Livestock Rearing System

Abstract

To provide a farm animal culture system in which a superheat steam heater is used in a livestock barn, for warming a body of a farm animal and sterilizing the livestock barn.SOLUTION: A farm animal culture system comprises: warming means for warming farm animals using superheat steam; and body temperature information acquiring means for acquiring body temperature information of the warmed farm animals. The farm animal culture system further has: superheat steam generation amount change means for setting in advance a regulated body temperature, as a preferable body temperature for maintaining health of farm animals, and changing a generation amount of the superheat steam so that the acquired body temperatures of the farm animals approximate the regulated body temperature.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a system for raising livestock using a superheated steam heater, a livestock raising device using a superheated steam heater, and a livestock raising method using a superheated steam heater. The present invention also relates to a system for raising pigs using a superheated steam heater in a piggery, a pig raising device using a superheated steam heater, and a pig raising method using a superheated steam heater. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a superheated steam heater that emits far infrared rays, but does not describe using the superheated steam heater for livestock in livestock houses. When using a superheated steam heater for raising animals, care must be taken to prevent the body temperature from rising too high, and there was no thought of using it for animals.

[0003] Patent Document 2 describes a method for raising animals by irradiating far-infrared rays. However, the far-infrared rays are emitted from a far-infrared heater, and not from a superheated steam heater. When far-infrared rays are emitted from a far-infrared heater, the far-infrared rays only reach the area around the heater. In contrast, when a superheated steam heater is used, the superheated steam fills every corner of the livestock house, and the far-infrared rays also fall on the entire livestock house. Therefore, when a superheated steam heater is used, the effect of warming livestock is much higher than when a far-infrared heater is used. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 4671076 [Patent Document 2] Patent Publication No. 2005-287428 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The objective of the present invention is to warm the bodies of livestock using a superheated steam heater.

[0006] To provide an object of the present invention to warm the bodies of livestock using a superheated steam heater, thereby making the livestock more active.

[0007] When multiple livestock are kept in the same livestock house, the results of using a superheated steam heater to warm the livestock vary depending on the individual livestock. Taking such individual differences into account, the goal is to prevent health damage to as many livestock as possible.

