Beef cattle breeding shed with automatic manure scraping function

Abstract

The invention relates to a beef cattle breeding shed with an automatic manure scraping function, and relates to the technical field of livestock breeding. Comprising a barn body, a cattle bed area, a primary collection ditch and a main manure ditch, and further comprises a suspension type manure scraping device and a trigger type intelligent control system, wherein the primary collection ditch and the main manure ditch are located on the rear side of the cattle bed area; the bottom elevation of the primary collection ditch is higher than that of the main manure ditch, and a plurality of flow guide holes are uniformly distributed in a baffle between the primary collection ditch and the main manure ditch; the ground of the cattle bed area has a gradient towards the primary collecting ditch; the suspended manure scraping device is mounted on the side wall of the fence house main body and is positioned right above the main manure ditch; and the trigger type intelligent control system is used for detecting environment conditions in the barn main body and the main manure ditch and controlling the suspension type manure scraping device to operate according to detection data. According to the system, efficient, energy-saving and intelligent manure cleaning is achieved, the environment of the cowshed is remarkably improved, animal welfare is improved, and source reduction and resource utilization of breeding manure are facilitated.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of livestock breeding technology, specifically to a cattle pen equipped with an automatic manure scraper. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of my country's beef cattle farming industry towards large-scale, standardized, and ecological practices, traditional manual manure removal methods are no longer adequate for the needs of modern farms. Manual manure removal is labor-intensive, inefficient, and costly. Furthermore, the process can cause a sharp increase in the concentration of harmful gases such as ammonia and hydrogen sulfide in the pens, seriously affecting the healthy growth and welfare of beef cattle and posing a threat to the health of the farm workers.

[0003] Currently, some automated manure removal equipment has appeared on the market, such as scraper manure removers and water flushing manure removal systems. However, these existing technologies generally have the following drawbacks: Scraper-type manure cleaners: These typically use unidirectional or reciprocating scrapers that operate in long, narrow manure trenches. Their problems include: high frictional resistance between the scraper and the bottom of the trench, resulting in high energy consumption and severe wear; manure easily adheres to the scraper and the edges of the trench, leading to incomplete cleaning and the creation of unsanitary areas over time; and the need for a lifting or lateral conveying device to remove the manure at the end of the process, making the system complex and prone to failure.

[0004] Water-flushing manure removal systems consume a large amount of water, produce a large amount of high-concentration manure water, put enormous pressure on subsequent wastewater treatment, have high investment and operating costs, and do not conform to the water-saving and environmentally friendly breeding concept.

[0005] Therefore, how to provide an intelligent, automatic manure scraping system for beef cattle that is highly efficient and thorough in manure removal, stable and reliable in operation, and energy-saving and environmentally friendly has become a technical problem that urgently needs to be solved by those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0006] To address at least one of the technical problems in the background art, the present invention provides a beef cattle pen with an automatic manure scraper, which achieves efficient, energy-saving, and intelligent manure removal, significantly improves the cattle pen environment, enhances animal welfare, and facilitates source reduction and resource utilization of livestock manure.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a cattle pen with an automatic manure scraper, comprising: a pen body, a cattle bedding area, and a primary collection ditch and a main manure ditch located behind the cattle bedding area, and also includes a suspended manure scraper and a trigger-type intelligent control system. The bottom elevation of the primary collection ditch is higher than that of the main manure ditch, and multiple guide holes are evenly distributed on the baffle between the primary collection ditch and the main manure ditch; the ground of the cattle bed area has a slope towards the primary collection ditch; The suspended manure scraping device is installed on the side wall of the main body of the pen and is located directly above the main manure ditch; The trigger-based intelligent control system is used to detect the environmental conditions in the main body of the pen and the main manure ditch, and to control the operation of the suspended manure scraper based on the detection data.

[0008] Furthermore, the suspended manure scraping device includes a drive unit that spans the main manure ditch and a manure scraping assembly pulled by the drive unit; the main manure ditch is provided with finely ground guide rails on both sides, and the drive unit is supported on the finely ground guide rails.

[0009] Furthermore, the manure scraping assembly includes a rigid suspension beam and a plurality of scraper assemblies suspended below it.

[0010] Furthermore, the scraper assembly includes a sleeve, a spring, and a flexible scraper. The sleeve is connected to a rigid suspension beam, and the flexible scraper is slidably disposed inside the sleeve and connected to the sleeve via the spring.

[0011] Furthermore, the side of the main manure ditch away from the primary collection ditch is an inclined surface, and the side of the flexible scraper near the inclined surface is provided with a beveled surface adapted to the inclined surface.

[0012] Furthermore, it also includes an integrated solid-liquid separation and conveying module, which includes an inclined screw extrusion solid-liquid separator located below the end outlet of the main manure ditch.

