Methane gas collecting device for ruminant livestock

Abstract

The utility model provides a ruminant livestock methane gas collecting device which comprises a binding belt with a back cushion arranged at the top, a bottle sleeve arranged at the top of the back cushion, a binding belt arranged on the surface of the bottle sleeve, a gas collecting bottle inserted into the bottle sleeve, an angle valve and a gas guide pipe arranged at the input end of the gas collecting bottle, a throttling elbow arranged at the initial section of the gas guide pipe, and a sampling hole pipe arranged at the tail end of the gas guide pipe. An adjusting ring sleeves the outer side of the air guide pipe, a fixing ring and an elastic band are arranged on the surface of the adjusting ring, and the other end of the elastic band is connected with a hook-and-loop fastener through a rubber band. The design that the gas cylinder is arranged on the back of the ruminant livestock and the sampling hole pipe is conveniently fixed to the mouth and nose position of the ruminant livestock through the adjusting ring is adopted, the back cushion has various adaptability designs, the gas cylinder is far away from the head and neck of the ruminant livestock, the influence on normal activities of the ruminant livestock is small, and the device is widely suitable for domestic livestock shed design. The collection area is always located at the mouth and nose position of the ruminant livestock, and it is guaranteed that collected gas is relatively accurate to the maximum extent.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of animal husbandry technology, and in particular to a methane gas collection device for ruminant livestock. Background Technology

[0002] Anthropogenic sources of methane emissions include the production and consumption of fossil fuels, landfilling of waste, and agricultural and livestock production activities. In livestock farming activities involving ruminants such as cattle, sheep, and goats, methane gas produced during intestinal fermentation during rumination is naturally emitted to the outside world through respiration and other means.

[0003] To obtain detailed methane emission data, operators would raise a certain number of livestock indoors and collect accurate data by collecting ambient air samples during the raising process. However, when monitoring and collecting data on large livestock such as yaks, their large size requires a larger raising environment or even semi-open raising. Therefore, methane gas data collected by only collecting ambient air samples cannot be completely accurate and has a significant impact on subsequent actual experiments. Utility Model Content

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to solve the following problems existing in the prior art:

[0005] Previous experimental setups for monitoring and collecting air samples from ruminants were complex and cumbersome, requiring highly skilled operators. They were unsuitable for outdoor or open / semi-open barns, or required specific site conditions, or severely hampered animal activity, thus failing to accurately simulate normal animal respiration, as seen in techniques like respiratory laboratory techniques and head-mounted gas collection. For all ruminants, previous setups were ineffective at monitoring and collecting samples from near the animal. Gas accumulation in enclosed barns increased the uncertainty of results and potentially increased the cost of additional ventilation equipment. For large animals like yaks, their size necessitates larger enclosures or even semi-open housing. Therefore, simply collecting indoor air is unsuitable for semi-open barns, or the methane data collected in enclosed barns may be inaccurate, significantly impacting subsequent experiments and increasing the resource consumption associated with large barns.

[0006] To address one or more problems existing in the prior art, this utility model provides a methane gas collection device for ruminant livestock, characterized in that: it includes an integrated back pad (1), a gas path device (2), and an adjusting ring sleeve group (3). In the integrated back pad (1), a strap (102) is provided at the bottom of the back pad body (101). There are four straps (102) in total, which are arranged in pairs at the bottom of the back pad body (101). The two straps (102) in each group are respectively arranged on both sides of the back pad body (101). Each pair of corresponding straps between the two groups is fastened together by a connecting buckle (103).

[0007] Preferably, in the integrated back pad (1), a bottle sleeve (104) is provided on the top of the back pad body (101), and a strap (105) is provided on the surface of the bottle sleeve (104) to connect with the back pad body (101) to fix the bottle sleeve (104) on the back pad body (101). The bottle sleeve (104) is a cylindrical tubular structure.