[0008] Among livestock, pigs do not sweat, so the effects of heating their bodies appear immediately. The objective of this study is to prevent health damage when using a superheated steam heater to warm pigs' bodies. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] (1) The problem is solved by a livestock rearing system that includes a heating means for warming livestock using superheated steam, a body temperature information acquisition means for acquiring body temperature information of the livestock heated by the heating means, and a superheated steam generation amount change means for changing the amount of superheated steam generated so that the acquired body temperature of the livestock acquired by the body temperature information acquisition means approaches a predetermined specified body temperature of the livestock. When superheated steam is used to warm livestock, it fills every corner of the livestock barn, allowing the livestock to be warmed efficiently. Superheated steam is also thought to generate far infrared rays, which has the effect of destroying bacteria in the air and improving odors while heating the livestock. A means of acquiring the livestock's body temperature is required to keep the livestock's body temperature from rising too high. The prescribed body temperature is the body temperature that is desirable for maintaining the health of livestock. By setting a "prescribed body temperature" in advance and allowing the livestock's body temperature to approach the prescribed body temperature, the livestock can be kept healthy. (2) The problem is solved by the livestock raising system described in claim 1, characterized in that the body temperature information acquisition means acquires the body temperature information of the livestock by taking a thermographic image of the livestock. By using a thermographic image, body temperature information can be easily obtained. Body temperature information of livestock can be obtained using a general thermometer as well as a thermographic image. Also, a radiation thermometer can be used to pinpoint specific livestock. (3) The problem is solved by the livestock raising system described in claim 1, characterized in that the body temperature information acquisition means acquires the body temperature information of the livestock based on the room temperature of the livestock house in which the livestock are raised. Since the room temperature of a livestock house closely affects the body temperature of the livestock themselves, information about the body temperature of the livestock can be obtained from the room temperature. (4) The problem is solved by a livestock rearing system described in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the superheated steam generation amount change means changes the amount of superheated steam generated depending on the body temperature difference between the specified body temperature of the livestock and the acquired body temperature of the livestock acquired by the body temperature information acquisition means. When there is a large difference between the specified body temperature, which is the livestock's preferred body temperature, and the acquired body temperature, which is the livestock's actual body temperature, the amount of superheated steam generated must be changed significantly, whereas when there is a small difference between the specified body temperature and the acquired body temperature, the change in the amount of superheated steam generated can be small. (5) The problem is solved by the livestock breeding system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the superheated steam generation amount change means changes the amount of water vapor generated by changing the amount of heat used to heat the water vapor. (6) The problem is solved by the livestock rearing system described in claim 5, characterized in that the heating means is equipped with multiple coils for heating the air in the livestock house, and the amount of heat used to heat the water vapor can be changed by changing the number of coils to be heated. (7) The problem is solved by the livestock rearing system described in claim 6, characterized in that the amount of heat used to heat the water vapor is changed by heating only a heating coil that is set in advance according to the body temperature difference between the specified body temperature of the livestock and the acquired body temperature of the livestock. (8) The problem is solved by a livestock rearing system described in any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the heating means includes a heating mechanism that heats water to generate water vapor, a water circulation mechanism that circulates the water that becomes the source of the water vapor, and a blower mechanism that sends air from the livestock house in which the livestock are raised to the heating mechanism. (9) The problem is solved by the livestock raising system described in claim 8, characterized in that the amount of air sent from the blowing mechanism to the heating mechanism is a predetermined amount and cannot be changed. By preventing the amount of air sent to the heating mechanism from being changed, the temperature, quantity, and quality of the superheated steam can be kept constant. (10) The problem is solved by the livestock rearing system according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the superheated steam is constantly generated and the amount generated does not reach zero. If there is an opportunity for the amount of superheated steam generated to drop to zero, it will result in changes in the body temperature of the livestock, causing stress to the livestock, so it is desirable for superheated steam to be generated at all times. (11) The problem is solved by a livestock breeding system according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the livestock are warmed by far infrared rays generated from the superheated steam. When the superheated steam is cooled, it releases condensation heat, generating far infrared rays. The condensation heat transmits heat deep into the livestock, warming them. (12) The problem is solved by a livestock breeding system described in any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the livestock is a pig. Pigs do not sweat and are therefore unable to regulate their body temperature adequately, so the effect of using superheated steam to warm them is greater than that of other livestock. (13) The problem is solved by a livestock breeding device that includes a heating mechanism that warms livestock using superheated steam, a body temperature information acquisition mechanism that acquires body temperature information of the livestock heated by the heating mechanism, and a superheated steam generation amount change mechanism that changes the amount of superheated steam generated so that the acquired body temperature of the livestock acquired by the body temperature information acquisition mechanism approaches a preset specified body temperature of the livestock. (14) The problem is solved by a livestock raising method including a heating process for warming livestock using superheated steam, a body temperature information acquisition process for acquiring body temperature information of the livestock warmed by the heating process, and a superheated steam generation amount change process for changing the amount of superheated steam generated so that the acquired body temperature of the livestock acquired by the body temperature information acquisition process approaches a preset specified body temperature of the livestock. Effect of the Invention

[0010] Superheated steam heaters can be used to keep livestock warm.

[0011] By using a superheated steam heater to warm the bodies of livestock, the animals become more active.

[0012] When multiple livestock are raised by the same owner, the results of using a superheated steam heater to warm the livestock vary depending on the individual differences of the livestock. Taking such individual differences into account, it is important to ensure that as many livestock as possible are not harmed by health problems.

[0013] Among livestock, pigs do not sweat, so the effects of heating their bodies appear immediately. When using a superheated steam heater to warm pigs' bodies, the health hazards are extremely low. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining an overview of the first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 13 is a flowchart illustrating a proper body temperature maintenance program. [Diagram 3] 11 is a flowchart illustrating an appropriate room temperature maintaining program. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining a first embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the effect of the rearing method according to Example 1 of the present application. [Figure 6] 5 is a flowchart illustrating a superheated steam generation amount adjustment program. [Figure 7]FIG. 13 is a diagram showing proper heating coil information (for body temperature). [Figure 8] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing proper heating coil information (for room temperature). [Figure 9] The results of a comparative experiment between a pig house using a superheated steam heater and a pig house using a normal heater are shown in numerical form. [Figure 10] The photographs show the results of a comparative experiment between a pig house using a superheated steam heater and a pig house using a normal heater. [Figure 11] The results of a comparative experiment between a pig house using a superheated steam heater and a pig house using a normal heater are shown on a thermography screen. [Explanation of symbols]

[0015] 1. Pig Farm 10. Superheated steam heater terminal 20 Thermography image capture device terminal 30 Pig Farm Terminal 40 Internet 50 Servers 51 Processing program information storage area 52 Memory information storage area 60 Superheated steam generator 61 Fans 62 Superheated steam generator unit 63 water 64 Upper 65 Heating chamber 66 Coil Room DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS EXAMPLES

[0016] [The entire present invention] The overall outline of the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

[0017] Pigs are raised in the pigpen 1. The pigpen is equipped with a superheated steam heater 10 and a thermographic image shooting device terminal 20. Although not shown, the livestock pen is further equipped with measuring instruments such as a thermometer, a hygrometer, and a barometer, and devices such as a video camera. These devices are used to measure the conditions inside the livestock pen and take videos. The superheated steam heater terminal 10, the thermographic image shooting device terminal 20, other devices, and the pigpen terminal 30 are connected to a server 50 and an information and communication network such as the Internet 40 so as to be able to exchange information.

