Individual management device and individual management system

Abstract

To appropriately manage individual animals.SOLUTION: An individual management device 1 for grazing cattle C comprises: a first passage section 10 which has partitions on both sides with such a width that one grazing cow C entering from an entrance can advance; a supply section 30 which is provided ahead of a front end 13 of the first passage section 10 in the traveling direction, and supplies water or feed to the grazing cow C that has advanced along the first passage section 10; a weight measuring instrument 40 (individual management processing section) which measures the body weight of the grazing cow C supplied with water or feed at the supply section 30; and a second passage section 20 which extends in an oblique direction with respect to the traveling direction from a side of the first passage section 10 and in a direction away from the entrance, and has partitions on both sides with such a width that one grazing cow C can advance.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] One aspect of the present disclosure relates to an animal individual management device and an animal individual management system. [Background technology]

[0002] With the decline in breeding farms and rising feed prices, improving feed self-sufficiency has become an urgent issue. Parent-calf pasture-raising, in which calves are born and raised on pasture, is a labor-saving, low-cost, and highly profitable method of rearing. However, managing individual pasture-raising cattle, such as weighing them, applying anthelmintics, and detecting estrus, is labor-intensive for managers and can be dangerous in some cases. Therefore, a simple individual management method is needed.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technology in which an opening is provided through which livestock can put their necks, water is prepared at the end of the opening for the livestock to drink, and individual information on the livestock's identification tag is read with an antenna while the livestock are drinking. This technology identifies the individual information of the livestock by guiding them with water, and makes it possible to determine, for example, whether or not pesticide spraying is necessary based on the individual information. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 9-107837 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Here, in the device described in Patent Document 1, there is only one common entrance and exit for livestock, which means that there is a risk of livestock trying to leave the device and livestock trying to enter the device pushing against each other. It is also possible to provide separate entrances and exits, but even in that case, livestock may enter through both the entrance and the exit, which could result in livestock pushing against each other. Thus, in individual animal management that utilizes the active behavioral characteristics of animals (moving in a straight line, moving in search of water, etc.), there is a need to manage individual animals appropriately without causing animals to push against each other.

[0006] One aspect of the present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and relates to an individual animal management device and an individual animal management system that can appropriately manage individual animals. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] [1] An individual animal management device according to one aspect of the present disclosure comprises a first passageway having partitions on both sides and wide enough for a single animal to enter through an entrance; a supply section located forward of the front end of the first passageway in the direction of travel and for providing water or food to animals moving forward through the first passageway; an individual management processing section for performing individual management processing on animals being watered or fed in the supply section; and a second passageway extending from the side of the first passageway diagonally to the direction of travel and away from the entrance, having partitions on both sides and wide enough for a single animal to enter.

[0008] In an animal management device according to one aspect of the present disclosure, a supply unit for supplying water or food is provided forward of the front end of the first passage in the direction of travel. Animals have active behavioral characteristics, moving straight and seeking water or food. Therefore, it is expected that an animal that enters the first passage will continue moving straight to reach the supply unit. In this state, the animal management processing unit performs processing related to animal management (e.g., weight measurement), allowing for smooth individual management. However, in such an animal management device, it is conceivable that animals may push against each other, preventing appropriate individual management. This pushing and shoving can occur, for example, when there is only one entrance and exit for animals, causing animals to become stuck in the passage, or when there are separate entrances and exits, causing animals to enter through both. In this regard, an animal management device according to one aspect of the present disclosure is provided with a second passageway extending diagonally forward (diagonally and away from the entrance) from the side of the first passageway. This allows animals that enter the first passageway to exit the device via the second passageway, preventing animals from jostling against each other due to their remaining in the passageway. Furthermore, considering the active behavioral characteristics of animals (moving in a straight line, moving in search of water, etc.), if animals enter the device through the second passageway, the further they move in a straight line, the further away they will be from water, making it less likely that they will choose such a path. That is, even with a configuration with two entrances and exits, considering the shapes and positions of the first passageway, the supply section, and the second passageway, the first passageway serves as the entrance and the second passageway serves as the exit, ensuring a consistent animal flow path. This prevents animals from entering through different entrances and exits and causing jostling against each other. This configuration, which prevents animals from jostling against each other, allows for more appropriate animal management.

