An environmental self-stabilization system for an ecological farm

Abstract

An environmental self-stabilizing system for an ecological livestock farm is disclosed. The farm is divided into zones, with enclosures built within each zone. Activity zones and planting zones are then established outwards from these enclosures, forming a ring-shaped ecological system centered on the enclosures. The activity zones are interspersed with fruit trees and forage crops that the livestock consume. The planting zones are entirely planted with food crops, forage crops, forage grasses, or other cash crops besides fruit trees, completely surrounding the activity zones. The activity zones are divided into several sections, each separated from the others. Each activity zone contains a manure storage pit, and all activity zones are interconnected with the enclosures. The livestock then alternate between the enclosures and the different activity zones.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of agricultural breeding technology, specifically to an environmental self-stabilizing system for ecological breeding farms. Background Technology

[0002] Ecological farming is a farming method that utilizes the natural material cycle system based on the principle of symbiosis and complementarity between different farmed organisms. Within a certain farming space and area, through appropriate technologies and management measures, different organisms can grow together in the same environment, thereby maintaining ecological balance and improving farming efficiency.

[0003] The essence of ecological farming is symbiosis and complementarity, and ecological balance. Compared with artificial farming, its biggest feature is that it maximizes the use of resources, reduces waste, and lowers costs.

[0004] Currently, relatively mature ecological farming models include rice-duck co-culture, fish-duck co-culture, and integrated farming and feeding. Rice-duck co-culture is a complex ecosystem that combines natural ecology with human intervention, centered on paddy fields and characterized by wild-raised ducks. Fish-duck co-culture refers to a farming model where ducks are raised in fish ponds. Raising ducks on the water surface can increase oxygen for fish, and the ducks' excrement can provide high-quality feed for fish. Integrated farming and feeding mainly involves using agricultural by-products to feed poultry and livestock, while the manure produced by poultry and livestock is treated and used as fertilizer for agricultural planting.

[0005] It is understood that the establishment of ecological farming requires combining the characteristics of each component to form a relatively complete ecological closed-loop structure, thereby maximizing resource utilization and profits. Furthermore, the number and composition of components must be considered when establishing ecological farming. Theoretically, the more components in a complete ecological farming cycle, the higher the resource utilization rate and the greater the profits. However, in actual production, it is often difficult to achieve the expected design results. Increasing the number of components leads to a higher cost of maintaining the ecological cycle. If any link deviates from the theoretical design, the entire cycle will be broken. To maintain this balance, additional environmental stabilization-related investments are necessary. Moreover, as the number of components increases, the potential risks and influencing factors also increase exponentially. Therefore, in the current construction of ecological farms, the number of components is generally minimized while ensuring profitability, in order to reduce unknown risks and costs.

[0006] For the specific construction of ecological farms, while building farms directly based on the ecological environment can maximize the restoration of the basic concept of ecological farming, the capacity of the farms will be greatly limited, and the overall farming benefits will not meet expectations. In the actual construction of large-scale ecological farms, in order to achieve better farming results, the best solution is to design and build according to the actual conditions of the farming objects and the site. This is more conducive to the overall stable operation of the actual farming process. Summary of the Invention

[0007] This invention is an environmental self-stabilizing system for ecological farms. It provides a more reasonable approach to the overall construction and planning of farms and has a significant promoting effect on maintaining the overall environmental stability during the breeding process.

[0008] The present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0009] An environmental self-stabilizing system for an ecological livestock farm is disclosed. The farm is divided into zones, with enclosures built within each zone. Activity zones and planting zones are then established outwards from these enclosures, forming a ring-shaped ecological system centered on the enclosures. The activity zones are interspersed with fruit trees and forage crops that the livestock consume. The planting zones are entirely planted with food crops, forage crops, forage grasses, or other cash crops besides fruit trees, completely surrounding the activity zones. The activity zones are divided into several sections, each separated from the others. Each activity zone contains a manure storage pit, and all activity zones are interconnected with the enclosures. The livestock then alternate between the enclosures and the different activity zones.