[0018] Superheated steam is emitted from the superheated steam heater. The superheated steam spreads vertically and horizontally throughout the pig house in a short time. Since superheated steam emits far infrared rays when it cools down, the superheated steam that spreads throughout the pig house brings far infrared rays to every corner of the pig house.

[0019] The thermographic image capturing device captures thermographic images of the pigpen. The capturing device may be installed in the pigpen or may be a separate, mobile camera.

[0020] The server 50 stores a processing program information storage area 51 and a memory information storage area 52. The processing program information storage area 51 stores an appropriate body temperature maintenance program, an appropriate room temperature maintenance program, and a superheated steam generation amount adjustment program. The memory information area 52 stores specified range (body temperature / room temperature) information, appropriate heating coil information (for body temperature, for room temperature), thermography image information, video information, measurement information, and judgment information. The appropriate body temperature maintenance program will be described in FIG. 2 and the like. The appropriate room temperature maintenance program will be described in FIG. 3 and the like. The superheated steam generation amount adjustment program will be described in FIG. 6 and the like. The appropriate heating coil information (for body temperature, for room temperature) will be described in FIG. 7, FIG. 8, and the like. The thermography image information is exemplified in FIG. 11. The video information is video information of the livestock house. The measurement information is information such as date and time, temperature, humidity, outdoor temperature, indoor temperature, odor intensity, average body temperature of pigs, pig weight gain, and accident rate. The judgment information is information on judgments made in accordance with each of the above programs.

[0021] The stored information of the thermographic images, the measured results, the judgment results, and the instructions given as a result of the judgment are recorded and stored together with other information and are used as reference material for making better judgments thereafter.

[0022] The optimum body temperature maintenance program will be explained with reference to Figure 2. The CPU of the server 50 acquires information on a thermographic image of the pigpen from the pigpen terminal 30 (S1).

[0023] The CPU of the server 50 acquires the body temperature information of the pigs from the thermographic image (S2). As shown in FIG. 11, the thermographic image shows the average temperature and maximum temperature of the subject, as well as the body temperature of each pig by color on the screen. The body temperature of each pig to be acquired by the CPU of the server 50 is appropriately determined according to the situation. For example, the average body temperature (37.6°C in the case of the superheated steam heater in FIG. 11) may be used. Also, for example, the maximum temperature (41.0°C in the case of the superheated steam heater in FIG. 11) may be used, since there are many cases where the body temperature becomes too high. Also, for example, the body temperature of the weakest pig may be grasped and used as the body temperature of the pig to be acquired. By using the body temperature of the weakest pig as the body temperature of the pig acquired by the CPU, it is possible to maintain the appropriate body temperature of many pigs in the pigpen, including the weakest pigs.

[0024] The CPU of the server 50 judges whether the pig's body temperature is within a specified range (S3). The specified range is a temperature range that is considered to be appropriate if it is within that range. For example, the specified range for the pig's body temperature is set to 39°C to 40°C. If the pig's body temperature is not within the specified range, the amount of superheated steam generated is adjusted (S4). The program for adjusting the amount of superheated steam generated is as shown in Figure 6. If the pig's body temperature is within the specified range, the program ends.

[0025] The appropriate room temperature maintenance program will be described with reference to Fig. 3. The CPU of the server 50 acquires information on the room temperature in the pigpen from the pigpen terminal (S5).

[0026] The CPU of the server 50 judges whether the indoor temperature of the pigpen is within a specified range (S6). The specified range is a temperature range that is considered to be an appropriate temperature if it is within that range. For example, the specified range of the indoor temperature of the pigpen is set to 25°C to 28°C. If the indoor temperature of the pigpen is not within the specified range, the amount of superheated steam generated is adjusted (S7). The program for adjusting the amount of superheated steam generated is as shown in FIG. 6. If the indoor temperature of the pigpen is within the specified range, the program ends.

