6308results about "Other apparatus" patented technology

A method and apparatus for measuring the physical characteristics of livestock animals such as cattle and hogs. The apparatus of the invention includes a plurality of strategically positioned cameras that are used to obtain data concerning volumetric, curvilinear (surface) and linear measurements of livestock animals such as cattle and hogs and the full carcasses thereof. In accordance with the method of the invention, the data is analyzed to provide information that substantially assists the commercial producer of livestock animals in producing a high-quality end-product for the consumer while adding profitability to the enterprise.

A passive transponder including an integrated sensor is disclosed. The transponder receives an interrogation signal from a scanner, and is operable to transmit identification information and body characteristic information to a scanner. The scanner is operable to receive the identification and body characteristic information and display and / or store the information. The sensor is integrated into the transponder. If temperature is to be sensed, the transponder determines the temperature of the host using the temperature dependent characteristics of the P-N junction of the integrated circuit.

The present invention relates to an edible thermoplastic made from about 30 to 50 wt. % protein comprising a mixture of plant and animal derived protein, about 20 to 50 wt. % starch about 10 to 20 wt. % water, about 1 to 10 wt. % edible fiber, and about 0.5 to 3 wt. % metallic salt hydrate. When molded, the thermoplastic has good strength and stiffness and other physical properties. The edible thermoplastic may be molded in a variety of shapes including a segmented nutritional pet chew with a plurality of segments separated by a plurality of scores. The scores serve to structurally weaken the pet chew so that it may be broken into smaller pieces. When molded the edible thermoplastic has a density of about 1.2 to 1.5 g / cubic centimeters.

In general, the present invention is directed to systems and methods for finding the position and shape of an object using video. The invention includes a system with a video camera coupled to a computer in which the computer is configured to automatically provide object segmentation and identification, object motion tracking (for moving objects), object position classification, and behavior identification. In a preferred embodiment, the present invention may use background subtraction for object identification and tracking, probabilistic approach with expectation-maximization for tracking the motion detection and object classification, and decision tree classification for behavior identification. Thus, the present invention is capable of automatically monitoring a video image to identify, track and classify the actions of various objects and the object's movements within the image. The image may be provided in real time or from storage. The invention is particularly useful for monitoring and classifying animal behavior for testing drugs and genetic mutations, but may be used in any of a number of other surveillance applications.

A method and apparatus for measuring target animals, including livestock animals and full carcasses, and more specifically livestock animals such as cattle and hogs using a single camera system. More particularly, the method of the invention is directed toward obtaining key measurements of the target animal, such as animal weight, animal hip height and animal hip width.

The present invention relates to a device and method for cleaning and pre-milking teats. The device comprises a teat receiving means (3, 53) having a teat receiving opening (5, 55) and cleaning means (9, 59), and it further comprises vacuum-supplying means (19, 69) and teat receiving opening sealing means (6, 56). Means (14, 16, 18, 20, 22) for sterilising teats may also be provided.

A teat cleaning arrangement (1) for milking equipment, comprising a teat cleaning device (6) with teat cleaning means (23, 41). A milking robot (2) with a robot front end (4) is devised to move the teat cleaning device (6) into engagement with a teat (5), and control means (7) are connectable to the robot (2) for controlling motion thereof. The control means are also connectable to the teat cleaning device (6) for controlling the teat cleaning means (23, 41), and engagement and disengagement with a teat (5). The control means (7) are devised to activate said teat cleaning means (23, 41) to clean said teat cleaning device (6) after each teat disengagement.

An animal feedlot management system is disclosed, wherein each feed delivery vehicle employed therein uses real-time virtual reality (VR) modelling and coordinate acquisition techniques supported upon an Internet-based (i.e., Cyberspace) communications platform in order to carry out various types of feedlot operations. Each feedlot vehicle has an on-board computer system which includes a VR subsystem, for accessing a VR database maintaining information representative of a VR model of the feedlot and the objects present therein (eg., tagged animals, pens, alley ways, feedbunks, buildings, vehicles, etc.