[0008] Preferably, the gas circuit device (2) includes a gas collecting bottle (201), which is a vacuum bottle. An angle valve (202) is provided at its input end. The angle valve (202) is connected in series to the throttle bend (204) through an adapter hose (203). The throttle bend (204) is connected to the air guide pipe (206) through a quick interface (205).

[0009] Preferably, in the gas path device (2), a sampling hole tube (207) is provided at the end of the gas guide tube (206).

[0010] Preferably, in the gas path device (2), the gas guide tube (206) is divided into a flexible tube part and a rigid tube part, both of which are made of rubber and have elasticity. The part near the sampling hole tube (207) is the rigid tube part, and the part near the gas collecting bottle (201) is the flexible tube part. The two parts are divided by the neck adjustment ring (303).

[0011] Preferably, the adjustment ring assembly (3) has two adjustment rings, namely the head adjustment ring (301) and the neck adjustment ring (303), both of which are set on the side of the air guide tube (206) near the sampling hole tube (207) and are spaced apart from each other.

[0012] Preferably, in the adjusting ring assembly (3), a fixing ring (302) is provided on the surface of the head adjusting ring (301).

[0013] Preferably, in the adjustment ring assembly (3), two pairs of elastic bands (304) are respectively provided on both sides of the neck adjustment ring (303), one end of which is connected to the adjustment ring (304), and the other end is connected to the Velcro (306) through the rubber band (305).

[0014] Compared with existing technologies, the advantages of this invention are as follows: This invention uses a bottle sleeve to attach the gas cylinder to the back pad of a ruminant, and connects it to the air duct via a quick connector. The air duct has an adjustable ring with an elastic band and a fixing ring, ensuring that the sampling port is always positioned at the ruminant's mouth and nose. When the operator opens the vacuum-sealed gas collection bottle, the throttling bend automatically limits the air intake and maintains a constant gas absorption rate. Air from the ruminant's mouth and nose is drawn into the gas collection bottle through the sampling port and air duct by vacuum suction. When the gas collection bottle is full, it can be quickly replaced via the quick connector, and the gas in the replaced bottle can be tested. The sampling area is always located at the ruminant's mouth and nose, ensuring the accuracy of the collected gas and thus guaranteeing more scientifically sound experimental data. The quick connector also reduces the difficulty of replacing the gas cylinder, thus reducing the experience required of the operator. The adjustable ring design allows the air duct to be securely fixed to the ruminant's head with convenient and quick operation, while automatically limiting the air duct's position. The back pad features multiple designs to adapt to experiments conducted in different seasons, while minimizing stress on ruminants. The gas collection bottle is positioned away from the head and neck of the ruminants, minimizing impact on their normal activities and widely adaptable to domestic livestock pen designs, ensuring unimpeded feeding and guaranteeing the scientific rigor of the experimental data. In summary, this invention surpasses existing data collection methods, with its core advantage being: less stress on animals while adapting to a wider range of experimental environments. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of this utility model;

[0016] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the integrated back pad structure of this utility model;

[0017] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the air passage device and the regulating ring sleeve of this utility model.

[0018] Reference numerals: 1. Integrated back pad; 2. Air circuit device; 3. Adjustment ring assembly; 101. Back pad body; 102. Strap; 103. Connecting buckle; 104. Bottle sleeve; 105. Strap; 201. Gas collection bottle; 202. Angle valve; 203. Adapter hose; 204. Throttling bend; 205. Quick connector (pair); 206. Air guide tube; 207. Sampling port tube; 301. Bulb adjustment ring; 302. Fixing ring; 303. Neck adjustment ring; 304. Elastic band; 305. Rubber band; 306. Velcro. Detailed Implementation

[0019] To make the technical means, creative features, and achieved objectives and effects of this utility model easier to understand, the present utility model is further described below with reference to specific embodiments and accompanying drawings. However, the following embodiments are merely preferred embodiments of this utility model and not all of them. Other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments described in the implementation details without creative effort are all within the protection scope of this invention.