[0010] An environmental self-stabilizing system for an ecological farm includes a housing area, an activity area, and a planting area. The entire farm radiates outward from the housing area as the center, with the activity area surrounding the housing area and the planting area surrounding the activity area.

[0011] The enclosure area is a place for the animals to rest, not an area for raising the animals. The area is divided into multiple pens to distinguish different animals or different growth stages of the animals. The different pens are connected to the activity area and the pens can be moved between each other.

[0012] Activity Area: The activity area surrounds the outer perimeter of the housing area and is the main activity area for the animals being raised. The activity area is divided into several different areas based on the housing area. Each area is isolated from the others, but each area is connected to different sections of the housing area. The activity area is equipped with a manure storage pit and is planted with pasture and fruit trees.

[0013] Planting area: The planting objects include food crops, forage crops, and other cash crops except fruit trees. The planting area surrounds the activity area, isolating the enclosure and activity area from the outside world, and at the same time blocking the animals being raised, preventing them from escaping to a certain extent.

[0014] The activity area adopts a mixed planting method of pasture and fruit trees. The fruit tree planting area extends two-thirds of the distance from the boundary between the planting area and the activity area towards the shed area. This area is used for fruit tree planting, and the planting density of fruit trees varies within this area. Specifically, the half of the entire fruit tree planting area closest to the planting area is the normal planting density for the corresponding fruit tree, and the other half is half of the normal planting density for the corresponding fruit tree. The pasture planting area extends from the boundary between the shed area and the activity area towards the planting area, stopping at one-tenth to two-tenths of the distance from the planting area. The remaining area is not planted with pasture. In the area where the pasture planting area overlaps with the area corresponding to the normal planting density of fruit trees, the pasture planting density gradually decreases from the activity area towards the planting area.

[0015] The activity area is divided into multiple sections by isolation strips. The isolation strips are separated by thorny plants or crops, including but not limited to Sichuan pepper, firethorn, and prickly pear. The thorny plants or crops are planted at a spacing of 20-30 centimeters, and the main stems of the plants or crops are connected by multiple layers of ropes. The ropes and main stems form an isolation net near the ground.

[0016] At the center of the enclosure area is a fishpond, which is filled with water from an external water source. A main ring channel surrounds the fishpond, and branch channels extend from the main channel to the perimeter. The branch channels pass through the enclosure area and extend along the isolation zone within the activity area towards the planting area. Pumping equipment is installed in the fishpond to supply water to the main channel. The channels are constructed using prefabricated channel slabs. The main and branch channels within the enclosure area are buried underground, while the branch channels in the activity area are open-air. The isolation zone within the activity area consists of two rows of plants or crops facing each other, with the branch channels located on the ground between the two rows of plants or crops. The plants or crops in the isolation zone are spaced at regular intervals to create drinking water spaces for the aquatic organisms, and the drinking water spaces for the plants or crops on both sides of the same isolation zone are staggered.

[0017] The enclosure includes multiple concentric ring-shaped areas, with the fishpond located at the center. The innermost ring is for poultry, and the outermost ring is for livestock. The livestock area includes multiple arc-shaped pens that form a ring structure within the enclosure. Passageways are left between the ends of adjacent pens, and a ring-shaped transfer passage is provided inside the ring-shaped area formed by the pens. Each pen in the livestock area corresponds to at least two activity areas, and each activity area is equipped with a gate. A gate is also provided inside the pen corresponding to the transfer passage.

[0018] Furthermore, the livestock area is a resting area for cattle and sheep, and the poultry area is a resting area for chickens, ducks, and geese. The poultry area is a fully connected ring structure with a ring-shaped upright plate at the center. The outer side of the upright plate is the resting area for chickens, and the inner side is the resting area for ducks and geese. The upright plate divides the poultry area so that the activity area for chickens on the outer side is the aforementioned activity area, while the activity area for ducks and geese is the fishpond and its surrounding area at the center of the enclosure.

