Detecting method and arrangement for dairy cattle

• US 20090056637A1
• Filed: 04/25/2006
• Published: 03/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Delavan Limited (Enpro Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Delavan Limited (Enpro Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Gustafsson, Mats
• Granted Patent: US 8,662,021 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 119/174
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 1/12 Milking stations
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 36/00 Switches actuated by change of magnetic field or of electric field, e.g. by change of relative position of magnet and switch, by shielding

Abstract

A detecting method for dairy cattle comprises the steps of: automatically measuring lying and standing times for a milking animal by a sensor; automatically comparing the measured lying and standing times for said milking animal with reference values of lying and standing times; and automatically establishing whether said milking animal is in heat or not based on said comparison. The automatic sensor may also be used for measuring a health parameter of the milking animal.

Claims

1. A detecting method for dairy cattle, wherein the steps of:

automatically measuring, by a sensor, lying and standing times for a milking animal;

automatically comparing the measured lying and standing times for said milking animal with reference values of lying and standing times; and

automatically establishing whether said milking animal is in heat or not based on said comparison.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said dairy cattle is tied dairy cattle and said milking animal is a tied up milking animal.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein it is automatically established that said milking animal is in heat if the sum of the measured standing times during a given time period exceeds a standing time reference value and/or if the number of measured standing times during a given time period exceeds a reference number value.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said reference values of lying and standing times are determined from historical lying and standing time data for said milking animal and/or for a group of milking animals.

5. The method of any of claim 1 wherein

the lying and standing times for said milking animal are automatically measured by a sensor attached to said milking animal, preferably to a leg thereof,

the measured lying and standing times are wirelessly transmitted to a processing device;

and

the steps of automatically comparing and automatically establishing are performed by said processing device.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the lying and standing times for said milking animal are automatically measured by a sensor attachable to said milking animal and comprises

a part movable between a first position and a second position, said first position being reached when said milking animal is standing and said second position being reached when said milking animal is lying;

an electric circuit influenceable by said movable part;

means for measuring the influence of said electric circuit by said movable part; and

means for detecting lying and standing times for said milking animal based on said measured influence of said electric circuit.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said sensor comprises

a hollow cone oriented so that the tip of the hollow cone is pointing downwards when said sensor is attached to said milking animal when said milking animal is standing, wherein

said movable part is arranged within said hollow cone;

said first and second positions are reached by means of the force of gravity acting on said movable part; and

said movable part is located at the tip of said hollow cone in said first position and at the base of said hollow cone in said second position.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said detecting method comprises the further steps of:

automatically comparing the measured lying and standing times for said milking animal with second reference values of lying and standing times; and

automatically indicating a health condition of said milking animal based on the comparison of the measured lying and standing times for said milking animal and the second reference values of lying and standing times.

9. A detecting arrangement for dairy cattle, wherein:

a sensor provided for automatically measuring lying and standing times for a milking animal; and

processing means provided for automatically comparing the measured lying and standing times for said milking animal with reference values of lying and standing times, and for establishing whether said milking animal is in heat or not based on said comparison.

10. The arrangement of claim 9 wherein said dairy cattle is tied dairy cattle and said milking animal is a tied up milking animal.

11. The arrangement of claim 9 wherein said processing means is provided for automatically establishing that said milking animal is in heat if the sum of the measured standing times during a given time period exceeds a standing time reference value and/or if the number of measured standing times during a given time period exceeds a reference number value.

12. The arrangement of claim 9 wherein said reference values of lying and standing times are determined from historical lying and standing time data for said milking animal and/or for a group of milking animals.

13. The arrangement of claim 9 wherein

said sensor is attached to said milking animal, preferably to a leg thereof,

said sensor is provided with a transmitter for wirelessly transmitting the measured lying and standing times to said processing means, and

said processing means is provided with a receiver for wirelessly receiving the measured lying and standing times from said sensor.

14. The arrangement of claim 9 wherein said sensor is attachable to said milking animal and comprises

a part movable between a first position and a second position, said first position being reached when said milking animal is standing and said second position being reached when said milking animal is lying;

an electric circuit influenceable by said movable part;

means for measuring the influence of said electric circuit by said movable part; and

means for detecting lying and standing times for said milking animal based on said measured influence of said electric circuit.

