surface of a chick paper, or another suitable material. In case the mixture is applied to a material, which may be subject for the pullets to ruin when pecking and possibly to eat due to the pecking, the material providing the surface may be a zootechnical additive. These materials/compounds are defined as additives to foodstuff which does not damage or inhibit the digestion of animals eating such additives.

[0283] FIG. 5A illustrates a method comprising an act of mixing 204 the shining particles 12 into a material 32 adapted to be manufactured into flexible sheets or webs of shining floor cover. In case the material of the web or sheets may be subject for the pullets to ruin is due to pecking and possibly to eat due to the pecking, the material may be biodegradable.

[0284] With reference to FIG. 8 is illustrated a picture from a poultry facility. Nearest the photographer is field no. 1 and furthest field no 4. In the back of the picture is two feeding pans seen, which will be discussed with reference to FIG. 9.

[0285] The test was conducted by allowing the chicks to freely roam the area and feed freely from anywhere in the facility.

[0286] Start in all fields 1, 5l of feed.

22 hours after start of test “free feeding”:
Field 1—Reference 1,401 Remaining 1 dl, Reference 100% consumption
Field 2—Sphere, 25 g PME, 1,151 Remaining 3.5 dl+250% Consumption
Field 3—Glitter paper, 1,201 Remaining (15% box) 3 dl, +200% Consumption
Field 4—Spray Coated feed, 1,201 Remaining 3 dl, +200% Consumption

[0287] The four fields 1-4 are different with respect to the type of shining/reflective material and how it is applied in the field. In field 1 there is no shining/reflective material provided, and the feeding pattern is normal, corresponding to 100% consumption of expected consumption.

[0288] In field 2 spheres of shining/reflective material is mixed with the foodstuff, in a ratio corresponding to between 1% and 2% of the area covered by foodstuff and spheres. The spheres themselves has a mean particle size similar to the foodstuff.

[0289] In field 3, the paper on which the foodstuff is spread is covered with shining/reflective particles, corresponding to a coverage of 0.2-2% of the paper's area. The chickens will only see the shining/reflective particles through the dispersion of foodstuff.

[0290] In field 4 the foodstuff has been spray coated with shining/reflective material prior to being dispensed onto the field. The spray coating corresponds to a cover of 0.5-2% in average of each food particles surface. The spray coating is effected by conveying the foodstuff past a (liquid) spray device, whereby the shining/reflective particles are transferred to the food stuff particles in a process similar to spray painting.

[0291] In FIG. 9 is illustrated two feeding pans 124, 126 where one is more or less covered with shining material, and the other bare. The pan with shining material almost scared the chicks away and no positive effect on the feeding or mortality rate was measured/detected. The untreated pan provided a normal feeding pattern. There is a clear correlation between the use of shining material in the right doses/amounts and the well-being and growth of the chicks.

[0292] In FIG. 10 are the fields mentioned above with reference to FIG. 8 photographed in use. Field 1 to the right and field 4 to the left. At the time when the photo was taken, it is clear that the chicks preferred field 2 and 3. Field 2 is the field where shining/reflective particles in the shape of spheres are mixed with the foodstuff. The shining/reflective particles have a size corresponding to, but not larger than the foodstuff particles. The amount of shining/reflective particles corresponds to a coverage of between 1-2%.

[0293] In FIG. 11 is indicated a table setting out measurements for weight gains for chicks feeding from equipment with shiny particles/flakes (“med glimmer”) and without shiny treatment (“Uden glimmer”). The various numbers listed in columns refer to the chick weights at the particular day (day 1 or day 7).

[0294] In FIG. 12 is illustrated photos taken from above parts of the floor in the stable. Above normal chicken paper and below chicken paper with shiny particles. It is easily detectable that there is an increased density of chickens on the chicken paper with shiny particles.

[0295] In addition to a substantial and faster weight gain of the chicks, being exposed to equipment with shining particles/flakes, the mortality rate was also much lower, indicating better conditions for the chickens. A further feature detected was the fact that the initially weaker chicks, “learned” to feed with the equipment incorporating shiny particles, and as such in addition to a higher individual weight gain, also the overall weight gain was increased, and more chickens survived.

[0296] Although the present invention has been disclosed in the form of embodiments and variations thereon, it will be understood that numerous additional modifications and variations could be made thereto without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0297] For the sake of clarity, it is to be understood that the use of “a” or “an” throughout this application does not exclude a plurality, and “comprising” does not exclude other steps or elements. The mention of a “unit” or a “module” does not preclude the use of more than one unit or module.