[0020] In this description of the utility model, the reader should understand that the directional terms, including but not limited to "top," "bottom," "above," "below," "left," "right," "surface," and "interior," etc., indicating directional relationships and absolute or relative positional relationships in the text or drawings, are only used to simplify the description of the utility model and are not intended to explicitly or implicitly limit the overall structure or components designed by the directional terms, or the installation, orientation, or operating direction of the components. That is, the directional terms should not be construed as limitations on the object.

[0021] In this description of the utility model, those who have read it should understand that, unless otherwise expressly defined, the term "adjustment" is used only to describe the operation and should not be regarded as a limitation on the scope, method or object of adjustment.

[0022] In this description of the utility model, those who have read it should understand that the quantitative terms, including but not limited to "a kind" and "multiple kinds," are used only to describe the quantity of kinds, and not to order or limit the kinds of objects. The quantitative term "multiple kinds" means two or more kinds of objects, unless otherwise expressly defined.

[0023] In this description of the utility model, those who have read it should understand that, unless otherwise expressly defined, the installation-related terms, including but not limited to "connection," "series," "insertion," and "installation," should be interpreted broadly to emphasize the connection and interaction between the objects. The specific meaning of the terms in this utility model can be understood with reference to the context in which the terms are used.

[0024] In this description of the utility model, those who have read it should understand that, unless otherwise expressly defined, the relational terms, including but not limited to "greater than" and "less than", should be interpreted broadly, with the purpose of focusing on describing the size comparison relationship between the objects. The specific meaning of the terms in this utility model can be understood with reference to the context in which the terms are located.

[0025] In this description of the utility model, those who have read it should understand that, unless otherwise explicitly defined, the descriptions such as "fixed" and "limited" as understood from the context should refer to the relative positional fixation in relation to the experimental situation in a specific embodiment, and should not be regarded as an absolute positional limitation at the absolute spatial origin.

[0026] Specific embodiments of the present invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Those familiar with the invention should understand that the embodiments described are for illustrative and explanatory purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Example

[0027] like Figure 1-3 As shown, a methane gas collection device for ruminant livestock includes an integrated back pad 1, a gas path device 2, and an adjustment ring sleeve group 3.

[0028] In addition, as a preferred embodiment, the integrated back pad 1 has a strap 102 at the bottom of the back pad body 101. There are four straps 102 in total, which are arranged in pairs at the bottom of the back pad 101. The two straps 102 in each pair are respectively arranged on both sides of the back pad 101. Each pair of straps in the two pairs are fastened together by a connecting buckle 103.

[0029] Furthermore, as a preferred embodiment, the back pad body 101 can be made of one or more of the following materials: nylon fabric, mesh fabric, waterproof coated fabric, etc. The breathability of the back pad area can be adjusted as needed to reduce moisture retention on the animal's back and provide limited sun protection, thus reducing the irritation to the animal under hot environmental conditions or direct sunlight. The specific size of the back pad can be modified to suit different ruminant livestock species, and the modification should be made based on the implementation situation and actual measurement data of the animal's body size.

[0030] Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment, the integrated back pad 1 has a bottle sleeve 104 on the top of the back pad body 101, and a strap 105 connected to the back pad body 101 is provided on the surface of the bottle sleeve 104 to fix the bottle sleeve 104 to the back pad body 101. The bottle sleeve 104 is a cylindrical tubular structure.

[0031] Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment, in the gas path device 2, the gas collecting bottle 201 is inserted inside the bottle sleeve 104, and its outer diameter is smaller than that of the bottle sleeve 104. The gas collecting bottle 201 can be made of various materials, including PVC, stainless steel, aluminum, or one or more of these. The vacuum level of the gas collecting bottle ranges from 50 kPa to 120 kPa, with a preferred vacuum level of 95 kPa. The specific size of the gas collecting bottle can be modified to suit different ruminant livestock species; different sizes of gas collecting bottles are selected based on the specific implementation and actual measurement data of the animal's body size.