[0009] [2] In the individual management device described in [1] above, the first passageway is partitioned on both sides by a first extension and a second extension that extend in the direction of travel while facing each other, and the second extension has a rear extension that extends in the direction of travel from the entrance to the rear end of the location where it communicates with the second passageway, and a front extension that extends in the direction of travel from the front end of the location where it communicates with the second passageway to the front end of the first passageway, and the second passageway may be partitioned on both sides by a third extension that extends diagonally from the rear end of the front extension and a fourth extension that extends diagonally from the front end of the rear extension. In this way, since the front extension is provided and the third extension that extends diagonally from the rear end of the front extension divides the second passageway, an animal that enters from the exit side of the second passageway will be guided to a position spaced apart from the supply unit by the length of the front extension. This makes it possible to make animals recognize that even if they enter from the exit side of the second passage, they will not be able to reach the supply section, and it is possible to prevent animals from entering from the second passage, thereby more reliably preventing animals from pushing against each other.

[0010] [3] In the individual animal management device described in [2] above, the length from the rear end of the forward extension portion to the supply portion in the direction of travel may be longer than the length of the animal's neck. By making the length from the rear end of the forward extension portion to the supply portion longer than the length of the target animal's neck, even if an animal enters from the exit side of the second passage, the animal cannot get its mouth close to the supply portion, which is located further forward than the front end of the first passage. This makes it possible for the animal to recognize that it cannot reach the supply portion even if it enters from the exit side of the second passage, and prevents the animal from entering from the second passage. This more reliably prevents animals from pushing against each other.

[0011] [4] In the individual animal management device described in [2] or [3] above, the front end of the third extension portion may extend forward in the direction of travel beyond the front end of the first passage portion. This configuration appropriately prevents animals from directly reaching the supply section from the outlet side of the second passage portion. This more reliably prevents animals from pushing against each other.

[0012] [5] In the individual animal management device described in any one of [2] to [4] above, the distance between the third extension portion and the fourth extension portion in the second passage portion may be 100% or more and 113% or less of the width of the animal. With this configuration, for example, the second passage portion can be narrowed to the extent that an animal entering from the exit side of the second passage portion cannot turn toward the supply portion. This makes it possible to make the animal recognize that even if it enters from the exit side of the second passage portion, it will not be able to reach the supply portion, and it is possible to prevent the animal from entering through the second passage portion. This more reliably prevents the animals from pushing against each other.

[0013] [6] In the individual management device according to any one of the above [2] to [5], the third extension portion and the fourth extension portion may extend in a diagonal direction inclined at an angle of 30° to 60° with respect to the direction of travel. With this configuration, the animal guided from the first passage portion can be smoothly guided to the second passage portion.

[0014] [7] In the individual management device according to any one of [1] to [6] above, the individual management processing unit may include a weight measuring device for measuring the weight of the animal, an indicator for displaying the measurement value from the weight measuring device, and a camera for capturing an image of the indicator and the individual number of the animal displayed on an attachment worn by the animal. With this configuration, the camera captures an image of the animal's weight measurement displayed on the indicator and the individual number displayed on the attachment. For example, by analyzing the image captured in this manner, it is possible to easily and accurately extract the individual number and the weight measurement in association with each other. With this configuration, it is possible to more appropriately manage the individual (weight) of the animal.

[0015] [8] An individual animal management system according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes the individual animal management device described in [7] and an analysis device that analyzes captured images output from a camera to determine weight from an indicator display, identify an individual animal number, and transmit information associating the identified individual animal number with weight to a monitoring terminal. With this configuration, the analysis device analyzes the captured images output from the camera and appropriately associates and extracts individual animal numbers with weight measurements. The information associating the individual animal numbers with weight measurements is then transmitted to a monitoring terminal for a manager or other person, enabling efficient remote monitoring of animal weights and appropriate individual animal management (weight management) with a simple configuration that reduces implementation costs. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, it is possible to provide an individual animal management device and an individual animal management method that are capable of appropriately managing individual animals. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing an individual management device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] 1 is a diagram showing an individual management device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 3] 10 is a diagram showing an individual management device according to a modified example, and an individual management system including the individual management device. FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating individual management based on captured images. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] An embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the description, the same elements or elements having the same functions are designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant description will be omitted.

