Animal housing system for raising poultry and related moving floor

Abstract

Animal group housing facility (100) for raising poultry, with - a room (102) for housing the poultry, wherein the room (102) has an inlet shaft (101), - at least one guide rail (21) arranged adjacent to the inlet shaft (101) in the room (102), - a sliding floor (2) which can be inserted and removed into the living space (102) via the inlet shaft (101) and placed on the guide rail (21), which in an operating state (B1) placed on the guide rail (21) forms a living area (11) for the poultry, wherein the sliding floor (2) has a first end face (8) which in the operating state (B1) at least partially closes the inlet shaft (101), characterized in that the dwelling area (11) adjacent to the first end face (8) has a chamfer (3) which is designed to make it more difficult for the poultry to stay in the area of ​​the chamfer (3).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a group housing system for raising poultry, comprising a living area for the poultry, wherein the living area has an inlet shaft, at least one guide rail arranged adjacent to the inlet shaft in the living area, a sliding floor which can be inserted into and removed from the living area via the inlet shaft and which can be placed on the guide rail, and which, in an operating state placed on the guide rail, forms a living area for the poultry, wherein the sliding floor has a first end face which, in the operating state, at least partially closes the inlet shaft.

[0002] In livestock farming, particularly in broiler production, poultry are typically raised in group housing systems. Such a system comprises several compartments, each enclosed by four walls and a ceiling. One of the walls is typically designed as an entrance door. The walls and ceiling usually consist of a grid structure. Below each compartment is an access shaft that accommodates a removable platform in the form of a sliding floor. The poultry remain on this sliding floor while it is in place within the respective compartment.

[0003] In well-known group housing systems for animals, several living areas with their associated moving floors are arranged side by side. A continuous conveyor belt, typically used as a manure belt, usually runs beneath such a row of living areas, serving to collect and transport animal excrement along the living areas.

[0004] Once the poultry have reached a desired condition in their housing areas, such as a target weight or a defined age, they are released from the facility. This release is typically achieved by transitioning the housing area where the poultry are located from operating state B1 to operating state B2.

[0005] Operating state B1 includes the presence of a resting area where the animals can remain. Operating state B2 includes the removal of this resting area, so that the animals fall onto a lower level, preferably a continuous conveyor. The falling poultry are then conveyed out of the group housing system by the continuous conveyor.

[0006] In larger animal housing systems or rearing facilities with several adjacent animal housing units, all living areas should be removed as quickly as possible to minimize stress on the animals. Therefore, it is necessary to design the removable living area so that it is easy to move and can be operated with minimal time expenditure.

[0007] Poultry, especially broiler chickens, exhibit a non-linear increase in weight during the rearing and fattening phases, thereby increasing the force exerted on the living area and consequently on the moving floor. This weight is then transferred from the living area to the housing system. If a moving floor is not designed to withstand such a load, it will deflect or even fail.

[0008] As the animals grow heavier and more inert, when a moving floor is removed, some of the heavier birds often remain on the floor until they reach an outer wall and are scraped off by the floor. When the moving floor is switched from operating state B1 to operating state B2, a small gap forms between the floor and the inlet shaft, in which the birds can become entangled by their legs. If the birds are not carefully moved between operating states, they can be pulled completely or partially into the gap, which can lead to serious injuries or even the loss of the animals.

[0009] The present invention was therefore based on the objective of providing a group housing system for poultry and an associated moving floor that has an optimized geometry and weight, can be easily moved between different operating states, and can reliably and without failure support the weight of the poultry in the living area. In particular, the objective was to provide a moving floor that protects the poultry from injury or premature death due to entrapment in the area of ​​the inlet shaft.

[0010] The invention solves the underlying problem by means of an animal housing system for raising poultry and an associated moving floor with the features of claims 1 and 11. In particular, it is provided that the living area adjacent to a first end face has a slope which is designed to make it more difficult for the poultry to stay in the area of ​​this slope.

