Method, system and device for integrating individual feed-meat ratio and behavior collection of flat land breeding poultry

Abstract

This invention relates to the technical field of poultry farming, specifically to an integrated method, system, and device for collecting data on feed conversion ratio (FCR) and behavior of poultry raised on flat land. The device includes a main frame, a weighing platform, a feeding mechanism, an adjustable front door mechanism, a rotatable fan-shaped middle door deterrent mechanism, a feed trough weighing mechanism, an electrical control box, and an entrance control box. The system consists of the device and a control system, realizing process control, data acquisition, adaptive adjustment, and data management. The method controls single-bird entry through adaptive front door opening, completing the entire process through identification, weight detection, feed weight collection, timed feeding, and deterrenting. It can also deter multiple birds entering or those not feeding. This invention enables high-precision measurement of individual FCR and simultaneous acquisition of behavioral data, with accurate data, stable operation, and high device utilization, making it suitable for data collection in large-scale flat-land poultry breeding farms.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the technical field of poultry farming, specifically to an integrated method, system, and device for collecting data on the feed conversion ratio and behavior of poultry raised on flat land. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, in the field of poultry breeding data collection, there are two types of data collection devices on the market. One type is a feeding device without mechanical gating, which allows breeding poultry to freely enter and feed. The device simply collects feeding and weight data of the breeding poultry. The other type is a feeding device with mechanical gating, which allows breeding poultry to enter and feed after passing through the gating. Both types of devices use electronic control and software systems for data collection and storage, and report the data to a host computer for management by desktop software. Both methods can meet the automation requirements for data collection in flat-field breeding.

[0003] However, the first type without mechanical gating devices, due to the lack of obstruction, allows two breeding birds to simultaneously squeeze into the equipment to feed, resulting in inaccurate individual records, interference with feeding, and a significant reduction in the authenticity and reliability of the data. The second type with mechanical gating devices, although designed to prevent multiple breeding birds from entering the equipment simultaneously and ensure individual feeding is not disturbed and is accurate, suffers from numerous problems such as high failure rate, low utilization rate, inaccurate data collection, and poor stability due to defects in mechanical devices, process design, software algorithms, and poor adaptability. These issues seriously affect the accuracy and reliability of the feed conversion ratio calculation for individual breeding birds in the flatland rearing model. Existing technologies present numerous problems that urgently need to be addressed. Because the flatland rearing model employs a large-scale group system, animals exhibit behaviors such as competition for food, queuing to avoid being pecked, lying down, and refusing to eat. This unpredictability in animal behavior significantly impacts data collection. Therefore, the large-scale flatland group measurement model and the study of animal behavior place high demands on the design of the equipment. Currently available equipment, regardless of its mechanical structure or software system, suffers from instability, poor adaptability, and low utilization due to animal behavior, resulting in significant errors in the collected data. These errors manifest primarily as inaccurate feed intake, inaccurate weight, and insufficient feed consumption. Furthermore, the lack of effective herding strategies renders the equipment ineffective in addressing behaviors such as lying down and refusing to eat, leading to low equipment utilization. Poor data accuracy and completeness make it impossible to analyze animal behavior from a large volume of feeding records. All these factors can hinder the entire breeding effort. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide an integrated method, system, and apparatus for collecting data on feed conversion ratio and behavior of poultry raised on flat land, in order to solve the problems mentioned in the background art.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: an integrated device for collecting feed conversion ratio and behavior data of poultry raised on flat land, comprising: a main frame, a weighing platform, a feeding mechanism, a front door mechanism, a middle door driving mechanism, a feed trough weighing mechanism, an electrical control box, and an entrance control box; The main frame forms a closed collection chamber, and the main frame is located at the bottom of the chamber; the feeding mechanism includes a hopper and a feeding trough, the feeding trough is located on one side of the weighing platform and is connected to the feeding trough weighing mechanism; The front door mechanism is located at the entrance of the chamber and its opening degree can be adjusted to control the entry of a single breeding poultry. The central gate driving mechanism is a rotatable fan-shaped structure, located in the chamber, which can guide, limit and drive away the breeding poultry; The electrical control box and the entrance control box are respectively installed on the main frame and are used to control the actions of each mechanism and collect data.

