Herd management technology

• US 20080110406A1
• Filed: 07/16/2007
• Published: 05/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mark Anderson
• Original Assignee: Mark Anderson
• Inventors: Anderson, Mark L., Dingus, T. Boyd
• Granted Patent: US 7,927,287 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 119/174
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 11/00 Marking of animals marking poultry or other birds A01K35/00
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 29/005 Monitoring or measuring activity, e.g. detecting heat or mating
• CPC Class Codes: A61D 17/002 for detecting period of heat of animals, i.e. for detecting oestrus for humans A61B10/0012

Abstract

A method of determining breeding status in animals by (a) determining a breeding event (cyclicity, mounting, pregnancy, open) time, (b) providing an estrus or other breeding event detection apparatus, (c) affixing the estrus detection apparatus at a predetermined location on a female animal at a predetermined application time prior to the breeding event time, and (d) monitoring the estrus detection apparatus for activation thereof. An indicator apparatus is provided for use in indicating when an animal is in estrus. The apparatus is configured to be affixed to the rump of an animal to detect and indicate when the animal has been mounted and, thus, when the animal is in estrus. The apparatus is affixed to the animal by an adhesive layer. Layered on the top surface of the adhesive layer is an indicator layer that is in turn covered with a floodcoat layer. The floodcoat layer is adapted for removal upon the mounting of the first animal by a second animal. Removal of the floodcoat layer exposes the indicator layer indicating that the first animal has been mounted, thereby indicating that the first animal is in heat. The floodcoat layer is highly visible and may be seen from a distance.

Claims

1. A method of determining breeding status in animals comprising the steps of (a) determining a breeding event, (b) providing a breeding detection apparatus, (c) affixing the breeding detection apparatus at a predetermined location on a female animal, and (d) monitoring the breeding detection apparatus for activation thereof.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein animals are selected from the group of animals consisting of dairy cattle, beef cattle, sheep, goats, llamas, camels, deer, water buffalo, oxen, alpaca or other ruminants or cloven hooved animals.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the breeding event is selected from the group of breeding events consisting of cyclicity, natural service breeding by a male animal, pregnancy, lack of pregnancy, miscarriage, abortion, and a pathological or physiological condition.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the breeding detection apparatus comprises a first adhesive layer configured for affixing contact with the animal;

an indicator layer; and

a floodcoat layer removably affixed to the indicator layer and adapted for removal by a second animal upon mounting of the animal by the second animal, the floodcoat layer being removably affixed to the indicator layer by peel off or friction to yield activation.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined location on the animal is the rump of the animal.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of determining an expected breeding event time, and wherein the breeding detection apparatus is affixed a predetermined time period, and wherein the predetermined affixation time is approximately 30-60 days prior to the breeding event time.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined application time is approximately 40 days post calving.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein activation is at least approximately 50% removal of the floodcoat layer.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein activation represents the breeding event, cyclicity, in the animal.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of repeating steps (b)-(d) on each individual animal in a herd of animals including a plurality of individual animals.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the steps of counting the number of activated apparatus and dividing that number by the number of exposed animals to determine a percentage of cycling animals in the herd.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the breeding detection apparatus shows a predetermined first color upon activation representative of a first breeding event, cyclicity, and further comprising the steps of (1) removing the activated breeding detection apparatus from the animal, (2) affixing a second breeding detection apparatus to the female animal, which upon activation has a second color, (3) exposing the animal to a male animal for a predetermined period of time, (4) monitoring the animal with the second breeding detection apparatus for a predetermined period of time, the activation of which represents a second breeding event, natural service breeding by a male animal.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the steps of (1) removing the activated second breeding detection apparatus from the animal, (2) applying a third breeding detection apparatus which upon activation has a third color, and (3) monitoring the animal with the third breeding detection apparatus for a predetermined period of time, the lack of activation of which represents that the animal is pregnant.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the second breeding detection apparatus is applied about 1-2 weeks after removing the activated breeding detection apparatus of claim 12, step (1).

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of applying a fourth breeding detection apparatus which upon activation has a fourth color, and monitoring the animal with the fourth breeding detection apparatus for a predetermined period of time, the lack of activation of which represents that the animal is continuing pregnancy.

16. The method of claim 12, in the absence of activation of the second breeding detection apparatus within approximately 21 days after application thereof, further comprising the steps of (1) removing the second breeding detection apparatus and (2) characterizing the animal as open, and (3) rebreeding the animal.

17. The method of claim 9, wherein the breeding detection apparatus shows a predetermined first color upon activation representative of the breeding event, cyclicity, and further comprising the steps of (1) removing the activated breeding detection apparatus from the animal, (2) artificially inseminating the female animal, (3) applying a second breeding detection apparatus which upon activation has a second color, and (4) monitoring the animal with the second breeding detection apparatus for a predetermined period of time, the lack of activation of which represents that the animal may be pregnant or anestrous.

18. The method of claim 9, wherein the breeding detection apparatus shows a predetermined first color upon activation representative of the first breeding event, cyclicity, and further comprising the steps of (1) removing the activated breeding detection apparatus from the animal, (2) using the cycling female animal as a host animal for a fertilized egg from a donor animal for embryo transfer.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is implemented after a dairy synchronization protocol implemented with respect to the animal.

20. A method of determining breeding status in animals comprising the steps of:

(a) determining at least one breeding event, at least one breeding event including cyclicity, and at least one breeding event time,

(b) providing a breeding detection apparatus, the breeding detection apparatus comprising;

(i) a first adhesive layer configured for affixing contact with the animal;

(ii) an indicator layer; and

(iii) a floodcoat layer removably affixed to the indicator layer and adapted for removal by a second animal upon mounting of the animal by the second animal, the floodcoat layer being removably affixed to the indicator layer by peel off or friction to yield activation,

(c) affixing the breeding detection apparatus at a predetermined location on a female animal at predetermined application time before the breeding event time, and

(d) monitoring the breeding detection apparatus for activation thereof.