Composite particles and methods for making the same. An absorbent material is formed into a particle. An optional performance-enhancing active is coupled to the absorbent material before, during, or after the particle-forming process, homogeneously and / or in layers. Additionally, the composite absorbent particle may include a core material. Preferred methods for creating the absorbent particles include a pan agglomeration process, a high shear agglomeration process, a low shear agglomeration process, a high pressure agglomeration process, a low pressure agglomeration process, a rotary drum agglomeration process, a mix muller process, a roll press compaction process, a pin mixer process, a batch tumble blending mixer process, an extrusion process, and a fluid bed process.

An arrangement for performing an animal-related action on an animal includes a position determining component having a detector and a processing unit for determining the position of an animal part to be subjected to the animal-related action, and a performance component such as an animal handling unit or milking robot for performing the animal-related action. The position determining component is located at a first location including a station for housing an animal and the performance component is located at a second location including a station for housing an animal at a distance from the first location. A signal line is provided for transferring the coordinates of the position determined at the first location to the performance component at the second location in order to enable the performance of the action with regard to the animal part.

In an automatic milking installation including a robot arm (2) with a gripper (3) for attaching teat cups (4) to the teats of an animal, e.g. a cow, to be milked, for applying a teat dip to the teats after milking different members, such as spray nozzles (5a, 5b), dipping cups (5c, 5d) and sponge or cloth rollers (5e), are provided for applying different teat dip compositions. Under the control of a computer, the robot arm collects the member (5) appropriate for supplying the selected composition and takes it to a position appropriate for application of that composition. The selection can e effected in dependence upon the teat skin condition, e.g. detected by a camera (15) and / or environmental conditions.

Systems, methods, and computer code products for monitoring the behavior, health, and / or characteristics of an animal are disclosed herein. In one implementation, the animal is positioned inside a waste container placed on a system that is adapted to determine, record and communicate over a network various animal health parameters. These parameters can be processed to determine trends, statistics and changes of animal physiological functions. The results can be used to access animal health conditions and issue warnings, alarms, messages, and other notifications to designated caretakers. These notifications may be displayed using various means such as computers and / or mobile devices. Data retrieval and review capability can provide improved understanding of an animal's health conditions and facilitate early illness detection.

A method and apparatus for measuring the physical characteristics of livestock animals such as cattle and hogs. The apparatus of the invention includes a plurality of strategically positioned cameras that are used to obtain data concerning volumetric, curvilinear (surface) and linear measurements of livestock animals such as cattle and hogs and the full carcasses thereof. In accordance with the method of the invention, the data is analyzed to provide information that substantially assists the commercial producer of livestock animals in producing a high-quality end product for the consumer while adding profitability to the enterprise.

An arrangement is provided for attaching teat cups to teats of a milking animal in a rotary milking system having a milking stall for housing the milking animal during milking. The arrangement comprises a three-dimensional camera configured to be directed towards the udder of the milking animal in the milking stall and to repeatedly record three-dimensional images of the udder of the milking animal in real time. The three-dimensional camera is further configured to be directed towards the teat cups located in a magazine and to repeatedly record three-dimensional images of the teat cups in real time. The arrangement also includes an image processing device configured to repeatedly detect the teats of the milking animal and determine the positions of the teats in three spatial dimensions based on said repeatedly recorded three-dimensional images of the teats. The image processing device is also configured to repeatedly detect the plurality of teat cups and determine the positions of the teat cups in three spatial dimensions based on said repeatedly recorded three-dimensional images of the teat cups located in the magazine. The arrangement also includes a control device configured to control a robot arm, based on the determined positions of the teats of the milking animal and the determined positions of the teat cups, to automatically attach at least one teat cup to at least one teat of the milking animal in the milking stall.