[0006] Preferably, the front door mechanism includes a drive motor, a transmission assembly, and a front door panel. The drive motor drives the front door panel to rotate through the transmission assembly, thereby achieving stepless adjustment of the opening degree.

[0007] Preferably, the middle door driving mechanism consists of a rotary motor, a rotating shaft, and a middle door panel. The middle door panel can rotate around the rotating shaft within the cavity to form a guiding channel or driving action.

[0008] Preferably, the feeding trough weighing mechanism includes a high-precision weighing sensor and a mounting base. The feeding trough is fixed on the mounting base, and the weighing sensor collects feed weight data in real time.

[0009] An integrated system for collecting feed conversion ratio and behavior data of poultry raised on flat land, comprising an integrated device and a control system electrically connected to the device; The control system includes: a process control module, used to control the timing of the actions of the front door mechanism and the middle door driving mechanism; The data acquisition module is used to collect weight data from the weighing platform, feed weight data from the feeding trough weighing mechanism, and poultry identification information. The adaptive adjustment module is used to adjust the opening of the front door and the driving force of the middle door according to the average weight of the breeding poultry flock. The data management module is used to calculate the feed intake and feed conversion ratio of breeding poultry, and to record feeding behavior data.

[0010] Preferably, the control system further includes an RFID identification unit, which is located on one side of the weighing platform and is used to identify the individual breeding poultry.

[0011] Preferably, the adaptive adjustment module is configured with an opening ratio coefficient and a driving force ratio coefficient. The front door opening is calculated by the average weight of the breeding poultry group and the opening ratio coefficient, and the driving force of the middle door is calculated by the average weight of the individual breeding poultry and the driving force ratio coefficient.

[0012] An integrated method for collecting data on feed conversion ratio and behavior of poultry raised on flat land includes the following steps: S1: The opening of the front door mechanism is adaptively adjusted according to the average weight of the breeding poultry flock to control that only one breeding poultry can enter the chamber at a time; S2: After detecting that the breeding poultry has entered the weighing platform, close the front door mechanism and control the middle door driving mechanism to rotate, guiding the breeding poultry to the identification and weighing area; S3: Identify the breeder poultry using an RFID identification unit and collect their weight using a weighing platform; if multiple breeder poultry are detected entering, they will be driven away by a central gate deterrent mechanism. S4: Collect the feed weight before feeding through the trough weighing mechanism, open feeding and record feeding behavior data simultaneously; S5: After feeding, the weight of the feed after feeding is collected by the weighing mechanism of the feed trough, and the feed intake, body weight and feed conversion ratio of the breeding poultry are calculated. S6: After data collection is completed, the breeding poultry are driven out of the chamber by the central gate driving mechanism, thus ending the single collection process.

[0013] Preferably, the weight data of the weighing platform 8 and the feeding trough weighing mechanism are collected when the breeding poultry are in a static and undisturbed state.

[0014] Preferably, the method further includes an active driving step to drive away the breeding poultry from the nest and away from the feed chamber. When the breeding poultry stays in the chamber for more than a preset time without eating, the driving mechanism at the middle gate is controlled to drive the breeding poultry out of the chamber.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are: This invention, through adaptive front door opening control and a fan-shaped middle door guiding and driving structure, fundamentally prevents multiple breeding poultry from entering the collection chamber simultaneously, ensuring uninterrupted individual feeding, weighing, and feed weight measurement, and significantly improving the accuracy of feed conversion ratio (FCR) determination. The front and middle doors employ adaptive algorithms to automatically adjust their opening and driving force according to the age and weight of the breeding poultry, adapting to changes in animal behavior. The device operates stably with a low failure rate. Active driving strategies are added to address behaviors such as nesting and non-feeding in breeding poultry, greatly improving equipment utilization and data collection integrity. The system integrates RFID identification, dual-channel 24-bit ADC weighing, CAN communication, and data storage modules, achieving integrated automatic completion of identification verification, weight collection, feed intake calculation, and behavior recording, with real-time and reliable data upload. This solution effectively solves the problems of inaccurate data, poor adaptability, and low utilization of existing equipment, providing accurate, efficient, and stable data support for poultry breeding. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the device structure of the present invention.

