Determining respiratory or circulatory health condition in animals for improved management

• US 20060178579A1
• Filed: 11/30/2005
• Published: 08/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: J. T. Haynes
• Original Assignee: Micro Beef Technologies Ltd (MWI Veterinary Supply Incorporated)
• Inventors: Haynes, John T.
• Granted Patent: US 7,670,292 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/437
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/508 for non-human patients
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/003 Detecting lung or respiration noise
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/08 Detecting organic movements or changes, e.g. tumours, cysts, swellings A61B8/02 - A61B8/06 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0858 involving measuring tissue layers, e.g. skin, interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/12 in body cavities or body tracts, e.g. by using catheters catheters per se A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4281 characterised by sound-transmitting media or devices for coupling the transducer to the tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4422 related to hygiene or sterilisation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/56 Details of data transmission or power supply
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/565 involving data transmission via a network
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 13/24 Weighing mechanism control arrangements for automatic feed or discharge
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 23/3735 using a digital network
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/40 for processing medical images, e.g. editing
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/20 for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/922 including image analysis

Abstract

A method and system for managing at least one animal is disclosed. The method can include imaging, such as ultrasound imaging, a lung of a live animal, such as a ruminant animal or bovine animal. The imaging can be performed to determine a degree of respiratory damage from past respiratory illness. After imaging, information regarding respiratory damage can be used to select at least one aspect of the treatment, care or disposition of the animal. For example, the information can be used to select the amount or type of feed provided to the animal at a feedlot. The information also can be used to select how long the animal should be housed at the feedlot prior to slaughter. If an animal is diagnosed with a respiratory illness, information about its degree of respiratory damage from past respiratory illness also can be used to select the appropriate medical treatment or lack of treatment.

Claims

1. A method for managing at least one animal, comprising:

imaging at least one lung of a live animal at a feedlot so as to determine a degree of respiratory damage in the animal; and

selecting at least one aspect of the treatment, care or disposition of the animal based on the animal'"'"'s degree of respiratory damage.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the animal is a ruminant animal.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the animal is a bovine animal.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the respiratory damage is a result of past respiratory illness and the animal has substantially no symptoms of active respiratory illness at the time of imaging.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein imaging comprises ultrasound imaging.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining the animal'"'"'s degree of respiratory damage comprises evaluating scarring, fibrosis, necrosis or other lung lesions caused by past respiratory illness.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein selecting at least one aspect of the treatment, care or disposition of the animal comprises selecting the amount or type of feed provided to the animal.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein selecting at least one aspect of the treatment, care or disposition of the animal comprises selecting how long the animal should be housed at the feedlot prior to slaughter.

9. A method for managing animals, comprising:

imaging at least one lung of each of a plurality of live animals so as to determine a degree of respiratory damage in each of the plurality of animals;

assigning each of the plurality of animals a respiratory damage designation corresponding to the animal'"'"'s degree of respiratory damage; and

selecting at least one aspect of the treatment, care or disposition of each of the plurality of animals based on each animal'"'"'s degree of respiratory damage.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the plurality of animals is a plurality of ruminant animals.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the plurality of animals is a plurality of cattle.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein the respiratory damage in one or more of the plurality of animals is a result of past respiratory illness and the one or more of the plurality of animals has substantially no symptoms of active respiratory illness at the time of imaging.

13. The method according to claim 9, wherein imaging comprises ultrasound imaging.

14. The method according to claim 9, wherein determining the degree of respiratory damage comprises evaluating scarring, fibrosis, necrosis or other lung lesions caused by past respiratory illness.

15. The method according to claim 9, further comprising providing one or more respiratory damage designations to a buyer to aid the buyer in a decision regarding the purchase of one or more of the plurality of animals.

16. A method for selectively treating animals, comprising:

imaging at least one lung of a live animal so as to determine a degree of respiratory damage in the animal from past respiratory illness;

diagnosing an active respiratory illness in the animal; and

selecting a medical treatment or lack of medical treatment for the animal based on the animal'"'"'s degree of respiratory damage from past respiratory illness.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the animal is a ruminant animal.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein the animal is a bovine animal.

19. The method according to claim 16, wherein selecting the medical treatment of the animal comprises selecting whether or not to administer drugs to the animal.

20. The method according to claim 16, wherein the animal has substantially no symptoms of active respiratory illness at the time of imaging.

21. The method according to claim 16, wherein imaging comprises ultrasound imaging.

22. The method according to claim 16, wherein determining a degree of respiratory damage comprises evaluating scarring, fibrosis, necrosis or other lung lesions caused by the past respiratory illness.