Method and apparatus for automatically feeding animals
First Claim
1. A method of feeding a substance which consists essentially of milk, mother'"'"'s milk, beestings, beestinglike milk, foremilk or colostrums or any combination thereof that is provided by a first animal to a second animal, the method comprising automatically milking said first animal with a milking machine to obtain said substance and supplying said substance directly from said milking machine to be consumed by said second animal, identifying means identifying said second animal and determining said second animal'"'"'s nutritive needs, and limiting the amount of said substance supplied to said second animal based on said second animal'"'"'s nutritive needs.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for automatically feeding calves and other animals a substance comprising milk, mother'"'"'s milk, foremilk, beestings, beestingslike milk, or colostrums or a combination thereof by conveying same from a first animal to a second animal via an automatic milking machine and a transport system. The transport system includes an analyzing device to determine the composition of the substance received from the first animal and a metering device for feeding the substance to the second animal. The transport system also has two storage areas for receiving samples of the substance and storing same in a cool, frozen or dried frozen state. A mixing mechanism is also provided for adding material such as water, medicants, vitamins, nutritive supplements, immunological stimulants, growth stimulants, hormones, and combinations thereof to the substance consumed by the second animal for the nutritive needs of the second animal. The second animal'"'"'s physical condition and state of health are monitored by sensors.
36 Citations
76 Claims
- 1. A method of feeding a substance which consists essentially of milk, mother'"'"'s milk, beestings, beestinglike milk, foremilk or colostrums or any combination thereof that is provided by a first animal to a second animal, the method comprising automatically milking said first animal with a milking machine to obtain said substance and supplying said substance directly from said milking machine to be consumed by said second animal, identifying means identifying said second animal and determining said second animal'"'"'s nutritive needs, and limiting the amount of said substance supplied to said second animal based on said second animal'"'"'s nutritive needs.
- 7. A method of selectively feeding a substance which consists essentially of milk or mother'"'"'s milk or beestings or beestinglike milk or foremilk or colostrums or any combination thereof which is provided by a first animal to be selectively consumed by a second animal, the method including the step of automatically milking said first animal to provide said substance and analyzing the substance so provided by analyzing means to determine whether or not it is sufficiently wholesome for consumption by said second animal, diverting said substance when it is determined to be insufficiently wholesome for consumption by said second animal so that it will not be consumed by said second animal and transmitting said substance that is determined to be sufficiently wholesome for consumption by said second animal to said second animal within a continuous conduit system for consumption by said second animal.
- 22. An apparatus for delivering a substance consisting essentially of milk, mother'"'"'s milk, foremilk, beestings, beestinglike milk or colostrums or any combination thereof from a first animal to a second animal which comprises an automatic milking machine for obtaining said substance from said first animal, a transport system for receiving said substance from said milking machine, an analysis device in said transport system for determining the composition of said substance received from said first animal, and a feed metering means for receiving said substance and feeding said substance to said second animal.
Specification