[0017] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the system architecture of the present invention.

[0018] Figure 3 This is a flowchart of the feeding algorithm of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 4 This is a flowchart of the front door mechanical motion algorithm of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 5 This is a flowchart of the gate mechanical motion algorithm in this invention.

[0021] Figure 6 This is a diagram of the electronic control system of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 7 This is the core flowchart of the system of the present invention.

[0023] In the diagram: 1. Main frame; 2. Front door panel; 3. Pedal; 4. Entrance control box; 5. Feed trough; 6. Electrical control box; 7. Weighing platform; 8. Middle door panel; 9. Detailed Implementation

[0024] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0025] Please see Figures 1 to 7This invention provides a technical solution: an integrated device for collecting feed conversion ratio and behavior data of poultry raised on flat land, comprising: a main frame 1, a weighing platform 8, a feeding mechanism, a front door mechanism, a middle door driving mechanism, a feed trough weighing mechanism, an electrical control box 7, and an entrance control box 4; the main frame 1 forms a closed collection chamber, and the main frame 1 is located at the bottom of the chamber; the feeding mechanism includes a feed bin 5 and a feed trough 6, the feed trough 6 being located on one side of the weighing platform and connected to the feed trough weighing mechanism; the front door mechanism is located at the entrance of the chamber, and its opening is adjustable to control the entry of a single poultry; the front door mechanism includes a drive motor, a transmission assembly, and a front door plate 2, the drive... The motor drives the front door panel 2 to rotate through the transmission assembly, achieving stepless adjustment of the opening degree; the middle door driving mechanism is a rotatable fan-shaped structure, set in the cavity, which can guide, limit and drive away the breeding poultry. The middle door driving mechanism consists of a rotary motor, a rotating shaft and a middle door panel 9. The middle door panel 9 can rotate around the rotating shaft in the cavity to form a guiding channel or driving action; the feed trough weighing mechanism includes a high-precision weighing sensor and a mounting base. The feed trough 6 is fixed on the mounting base, and the weighing sensor collects feed weight data in real time; the electrical control box 7 and the entrance control box 4 are respectively set on the main frame 1, and are used to control the actions of each mechanism and collect data.

[0026] An integrated system for collecting feed conversion ratio and behavior data of poultry raised on flat land includes: an integrated device and a control system electrically connected to the device. The control system includes: a process control module for controlling the timing of the actions of the front gate mechanism and the middle gate driving mechanism; a data acquisition module for collecting weight data from the weighing platform, feed weight data from the feed trough weighing mechanism, and poultry identification information; an adaptive adjustment module for adjusting the front gate opening and the middle gate driving force based on the average weight of the poultry flock; and a data management module for calculating the feed intake and feed conversion ratio of the poultry and recording feeding behavior data. The control system also includes an RFID identification unit, located on one side of the weighing platform 8, for identifying individual poultry. The adaptive adjustment module is configured with an opening ratio coefficient and a driving force ratio coefficient. The front gate opening is calculated based on the average weight of the poultry flock and the opening ratio coefficient, and the middle gate driving force is calculated based on the average weight of the individual poultry and the driving force ratio coefficient.