[0011] The invention utilizes the knowledge that poultry, particularly in fattening operations, avoid sloping surfaces because the effort required to climb and remain on a non-horizontal surface is too great for the animals. By arranging the slope at the front of the moving floor, and thus in the area of ​​the system's inlet chute, significantly fewer animals are present near the inlet chute. Consequently, when the moving floor transitions from operating state B1 to operating state B2, fewer or no animals are in the area of ​​any resulting gap. This reduces the risk of animals becoming trapped during a sudden change of operating state between the moving floor and the inlet chute. This reliably protects the animals from injury or premature death.

[0012] The modified geometry of the living area, in the form of a sliding floor with a bevel, increases the gap between the sliding floor and the inlet shaft along the Y-axis when the floor is moved. The gap reaches its maximum width at the transition between the bevel and the horizontal living area. This prevents poultry from getting their legs caught in the gap.

[0013] Should poultry remain on the resting area due to their inertia until the operating state changes and only be wiped off against the outer wall of the resting area, the sloping design, by widening the resulting gap to a safe width, allows wiping without the animals being trapped or crushed between the inlet shaft and the resting area.

[0014] According to a preferred embodiment of the moving floor, the standing area is designed, at least in sections, as a grid surface. In particular, the grid surface has or is formed with meshes, wherein the mesh size is between 5 mm and 20 mm. Designing the standing area as a grid surface allows poultry excrement to slide through to a subsequent level, preferably an endless conveyor belt as a manure belt. This embodiment takes advantage of the fact that excrement remaining on a standing surface, especially poultry excrement, adversely affects animal health. Poultry that come into contact with accumulated excrement can suffer various health problems depending on the temperature of the excrement.If the excrement cools to a temperature below the animals' body temperature, this can lead to hypothermia in the birds' footpads, making them more susceptible to illnesses such as colds or respiratory problems. At elevated excrement temperatures, for example, due to thermal heating as part of a climate control system in the barn, the excrement is considered a source of contamination. It provides a preferred medium for the development and spread of dangerous pathogens. At these temperatures, the excrement can also be caustic to the poultry's footpads, causing micro-cracks through which pathogens can enter and cause serious illnesses.

[0015] A further development of the moving floor provides that the moving floor has at least one, preferably two, and even more preferably two support means formed on opposite sides, wherein the support means are designed and configured to be placed, at least partially, on a section of the guide rail. With the aid of the two preferably opposing support means, the moving floor is placed on the guide rail of the inlet shaft in order to transfer the weight forces acting on the living area to the guide rail, which is rigidly connected to the base frame of the animal housing system. Preferably, the support means are designed as elongated bearing surfaces extending over the entire length of the moving floor in the direction of the Y-axis, with these bearing surfaces resting completely on the respective opposing guide rails.This enables an optimal distribution of the dynamic weight forces that act depending on the animal's movement.

[0016] According to a preferred embodiment, the sliding floor has a nose and the guide rail has a recess corresponding to the nose, wherein the nose and the recess define an operating state of the sliding floor relative to the guide rail. The nose is preferably designed as a fin with a rounded geometry extending away from the end face of the sliding floor and has an edge perpendicular to the surface. In conjunction with the corresponding recess, the nose is configured to engage at the position of the recess when the sliding floor is inserted into the inlet shaft and to form a stop point with the formed edge, which limits further insertion of the sliding floor in operating state B1. This actively stops the sliding floor at the ideal position when transitioning from operating state B2 to operating state B1, i.e., when inserted into the inlet shaft.The preferably rounded geometry of the nose leading away from the front face allows a guided sliding out without blockage as soon as the thrust floor undergoes a change from operating state B1 to operating state B2, i.e., is pulled out of the inlet shaft.

[0017] In a preferred embodiment, the sliding floor is provided with at least one handle, preferably two spaced-apart handles, on its first end face. These handles are accessible from outside the animals' living area when the sliding floor is inserted into the animal housing system via the inlet shaft. This allows the sliding floor to be grasped from outside the housing system and the operating states to be changed manually. This embodiment takes into account the necessary gripping surface area for a person to apply the pulling force required to move the sliding floor, which is bearing the weight of all the poultry in the living area.