[0019] The present invention, by adopting the above technical solution, has the following beneficial effects:

[0020] This plan provides an overall design for the construction of ecological farms, serving as a good construction standard for large-scale sites. It rationally and effectively combines planting and breeding to achieve a closed-loop ecological farming process.

[0021] By dividing the activity area of ​​the breeding farm and alternating the breeding animals in different activity areas, a buffer and restoration time can be given to the ecology of other areas, thus achieving the effect of sustainable breeding and avoiding the pressure on the site environment caused by large-scale breeding. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the ecological farm corresponding to the example. Detailed Implementation

[0023] The present invention will be further described and illustrated below with reference to embodiments.

[0024] An ecological self-stabilizing environmental system for livestock farms divides the farm into zones. Within the farm, sheds are constructed, with activity zones and planting zones extending outwards from these sheds, forming a ring-shaped ecological system centered on the sheds. The activity zones are interspersed with fruit trees and forage crops that the livestock consume. The planting zones are entirely planted with grain crops, forage crops, forage grasses, or other cash crops besides fruit trees, completely surrounding the activity zones. The activity zones are divided into several sections, spaced apart from each other. Each activity zone contains a manure storage pit, and all activity zones are interconnected with the sheds. The livestock alternate between the sheds and the different activity zones.

[0025] The key to farm design lies in the division of activity areas and the integration of planting and breeding. The division of activity areas allows for alternating breeding. In practice, large-scale free-range structures result in livestock moving around, eating, and defecating in various areas, which can impact the overall ecology of the farm. For example, the manure excreted by livestock is scattered, requiring significant manpower and time to handle. If the manure is not handled promptly, the pathogens it carries may harm the livestock. Furthermore, the pasture sown in the farm will be unevenly distributed when the livestock feed on it, and the pasture that has been eaten by the livestock will be difficult to grow and recover quickly after being trampled by them. A series of issues, including how to organically integrate cash crops with the farm and even the storage of spare feed, cannot be rationally designed.

[0026] This plan divides the activity area and plans to relocate the livestock to different areas periodically. When an activity area reaches environmental saturation, the livestock are moved to another area, allowing time for the affected area to recover, such as manure collection and the regrowth of pasture. This allows the ecosystem to recover quickly before the next relocation, thus achieving overall stability for both the ecological environment and the livestock. Furthermore, the plan organically combines pasture with fruit trees and other cash crops. This not only increases profits but also, the presence of fruit trees and other cash crops around the enclosures and activity areas helps purify the air.

[0027] Example

[0028] like Figure 1 The ecological farm shown includes a housing area, an activity area, and a planting area. The entire farm radiates outward from the housing area as the center, with the activity area surrounding the housing area and the planting area surrounding the activity area.

[0029] I. Activity Area

[0030] The activity area surrounds the enclosure area and serves as the main activity area for the livestock. The activity area is divided into several different zones based on the enclosure area. Each zone is isolated from the others, but each zone is connected to different sections of the enclosure area. The activity area is equipped with a manure storage pit and is planted with pasture and fruit trees.

[0031] The activity area adopts a mixed planting method of pasture and fruit trees. The fruit tree planting area extends two-thirds of the distance from the boundary between the planting area and the activity area towards the shed area. This area is used for fruit tree planting, and the planting density of fruit trees varies within this area. Specifically, the half of the entire fruit tree planting area closest to the planting area has the normal planting density for the corresponding fruit tree, and the other half has half of the normal planting density for the corresponding fruit tree. The pasture planting area extends from the boundary between the shed area and the activity area towards the planting area, stopping at one-tenth to two-tenths of the distance from the planting area. The remaining area is not planted with pasture. In the area where the pasture planting area overlaps with the area corresponding to the normal planting density of fruit trees, the pasture planting density gradually decreases from the activity area towards the planting area.