[0027] An integrated method for collecting data on feed conversion ratio and behavior of poultry raised on flat land includes the following steps: S1: The opening of the front door mechanism is adaptively adjusted according to the average weight of the breeding poultry flock to control that only one breeding poultry can enter the chamber at a time; S2: After detecting that the breeding poultry has entered the weighing platform, close the front door mechanism and control the middle door driving mechanism to rotate, guiding the breeding poultry to the identification and weighing area; S3: Identify the breeder poultry using an RFID identification unit and collect their weight using a weighing platform; if multiple breeder poultry are detected entering, they will be driven away by a central gate deterrent mechanism. S4: Collect the feed weight before feeding through the trough weighing mechanism, open feeding and record feeding behavior data simultaneously; S5: After feeding, the weight of the feed after feeding is collected by the weighing mechanism of the feed trough, and the feed intake, body weight and feed conversion ratio of the breeding poultry are calculated. S6: After data collection is completed, the breeding poultry are driven out of the chamber by the central gate driving mechanism, thus ending the single collection process.

[0028] The weight data of the weighing platform 8 and the feeding trough weighing mechanism were collected when the breeding poultry were in a static and undisturbed state.

[0029] The method also includes an active driving step to drive away the breeding poultry from the nest and away from the feed chamber. When the breeding poultry stays in the chamber for more than a preset time without eating, the driving mechanism at the central gate is controlled to drive the breeding poultry out of the chamber.

[0030] Please see Figure 3 The feeding algorithm flow in this invention is as follows: The system first opens the front door and waits for the breeding poultry to enter; when the weight sensing module detects the entry of the breeding poultry, it closes the front door panel 2 and activates the middle door panel 9 to guide the breeding poultry to the identification and weighing area; then, RFID identification and weight detection are performed to determine whether it is a single breeding poultry. If multiple poultry are present, they are driven away through the middle door panel 9; if it is a single breeding poultry, the feed weight before feeding is collected, the breeding poultry is allowed to feed, and the feeding timer is started; when the feeding time limit is reached or the breeding poultry finishes feeding, the feed weight after feeding is collected, the feed intake is calculated, and the feeding data is recorded; finally, the breeding poultry is driven away through the middle door panel 9, completing one feeding process. The system operates according to the feeding algorithm flow chart, and by controlling the front door panel 2 and the middle door panel 9, it ensures that only one breeding poultry is allowed to enter the equipment to feed. In this stage, the system obtains the RFID identification number of the breeding poultry, accurately collects the weight and feed weight, accurately calculates the individual's feed intake and weight, records them in the memory, and reports them to the central control management device through the CAN communication module.

[0031] Please see Figure 4 The mechanical motion algorithm of the front door panel 2 is as follows: The system calculates the opening degree of the front door panel 2 according to the average weight of the breeding poultry group and the preset opening ratio coefficient, and opens the front door panel 2 according to the opening degree; waits for the breeding poultry to step into the pedal 3 of the front door panel 2, and the weight sensing module detects the weight signal in real time; when the detected weight exceeds the preset threshold, the motor is immediately started to quickly close the front door panel 2; then it enters the identity recognition and weight collection stage to determine whether feeding is allowed; if feeding is allowed, the front door panel 2 is slightly opened and the motor rotates briefly to provide feeding space for the breeding poultry; if feeding is not allowed, the breeding poultry is driven out of the device through the middle door.

[0032] Please see Figure 5The mechanical motion algorithm of the middle gate panel 9 is as follows: After the system is powered on, the middle gate panel 9 is placed in the initial middle position, waiting for the breeding poultry to enter; after the weight sensing module detects the entry of the breeding poultry, it immediately closes the front door and controls the middle gate panel 9 to rotate 15°-20° towards the feeding trough, guiding the breeding poultry to the identification and weighing area; after completing identity recognition and weight detection, it determines whether feeding is allowed; if feeding is allowed, it controls the middle gate panel 9 to rotate to the feeding trough position, and the breeding poultry begins to feed; when the breeding poultry does not feed or the feeding time reaches the limit value, the system adjusts the driving force according to the average weight of the individual breeding poultry and the preset driving ratio coefficient, and drives the breeding poultry away from the device through the middle gate panel 9, ending the current feeding process. The system precisely controls the operation of the front gate panel 2 and the middle gate panel 9 motors through PWM speed regulation and position sensors, allowing qualified breeding poultry to enter the equipment to feed, and driving away breeding poultry that do not feed, lie on the nest, or whose feeding time limit has expired, ensuring a high utilization rate of the equipment.