A computer-aided training and management system that uses a computer or other processor in wireless communication with an instrumented dog collar and / or optionally, one or more dog interaction devices, such as, for example, video monitors, loudspeakers, video cameras, training toys (e.g., ball, bone, moving toy, etc.), an animatronics “trainer,” a treat dispenser, a food dispensing and monitoring device, a water dispensing and monitoring device, tracking devices, a dog door, dog-monitoring doghouse, a dog-monitoring dog toilet, is described. In one embodiment, the instrumented dog collar is in two-way communication with a central computer system.

A fluid-applying device for applying a fluid to a teat of a dairy animal. The fluid-applying device comprises a fluid detector for determining a fluid application pattern of the fluid on the teat of the dairy animal. The fluid detector comprises a computer loaded with comparing software for comparing the determined fluid application pattern with a previously stored reference criterion, for emitting a comparison signal which is indicative of the comparison result, and for determining the teat length, the tip of the teat, and the fluid application distance, measured from the tip of the teat, over which the fluid has been applied to the teat, and for emitting a fluid signal comprising data in relation to the determined fluid application distance. The reference criterion may be a threshold distance with which the determined fluid application distance is compared.

An apparatus for monitoring at least a part of an animal related space (18) comprises a controllable device (2, 22) and at least one image capturing device (14, 15) for generating and supplying captured image data regarding said animal related space. According to the invention, the image capturing device (14, 15) is associated with a communications port (24) connectible to a telecommunications network (26), a remote control device (28) is associated with a further communications port (30) connectible to said telecommunications network (26). The image capturing device (14, 15) is connectable to said remote control device (28) via said telecommunications network (26) and the remote control device (28) is adapted to receive said captured image data. The remote control device (28) is provided with a display unit (32) for allowing viewing of said captured image data. A data input means (34) is associated with said remote control device (28), for entering a control instruction. The remote control device (28) is adapted to output said control instruction via said further communications port (30), and the controllable device (2, 22) is arranged to be interactively manipulated by said remote control device (28) in response to said control instruction.

A highly automated non-confining system to continuously, or at selected time intervals identify, measure, monitor and manage the consumption behavior, substance intake, body weight and growth of individual animals in their usual production environment including range, pasture, feedlot, dairy and farm without disruption to typical behaviors in order to determine, analyze, model and predict a variety of conditions relating to animal health, productivity, efficiency and quality. A transmitter generally attached to the animal identifies the individual animal by a unique individual code. A weighing device measures animal weight while an animal is consuming substances. An antenna receives the unique signal from the transmitter and a transmitting and receiving device sends acquired signals to a computer and receives instructions from a computer. A computer acquires signals and modification factors incorporated in the computer generate an event or interval measurement of an animal's weight and gain, growth rate and substance consumption, and the animal behavior affecting the measurement. A visual identification mechanism marks cattle that the computer system has determined require intervention. The system models and predicts animal health and growth, performance, carcass characteristics, feed utilization, manure and methane output.

A bedding article for a domestic animal comprising an outer textile casing defining a geometric shape for supporting a domestic animal, an inner filling, and a microbe-inhibiting agent or property applied to at least one of the outer textile casing and the inner filling. The bedding article may be fabricated in various shapes, designs, and styles; e.g., rectangular, circular, elliptical, with or without upstanding side walls, etc. A process for applying the microbe-inhibiting agent or property to at least one on the outer textile casing and the inner filling is provided. Application methods include spraying, dipping, brushing, and rolling the microbe-inhibiting agent or property onto at least one of the outer textile casing and the inner filling. An alternative embodiment includes an outer textile casing defining a geometric shape for supporting a domestic animal, an inner filling, a lining therebetween, and a microbe-inhibiting agent or property applied to at least one of the outer textile casing, the inner lining, and the inner filling.

