Livestock feedlot management method and apparatus

• US 4,288,856 A
• Filed: 12/14/1979
• Issued: 09/08/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: L8 Products Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Gerald S. Linseth
• Inventors: Linseth, Gerald S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Krass, Errol A.
• Application Number:
  US06/103,533
• Time in Patent Office: 634 Days
• Field of Search: 364/567, 364/568, 364/552, 119/51 R, 177/1, 177/4, 177/5, 177/25
• US Class Current: 119/841
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 1/0023 Sorting gates
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 29/00 Other apparatus for animal husbandry
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 17/08 for weighing livestock

Abstract

An apparatus and method for managing a livestock feedlot by early separation of poorly performing animals. Incoming animals are marked with an indentifying number, then are weighed and the number and weight are recorded. At a selected later date the animals are individually directed through a walk-through scale. As the weight is obtained, it is immediately compared to the initial weight. If weight gain is below a selected standard, an indicator light is displayed and a gate into a "cull" pen is automatically opened. If weight gain is above the standard, another indicator light is displayed and a gate into a "retain" pen is automatically opened. Some livestock, no different from others in appearance or other characteristics, do not gain weight rapidly enough to be profitably fed in a feedlot operation. The above reweighing after a short feeding period has been found to be effective in eliminating poorly performing animals. While the above method may be performed manually, greater speed, accuracy and efficiency can be obtained where the different variables are sensed and entered into a computer system which can rapidly make the necessary calculations and comparisons to separate the animals on a continuous, rapid basis.

Claims

1. A method of culling animals having poor weight gain characteristics from a feed lot herd which comprises:

providing each animal with an identifying number;

entering the identifying number into a memory system;

directing each animal individually through a walk-through scale;

displaying a first weight for observation the weight of each animal as indicated by said scale;

indicating which of a plurality of selected weight ranges the indicated first weight of each animall falls within;

entering the indicated first weight of each animal in said memory system;

actuating a detector as the animal leaves the scale to automatically open the scale entrance for the next animal;

directing animals from said scale to at least one feeding pen;

after a selected number of days, again directing said animal through the weighing system to obtain a second weight of each animal;

entering the second weight in said memory system;

comparing the first and second weights for each animal and the time period between weighings to determine the average daily weight gain for each animal;

determining relative to a selected standard which animals have accomplished a satisfactory weight gain; and

actuating appropriate ones of a plurality of gates at the outlet of said scale to direct animals having different weight gain characteristics to different pens;

whereby animals having unsatisfactory weight gain characteristics are separated from the balance of the herd.

2. The method according to claim 1 including the further steps of repeating said second weighing and separation after a further number of days with animals to further separate them into groups according to weight gain characteristics.

3. Apparatus for separating feedlot animals into groups in accordance with weight gain characteristics which comprises;

a walk-through scale for determining the initial weight of each animal;

chute and gate means for directing said animals from said scale to at least one feeding pen;

chute and gate means for directing said animals from said at least one feeding pen to said scale at a date later than the date of the initial weighing to obtain a later weight;

means for entering identifying numbers assigned to each animal and said initial and later weights into a memory system at the time of each respective weighing and for entering into said memory system the time period between said initial and said later weighings and criteria as to acceptable average daily weight gain characteristics;

means for calculating average daily weight gains for each animal and comparing them to said criteria; and

means for directing each animal leaving said scale after said later weighing to one of a plurality of pens in accordance with the degree to which said weight gain criteria are met;

whereby animals failing to meet said criteria can be separated from feedlot herd at an early point in the feeding period.

4. A method of grouping animals according to weight gain characteristics and of culling animals having poor weight gain characteristics from a feed lot herd which comprises:

providing an identifying number for each of said animals;

entering the identifying numbers into a memory system;

guiding each animal individually through a walk-through scale to determine the initial weight of each animal;

entering the initial weight of each animal into the memory system;

displaying the initial weight of each animal while in the scale for observation;

indicating whether the initial weight of each animal is in a selected mid-range of weights or is above or below that range;

actuating a detector as each animal leaves the scale to automatically open the scale entrance for the next animal;

guiding each animal to one of a first, second and third feeding pen according to weights above, within or below said mid-range respectively;

after feeding said animals for a selected number of days which constitute a portion of a normal feeding period for such animals, guiding said animals from said first, second and third feeding pens through said scale to obtain a second weight for each animal;

entering the identifying number and the second weight for each animal into said memory system;

comparing the initial and second weights for each animal in relation to the time period between respective weighings to determine the average daily weight gain for each animal;

comparing the average daily weight gain for each animal to a selected minimum acceptable daily weight gain;

opening and closing appropriate ones of a plurality of gates along at least one chute extending away from the outlet of said scale to guide animals having an average daily weight gain below the minimum acceptable daily weight gain to a cull pen and to guide other animals to at least one feeding pen for continuation of the feeding period.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein after the second weighing, the animals having acceptable average daily gains are grouped into related ranges according to the extent to which the minimum is exceeded and said gates are operated to guide the animals in each selected range to one of a plurality of feeding pens.