[0032] The mixed planting of fruit trees and forage grass achieves the effect of cross-planting. Firstly, the fruit tree planting area occupies two-thirds of the outermost activity area. The outermost third, planted at a normal density, surrounds the activity area and the barn area. The fruit trees absorb and purify odors generated in the activity area and barn area, reducing environmental pollution. Furthermore, the normal planting density also limits the roaming of livestock such as cattle and sheep. The middle third, corresponding to a low-density fruit tree planting area, aims to avoid competition for soil nutrients between fruit trees and forage grass. The area between this third and the barn area is the main activity area for livestock, requiring a relatively high density of forage grass. Reducing the fruit tree planting density ensures forage grass growth, providing abundant forage resources for livestock. Simultaneously, the forage grass density is reduced on the outer side to limit the movement range of livestock. Lower forage grass density reduces the livestock's desire to roam further. The gaps between the forage grass area and the planting area are also designed to prevent further roaming by livestock.

[0033] Regarding the issue of mixed planting of fruit trees and pasture grasses and the feeding of livestock, relocation operations are necessary. If the supply of pasture grass is guaranteed while the livestock live in the corresponding area, they will not damage the fruit trees. Therefore, the amount of pasture grass in the corresponding area is also a basis for whether relocation operations are necessary. If the amount of pasture grass in the current living area has reached a low level, relocation should be carried out as soon as possible; otherwise, the livestock may graze on the fruit trees for food.

[0034] The activity area is divided into multiple sections by isolation strips. The isolation strips are separated by thorny plants or crops, including but not limited to Sichuan pepper, firethorn, and prickly pear. The thorny plants or crops are planted at a spacing of 20-30 centimeters, and the main stems of the plants or crops are connected by multiple layers of ropes. The ropes and main stems form an isolation net near the ground.

[0035] The activity area is divided into multiple zones by isolation belts. The plants or crops planted in the isolation belts are all thorny, which restricts the activity range of the animals being raised.

[0036] II. Planting Area

[0037] The crops planted include food crops, forage crops, and other cash crops besides fruit trees. The planting area surrounds the activity area, isolating the enclosure and activity area from the outside world, while also blocking the animals from escaping to some extent.

[0038] The activity area already has fruit trees planted, so the planting area mainly focuses on food crops, forage crops, or other cash crops. Food crops mainly include corn, wheat, rice, etc. These crops can produce grains, and the waste materials after grain production, such as straw and corn stalks, can be reused. Straw can be used as feed or added during manure fermentation, and corn stalks can be used to make silage. Forage crops can be used to grow and harvest forage for storage. After harvesting, the forage can be stored as reserve feed in the activity area or the barn area for later use.

[0039] III. Dormitory Area

[0040] This area is a place for the animals to rest, not an enclosure for them. The area is divided into multiple sections to separate different animals or different growth stages. Each section has a passageway connecting it to the activity area, as well as a transfer passageway connecting the sections.

[0041] The enclosure includes multiple concentric ring-shaped areas, with the fishpond located at the center. The innermost ring is for poultry, and the outermost ring is for livestock. The livestock area includes multiple arc-shaped pens that form a ring structure within the enclosure. Passageways are left between the ends of adjacent pens, and a ring-shaped transfer passage is provided inside the ring-shaped area formed by the pens. Each pen in the livestock area corresponds to at least two activity areas, and each activity area is equipped with a gate. A gate is also provided inside the pen corresponding to the transfer passage.

[0042] The livestock area is a resting area for cattle and sheep, and the poultry area is a resting area for chickens, ducks, and geese. The poultry area is a continuous ring structure with a ring-shaped upright plate at the center. The outer side of the upright plate is the resting area for chickens, and the inner side is the resting area for ducks and geese. The upright plate divides the poultry area so that the activity area for chickens on the outer side is the aforementioned activity area, while the activity area for ducks and geese is the fishpond and its surrounding area at the center of the enclosure.