A highly automated method and system for providing individual animal electronic identification, measurement and value based management of cattle in a large cattle feedlot. Through the use of (1) a computer system integrated with (2) automatic individual animal identification (3) multiple measurement and remeasurement systems with automatic data input and (4) a cattle handling and sorting system, animals are individually (a) identified and (b) measured by weight, external dimensions and characteristics of internal body tissue. With this information together with animal physiological characteristics and historical data, the computer system calculates the optimum (c) slaughter weight, (d) economic end point and (e) marketing date for shipment to a packing plant. After measurement, individual animals are (f) sorted by direction of the computer in response to calculations from the measurements. The computer system also calculates from individual animal data and other data (g) each animal's pro rata share of total feed intake for the animal's feed group. The computer system (h) stores individual animal measurement, performance and location data, which is used by management to (i) select animals for shipment from the feedlot for slaughter at the optimum time. Following an animal's shipment to a slaughter facility, its identification in the computer system is used to (j) correlate the live animal physical characteristics and performance data to the measured and evaluated carcass characteristics data obtained during the slaughter process and (k) build a data base to more accurately identify and measure value-based characteristics in subsequent animals produced and fed for more effective value-based selection and management of those animals.

A method and system for monitoring the condition of livestock comprises a plurality of sensors (115, 103, 113, 111, 107, 105) for sensing a plurality of different behavioural parameters of an animal. The sensed data is transmitted by a unit (115), wirelessly, t a central processor (119) and a plurality of status conditions of the animal is determined on the basis of the transmitted, sensed data such as the onset of parturition, fertility status and other health status conditions. The unit (115) may be permanently worn by the animal and may keep an electronic record of the status conditions of the animal.

A GPS data acquisition collar incorporating an individualized rugged watertight collar that monitors factors including GPS location, gazing patterns, elevation, feeding patterns, temperature, movement speed, sleep patterns and signaling or beacon tracking options. Additionally the present invention provides options for visual representation or programming alerting of factors that may affect an animal or herd of animals in a monitored and recorded environment.

A method and apparatus for measuring the physical characteristics of livestock animals such as cattle and hogs. The apparatus of the invention includes a plurality of strategically positioned cameras that are used to obtain data concerning volumetric, curvilinear (surface) and linear measurements of livestock animals such as cattle and hogs and the full carcasses thereof. In accordance with the method of the invention, the data is analyzed to provide information that substantially assists the commercial producer of livestock animals in producing a high-quality end-product for the consumer while adding profitability to the enterprise.

The present invention relates to a system for the intensive management of animals, the system comprising: animal identification means for identifying individual animals; at least one device for measuring one or more parameters of individual animals; a processor for processing measurements obtained for the one or more parameters, wherein the processed parameter data is used to determine management strategies for individual animals in real-time; and means for implementing management strategies for the animals.

Clumping animal litters containing composite particles with increased absorptivity and clump strength are disclosed. Reinforcing fiber materials are combined with a liquid-absorbing material to form composite particles suitable for use as animal litter. The reinforcing fiber materials add structural integrity to the liquid absorbent materials by acting in a manner similar to reinforcing bars (i.e., rebar) in concrete. The fibers need only be present in small percentages to show a consumer noticeable benefit.

Methods and devices to prevent and / or treat breathing disorders (e.g., upper airways disorders) in mammals related to impaired airflow are described. Methods and devices apply force to soft tissue that avoids obstruction of airflow in the mammel's airway. Breathing disorders that are avoided by the methods and / or devices include apnea.

An absorbent composition with improved odor control and suitable for use as an animal litter, comprising an absorbent material, activated alumina, and optional additives.

An external stimuli is provided that alerts animals to danger and / or repels the animals from certain areas. More specifically, the system and method of the present invention uses an external stimuli, such as, for example, pulsing microwaves, vibration or supersonic sound waves, in order to alert birds or other animals of danger and / or repel these same birds or animals from specific areas. These produced external stimuli may provide a reversible unpleasant sensation to the birds and other animals so that they will not only be repelled from a specific area, such as an airport, but also will avoid returning to such area. One such unpleasant sensation that is virtually harmless to the birds and other animals is the sensation of dizziness.