[0018] A further development provides that the sliding floor has a base frame, and the base frame has a wave-shaped underside or support structure extending in the insertion direction of the sliding floor. The base frame acts as a supporting substructure to absorb and distribute the weight force exerted on the floor by the poultry. The wave shape runs along the Y-axis at several positions perpendicular to the base frame and is designed to fully absorb the uneven and dynamic load acting on the sliding floor with minimal material usage. The maximum deflection of the preferably sinusoidal wave shape corresponds to the contact point of the respective perpendicular crossbars of the base frame, which absorb the tensile and compressive forces introduced into the wave shape.The forces transmitted along the waveform are reduced towards the adjacent areas of minimal deflection to a lower load from tensile and compressive forces.

[0019] In a preferred embodiment, the sliding floor comprises a row of teeth having several teeth, the row of teeth extending parallel to the chamfer, in particular, wherein the teeth are uniformly spaced from one another and the teeth run asymmetrically to the central axis. The ejection device comprises at least one second sliding floor, which also forms a row of teeth and is arranged adjacent to the first sliding floor in operating state B1, wherein the rows of teeth of the two opposing sliding floors interlock to form a common standing surface. The interlocking of the asymmetrically offset rows of teeth creates a standing surface which, due to the alternating arrangement of teeth on the different sliding floors, forms a mesh-like grid structure.This mesh-like grid structure allows animal excrement to fall through to a lower level, preferably an endless conveyor belt, even in the transition area between two moving floors. By using this preferred design, the animal group housing system can function without a connecting surface in the form of a crossbeam within the system.

[0020] According to a preferred embodiment of the animal housing system, the guide rail at the inlet shaft has a widening that facilitates the insertion of the sliding floor into the guide rail. This simplifies the insertion of the sliding floor into the inlet shaft when transitioning from operating state B2 to operating state B1, particularly to reduce the time required to adjust the insertion angle of the sliding floor during continuous operation.

[0021] The invention has been described above with reference to an animal housing system. In a further aspect, the invention relates to a moving floor for an animal housing system for raising poultry, wherein the moving floor forms a living area for the poultry, and wherein the moving floor has a first end face which, in an operating state in which the moving floor is inserted into an inlet shaft of an animal housing system, at least partially closes this shaft.

[0022] The invention solves the problem described above with regard to the sliding floor, in which the standing area adjacent to the first end face has a chamfer which is designed to make it more difficult for the poultry to stay in the area of ​​the chamfer.

[0023] In a third aspect, the invention relates to a method for removing poultry from a group housing system according to one of claims 1 to 10, comprising the step of: removing a moving floor via the inlet shaft and transferring the poultry located on the moving floor towards a subsequent, lower level of the group housing system.

[0024] The preferred embodiments and further developments described for the animal group housing system according to the invention are also preferred embodiments and further developments of the moving floor according to the second aspect and of the method according to the third aspect. The preferred embodiments and further developments described for the animal group housing system or the method, which relate to the moving floor itself, are also preferred embodiments of the moving floor according to the second aspect.

[0025] The invention is described in more detail below with reference to a preferred embodiment and the accompanying figures. These figures show: Fig. 1: a section of an animal group housing system with a moving floor according to the invention arranged therein; Fig. 2: a perspective view of a first embodiment of a sliding floor according to the invention; Fig. 3: a perspectively rotated view of the sliding floor after Fig. 2 as a rear view; Fig. 4: a perspectively rotated view of the sliding floor after Fig. 2 as a bottom view, and Fig. 5: an enlarged view of the guide rail according to Fig. 4.