[0043] The enclosure is designed for raising livestock such as cattle and sheep, and poultry such as chickens, ducks and geese. The outer perimeter consists of multiple arc-shaped pens for cattle and sheep to rest. Cattle and sheep are placed in different pens according to their species or growth stage. The fence gates on the outer side of the pens allow cattle and sheep to enter and exit the activity area and the enclosure. The fence gates on the inner side, corresponding to the transfer passage, are used for transferring cattle and sheep between pens. Relocation can be carried out through the transfer passage.

[0044] The poultry area is divided into chicken and duck / goose areas by partitions. The chicken activity area overlaps with the cattle and sheep activity area, while the duck / goose activity area corresponds to the fish pond. This is designed according to the characteristics of the animals being raised. Ducks and geese like water and can be matched with the fish pond, while chickens mainly feed on grass seeds and insects in the grass and can feed in the pasture area.

[0045] IV. Water Source

[0046] At the center of the enclosure area is a fishpond, which is filled with water from an external water source. A main ring channel surrounds the fishpond, and branch channels extend from the main channel to the perimeter. The branch channels pass through the enclosure area and extend along the isolation zone within the activity area towards the planting area. Pumping equipment is installed in the fishpond to supply water to the main channel. The channels are constructed using prefabricated channel slabs. The main and branch channels within the enclosure area are buried underground, while the branch channels in the activity area are open-air. The isolation zone within the activity area consists of two rows of plants or crops facing each other, with the branch channels located on the ground between the two rows of plants or crops. The plants or crops in the isolation zone are spaced at regular intervals to create drinking water spaces for the aquatic organisms, and the drinking water spaces for the plants or crops on both sides of the same isolation zone are staggered.

[0047] Water in the fishpond is introduced from the outside through pipes and pumped into the main channel and branch channels. The branch channels pass through the activity area, providing drinking water for the aquaculture in the activity area, as well as irrigation water for fruit trees, pasture, and distant planting areas. The channels adopt a prefabricated structure, which can avoid the pollution of the water source by soil containing manure in the activity area.

[0048] The main cyclical logic of this plan is as follows: the animals are fed, live, and defecate in the activity area, and rest in the enclosure. When a certain area of ​​the activity area reaches saturation, the animals in that area are relocated. Afterward, the area is cleaned and restored, with a focus on cleaning up the accumulated manure and placing it in a manure pit for fermentation. The fermented fertilizer can be used to fertilize the pasture and fruit trees in the activity area, as well as the crops in the planting area. Once the pasture in the activity area has grown to a certain extent, it can continue to support the animals. The crops grown in the planting area can be harvested and used as reserve feed. A relatively stable ecological cycle is formed between the fishpond in the center of the enclosure and the ducks and geese.

Claims

1. An environmentally self-stabilizing system for an ecological farm, characterized by: It divides the farm into zones, constructing enclosures within the farm, and setting up activity and planting areas outward from these enclosures, forming a ring-shaped ecosystem centered on the enclosures. The activity areas are interspersed with fruit trees and forage crops that the animals eat, while the planting areas are planted with grain crops, forage crops, forage, or other cash crops besides fruit trees, completely surrounding the activity areas. The activity areas are divided into several blocks, with each block separated from the others. Each activity area has a manure storage pit, and all activity areas are connected to the enclosures, allowing the animals to alternate between the enclosures and the different activity areas.

