Method and substance for the detection of cows in estrus

• US 4,696,258 A
• Filed: 01/21/1986
• Issued: 09/29/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/1984
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Magrath Company
• Original Assignee: The Magrath Company
• Inventors: Tice, Thomas R., Meyers, William E., Magrath, Joseph M., Dappert, Thomas O.
• Primary Examiner(s): Swiatek, Robert P.
• Application Number:
  US06/821,219
• Time in Patent Office: 616 Days
• Field of Search: 119/1, 428/402.2
• US Class Current: 600/551
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 11/005 Branding or tattooing devices for animals
• CPC Class Codes: A61D 17/002 for detecting period of heat of animals, i.e. for detecting oestrus for humans A61B10/0012

Abstract

A substance for facilitating the detection of estrus applied to the tailhead and rump of a cow as a patch comprises a mass of microencapsulated dye mixed in a suitable paint. The paint dries as a durable layer the color of which will change when substantial pressure is applied for a predetermined time. Should the cow be mounted by another animal for say five seconds or more a large portion of the microcapsules will break and release the dye which colors the patch. The cows with colored patches can then be found by periodic inspection and removed from the herd for insemination.

Claims

1. A coating material for application to an area of the skin of an animal for detecting the application of pressure to such area during mounting by another animal, said material comprising a body of paint and a mass of very small frangible capsules, each containing a liquid dye, whereby, when the material has been applied to the animal'"'"'s surface and has dried, pressure against said surface for a predetermined period of time of the order of five seconds will break at least a substantial portion of the capsules and impart the color of said dye to the dried material and thereby provide a visual indication that pressure of the order of that present between cattle during mounting has been applied to said surface area of the animal for at least said period of time.

2. A coating material as set forth in claim 1 wherein said point is light in color and flexible and water resistant when dried.

3. A coating material as set forth in claim 1 wherein said dye diffuese in the paint and colors it.

4. A coating material as set forth in claim 1 wherein said capsules are microcapsules.

6. A coating material as set forth in claim 1 wherein said dye is of a brilliant yellow color.

7. A coating material as set forth in claim 1 wherein said liquid dye is a mixture of a dye and mineral oil, and the sizes of said capsules lie within a range of from fifty to one-hundred fifty microns.

8. A coating material as set forth in claim 1 wherein said coating material when dried has a rubbery texture.

5. A coating material as set forth in claim wherein said dye is of a bright color contrasting with the color of said base material.

9. The method of facilitating the detection of estrus in cows which comprises:

providing a coating substance which when dry is responsive to a predetermined pressure applied for a predetermined interval of time for producing a change in its color, said pressure being of the order of that existing between animals during mounting and said interval of time being of the order of five seconds,

coating an area of a cow'"'"'s hide adjacent the tailhead with said substance to provide a first patch positioned to be responsive to pressure applied by another animal during mounting,

coating a second portion of the cow'"'"'s hide with the substance to provide a second patch spaced from said first patch and out of the zone of pressure during mounting,

whereby the contrast between the color of the two patches due to said change of color during mounting provides a proofing for positive identification of the cow as having been mounted.

10. The method of making pressure sensitive material useful for the detection of estrus in cows which comprises the steps of:

dissolving substantially equal parts by weight of gum arabic and gelatin to provide about a four percent solution in water while maintaining the temperature at 75°

C., and stirring the solution rapidly adding to the solution a one-to-one mixture of a dye and mineral oil to effect encapsulation thereof, adjusting the pH of the solution to about 3.5 and reducing the rate of stirring and cooling the solution slowly to room temperature to effect coacervation of the encapsulated particles, cooling the solution further and adding a cross-linking agent and adjusting the pH to about 9, adding further cross-linking agent and thereafter adding water, separating the particles within a size range of from about fifty to about one-hundred-fifty microns and draining excess water therefrom, and

mixing the separated particles with a paint base to form the estrus detecting product.

11. The method for producing a paint-like material for application to the surface of one object for the detection of the application of pressure for a predetermined time by another object which compreises mixing an oil with a dye and preparing a mass of microcapsules each containing a particle of the mixture, providing a compatible paint-like substance of a color contrasting with that of the dye and having a tough rubbery surface when dried, and thoroughly mixing the mass of encapsulated particles and the paint-like substance to produce the pressure detecting material, the encapsulated dye in said material when it has dried being released and coloring the dried material when it has been under sufficient pressure for the predetermined time.

12. The method for producing a pressure detecting material as set forth in claim 11 wherein said encapsulated particles have sizes within a range of about fifty to about one-hundred-fifty microns.

13. The method for producing a pressure detecting material as set forth in claim 12 wherein said paint-like substance is an acrylic paint base.

The words "coating material" as used herein mean either the spreadable substance alone or the spreadable substance on an adhesive backing which backing attaches to the animal. The dye may be a liquid, fluidized finely divided solid particles, or other compatible fluid substance which upon release produces a visible indication on the coating material.

14. A coating material for location on an area of the body of an animal for detecting the application of pressure to such area during mounting by another animal, said material comprising a body of liquid having therein a mass of very small frangible capsules, each capsule containing a liquid dye, said material when spread over a surface drying and setting to provide a layer of said capsules on the surface, when said layer has been provided on a surface positioned in said area of the body of an animal, pressure against said surface for a predetermined period of time of the order of five seconds will break at least a substantial portion of the capsules and impart the color of said dye to said surface and thereby provide a visual indication that pressure of the order of that present between cattle during mounting has been applied to said area of the animal for at least said period of time.

15. The method for identifying in a herd of cows any cows that are in estrus which comprises providing a mass of very small frangible capsules, each capsule containing a liquid dye, the strenth of said capsules being such that the application of a predetermined pressure to a layer of said capsules for a predetermined time of the order of five seconds will break at least a substantial portion of the capsules in the layer and thereby indicate that thepressure has been applied for at least about five seconds, applying a layer of the mass of capsules to a mounting contact area of each cow, and periodically observing the cows in the herd and separating the cow or cows on which the color of the dye is observed.

16. The method for producing a coating material for application to the surface of one object for the detection of the application of pressure for a predetermined time by another object which comprises providing a dye and preparing a mass of microcapsules each containing a particle of thedye, providing a compativle spreadable substance of a color contrasting with that of the dye and havig a tough rubbery surface when dried, and thoroughly mixing mass of encapsulated particles and the spreadable substance to produce the pressure detecting material, the encapsulated dye in said material when the material has dried being released and providing a visible indication on the dried material when it has been under sufficient pressure for the predetermined time.

17. A coating material for location on an area of the body of an animal for detecting the application of pressure to such area during mounting by another animal, said material comprising a body of liquid having therein a mass of very small capsules, each capsule containing a fluid dye, said capsules having the characteristic of releasing the dye when sufficient pressure is applied thereto for a predetermined period of time, said material when spread over a surface drying and setting to provide a layer of said capsules on the surface, when said layer has been provided on a surface positioned in said area of the body of an animal, pressure against said surface for a predetermined minimum period of time of the order of five seconds will release fluid from at least a substantial portion of the capsules and impart the color of said dye to said surface and thereby provide a visual indication that pressure of the order of that present between cattle during mounting has been applied to said area of the animal for at least said minimum period of time.