[0026] Fig. Figure 1 shows a section of an animal group housing system 100 with a de-stall device 1. The de-stall device 1 comprises several in Fig. 2 sliding shelves shown in more detail 2, 2' and several in Fig. Five guide rails 21, 21' are shown in more detail. Above the sliding floors 2, 2', a housing chamber 102 for poultry is formed, located within the outer walls 103. The guide rails are positioned below an inlet shaft 101. The inlet shaft 101 is formed by the opposing guide rails 21, 21' and the outer wall 103, which is attached above and perpendicular to the guide rails 21, 21'.

[0027] The sliding floor 2' rests on the opposing guide rails 21, 21'. The sliding floor 2' in Fig. 1 is in operating state B1 and is therefore completely inserted into the animal group housing system 100. The first end face 8 of the moving floor 2', in operating state B1, at least partially opens the inlet shaft 101. The moving floor 2 is in operating state B2 and is removed from the animal group housing system.

[0028] In the Fig. In the embodiment shown, the sliding base 2 has a first end face 8 with two handles 5 spaced symmetrically apart from each other about the central axis. Two parallel support means 7 extend from the first end face 8 in the insertion direction of the sliding base. Figure 2 also shows... Fig. 2 a row of teeth 4.1, which has a plurality of teeth 4 arranged parallel around the central axis Y to the first end face 8.

[0029] Within the contour between the support means 7, the first end face 8 and the row of teeth 4.1, a resting area for poultry 11 is formed, which is designed as a grid surface 12 extending over the surface. The grid surface 12 consists of several meshes 13, which are connected to each other with a mesh size of 5 mm to 20 mm.

[0030] Fig. Figure 3 shows a perspective-rotated view of the sliding floor 2 as a rear view, where the standing area 11 adjacent to the first end face 8 has a chamfer 3. The chamfer 3 extends parallel to the first end face 8 and slopes downwards.

[0031] in the insertion direction of the sliding floor until a transition to the living area 11 is reached.

[0032] Furthermore, how from Fig. As can be seen in Figure 3, the teeth 4 of tooth row 4.1 are arranged asymmetrically from the central axis Y in order to, as in Fig. 1 shown with the tooth row 4.1 of an opposing sliding floor 2' interlocking and connecting the living areas 11 within the living rooms 102 together.

[0033] Fig. Figure 4 shows a perspective-rotated view of the sliding floor 2 as a bottom view. It can be seen that a substructure 31 is formed below the grid surface 12 and the support means 7. The substructure 31 consists of a wave-shaped support structure 32, curved sections 33, and longitudinal 34 and transverse struts 35, which extend along the insertion direction of the sliding floor. The transverse struts 35 of the substructure 31 are spaced perpendicular to the central axis Y and extend across the entire width of the component.

[0034] Between the individual spaced transverse struts 35, individual longitudinal struts 34 and arched sections 33 are arranged. The arched sections 33 are located on the central axis Y. In one embodiment of the invention, individual longitudinal struts 34 are arranged as further support elements between each adjacent transverse strut 35 between the central axis Y and the wave-shaped support structure 32. Below the support means 7, parallel to the central axis Y, wave-shaped support structures 32 are located, which are arranged as further support elements between each adjacent transverse strut 35.

[0035] In the Fig. In the embodiment of the sliding floor 2 shown in Figure 4, it has a nose 6 which acts as a stop when the sliding floor 2 is inserted into the guide rail 21. The nose 6 is designed as a fin with a rounded geometry extending away from the front face of the sliding floor and has an edge perpendicular to the surface.

[0036] Fig. Figure 5 shows the guide rail 21 of an animal group housing system 100. The guide rail 21 has a widening 23 at the inlet shaft 101, which facilitates the insertion of the sliding floor 2 into a guide rail 21.