[0013] Furthermore, the trigger-type intelligent control system includes a controller, a cloud server, a manure sensor installed at the beginning of the main manure ditch, and an environmental sensor installed inside the main body of the pen. The controller is communicatively connected to the manure sensor, the environmental sensor, and the suspended manure scraper, and is used to trigger the operation of the suspended manure scraper based on the sensor signals and upload the sensor data to the cloud server.

[0014] Furthermore, the surface of the cattle bed area is covered with a rubber composite material mat with arc-shaped corrugations, the direction of which is perpendicular to the width direction of the primary collection ditch.

[0015] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: Highly efficient and thorough manure removal with no unsanitary dead corners: The primary collection ditch design allows for initial sedimentation and diversion of manure, while the main manure ditch carries the final transport. The suspended scraper device adapts to the slight undulations at the bottom of the ditch, closely adhering to the bottom and side walls to thoroughly scrape away viscous manure, achieving a cleaning effect far exceeding that of traditional rigid scrapers.

[0016] Stable and reliable operation, low energy consumption, and minimal wear: The suspended scraper moves levitated via guide rails, resulting in minimal resistance; the flexible scraper blades maintain flexible contact with the ditch bottom, leading to low wear and a long service life. Compared to traditional scraper-type manure cleaners, energy consumption is reduced by approximately 40% or more.

[0017] Highly intelligent, on-demand cleaning: The IoT-based trigger-based intelligent control system achieves a qualitative leap from scheduled cleaning to on-demand cleaning. This ensures continuous cleanliness of the pens while minimizing inefficient equipment operation, saving energy and extending equipment lifespan.

[0018] Source reduction and resource utilization pretreatment: Through preliminary sedimentation in the primary collection ditch and solid-liquid separation by spiral extrusion at the end, solid-liquid separation of manure and sewage is achieved at the pen outlet. The solid matter has a low moisture content (down to below 65%), facilitating direct composting and fermentation; the liquid portion has a relatively stable concentration, which is beneficial for subsequent anaerobic biogas production or advanced treatment. This achieves source reduction and process control of livestock pollutants.

[0019] Improving animal welfare and production performance: Fast and quiet automatic manure removal keeps the barn dry and clean, greatly reduces the concentration of harmful gases and pathogenic microorganisms, improves the barn environment, reduces the incidence of respiratory diseases and hoof diseases in cattle, and helps to improve the growth rate and feed conversion rate of beef cattle.

[0020] Human-centered design and safety features: The rubber composite material mat enhances the comfort of cattle and ensures their safety while walking. It mimics the surface texture of their natural habitat, effectively massaging their hooves and promoting blood circulation, while also scraping away manure between their hooves to keep them clean. The entire system operates smoothly with low noise, eliminating the need for personnel to enter the manure ditch area, thus ensuring operator safety. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a front view of the suspended manure scraping device of the present invention.

[0022] In the diagram: 1-Cattle bed area; 2-Primary collection ditch; 3-Main manure ditch; 4-Suspended manure scraper; 5-Guide hole; 6-Grate cover plate; 7-Rubber composite material pad; 41-Drive walking unit; 42-Manure scraper assembly; 43-Fine ground guide rail; 44-Lifting hydraulic cylinder; 45-Rigid suspension beam; 46-Scraper assembly; 47-Sleeve; 48-Spring; 49-Flexible scraper. Detailed Implementation

[0023] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below. 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.

[0024] It should be noted that the terms "first," "second," etc., in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this application are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such data can be interchanged where appropriate for the embodiments of this application described herein. Furthermore, the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion; for example, a process, method, system, product, or apparatus that comprises a series of steps or units is not necessarily limited to those steps or units explicitly listed, but may include other steps or units not explicitly listed or inherent to such processes, methods, products, or apparatus.

[0025] In this application, the terms "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "front," "rear," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "middle," "vertical," "horizontal," "lateral," and "longitudinal" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. These terms are primarily for the purpose of better describing this application and its embodiments, and are not intended to limit the indicated device, element, or component to having a specific orientation, or to be constructed and operated in a specific orientation.

