Breeding control system for free-range animals
First Claim
1. Method for controlling breeding of animals of a herd comprisingselecting by means of a control unit a subgroup of animals from the herd and determining a weight range from which the weight of each of the selected animals should not deviate at a selected future date, the method further comprising for each animal of the selected subgroup the repeated series of steps of monitoring the weight of each individual animal by regular, automatic detection of the weight by means of weighing means controlled by means of a control unit to which the weighing means communicates an output signal being significant for the detected weight, the detection being accompanied by an automatic identification of the individual animal by means of identification means controlled by means of the control unit to which an output significant of the identity of the animal is communicated from the identification means, adding said output from the weighing means into a record pertaining to the individual animal, the record being selected by the control unit from a plurality of records comprised within a data storage means of said control unit by use of the output from the identification on means, and storing of said record in the data storage means by means of said control unit, computing by means of the control unit a feed ration for each individual animal based on data comprised within the record pertaining to said animal, on the selected weight range, and on the selected date, controlling an automatic feeding unit by means of the control unit, wherein each individual animal in automatically identified by means of identification means controlled by means of the control unit and the computed feed ration for the individual animal a dispersed to the animal by means of feed dispersing means controlled by means of the control unit, and adding data concerning the feeding of the individual animal to the record pertaining to said animal.
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Abstract
A method for automatic control of breeding of free-range animals is disclosed, wherein the feed consumed by each individual animal is uniquely identified and registered to enable full traceability between animals or products and the feed. In particular, the present method comprise active and automatic control of the living conditions of the animals based on the monitored and recorded data so that a minimal amount of human interaction is required in the normal operation of a breeding system controlled by use of the method. The invention further relates to a controlled system, typically comprising a general-purpose computer having a suitable computer program installed thereon, for controlling the operation of a breeding system according to the present method.
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Citations
43 Claims
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1. Method for controlling breeding of animals of a herd comprising
selecting by means of a control unit a subgroup of animals from the herd and determining a weight range from which the weight of each of the selected animals should not deviate at a selected future date, the method further comprising for each animal of the selected subgroup the repeated series of steps of monitoring the weight of each individual animal by regular, automatic detection of the weight by means of weighing means controlled by means of a control unit to which the weighing means communicates an output signal being significant for the detected weight, the detection being accompanied by an automatic identification of the individual animal by means of identification means controlled by means of the control unit to which an output significant of the identity of the animal is communicated from the identification means, adding said output from the weighing means into a record pertaining to the individual animal, the record being selected by the control unit from a plurality of records comprised within a data storage means of said control unit by use of the output from the identification on means, and storing of said record in the data storage means by means of said control unit, computing by means of the control unit a feed ration for each individual animal based on data comprised within the record pertaining to said animal, on the selected weight range, and on the selected date, controlling an automatic feeding unit by means of the control unit, wherein each individual animal in automatically identified by means of identification means controlled by means of the control unit and the computed feed ration for the individual animal a dispersed to the animal by means of feed dispersing means controlled by means of the control unit, and adding data concerning the feeding of the individual animal to the record pertaining to said animal.
Specification