[0037] Furthermore, in addition to the one in Fig. 2, Fig. 3 and Fig. In the nose 6 shown in Figure 4, a recess 22 is formed, wherein the nose 6 and the recess 22 interlock in an operating state B1. The recess 22 comprises a lowered section which assists in the contact of the nose 6. Reference symbol list 1 Display device 2.2' sliding floor 3 Bevel 4 teeth 4.1 Tooth row 5 handle 6 Nose 7 Supporting devices 8 First front 11. Living area for the poultry (floor area) 12 grid area 13 stitches 21, 21' Guide rail 22 recess 23 Expansion 31 Base frame 32 wave-shaped support structures 33 arch sections 34 longitudinal struts 35 cross braces 100 animal group housing facility 101 Inlet shaft 102 Room for housing poultry 103 Exterior wall B1, B2 Operating state Y central axis

Claims

Animal housing system (100) for raising poultry, comprising: - a housing room (102) for the poultry, wherein the housing room (102) has an inlet shaft (101), - at least one guide rail (21) arranged adjacent to the inlet shaft (101) in the housing room (102), - a sliding floor (2) which can be inserted into and removed from the housing room (102) via the inlet shaft (101) and placed on the guide rail (21), which in an operating state (B1) placed on the guide rail (21) forms a housing area (11) for the poultry, wherein the sliding floor (2) has a first end face (8) which in the operating state (B1) at least partially closes the inlet shaft (101), characterized in that the housing area (11) has a chamfer (3) adjacent to the first end face (8), which is set up for this purposeto make it more difficult for the poultry to stay in the area of ​​the slope (3). Animal group housing system (100) according to claim 1, wherein the living area (11) is at least partially designed as a grid surface (12), in particular, wherein the grid surface (12) has or is formed from meshes (13), wherein the meshes (13) have a mesh size of 5 mm to 20 mm. Animal group housing system (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the moving floor (2) has at least one, preferably two support means (7) formed on opposite sides, wherein the support means (7) are designed and configured to be placed at least section by section on a section of the guide rail (21). Animal group housing system (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the moving floor (2) has a nose (6) and the guide rail (21) has a recess (22) corresponding to the nose (6), wherein the nose (6) and the recess (22) define an operating state (B1, B2) of the moving floor (2) relative to the guide rail (21). Animal group housing system (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sliding floor (2) has at least one handle (5), preferably two spaced-apart handles (5) on the first end face (8), which are accessible from outside the living space (102) of the animals in a state in which the sliding floor is inserted into the animal group housing system (100) via the inlet shaft (101). Animal group housing system (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the moving floor (2) has a substructure (31) and the substructure (31) has a wave-shaped support structure (32) which extends in the insertion direction of the moving floor (2). Animal group housing system (100) according to claim 6, wherein the underframe (31) has at least one longitudinal strut (34) which extends in the insertion direction of the sliding floor (2) and at least one transverse strut (35) which extends section by section perpendicular to the insertion direction of the sliding floor (2). Animal group housing system (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the moving floor (2) has a row of teeth (4.1) consisting of several teeth (4) and wherein the row of teeth (4.1) extends parallel to the chamfer (3), in particular wherein the teeth (4) are spaced evenly apart from each other and wherein the teeth (4) are asymmetrical to the central axis (Y). Animal group housing system (100) according to claim 8, wherein the moving floor (2) is a first moving floor (2), and wherein the animal group housing system (100) has at least one second moving floor (2') which is designed according to claim 7 and is arranged adjacent to the first moving floor (2) in the operating state (B1), wherein the rows of teeth (4.1) of the two opposing moving floors (2, 2') interlock to form a common living area (11). Animal group housing system (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the guide rail (21) has an expansion (23) at the inlet shaft (101) which facilitates the insertion of the sliding floor (2) into the guide rail (21). Moving floor (2) for an animal housing facility (100) for raising poultry, wherein the moving floor (2) forms a living area (11) for the poultry, wherein the moving floor (2) has a first end face (8) which, in an operating state (B1) in which the moving floor (2) is inserted into an inlet shaft (101) of an animal housing facility (100), at least partially closes this shaft, characterized in that the living area (11) adjacent to the first end face (8) has a slope (3) which is designed to make it more difficult for the poultry to stay in the area of ​​the slope (3).

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