[0026] Furthermore, in addition to indicating location or positional relationship, some of the aforementioned terms may also have other meanings. For example, the term "above" may also be used in some cases to indicate a certain dependency or connection relationship. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of these terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0027] Furthermore, the terms "installation," "setup," "equipped with," "connection," "linking," and "socketing" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral structure; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, or an internal connection between two devices, components, or parts. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of these terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0028] To achieve the above objectives, such as Figures 1 to 2As shown, the present invention provides a cattle pen with automatic manure scraping, including: the main body of the pen, the cattle bed area 1, and the primary collection ditch 2 and the main manure ditch 3 located behind the cattle bed area 1, and also includes a suspended manure scraping device 4 and a trigger-type intelligent control system. The bottom elevation of the primary collection ditch 2 is higher than that of the main manure ditch 3, and multiple guide holes 5 are evenly distributed on the baffle between the primary collection ditch 2 and the main manure ditch 3. This design guides the manure and urine to flow into the shallower primary collection ditch 2 first, where most of the solid matter is deposited, and the liquid part overflows or enters the main manure ditch 3 through the gaps; the ground of the cattle bed area 1 has a slope towards the primary collection ditch 2. The suspended manure scraping device 4 is installed on the side wall of the main body of the pen and is located directly above the main manure ditch 1. The trigger-type intelligent control system is used to detect the environmental conditions in the main body of the pen and the main manure ditch 3, and control the operation of the suspended manure scraper 4 based on the detection data.

[0029] The ground of cattle pen area 1 is constructed with cement-based material, forming a 2%-3% transverse slope towards the primary collection ditch. Cattle excrement flows into the primary collection ditch 2 under gravity. Heavier solid manure settles quickly at the bottom of the primary collection ditch 2, while urine and thinner manure water flow into the deeper main manure ditch 3 through the connecting guide holes 5. This design achieves preliminary solid-liquid separation of manure and wastewater, reducing the solid load on the main manure ditch 3.

[0030] The primary collection ditch 2 is covered by a removable high-strength fiberglass grating cover 6. The grating gap width is designed to be 3 cm. This width has been calculated and tested to ensure that cattle hooves will not get stuck while allowing adult cattle manure clumps to pass through smoothly. The grating cover 6 is secured with clips, making it easy to lift periodically for deep cleaning or maintenance.

[0031] The suspended manure scraping device 4 includes a drive and walking unit 41 spanning the main manure ditch, and a manure scraping assembly 42 pulled by the drive and walking unit. The two side walls of the main manure ditch are provided with finely ground guide rails 43. As needed, the finely ground guide rails 43 can be raised to the required height by lifting hydraulic cylinders 44. The drive and walking unit 41 is supported on the finely ground guide rails 43, so that the entire suspended manure scraping device 4 runs suspended above the main manure ditch 3, avoiding direct friction with the sludge at the bottom of the ditch.

[0032] The scraping assembly 42 includes a rigid suspension beam 45 and multiple scraper assemblies 46 suspended below it. Each scraper assembly 46 includes a sleeve 47, a spring 48, and a flexible scraper 49. The sleeve 47 is connected to the rigid suspension beam 45, and the flexible scraper 49 is slidably disposed within the sleeve 47 and connected to the sleeve 47 via the spring 48. The flexible scraper 49 is a sheet-like structure made of wear-resistant rubber or high-molecular-weight polyethylene, with a width greater than the width of the main manure ditch 3. Under the action of the spring 48, the flexible scraper 49 can form a close fit with the bottom and sidewalls of the main manure ditch 3. When the driving unit 41 runs from the beginning to the end of the main manure ditch 3, the flexible scraper 49 gently and continuously pushes the manure deposited at the bottom of the main manure ditch 3 towards the end.

[0033] The side of the main manure ditch 3 away from the primary collection ditch 2 is an inclined surface. The side of the flexible scraper 49 near the inclined surface is provided with a beveled surface that matches the inclined surface. Under the action of the spring 48 and the lifting hydraulic cylinder 44, the beveled surface of the flexible scraper 49 can fit tightly with the inclined surface of the main manure ditch 3, thereby discharging the manure.

[0034] The invention also includes an integrated solid-liquid separation and conveying module, which comprises an inclined screw extrusion solid-liquid separator located below the outlet at the end of the main manure ditch. The integrated solid-liquid separation and conveying module also includes a belt conveyor or screw conveyor for receiving the slag discharged from the solid-liquid separator. The separated solid manure slag is conveyed by the belt conveyor to the solid composting area, while the liquid flows into a closed anaerobic fermentation tank or a subsequent treatment system.

[0035] The trigger-based intelligent control system includes a controller, a cloud server, a manure sensor located at the beginning of the main manure ditch, and an environmental sensor located within the main body of the pen. The controller is communicatively connected to the manure sensor, the environmental sensor, and the suspended manure scraping device. It triggers the operation of the suspended manure scraping device based on sensor signals and uploads the sensor data to the cloud server. The manure sensor is an infrared ranging sensor or an image recognition sensor; the environmental sensors include an ammonia sensor and a temperature and humidity sensor. The controller receives sensor signals not at fixed intervals, but triggers the automatic manure scraping program based on events such as the manure layer thickness reaching a threshold or the concentration of harmful gases exceeding limits.