[0019] 1 and 2 are diagrams (plan views) showing an individual management device 1 according to this embodiment. The individual management device 1 is an individual management device that performs individual management of animals. Here, the animals are livestock, such as cows (grazing cattle). In this embodiment, the animals are described as grazing cattle, but the objects of individual management are not limited to this. Individual management is the implementation and management of each individual grazing cattle, such as measuring its weight, applying anthelmintic drugs, and detecting estrus. In individual management, after identifying which individual (which grazing cattle) it is, the identified individual is measured in weight, etc.

[0020] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the individual animal management device 1 includes a first passage section 10, a second passage section 20, a supply section 30, and a weight measuring device 40 (individual animal management processing section). The individual animal management device 1 utilizes the active behavioral characteristics of grazing cattle (here, the habit of walking straight and the habit of drinking water, etc.) to separate a single animal and guide it to a desired location (a position in the supply section 30 shown in FIG. 1 where the grazing cattle C can drink water), and identifies and weighs the individual animal at the desired location. While weight measurement is described here as an example of individual animal management, individual animal management may also involve the application of anthelmintic drugs or the detection of estrus, as described above. FIG. 1 shows a state in which a grazing cattle C enters the first passage section 10 from an entrance 51 and is guided toward the supply section 30, while FIG. 2 shows a state in which the grazing cattle C is guided toward an exit 52 via the second passage section 20.

[0021] The first passage 10 is a passageway having a width sufficient for one grazing cow C entering through the entrance 51 to travel through, and having partitions on both sides. The length of the first passage 10 in the traveling direction is at least longer than the total length of the grazing cow C, and may be, for example, approximately 2.3 m to 2.6 m. The first passage 10 is partitioned on both sides in the width direction by a first extension 11 and a second extension 12 that face each other and extend in the traveling direction of the grazing cow. The distance between the first extension 11 and the second extension 12 (the width of the first passage 10) is at least longer than the width of the grazing cow C, and may be, for example, approximately 0.8 m to 0.9 m. Furthermore, the front end of the first passage 10 in the traveling direction is partitioned by a front end portion 13 (front end).

[0022] The first extension portion 11 is a portion that extends in the traveling direction on one side in the width direction of the first passage portion 10 (the right side in the figure). The first extension portion 11 extends, for example, from the entrance 51 to the portion connected to the front end portion 13. The first extension portion 11 may be composed of a single portion, or may be composed of multiple portions that overlap in the height direction. The position of the first extension portion 11 is fixed, for example, by one or more fixing portions (not shown) that are fixed to the ground and extend in the height direction.

[0023] The second extension portion 12 is a portion extending in the traveling direction on the other side in the width direction of the first passage portion 10 (the left side in the figure). The second extension portion 12 has a portion (rear extension portion 12a) that extends from the inlet 51 to a portion continuous with the second passage portion 20, and a portion (front extension portion 12b) that extends from the portion continuous with the second passage portion 20 to the front end portion 13. That is, the rear extension portion 12a is a portion that extends in the traveling direction from the inlet 51 to the rear end of the portion continuous with the second passage portion 20. The length in the traveling direction of the rear extension portion 12a may be, for example, approximately 0.14 m to 0.98 m. The front extension portion 12b is a portion that extends in the traveling direction from the front end of the portion continuous with the second passage portion 20 to the front end portion 13 of the first passage portion 10. The length from the rear end of the forward extension 12b to the supply section 30 in the traveling direction may be longer than the neck length of the grazing cow C, for example, approximately 0.6 m to 0.8 m. In this way, the second extension 12 is divided into two sections (the rear extension 12a and the front extension 12b) at a section that continues to the second passage section 20 midway in the traveling direction. The rear extension 12a and the front extension 12b may each be made up of a single section, or may be made up of multiple sections that overlap in the height direction. The rear extension 12a and the front extension 12b are fixed in position by one or more fixing sections (not shown) that are fixed to the ground and extend in the height direction, for example.