[0027] The mechanism for regulating the amount of superheated steam generated according to the present application will be described with reference to Figures 4, 5 and 6. Figure 4 shows a superheated steam generator 60. Figure 4(a) shows the entire superheated steam generator, and Figure 4(b) shows one of the superheated steam generator units 62 indicated by the symbols a, b, c, d, e and f in (a). Each of the superheated steam generator units indicated by the symbols a, b, c, d, e and f has the same mechanism as that shown in Figure 4(b).

[0028] The superheated steam generator 60 is installed in the pigpen. The superheated steam generator 60 is equipped with a superheated steam heater terminal 10 (FIG. 1). As shown in FIG. 4(a), the superheated steam generator 60 takes in air from the pigpen and sends it into the device with the power of a fan 61. The superheated steam generator 60 is equipped with multiple superheated steam generator units 62. The superheated steam generator shown in the figure is equipped with six superheated steam generator units 62, labeled a to f. The superheated steam generated by the superheated steam generator units 62 is collected and released to the outside via a fan 68. As shown in FIG. 4(b), the superheated steam generator unit 62 is equipped with a coil chamber 66 and a heating chamber 65 inside. The coil chamber 66 is equipped with a coil, and the coil is heated by electricity. The superheated steam generator is equipped with a mechanism for supplying water from the outside (not shown), and the heating chamber 65 contains the taken-in water (63). The heating chamber 65 is adjacent to the coil chamber 66, and the water 63 in the heating chamber 65 is heated by the coil in the coil chamber to generate steam. The heating chamber 65 extends in the vertical direction, and the water 63 does not fill the entire heating chamber. The steam generated by heating is contained in the upper part 64 of the heating chamber 65. The generated steam is further heated in the upper part 64 of the heating chamber 65 by mixing with the air heated by the coil, and becomes superheated steam.

[0029] The air in the pig house is sterilized as it is heated in the coil room, and odors and pathogens are killed. In this way, the air in the house is sterilized as it passes through the superheated steam heating device. As a result, the air is purified and odors disappear.

[0030] The coil in the coil chamber 66 of each superheated steam generator unit 62 can be turned on and off independently for each unit.

[0031] Figure 5 shows the relationship between the amount of superheated steam generated and the changes in the pigs' body temperature.

[0032] Figure 5 (a) shows the pig's body temperature changing when all the heating coils are turned on or off. Pigs are not good at regulating their body temperature, and changes in the outside temperature immediately affect their body temperature. For this reason, when the power to all the coil chambers is turned off and the amount of superheated steam generated is reduced to zero, the body temperature drops from 39°C to 37°C. On the other hand, when the power to all the coil chambers is turned on and the amount of superheated steam generated is increased, the body temperature rises from 37°C to 39°C. Such fluctuations in body temperature are stressful for the pig and are not good for its health.

[0033] In Fig. 5(b), instead of turning all the coil chambers on and off, the six individual heating coils are turned on in the order shown in the graph, with five coils on, six coils on, five coils on, four coils on, four coils on, etc., with the number of coils turned on changing, but one of the coils is always on, so that superheated steam continues to be generated. In this case, as is clear from the graph showing the pig's body temperature following this, the pig's body temperature remains unchanged at 39°C. This means that the pig does not feel stressed by changes in body temperature.

[0034] In other words, while one countermeasure to cases where the pigs' body temperatures have risen too high due to excessive use of the superheated steam heater is to temporarily stop heating using the superheated steam heater, it is not desirable to completely stop generating superheated steam.

[0035] In the present invention, when adjusting the body temperature of a pig, only some of the heating coils are turned on to reduce the number of heating coils in operation. For example, only the heating coils with diagonal lines in Fig. 4 (coil a and coil b) are turned on. In this way, even if the amount of superheated steam generated increases or decreases, a situation in which no superheated steam is generated can be avoided.

[0036] One way to adjust the amount of superheated steam generated is to reduce the number of revolutions of the fan 61 to reduce the amount of air sent into the superheated steam generator, but as will be explained below, this is also undesirable. If the number of revolutions of the fan 61 is reduced to reduce the amount of air sent into the superheated steam generator, the amount of air sent into each coil chamber 66 will decrease. The superheated steam generated from each superheated steam generator unit 62 is superheated by the air that has passed through the coil chamber and been warmed. Therefore, if the amount of air that has passed through the coil chamber and been warmed decreases, the steam will not be heated sufficiently, and the temperature of the superheated steam will decrease, resulting in a deterioration in quality. The amount of superheated steam will also decrease.

