Apparatus and method to identify morbid animals
First Claim
1. A method to identify morbid animals among a plurality of animals housed in a feedyard having a feed bunk based on proximity history of each animal among the plurality of animals to the feed bunk, comprising:
- providing a plurality of animal beacons and at least one beacon reader;
placing said at least one beacon reader adjacent said feed bunk;
providing a plurality of flexible ear tags, each comprising a pocket that encloses a respective animal beacon and being associated with each animal;
repeatedly transmitting by each of the plurality of animal beacons a first signal comprising a unique identifier for a respective animal wearing said respective animal beacon, wherein said respective animal is housed in said feedyard;
setting, by said at least one beacon reader, a time block;
receiving during said time block, by said at least one beacon reader, a plurality of first signals from each of the plurality of animal beacons, wherein each of said plurality of received first signals from each of the plurality of animal beacons comprises a received signal strength indicator value (“
RSSI Value”
);
determining, by said at least one beacon reader, from said plurality of received first signals from each of the plurality of animal beacons during said time block, a received first signal comprising a strongest RSSI Value;
based upon said received first signal comprising the strongest RSSI Value, determining a proximity of a respective animal wearing a respective animal beacon to said feed bunk;
when said received first signal comprising the strongest RSSI Value is greater than −
68 dBm, determining that a respective animal wearing a respective animal beacon having the strongest RSSI value is a healthy animal; and
identifying, by said at least one beacon reader, at least one morbid animal among the plurality of animals housed in the feedyard wherein the at least one morbid animal has lower than normal visits to the feed bunk based on the proximity history of the at least one morbid animal to the feed bunk;
wherein a portion of said pocket is coated with a material that blocks or absorbs electronic transmissions; and
wherein;
said at least one beacon reader only receives signals from an animal beacon when an animal wearing an ear tag is facing said at least one beacon reader; and
said at least one beacon reader does not receive signals from an animal beacon when an animal wearing an ear tag is facing away from said at least one beacon reader.
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Abstract
A method to identify morbid animals housed in a feedyard having a feed bunk, where the method includes providing a plurality of animal beacons and at least one beacon reader, placing the beacon reader adjacent the feed bunk, transmitting by a first animal beacon a first signal comprising a first unique identifier for a first animal wearing the first animal beacon, wherein the first animal is housed in the feedyard, receiving by the beacon reader the first signal, and based upon the first signal, determining a proximity of the first animal to the feed bunk.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. A method to identify morbid animals among a plurality of animals housed in a feedyard having a feed bunk based on proximity history of each animal among the plurality of animals to the feed bunk, comprising:
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providing a plurality of animal beacons and at least one beacon reader; placing said at least one beacon reader adjacent said feed bunk; providing a plurality of flexible ear tags, each comprising a pocket that encloses a respective animal beacon and being associated with each animal; repeatedly transmitting by each of the plurality of animal beacons a first signal comprising a unique identifier for a respective animal wearing said respective animal beacon, wherein said respective animal is housed in said feedyard; setting, by said at least one beacon reader, a time block; receiving during said time block, by said at least one beacon reader, a plurality of first signals from each of the plurality of animal beacons, wherein each of said plurality of received first signals from each of the plurality of animal beacons comprises a received signal strength indicator value (“
RSSI Value”
);determining, by said at least one beacon reader, from said plurality of received first signals from each of the plurality of animal beacons during said time block, a received first signal comprising a strongest RSSI Value; based upon said received first signal comprising the strongest RSSI Value, determining a proximity of a respective animal wearing a respective animal beacon to said feed bunk; when said received first signal comprising the strongest RSSI Value is greater than −
68 dBm, determining that a respective animal wearing a respective animal beacon having the strongest RSSI value is a healthy animal; andidentifying, by said at least one beacon reader, at least one morbid animal among the plurality of animals housed in the feedyard wherein the at least one morbid animal has lower than normal visits to the feed bunk based on the proximity history of the at least one morbid animal to the feed bunk; wherein a portion of said pocket is coated with a material that blocks or absorbs electronic transmissions; and
wherein;said at least one beacon reader only receives signals from an animal beacon when an animal wearing an ear tag is facing said at least one beacon reader; and said at least one beacon reader does not receive signals from an animal beacon when an animal wearing an ear tag is facing away from said at least one beacon reader. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method to identify morbid animals among a plurality of animals housed in a feedyard having a feed bunk based on proximity history of each animal among the plurality of animals to the feed bunk, comprising:
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providing a plurality of animal beacons and at least one beacon reader; placing said at least one beacon reader adjacent said feed bunk on a reader pole comprising an adjustable height, wherein said adjustable height is set to between about 4 feet and about 6 feet; providing a plurality of flexible ear tags, each comprising a pocket that encloses a respective animal beacon and being associated with each animal; repeatedly transmitting by each of the plurality of animal beacons using an output power of about 0.01 watts during a pre-determined time block a first signal comprising a unique animal identifier for a respective animal wearing said respective animal beacon, wherein said respective animal is housed in said feedyard; receiving during said pre-determined time block, by said at least one beacon reader, a plurality of first signals from each of the plurality of animal beacons, wherein each of said plurality of received first signals from each of the plurality of animal beacons comprises a received signal strength indicator value (“
RSSI Value”
);determining, by said at least one beacon reader, from said plurality of received first signals from each of the plurality of animal beacons during said pre-determined time block, a received first signal comprising a strongest RSSI Value; based upon said received first signal comprising the strongest RSSI Value, determining a proximity of a respective animal wearing a respective animal beacon to said feed bank; when said received first signal comprising the strongest RSSI Value is greater than −
68 dBm, determining that a respective animal wearing a respective animal beacon having the strongest RSSI value is a healthy animal; andidentifying, by said at least one beacon reader, at least one morbid animal among the plurality of animals housed in the feedyard wherein the at least one morbid animal has lower than normal visits to the feed bunk based on the proximity history of the at least one morbid animal to the feed bunk; wherein a portion of said pocket is coated with a material that blocks or absorbs electronic transmissions; and
wherein;said at least one beacon reader only receives signals from an animal beacon when an animal wearing an ear tag is facing said at least one beacon reader; and said at least one beacon reader does not receive signals from an animal beacon when an animal wearing an ear tag is facing away from said at least one beacon reader. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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Specification