[0024] The front end 13 forms the front end of the first passage section 10 and extends so as to bridge between the front end of the first extension section 11 and the front end of the second extension section 12 (more specifically, the forward extension section 12b). The front end section 13 may consist of a single piece, or may consist of multiple pieces that are overlapping in the vertical direction. An opening is formed between the front end section 13 and the ground. When the grazing cow C sticks its head forward through this opening, water, mineral salt, feed, etc., placed in a supply section 30 provided in front of the front end section 13 can be given to the grazing cow C.

[0025] The supply unit 30 is provided ahead of the front end 13 in the traveling direction of the first passage section 10, and supplies water or feed to the grazing cattle C that have advanced along the first passage section 10. Water, mineral salts, feed, etc. are stored in the supply unit 30. The supply unit 30 is configured to utilize the active behavioral characteristics of the grazing cattle C, such as their water drinking habits, to guide the grazing cattle C to a predetermined position (a position where they can drink water, etc.).

[0026] The weight measuring device 40 is installed in the first passage section 10 and measures the weight of the grazing cattle C that are being watered or fed in the supply section 30. The weight measuring device 40 is one component of an individual management processing section that performs processing related to individual management of the grazing cattle C. The individual management processing section is provided with an individual identification section (not shown). The individual identification section is configured to identify each individual grazing cattle C, and may be, for example, an IC tag receiver that reads the IC tag of the grazing cattle C. In this way, the individual grazing cattle C are identified by the individual identification section, which is a component of the individual management processing section, and the weight of the grazing cattle C is measured by the weight measuring device 40, thereby enabling weight measurement (individual management) of the identified individual. This series of individual management is made possible by the supply section 30 guiding the grazing cattle C to a predetermined position (a position where they can drink water, etc.). The weight measurement results for each individual cattle are stored in a computer (not shown), for example, a personal computer.

[0027] The second passage 20 is a partitioned passage that extends from the side of the first passage 10 (the left side in the figure) diagonally relative to the traveling direction and forward, away from the entrance 51, and is wide enough for one grazing cow C to travel through. The length of the second passage 20 in the traveling direction (diagonal direction) may be, for example, about 1.1 m to 2.0 m. The second passage 20 is partitioned on both sides in the width direction by a third extension 21 and a fourth extension 22 that extend opposite to each other. The distance between the third extension 21 and the fourth extension 22 (the width of the second passage 20) may be, for example, about 0.8 m to 0.9 m, and may be 100% or more and 113% or less of the width of the grazing cow C.

[0028] The third extension portion 21 is a portion extending in the above-mentioned oblique direction from the rear end of the forward extension portion 12b. The third extension portion 21 extends in an oblique direction inclined at an angle of 30 to 60 degrees with respect to the traveling direction (vertical direction in the figure) of the first passage portion 10 described above. The front end 21x of the third extension portion 21 extends forward of the front end portion 13 of the first passage portion 10 in the traveling direction (vertical direction in the figure) of the first passage portion 10. The third extension portion 21 may be composed of a single piece, or may be composed of multiple pieces overlapping in the height direction. The position of the third extension portion 21 is fixed, for example, by one or more fixing portions (not shown) that are fixed to the ground and extend in the height direction.

[0029] The fourth extension portion 22 is a portion that extends in the above-mentioned oblique direction from the front end of the rear extension portion 12a. The fourth extension portion 22 extends in a direction that is inclined at an angle of 30 to 60 degrees with respect to the traveling direction (vertical direction in the figure) in the above-mentioned first passage portion 10. The fourth extension portion 22 may be composed of a single piece, or may be composed of multiple pieces that overlap in the height direction. The position of the fourth extension portion 22 is fixed, for example, by one or more fixing portions (not shown) that are fixed to the ground and extend in the height direction.

[0030] (Action and effect) The individual management device 1 for grazing cows C comprises a first passage section 10 having partitions on both sides and wide enough for one grazing cow C entering through the entrance to pass through; a supply section 30 located forward of the front end 13 of the first passage section 10 in the direction of travel and for supplying water or food to the grazing cows C moving forward through the first passage section 10; a weight measuring device 40 (individual management processing section) for measuring the weight of the grazing cows C being watered or fed in the supply section 30; and a second passage section 20 extending from the side of the first passage section 10 diagonally to the direction of travel and away from the entrance and having partitions on both sides and wide enough for one grazing cow C to pass through.

