Method of a cattle foot-bath system

• US 9,010,277 B2
• Filed: 08/01/2011
• Issued: 04/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Specialty Sales LLC
• Original Assignee: John W Eakin
• Inventors: Eakin, John W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hayes, Kristen C
• Application Number:
  US13/136,475
• Publication Number:
  US 20110290196A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,359 Days
• Field of Search: 119/673, 119/666, 119/671, 449/2, 454/14, 454/16, 456/7, 457/21, 458/6, 462/5, 462/2, 467/1, 467/5, 601/158, 601/160, 601/166, 601/167
• US Class Current: 119/673
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 13/001 Washing, cleaning, or drying devices for veterinary purposes A61D7/00, A61D11/00
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 13/003 Devices for applying insecticides or medication A01K27/007 takes precedence; for veterinary purposes A61D7/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61D 11/00 Washing devices or gaseous curative baths specially adapted to veterinary purposes milking machine accessories for treatment of udders or teats A01J7/04

Abstract

A method for a cattle foot-bath system, specifically adapted to mix and charge foot-bath troughs with repeatably precise quantities of chemical treatments. The system administers a concentrated medicinal agent, such as a bactericide, a fungicide, or a viruscide, for the treatment of cattle feet, and includes a day-tank feed valve, which may be a three-way or interlocked valve, for controlling an infeed flow of the concentrated medicinal agent fed into a day tank, which may be mounted to a portable tote-tank containing the concentrated medicinal agent. A day-tank drain valve controls an outlet flow of the concentrated medicinal agent drained from the day-tank, and the day-tank holds a set quantity of the concentrated medicinal agent. A footbath then receives a quantity of dilution water and the set quantity of the concentrated medicinal agent from the day-tank.

Claims

1. A cattle foot-bath method comprising the steps of:

a) opening a day-tank feed valve, the day-tank feed valve controlling an infeed flow of a concentrated medicinal agent into a day-tank;

b) infeeding the concentrated medicinal agent into the day-tank, from a container of the concentrated medicinal agent, the day-tank holding a set quantity of the concentrated medicinal agent;

c) closing the day-tank feed valve;

d) opening a day-tank drain valve, the day-tank drain valve for controlling an outlet flow of the concentrated medicinal agent drained from the day-tank;

e) draining the day-tank into a foot-bath receiving a quantity of a dilution water and the set quantity of the concentrated medicinal agent from the day-tank;

f) closing the day-tank drain valve;

g) mixing a quantity of the dilution water and the set quantity of the concentrated medicinal agent from the day-tank in the foot-bath;

h) formulating a repeatably precise concentration of a diluted medicinal agent;

i) mounting a day-tank tray to a portable tank, with the portable tank containing the concentrated medicinal agent, and the day-tank tray receiving the day-tank.

2. The cattle foot-bath method of claim 1, additionally including the step of:

j) interlocking the day-tank feed valve and the day-tank drain valve to prevent the day-tank feed valve and the day-tank drain valve from both being open at the same time.

3. The cattle foot-bath method of claim 1, additionally including the steps of:

j) connecting a concentrated feed pipe to the container of the concentrated medicinal agent;

k) surrounding the container of concentrated medicinal agent with a containment; and

l) passing the concentrated feed pipe through the containment, proximate to a safety valve.

4. The cattle foot-bath method of claim 1, additionally including the step of:

j) selectively routing flow of the concentrated medicinal agent through a three way valve, either into the day-tank from a concentrated feed pipe, or selectively routing flow of the concentrated medicinal agent through the three way valve out of the day-tank through a day-tank drain pipe to the foot-bath.

5. The cattle foot-bath method of claim 1, additionally including the steps of:

j) surrounding the container of concentrated medicinal agent with a containment;

k) receiving the day tank into the day-tank tray;

l) draining the day-tank with a day-tank drain pipe connected to the day-tank; and

m) passing the day-tank drain pipe through the containment proximate to a safety valve.