[0032] Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment, in the gas path device 2, the gas collecting bottle 201 is a vacuum bottle, and its input end is equipped with an angle valve 202. The angle valve 202 is connected in series to the throttle elbow 204 via an adapter hose 203. The throttle elbow 204 is connected to the air guide tube 206 via a quick connector 205. The air guide tube is made of durable rubber or other alternative soft wear-resistant rubber materials.

[0033] In addition, as a preferred embodiment, the throttle bend 204 can be replaced by one of the following two designs: a capillary tube with a reduced inner diameter after compression treatment, wherein the inner diameter of the compressed part is no more than 200 μm, preferably 150 μm; or a laser-processed ultra-fine aperture porous plate with an aperture no more than 20 μm, preferably 0.45 μm.

[0034] Furthermore, as a preferred embodiment, the gas path device 2 has a sampling port tube 207 at the end of the gas guide tube 206. The sampling port tube 207 is made of wear-resistant, malleable rubber with a certain hardness or other alternative hard wear-resistant materials.

[0035] Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment, the gas path device 2 has an adjusting ring sleeve 3 fitted around the outside of the gas guide tube 206. The gas guide tube 206 is divided into a flexible tube section and a rigid tube section, both made of rubber and having a certain degree of elasticity. The part closer to the sampling port tube 207 is the rigid tube section, and the part closer to the gas collecting bottle 201 is the flexible tube section. The two parts are separated by the neck adjusting ring 303.

[0036] Furthermore, as a preferred embodiment, the specific diameter and length of the air duct 206 can be modified to adapt to different types of ruminant livestock, and the specific modifications are made based on the implementation situation and actual measurement data of the animal's body size.

[0037] In addition, as a preferred embodiment, the adjustment ring assembly 3 has two adjustment rings, namely the head adjustment ring 301 and the neck adjustment ring 303, both of which are set on the side of the air guide tube 206 near the sampling hole tube 207 and are spaced apart from each other.

[0038] Furthermore, as a preferred embodiment, in the adjusting ring assembly 3, a fixing ring 302 is provided on the surface of the head adjusting ring 301.

[0039] In addition, as a preferred embodiment, in the adjustment ring assembly 3, two pairs of elastic bands 304 are respectively provided on both sides of the neck adjustment ring 303, one end of which is connected to the neck adjustment ring (303), and the other end is connected to the Velcro 306 through the rubber band 305.

[0040] Furthermore, as a preferred embodiment, the specific length, width, or the sum of the lengths of the elastic band 304, rubber band 305, and Velcro 306 can be modified to suit different types of ruminant livestock, and the specific modifications are made based on the implementation situation and actual measurement data of the animal's body size.

[0041] Working principle description: Tighten the strap 105 to fix the bottle sleeve 104 to the back pad body 101. By fastening the connecting buckle 103 on the strap 102, the integrated back pad 1 can be fixed to the back of the ruminant. During use, deploy the air passage device 2 and the adjusting ring assembly 3. Insert the vacuum-sealed gas collecting bottle 201 into the bottle sleeve 104 on the surface of the integrated back pad 1, and connect the appropriate length of the air guide tube 206 to the gas collecting bottle 201. Then, move the neck adjusting ring 303, which has elastic bands 304 on both sides, to other symmetrical fixed positions on the animal's horns or head, ensuring that it passes through the two ends of the elastic bands 304. Between the rubber bands 305, the rubber bands 305 are wrapped around the head of the ruminant and converge at the neck of the ruminant and are connected to each other by Velcro 306. At this time, the neck adjustment ring 303 is fixed between the animal's horn or other symmetrical fixed positions on the head, and the air guide tube 206 is limited. Then, the sampling hole tube 207 at the end of the air path device 2 is adjusted to be close to the mouth and nose of the ruminant, and the position of the adjustment ring 301 with the fixing ring 302 is adjusted. The fixing ring 302 is connected to the ruminant's muzzle and fixed in position using a cable tie or soft rope. At this time, the position of the adjustment ring sleeve 3 is fixed and the air guide tube 206 inside is limited. After ensuring that the sampling port tube 207 is always located at the mouth and nose of the ruminant, the adapter hose 203 will provide a certain degree of freedom at the connection point while allowing bending. At this time, the air circuit device 2 can be adjusted to a suitable angle. The operator opens the vacuum gas collection bottle 201 and adjusts the knob of the angle valve 202 to an appropriate position. The throttling bend 204 will automatically limit the air intake and keep the air intake constant. The vacuum suction generated by the gas collection bottle 201 is transmitted through the air guide tube 206 and the sampling port tube 207 to automatically collect air from the mouth and nose of the ruminant. When the gas collection bottle 201 is full, it can be quickly replaced through the quick interface 205 so that the gas collection bottle 201 can be replaced at any time and the gas in it can be tested.