[0031] In the individual management device 1 for grazing cattle C according to this embodiment, a supply unit 30 for supplying water or feed is provided ahead of the front end 13 of the first passage 10 in the direction of travel. Animals have active behavioral characteristics, moving straight and seeking water or feed. Therefore, it is expected that a grazing cattle C that enters the first passage 10 will continue to move straight to the supply unit 30. In this state, weight measurement is performed using the weight measuring device 40, allowing for smooth individual management. However, in such an individual management device, it is considered that individual management is not performed appropriately due to animals pushing against each other. This pushing against each other can occur, for example, when there is only one entrance and exit for animals and the animals become stuck in the passage, or when there are separate entrances and exits and the animals enter from both. In this regard, the individual management device 1 for grazing cattle C according to this embodiment is first provided with a second passage 20 that extends diagonally forward (diagonally and away from the entrance) from the side of the first passage 10, so that grazing cattle C that have entered the first passage 10 can exit the individual management device 1 via the second passage 20, preventing animals from jostling each other due to grazing cattle C remaining in the passage. Also, considering the active behavioral characteristics of grazing cattle C (moving straight and seeking water, etc.), if a cattle enters the individual management device 1 from the second passage 20, the more straight it goes, the further it will get from water, etc., so it is thought that the possibility of it choosing such a path is reduced. That is, even in a configuration with two entrances and exits, when the shapes and positions of the first passage section 10, the supply section 30, and the second passage section 20 are taken into consideration, the first passage section 10 becomes the entrance and the second passage section 20 becomes the exit, and the flow line of the grazing cattle C becomes constant, which prevents the grazing cattle C from entering through different entrances and jostling with each other. In this way, with a configuration that prevents the grazing cattle C from jostling with each other, it is possible to more appropriately manage the individual grazing cattle C.

[0032] The first passage section 10 is partitioned on both sides by a first extension section 11 and a second extension section 12 that extend in the traveling direction while facing each other, and the second extension section 12 has a rear extension section 12a that extends in the traveling direction from the inlet 51 to the rear end of the point where it communicates with the second passage section 20, and a front extension section 12b that extends in the traveling direction from the front end of the point where it communicates with the second passage section 20 to the front end section 13 of the first passage section 10, and the second passage section 20 may be partitioned on both sides by a third extension section 21 that extends obliquely from the rear end of the forward extension section 12b and a fourth extension section 22 that extends obliquely from the front end of the rear extension section 12a. In this way, with the front extension 12b provided and the third extension 21 extending diagonally from the rear end of the front extension 12b dividing the second passage 20, grazing cattle C that enter the second passage 20 from the exit 52 side will be guided to a position away from the supply section 30 by the length from the rear end of the front extension 12b to the supply section 30. This makes it possible to make the grazing cattle C recognize that they cannot reach the supply section 30 even if they enter the second passage 20 from the exit 52 side, and it is possible to prevent the grazing cattle C from entering from the second passage 20. This makes it possible to more reliably prevent the grazing cattle C from pushing against each other.

[0033] The length in the traveling direction from the rear end of the forward extension portion 12b to the supply portion 30 may be longer than the neck length of the grazing cattle C. In this way, by making the length from the rear end of the forward extension portion 12b to the supply portion 30 longer than the neck length of the target grazing cattle C, even if the grazing cattle C enter from the exit 52 side of the second passage portion 20, the grazing cattle C cannot get their mouths close to the supply portion 30, which is provided further forward than the front end portion 13 of the first passage portion 10. This makes it possible to make the grazing cattle C recognize that even if they enter from the exit 52 side of the second passage portion 20, they will not be able to reach the supply portion 30, and it is possible to prevent the grazing cattle C from entering from the second passage portion 20. This makes it possible to more reliably prevent the grazing cattle C from pushing against each other.

[0034] The front end 21x of the third extension portion 21 may extend further forward than the front end portion 13 of the first passage portion 10 in the traveling direction of the first passage portion 10. With this configuration, it is possible to appropriately prevent the grazing cattle C from directly reaching the supply section 30 from the exit 52 side of the second passage portion 20. This makes it possible to more reliably prevent the grazing cattle C from pushing against each other.

