System and method for marking a cow with a visible treatment code

• US 5,790,047 A
• Filed: 01/26/1996
• Issued: 08/04/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: S.A.E Afikim
• Original Assignee: S.A.E Afikim
• Inventors: Golan, Udi
• Primary Examiner(s): Horabik, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): MERZ, EDWARD W
• Application Number:
  US08/592,574
• Time in Patent Office: 921 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.54, 340/825.5, 340/572, 340/551, 340/825.34, 340/825.49, 40/300
• US Class Current: 340/10.42
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 11/00 Marking of animals marking poultry or other birds A01K35/00
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 11/006 Automatic identification systems for animals, e.g. electronic devices, transponders for animals identification systems for access to feeding pens A01K1/0209; ear tags with electronic identification means A01K11/004

Abstract

A system for marking a cow with a visible marking indicative of a treatment to be carried out on the cow, comprising an identification tag located on the cow and bearing a unique identity code for remotely identifying the cow, and a database containing for each cow in a herd a corresponding identity code and a treatment code relating to a treatment to be carried out on the cow. The cow passes through a paint spray station en route between a milking parlor and corral and is interrogated for determining in respect of each cow its corresponding unique identity code, and the database is accessed so as to extract therefrom the corresponding treatment code. The paint spray station is coupled to the database access means and includes a plurality of different colored spray guns which are responsive to the treatment code for marking on the cow a visible marking uniquely identifying the treatment code.

Claims

1. A system for marking a cow with a visible marking indicative of a treatment to be carried out on said cow, the system comprising:

identification means located on the cow and bearing a unique identity code for remotely identifying the cow,

a database containing for each cow in a herd a corresponding identity code and a treatment code relating to a treatment to be carried out on the cow, interrogation means located en route between a milking parlor and corral for determining in respect of each cow its corresponding unique identity code,

database access means coupled to the interrogation means and to the database and being responsive to the unique identity code for accessing the data base and extracting therefrom the corresponding treatment code,

treatment marking means coupled to the database access means and responsive to the treatment code for making on the cow a visible marking uniquely identifying said treatment code, and

cow routing means for routing a marked cow to a corral, cohabited by other cattle each cow bearing a unique identity code and a visible treatment marking, to await further treatment.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein:

the visible marking is a color code, and the treatment marking means is constructed for applying at least one erasable color marking on the cow.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the treatment marking means includes a plurality of paint spray jets each for paint spraying a corresponding colored paint.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the identification means is a portable transponder worn by the cow for effecting remote communication with the interrogation means.

5. A method for marking a cow with a visible marking indicative of a treatment to be carried out on said cow, comprising the steps of:

(a) storing for each cow in a herd a database containing a corresponding unique identity code and a treatment code relating to a treatment to be carried out on the cow,

(b) interrogating the cow as the cow passes, en route between a corral and a milking parlor so as to determine a unique identity code representative of said cow,

(c) accessing the database so as to extract therefrom the treatment code corresponding to said unique identity code,

(d) marking the cow with a visible marking uniquely identifying said treatment code, and

(e) routing a marked cow to a corral, cohabited by other cattle each cow bearing its own unique identity code and a visible treatment code, to await further treatment.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the visible marking is a color code which is erasably sprayed on to the cow.

7. A method for treating a cow with a required treatment after the cow has returned to her herd following a milking session, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) storing for each cow in a herd a database containing a corresponding unique identity code and a treatment code relating to a treatment to be carried out on the cow,

(b) interrogating the cow as the cow passes, en route between a corral and a milking parlor so as to determine a unique identity code representative of said cow,

(c) accessing the database so as to extract therefrom the treatment code corresponding to said unique identity code,

(d) marking the cow with a visible marking uniquely identifying said treatment code,

(e) routing a marked cow to a corral cohabited by other cows each bearing its own unique identity code and a visible treatment code,

(f) selecting a cow in the corral for treatment based upon its visible treatment code,

(g) performing the treatment at the cow'"'"'s corral, and

(h) erasing the visible marking from the cow.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the visible marking is a color code which is erasably sprayed on to the cow.