[0042] The foregoing has shown and described the basic principles, main features, and advantages of this utility model. Those skilled in the art and those who have consulted this utility model should understand that this utility model is not limited to the above embodiments. The embodiments and descriptions in the specification are merely preferred examples and are not intended to limit the utility model. Various changes and modifications can be made to this utility model without departing from its spirit and scope, including but not limited to improvements to existing designs, all modifications to the original design, and all sub-designs that improve the adaptability of this patent. All such modifications and sub-designs should be covered within the scope of protection claimed by this utility model. The scope of protection of this utility model is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A methane gas collection device for ruminant livestock, characterized in that: The device includes an integrated back pad (1), an air passage device (2), and an adjusting ring sleeve group (3). In the integrated back pad (1), the bottom of the back pad body (101) is provided with straps (102). There are four straps (102) in total, which are arranged in pairs at the bottom of the back pad body (101). The two straps (102) of each group are respectively arranged on both sides of the back pad body (101). Each pair of straps between the two groups is fastened together by a connecting buckle (103).

2. The methane gas collection device for ruminant livestock according to claim 1, characterized in that: In the integrated back pad (1), a bottle sleeve (104) is provided on the top of the back pad body (101), and a strap (105) is provided on the surface of the bottle sleeve (104) to connect with the back pad body (101) to fix the bottle sleeve (104) on the back pad body (101). The bottle sleeve (104) is a cylindrical tubular structure.

3. The methane gas collection device for ruminant livestock according to claim 1, characterized in that: The gas circuit device (2) includes a gas collecting bottle (201), which is a vacuum bottle. An angle valve (202) is provided at its input end. The angle valve (202) is connected in series to the throttle bend (204) through the adapter hose (203). The throttle bend (204) is connected to the air guide pipe (206) through the quick interface (205).

4. The methane gas collection device for ruminant livestock according to claim 1, characterized in that: In the gas path device (2), a sampling hole tube (207) is provided at the end of the gas guide tube (206).

5. A methane gas collection device for ruminant livestock according to claim 4, characterized in that: In the gas path device (2), the gas guide tube (206) is divided into a flexible tube part and a rigid tube part, both of which are made of rubber and are elastic. The part near the sampling hole tube (207) is the rigid tube part, and the part near the gas collecting bottle (201) is the flexible tube part. The two parts are divided by the neck adjustment ring (303).

6. The methane gas collection device for ruminant livestock according to claim 3, characterized in that: The adjustment ring assembly (3) has two adjustment rings, namely the head adjustment ring (301) and the neck adjustment ring (303), both of which are set on the side of the air guide tube (206) near the sampling hole tube (207) and are spaced apart from each other.

7. A methane gas collection device for ruminant livestock according to claim 6, characterized in that: In the adjusting ring assembly (3), a fixing ring (302) is provided on the surface of the head adjusting ring (301).

8. A methane gas collection device for ruminant livestock according to claim 7, characterized in that: In the adjustment ring assembly (3), two pairs of elastic bands (304) are respectively provided on both sides of the neck adjustment ring (303), one end of which is connected to the neck adjustment ring (303), and the other end is connected to the Velcro (306) through the rubber band (305).

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