2. An environmentally self-stabilizing system for an ecological farm according to claim 1, characterized in that: It includes a housing area, an activity area, and a planting area. The entire farm radiates outward from the housing area as the center, with the activity area surrounding the housing area and the planting area surrounding the activity area. The enclosure area is a place for the animals to rest, not an area for raising the animals. The area is divided into multiple pens to distinguish different animals or different growth stages of the animals. The different pens are connected to the activity area and the pens can be moved between each other. Activity Area: The activity area surrounds the outer perimeter of the housing area and is the main activity area for the animals being raised. The activity area is divided into several different areas based on the housing area. Each area is isolated from the others, but each area is connected to different sections of the housing area. The activity area is equipped with a manure storage pit and is planted with pasture and fruit trees. Planting area: The planting objects include food crops, forage crops, and other cash crops except fruit trees. The planting area surrounds the activity area, isolating the enclosure and activity area from the outside world, and at the same time blocking the animals being raised, preventing them from escaping to a certain extent.

3. The environmental self-stabilizing system for an ecological farm according to claim 2, characterized in that: The activity area adopts a mixed planting method of pasture and fruit trees. The fruit tree planting area extends two-thirds of the distance from the boundary between the planting area and the activity area towards the shed area. This area is used for fruit tree planting, and the planting density of fruit trees varies within this area. Specifically, the half of the entire fruit tree planting area closest to the planting area is the normal planting density for the corresponding fruit tree, and the other half is half of the normal planting density for the corresponding fruit tree. The pasture planting area extends from the boundary between the shed area and the activity area towards the planting area, stopping at one-tenth to two-tenths of the distance from the planting area. The remaining area is not planted with pasture. In the area where the pasture planting area overlaps with the area corresponding to the normal planting density of fruit trees, the pasture planting density gradually decreases from the activity area towards the planting area.

4. The environmental self-stabilizing system for an ecological farm according to claim 3, characterized in that: The activity area is divided into multiple sections by isolation strips. The isolation strips are separated by thorny plants or crops, including but not limited to Sichuan pepper, firethorn, and prickly pear. The thorny plants or crops are planted at a spacing of 20-30 centimeters, and the main stems of the plants or crops are connected by multiple layers of ropes. The ropes and main stems form an isolation net near the ground.

5. The environmental self-stabilizing system for an ecological farm according to claim 4, characterized in that: At the center of the enclosure area is a fishpond, which is filled with water from an external water source. A main ring channel surrounds the fishpond, and branch channels extend from the main channel to the perimeter. The branch channels pass through the enclosure area and extend along the isolation zone within the activity area towards the planting area. Pumping equipment is installed in the fishpond to supply water to the main channel. The channels are constructed using prefabricated channel slabs. The main and branch channels within the enclosure area are buried underground, while the branch channels in the activity area are open-air. The isolation zone within the activity area consists of two rows of plants or crops facing each other, with the branch channels located on the ground between the two rows of plants or crops. The plants or crops in the isolation zone are spaced at regular intervals to create drinking water spaces for the aquatic organisms, and the drinking water spaces for the plants or crops on both sides of the same isolation zone are staggered.

6. The environmental self-stabilizing system for an ecological farm according to claim 5, characterized in that: The enclosure includes multiple concentric ring-shaped areas, with the fishpond located at the center. The innermost ring is for poultry, and the outermost ring is for livestock. The livestock area includes multiple arc-shaped pens that form a ring structure within the enclosure. Passageways are left between the ends of adjacent pens, and a ring-shaped transfer passage is provided inside the ring-shaped area formed by the pens. Each pen in the livestock area corresponds to at least two activity areas, and each activity area is equipped with a gate. A gate is also provided inside the pen corresponding to the transfer passage.

7. The environmental self-stabilizing system for an ecological farm according to claim 6, characterized in that: The livestock area is a resting area for cattle and sheep, and the poultry area is a resting area for chickens, ducks, and geese. The poultry area is a continuous ring structure with a ring-shaped upright plate at the center. The outer side of the upright plate is the resting area for chickens, and the inner side is the resting area for ducks and geese. The upright plate divides the poultry area so that the activity area for chickens on the outer side is the aforementioned activity area, while the activity area for ducks and geese is the fishpond and its surrounding area at the center of the enclosure.

Images