[0033] Please see Figure 6 The electronic control system of this invention is centered on a main CPU and includes two 24-bit high-precision ADC acquisition units, respectively connected to the weighing scale and the feed trough scale, to achieve high-precision acquisition of body weight and feed weight. The main CPU drives the speed control drive modules of the front door panel 2 motor, the middle door panel 9 motor, and the feeding motor through PWM signals, and, in conjunction with the position status detection of the front door panel 2 and the middle door panel 9, achieves precise control of each actuator. The system is equipped with a NORFLASH memory for feed data storage, interacts with the host computer through a CAN communication module, and has an external touch screen for parameter setting and status display, realizing integrated electronic control of identification, weight acquisition, motion control, data storage, and communication. The electronic control system is the hardware support for the entire method. The CPU uses a 32-bit ARM high-performance chip, running a real-time operating system, algorithms, and logic control. The weighing uses a high-precision 24-bit ADC sampling chip, the motor drive uses a speed-adjustable drive chip, the data storage uses a reliable NORFLASH chip, and the communication system uses a highly reliable CAN network to ensure reliable recording and reporting of feed data.

[0034] This invention proposes an integrated solution for collecting feed conversion ratio (FCR) and behavioral data of individual breeding poultry in large-scale, flat-field poultry farming. By coordinating the device, system, and method, it addresses the problems of existing data collection equipment, such as susceptibility to interference, low accuracy, poor adaptability, and insufficient utilization. The device, based on a main frame 1, incorporates a weighing platform 8, a feed trough 6, an adjustable front door mechanism, a rotating fan-shaped middle door deterrent mechanism, and an electronic control system, forming a closed, independent collection chamber to ensure independent feeding and measurement for each breeding poultry. The system integrates process control, data acquisition, adaptive adjustment, and data management modules, combined with RFID identification and high-precision weighing to achieve fully automated operation. The method employs adaptive opening, weight recognition, multi-poultry deterrenting, and extended-time deterrenting strategies to ensure data acquisition in a static, interference-free state, improving measurement accuracy and device operating efficiency. The overall solution has a reasonable structure, reliable control, and complete and accurate data, simultaneously supporting FCR measurement and behavioral analysis, significantly improving breeding data quality and work efficiency, and possesses high practical value and promising application prospects. Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. An integrated device for collecting data on individual feed conversion ratios and behavior of poultry raised on flat land, characterized in that, include: Main frame (1), weighing platform (8), feeding mechanism, front door mechanism, middle door driving mechanism, trough weighing mechanism, electrical control box (7) and entrance control box (4); The main frame (1) forms a closed collection chamber, and the main frame (1) is located at the bottom of the chamber; the feeding mechanism includes a hopper (5) and a feeding trough (6), the feeding trough (6) is located on one side of the weighing platform and is connected to the feeding trough weighing mechanism; The front door mechanism is located at the entrance of the chamber and its opening degree can be adjusted to control the entry of a single breeding poultry. The central gate driving mechanism is a rotatable fan-shaped structure, located in the chamber, which can guide, limit and drive away the breeding poultry; The electrical control box (7) and the door control box (4) are respectively installed on the main frame (1) and are used to control the actions of each mechanism and collect data.