[0037] In the present application, when adjusting the body temperature of the pigs, the volume of air in the pigpen sent into the superheated steam heating device is kept constant. As a result, the temperature of the superheated steam generated from each superheated steam generator unit does not change and a predetermined high temperature can be maintained, and a predetermined amount of good quality superheated steam can be obtained. When the volume of air in the pigpen sent into the superheated steam heating device is kept constant, even if the heating coil of one of the superheated steam generator units 62 is turned off, the air passes through with the same force as when the power is on.

[0038] The superheated steam generation rate adjustment program will be explained with reference to FIG. 6. The superheated steam generation rate adjustment program shown in FIG. 6 starts when it is determined in S3 of the proper body temperature maintenance program that the pig's body temperature is not within the specified range (S4). The CPU of the server 50 acquires the temperature difference between the current body temperature and the upper or lower limit of the specified range (S8). The temperature difference can be acquired on a computer using existing calculation software. The CPU of the server 50 determines the heating coil based on the proper heating coil information (for body temperature) (FIG. 7) (S9). That is, for example, when the pig's body temperature is 41°C, the specified range for the pig's body temperature is set to 39°C to 40°C, so the difference from the upper limit of the specified range is +1°C. According to the proper heating coil information (for body temperature), when the temperature difference is +1°C, the coils to be heated are determined to be a, b, and c.

[0039] The CPU of the server 50 turns off the power to the coils other than the coil to be heated (S10). That is, in the example of a body temperature of 41° C., the power to the coils d, e, and f is turned off. The task of turning off the power to the coils d, e, and f can be performed on a computer using existing methods without human intervention.

[0040] If the CPU of the server 50 determines in S6 of the proper room temperature maintenance program that the room temperature is not within a specified range (S7), it uses the proper heating coil information (for room temperature) (FIG. 8) to turn off the power to the necessary coils by a program similar to that shown in FIG. 6. Details of the program are omitted.

[0041] [Experimental Results] Figure 9 shows the numerical results of a comparative experiment between a pig house using a superheated steam heater and a pig house using a normal heater.

[0042] In the case of using the superheated steam heater, 40-day-old weaned pigs were raised for approximately 60 days from February 8, 2019. The average room temperature was 27.1°C, the average humidity was 70.0%, the odor intensity was 700 to 800 when the outdoor air temperature was zero, the average body temperature of the pigs was 38.0°C, the weight gain was 441g per day, and the accident rate was 2 deaths out of 379 pigs (0·005%). On the first day of the experiment, the piglets were clinging to each other and staying still in the corners of the pigpen before the superheated steam heater was used, but about 5 minutes after the heater was turned on, they were widely scattered throughout the pigpen and were seen to be moving actively and eating feed. After that, they continued to move actively and ate a lot of feed.

[0043] In the case where a superheated steam heater was not used, 46-day-old weaned pigs were raised for approximately 60 days from February 14, 2019. The average temperature was 26.8°C, the average indoor humidity was 76.0%, the odor intensity was 1,150 when the outdoor air temperature was zero, the average body temperature of the pigs was 36.0°C, the weight gain was 403g per day, and the mortality rate was 5 deaths out of 385 pigs (0 013%). The piglets were listless and remained motionless, huddled together in the corner of the room on top of the floor heating, sticking together to each other.

[0044] Figure 10 shows the results of a comparative experiment between a pigpen using a superheated steam heater and a pigpen using a normal heater. In the pigpen using a superheated steam heater, the pigs can be seen scattering around the pigpen and being very active. In the pigpen without a superheated steam heater, the pigs are slow to move around and do not scatter around the pigpen as much.

[0045] Figure 11 shows the results of a comparative experiment between a pigpen using a superheated steam heater and a pigpen using a normal heater, as shown on a thermography screen. In the pigpen using a superheated steam heater, the pigs' body temperatures averaged 37.6°C, with a maximum temperature of 41.6°C. In the pigpen using a normal heater, the pigs' body temperatures averaged 35.3°C, with a maximum temperature of 36.7°C.

Claims

[Claim 1] A heating means for warming livestock using superheated steam; a body temperature information acquiring means for acquiring body temperature information of the livestock heated by the heating means; a superheated steam generation amount changing means for changing an amount of superheated steam generated so that the acquired body temperature of the livestock acquired by the body temperature information acquiring means approaches a preset specified body temperature of the livestock, The superheated steam generation amount change means changes the amount of steam generation by changing the amount of heat used to heat the steam, the heating means includes a plurality of coils for heating the air in the livestock house, and the amount of heat for heating the water vapor is changed by changing the number of coils to be heated; A livestock breeding system in which the amount of heat used to heat the water vapor is changed by heating only a preset heating coil in accordance with the difference between the specified body temperature of the livestock and the acquired body temperature of the livestock.

Images