15. The arrangement of claim 14 wherein said sensor comprises

a hollow cone oriented so that the tip of the hollow cone is pointing downwards when said sensor is attached to said milking animal when said milking animal is standing, wherein

said movable part, which is preferably a ball, is arranged within said hollow cone;

said first and second positions are reached by means of the force of gravity acting on said movable part; and

said movable part is located at the tip of said hollow cone in said first position and at the base of said hollow cone in said second position.

16. The arrangement of claim 15 wherein

said sensor comprises a head arranged at the base of said hollow cone;

said movable part, said hollow cone, and said head are electrically conductive;

said hollow cone and said head are arranged spaced apart from each other;

said hollow cone and said head are connected to said electric circuit; and

said movable part is in physical contact with said hollow cone in said first position and in physical contact with said hollow cone and said head in said second position to thereby close said electric circuit when moving into said second position and open said electric circuit when moving into said first position.

17. The arrangement of claim 15 wherein

said electric circuit comprises a coil;

said movable part is magnetic and has at least one north pole and one south pole;

said movable part is located in a region free of magnetic materials; and

said movable part induces an electrical voltage in said coil when moving between said first and second positions.

18. The arrangement of claim 9 wherein said processing means is further provided for

automatically comparing the measured lying and standing times for said milking animal with second reference values of lying and standing times;

and

automatically indicating a health condition of said milking animal based on the comparison of the measured lying and standing times for said milking animal and the second reference values of lying and standing times.

19. The arrangement of claim 18 wherein said processing means is provided for automatically establishing that said milking animal is ill if the sum of the measured standing times during a given time period is below a second standing time reference value and/or if the number of measured standing times during a given time period is below a second reference number value.

20. A detecting method for dairy cattle, wherein the steps of:

automatically measuring, by a sensor, lying and standing times for a milking animal;

automatically comparing the measured lying and standing times for said milking animal with reference values of lying and standing times; and

automatically indicating a health condition of said milking animal based on said comparison.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein it is automatically established that said milking animal is ill if the sum of the measured standing times during a given time period is below a standing time reference value and/or if the number of measured standing times during a given time period is below a reference number value.

22. A detecting arrangement for dairy cattle, where in

a sensor provided for automatically measuring lying and standing times for a milking animal;

and

processing means provided for automatically comparing the measured lying and standing times for said milking animal with reference values of lying and standing times, and for indicating a health condition of said milking animal based on said comparison.

23. The arrangement of claim 22 wherein said processing means is provided for automatically establishing that said milking animal is ill if the sum of the measured standing times during a given time period is below a standing time reference value and/or if the number of measured standing times during a given time period is below a reference number value.

24. A detecting arrangement for dairy cattle, wherein.

a sensor provided for measuring lying and standing times for a milking animal, wherein said sensor is attachable to said milking animal and comprises:

a part movable between a first position and a second position, said first position being reached when said milking animal is standing and said second position being reached when said milking animal is lying;

an electric circuit influenceable by said movable part;

means for measuring the influence of said electric circuit by said movable part; and

means for detecting lying and standing times for said milking animal based on said measured influence of said electric circuit.

25. The arrangement of claim 24 wherein

said sensor comprises a hollow cone oriented so that the tip of the hollow cone is pointing downwards when said sensor is attached to said milking animal when said milking animal is standing;

said movable part is arranged within said hollow cone;

said first and second positions are reached by means of the force of gravity acting on said movable part; and

said movable part is located at the tip of said hollow cone in said first position and at the base of said hollow cone in said second position.

26. The arrangement of claim 25 wherein said movable part is a ball.

27. The arrangement of claim 25, wherein

said sensor comprises a head arranged at the base of said hollow cone;

said movable part, said hollow cone, and said head are electrically conductive;

said hollow cone and said head are arranged spaced apart from each other;

said hollow cone and said head are connected to said electric circuit; and

said movable part is in physical contact with said hollow cone in said first position and in physical contact with said hollow cone and said head in said second position to thereby close said electric circuit when moving into said second position and open said electric circuit when moving into said first position.

28. The arrangement of claim 25 wherein

said electric circuit comprises a coil;

said movable part is magnetic and has at least one north pole and one south pole;

said movable part is located in a region free of magnetic materials; and

said movable part induces an electrical voltage in said coil when moving between said first and second positions.

29. The arrangement of claim 24 comprising a transmitter for wirelessly transmitting the detected lying and standing times for said milking animal.