2. The integrated device for collecting feed conversion ratio and behavior data of poultry raised on flat land according to claim 1, characterized in that: The front door mechanism includes a drive motor, a transmission assembly and a front door panel (2). The drive motor drives the front door panel (2) to rotate through the transmission assembly, thereby achieving stepless adjustment of the opening degree.

3. The integrated device for collecting feed conversion ratio and behavior data of poultry raised on flat land according to claim 1, characterized in that: The middle door driving mechanism consists of a rotary motor, a rotating shaft and a middle door plate (9). The middle door plate (9) can rotate around the rotating shaft in the cavity to form a guide channel or driving action.

4. The integrated device for collecting feed conversion ratio and behavior data of poultry raised on flat land according to claim 1, characterized in that: The feeding trough weighing mechanism includes a high-precision weighing sensor and a mounting base. The feeding trough (6) is fixed on the mounting base, and the weighing sensor collects feed weight data in real time.

5. An integrated system for collecting data on individual feed conversion ratios and behavior of poultry raised on flat land, characterized in that: include: The apparatus according to any one of claims 1-4, and the control system electrically connected to the apparatus; The control system includes: a process control module, used to control the timing of the actions of the front door mechanism and the middle door driving mechanism; The data acquisition module is used to collect weight data from the weighing platform, feed weight data from the feeding trough weighing mechanism, and poultry identification information. The adaptive adjustment module is used to adjust the opening of the front door and the driving force of the middle door according to the average weight of the breeding poultry flock. The data management module is used to calculate the feed intake and feed conversion ratio of breeding poultry, and to record feeding behavior data.

6. The integrated system for collecting feed conversion ratio and behavior data of poultry raised on flat land according to claim 5, characterized in that: The control system also includes an RFID identification unit, which is located on one side of the weighing platform (8) and is used to identify the individual poultry.

7. The integrated system for collecting feed conversion ratio and behavior data of poultry raised on flat land according to claim 5, characterized in that: The adaptive adjustment module is configured with an opening ratio coefficient and a driving force ratio coefficient. The front door opening is calculated by the average weight of the breeding poultry group and the opening ratio coefficient, and the driving force of the middle door is calculated by the average weight of the individual breeding poultry and the driving force ratio coefficient.

8. An integrated method for collecting data on individual feed conversion ratios and behavior of poultry raised on flat land, characterized by: Using the apparatus according to any one of claims 1-4 or the system according to any one of claims 5-7 includes the following steps: S1: The opening of the front door mechanism is adaptively adjusted according to the average weight of the breeding poultry flock to control that only one breeding poultry can enter the chamber at a time; S2: After detecting that the breeding poultry has entered the weighing platform, close the front door mechanism and control the middle door driving mechanism to rotate, guiding the breeding poultry to the identification and weighing area; S3: Identify the breeder poultry using an RFID identification unit and collect their weight using a weighing platform; if multiple breeder poultry are detected entering, they will be driven away by a central gate deterrent mechanism. S4: Collect the feed weight before feeding through the trough weighing mechanism, open feeding and record feeding behavior data simultaneously; S5: After feeding, the weight of the feed after feeding is collected by the weighing mechanism of the feed trough, and the feed intake, body weight and feed conversion ratio of the breeding poultry are calculated. S6: After data collection is completed, the breeding poultry are driven out of the chamber by the central gate driving mechanism, thus ending the single collection process.

9. The integrated method for collecting feed conversion ratio and behavior data of poultry raised on flat land according to claim 8, characterized in that: The weight data of the weighing platform (8) and the feeding trough weighing mechanism were collected when the breeding poultry were in a static and undisturbed state.

10. The integrated method for collecting feed conversion ratio and behavior data of poultry raised on flat land according to claim 8, characterized in that: The method also includes an active driving step to drive away the breeding poultry from the nest and away from the feed chamber. When the breeding poultry stays in the chamber for more than a preset time without eating, the driving mechanism at the central gate is controlled to drive the breeding poultry out of the chamber.

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