[0035] The distance between the third extension portion 21 and the fourth extension portion 22 in the second passage portion 20 may be 100% or more and 113% or less of the width of the grazing cattle C. With this configuration, the second passage portion 20 can be narrowed to an extent that, for example, grazing cattle C entering from the exit 52 side of the second passage portion 20 cannot turn toward the supply section 30. This makes it possible to make the grazing cattle C recognize that they cannot reach the supply section 30 even if they enter from the exit 52 side of the second passage portion 20, and it is possible to prevent the grazing cattle C from entering from the second passage portion 20. This makes it possible to more reliably prevent the grazing cattle C from pushing against each other.

[0036] The third extension portion 21 and the fourth extension portion 22 may extend in an oblique direction inclined at an angle of 30° to 60° with respect to the direction of travel in the first passage portion 10. With this configuration, the grazing cattle C led from the first passage portion 10 can be smoothly led to the second passage portion 20. Note that the individual management device 1 according to this embodiment does not have any moving parts such as automatic doors at the entrances and exits, so individual management can be carried out appropriately without complex electrical control. Furthermore, the individual management device 1 according to this embodiment can be carried out appropriately even if a manager (person) is not present at the installation location.

[0037] The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments. For example, in the above-described embodiments, an example was described in which the individual identification unit, which is a component of the individual management processing unit, is an IC tag receiver that reads the IC tag of the grazing cattle C. In such a configuration, problems such as malfunctions of the IC tag receiver and high implementation costs arise. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an individual management device 1A according to a modified example, and an individual management system 100 including the individual management device 1A. The individual management system 100 including the individual management device 1A according to the modified example performs individual management (weight management) of grazing cattle by analyzing images captured by a general sensor camera 70 (camera) without reading IC tags. The configuration of the individual management system 100 is described below.

[0038] 3, the individual management system 100 comprises an individual management device 1A, a cloud-based server 80, a processing terminal 90 (analysis device), and a monitoring terminal 95 (terminal). The individual management device 1A has a configuration similar to that of the individual management device 1 described in the embodiment, but in addition to the configuration of the individual management device 1, it also comprises a sensor camera 70 and a weight measuring device indicator 75 (indicator). In the configuration according to the modified example, a device displaying an individual number is attached to the grazing cow C.

[0039] The weight measuring device indicator 75 is an indicator that displays the measurement value obtained by the weight measuring device 40 that measures the weight of the grazing cow C that has been guided by the supplying section 30 to a predetermined position in the first passage section 10 (a position where water supply, etc. is possible). For example, in the example shown in Figure 4, the weight measuring device indicator 75 displays 512 kg, which is the measurement value obtained by the weight measuring device 40. The weight measuring device indicator 75 is provided, for example, on one side of the rear end of the supplying section 30 in the width direction, with the display surface facing the other side in the width direction.

[0040] The sensor camera 70 is a camera that captures images of the display on the weight measuring device indicator 75 and the individual number of the grazing cow C displayed on an attachment attached to the grazing cow C. The sensor camera 70 is installed in a position where it can capture images of the display surface of the weight measuring device indicator 75 and the attachment (the surface on which the individual number is visible) of the grazing cow C during weight measurement, and is installed on the opposite side in the width direction from the weight measuring device indicator 75. The sensor camera 70 outputs the captured images to a server 80 on the cloud (for example, by email).

[0041] The server 80 stores the captured images transmitted from the sensor camera 70. The processing terminal 90 acquires the captured images from the server 80. By analyzing the captured images output from the sensor camera 70, the processing terminal 90 identifies the weight from the display of the weight measuring device indicator 75, identifies the individual number, and transmits information associating the identified individual number with the weight to the monitoring terminal 95. The processing terminal 90 may read and automatically extract the weight and individual number from the captured images using AI technology and an image processing library such as YOLO (You Only Look Once) or OCR (Optical Character Recognition).

[0042] Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating individual management based on captured images. As shown in Figure 4(a), the sensor camera 70 captures an image of the display of the weight measuring device indicator 75, and as shown in Figure 4(b), the captured image is analyzed in the processing terminal 90 to derive information that associates the individual number, weight, and recording time. The monitoring terminal 95 is a monitoring terminal held by the manager of the grazing cattle C. The manager can understand the status of all the grazing cattle C (weight transitions and measurement times) by viewing the information sent to the monitoring terminal 95 (see Figure 4(b)).