[0036] The surface of the cattle bed area 1 is covered with a rubber composite material mat 7 with arc-shaped corrugations. The direction of the corrugations on the rubber composite material mat 7 is perpendicular to the width direction of the primary collection groove 2. The height of the arc-shaped corrugations is 1.5 cm, and the interval between adjacent arc-shaped corrugations is 5 cm.

[0037] This invention features a primary collection ditch design that facilitates initial sedimentation and diversion of manure. The main manure ditch carries the final conveying device, a suspended scraper that adapts to minor undulations at the ditch bottom, adhering closely to the bottom and sidewalls to thoroughly scrape away viscous manure, achieving a cleaning effect far exceeding that of traditional rigid scrapers. The suspended scraper moves levitated via guide rails, minimizing resistance. The flexible scraper blades maintain flexible contact with the ditch bottom, resulting in low wear and a long service life. Compared to traditional scraper-type manure cleaners, energy consumption is reduced by approximately 40% or more. The IoT-based trigger-based intelligent control system achieves a qualitative leap from timed cleaning to on-demand cleaning. This ensures continuous cleanliness of the manure pens while minimizing ineffective equipment operation, saving energy and extending equipment lifespan. Through initial sedimentation in the primary collection ditch and solid-liquid separation via spiral compression at the end, solid-liquid separation of manure is achieved at the pen outlet. The solid portion has a low moisture content (below 65%), facilitating direct composting and fermentation; the liquid portion has a relatively stable concentration, beneficial for subsequent anaerobic biogas production or advanced treatment. This system achieves source reduction and process control of livestock pollutants; rapid and quiet automatic manure removal keeps the barns dry and clean, significantly reducing the concentration of harmful gases and pathogens, improving the barn environment, and reducing the incidence of respiratory and hoof diseases in cattle, which is beneficial to improving the growth rate and feed conversion rate of beef cattle; rubber composite mats improve the comfort of cattle, ensure their walking safety, and mimic the ground texture of their natural habitat, effectively massaging the hooves and promoting blood circulation, while also scraping away manure between the hooves to keep them clean. The entire system operates smoothly with low noise, and no personnel are required to enter the manure ditch area, ensuring the safety of operators.

[0038] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and does not constitute any limitation on the technical scope of the present invention. Therefore, any minor modifications, equivalent changes, and alterations made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of the present invention shall still fall within the scope of the technical solution of the present invention.

Claims

1. A cattle pen equipped with an automatic manure scraper, characterized in that, include: The main building of the pen, the cattle bedding area, and the primary collection ditch and main manure ditch located behind the cattle bedding area also include a suspended manure scraping device and a trigger-type intelligent control system; The bottom elevation of the primary collection ditch is higher than that of the main manure ditch, and multiple guide holes are evenly distributed on the baffle between the primary collection ditch and the main manure ditch; the ground of the cattle bed area has a slope towards the primary collection ditch; The suspended manure scraping device is installed on the side wall of the main body of the pen and is located directly above the main manure ditch; The trigger-based intelligent control system is used to detect the environmental conditions in the main body of the pen and the main manure ditch, and to control the operation of the suspended manure scraper based on the detection data.

2. A cattle pen with an automatic manure scraper as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The suspended manure scraping device includes a drive unit that spans the main manure ditch and a manure scraping assembly pulled by the drive unit; the main manure ditch is provided with finely ground guide rails on both sides, and the drive unit is supported on the finely ground guide rails.

3. A cattle pen with an automatic manure scraper as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The manure scraping assembly includes a rigid suspension beam and multiple scraper assemblies suspended below it.

4. A cattle pen with an automatic manure scraper as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The scraper assembly includes a sleeve, a spring, and a flexible scraper. The sleeve is connected to a rigid suspension beam, and the flexible scraper is slidably disposed inside the sleeve and connected to the sleeve by the spring.

5. A beef cattle pen with an automatic manure scraper as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The side of the main manure ditch away from the primary collection ditch is an inclined surface, and the side of the flexible scraper near the inclined surface is provided with a beveled surface adapted to the inclined surface.

6. A cattle pen with an automatic manure scraper as described in claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes an integrated solid-liquid separation and conveying module, which includes an inclined screw extrusion solid-liquid separator located below the outlet at the end of the main manure ditch.

7. A beef cattle pen with an automatic manure scraper as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The trigger-type intelligent control system includes a controller, a cloud server, a manure sensor installed at the beginning of the main manure ditch, and an environmental sensor installed inside the main body of the pen. The controller is communicatively connected to the manure sensor, the environmental sensor, and the suspended manure scraper, and is used to trigger the operation of the suspended manure scraper based on the sensor signals and upload the sensor data to the cloud server.

8. A beef cattle pen with an automatic manure scraper as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The surface of the cattle bed area is covered with a rubber composite material mat with arc-shaped corrugations, the direction of which is perpendicular to the width direction of the primary collection ditch.

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