[0043] As described above, the individual management device 1A may include a weight measuring device 40 that measures the weight of the grazing cattle, a weight measuring device indicator 75 that displays the measurement value obtained by the weight measuring device 40, and a sensor camera 70 that captures an image of the display on the weight measuring device indicator 75 and the individual number of the grazing cattle C that is displayed on an attachment worn by the grazing cattle C. With this configuration, the sensor camera 70 captures an image of the weight measurement value of the grazing cattle C that is displayed on the weight measuring device indicator 75 and the individual number that is displayed on the attachment worn by the grazing cattle C. For example, by analyzing the captured image in this manner, it is possible to easily and accurately extract the individual number and the weight measurement in association with each other. With this configuration, it is possible to more appropriately perform individual management (weight management) of the grazing cattle C.

[0044] The individual management system 100 includes the individual management device 1A and a processing terminal 90 that analyzes the captured image output from the sensor camera 70 to identify the weight from the display of the weight measuring device indicator 75, identifies the individual number, and transmits information correlating the identified individual number with the weight to the monitoring terminal 95. With this configuration, the processing terminal 90 can analyze the captured image output from the sensor camera 70 and extract the individual number and weight measurement value in an appropriate correspondence. Then, the information correlating the individual number with the weight measurement value is transmitted to the monitoring terminal 95 for monitoring by a manager or the like, thereby enabling appropriate individual management (weight management) of the grazing cattle C with a simple configuration that reduces implementation costs. [Explanation of symbols]

[0045] 1, 1A...individual management device, 10...first passage section, 11...first extension section, 12...second extension section, 12a...rear extension section, 12b...front extension section, 13...front end section, 20...second passage section, 21...third extension section, 21x...front end section, 22...fourth extension section, 30...supply section, 40...weight measuring device (individual management processing section), 51...entrance, 52...exit, 70...sensor camera (camera), 75...weight measuring device indicator (indicator), 90...processing terminal (analysis device), 95...monitoring terminal (terminal).

Claims

1. a first passageway having partitions on both sides and a width allowing one animal entering through the entrance to pass through; a supply unit provided forward of a front end of the first passage in a traveling direction, the supply unit supplying water or food to animals traveling along the first passage; an individual management processing unit that performs processing related to individual management for the animals being watered or fed in the replenishing unit; An animal individual management device comprising: a second passageway extending from the side of the first passageway in a direction diagonal to the direction of travel and away from the entrance, the second passageway being wide enough for one animal to travel through and having partitions on both sides.

2. The first passage portion is partitioned on both sides by a first extension portion and a second extension portion that face each other and extend in the traveling direction, the second extension portion has a rearward extension portion that extends in the traveling direction from the inlet to a rear end of a portion that communicates with the second passage portion, and a forward extension portion that extends in the traveling direction from a front end of the portion that communicates with the second passage portion to a front end of the first passage portion, The individual management device of claim 1, wherein the second passage portion is partitioned on both sides by a third extension portion extending diagonally from the rear end of the forward extension portion, and a fourth extension portion extending diagonally from the front end of the rear extension portion.

3. The individual management device according to claim 2 , wherein the length from the rear end of the forward extension to the supply part in the direction of travel is longer than the length of the animal's neck.

4. The individual object management device according to claim 2 , wherein a front end of the third extension portion extends forward of a front end of the first passage portion in the traveling direction.

5. 3. The individual management device according to claim 2, wherein the distance between the third extension portion and the fourth extension portion in the second passage portion is 100% or more and 113% or less of the width of the animal.

6. 6. The individual management device according to claim 2, wherein the third extension portion and the fourth extension portion extend in the oblique direction inclined at an angle of 30° to 60° with respect to the direction of travel.

7. The individual management processing unit is an individual management device according to any one of claims 2 to 5, comprising: a weighing device for measuring the weight of an animal; an indicator for displaying the measurement value obtained by the weighing device; and a camera for capturing an image of the display of the indicator and the individual number of the animal displayed on an attachment attached to the animal.

8. The individual management device according to claim 7; An individual management system comprising: an analysis device that analyzes the captured image output from the camera to determine the weight from the display of the indicator and the individual number, and transmits information correlating the determined individual number with the weight to a terminal for monitoring.

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