Feeding system for livestock

Abstract

A livestock barn feed supply system according to one embodiment of the present invention is a system for supplying feed in a livestock barn in which a plurality of rearing compartments are installed on both sides of a passageway, comprising: a main rail installed above the passageway; a feed tank installed below the main rail so as to be movable along the main rail and having a main feed stored in its internal space; a chute extending from the bottom of the feed tank to deliver the main feed discharged from the feed tank to a feed container in each rearing compartment, wherein the upper end is rotatably connected to the bottom of the feed tank and is formed with an inclined surface so as to descend from the bottom of the feed tank toward the feed container; a main distributor that discharges a certain amount of main feed from the feed tank into the chute; a control unit that regulates the amount of main feed discharged from the main distributor; an auxiliary rail installed longitudinally along the passageway above the rearing compartment; and auxiliary supports installed extending from both sides of the feed tank. The apparatus includes an auxiliary wheel rotatably coupled to the auxiliary support and traveling along the auxiliary rail, wherein the auxiliary rail and the auxiliary wheel are configured to suppress shaking of the feed tank when the feed tank moves, and the auxiliary support is equipped with a reader that receives information on the required feed amount from a wireless tag storing information on the required feed amount of livestock housed in each rearing compartment, and the control unit adjusts the discharge amount of the main distributor according to the information on the required feed amount received from the reader.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a livestock barn feed supply system for supplying feed to livestock barns such as cattle and pigs, and more specifically, to a semi-automatic livestock barn feed supply system that allows an elderly worker to easily supply feed to each barn's rearing compartment by himself. Background Technology

[0003] Generally, multiple rearing pens are installed on the left and right sides of a passageway in a livestock barn. A feed trough for feeding is installed in front of these rearing pens, and conventionally, feed was fed by a worker transporting the feed with a shovel or bucket and pouring it into the feed trough.

[0004] However, as the number of rearing pens increased, the frequency of travel between the feed storage and the barn also increased; therefore, to transport more feed, a method was used in which feed was loaded onto handcarts and transported while being fed to each rearing pen.

[0005] However, as the aging of the workforce in the agricultural and livestock industries intensifies, elderly workers lack the physical strength to transport feed in wheelbarrows and find it difficult to maintain balance, thus requiring a more convenient method for feeding animals.

[0006] Consequently, an automatic feed dispenser was developed that automatically moves along rails installed on the floor of the livestock barn passageways to feed each enclosure; however, this automatic feed dispenser had various problems, such as high equipment purchase and installation costs, high repair times and costs due to its complex structure, and complications in cleaning the barn or transporting goods through the passageways caused by the rails installed on the floor, or the requirement to dismantle the equipment entirely before cleaning or transporting goods could be performed.

[0007] Therefore, there is a need to develop a feed dispenser with a simple structure that can be manufactured and installed at a relatively low cost to solve the aforementioned problems, and a feed system that allows for easy cleaning and material transport without dismantling the equipment.

[0009] The matters described above as background technology are intended only to enhance understanding of the background of the present invention and should not be construed as an acknowledgment that they constitute prior art already known to those skilled in the art. Prior art literature

[0011] (Patent Document 0001) KR 10-2023-0045332 A (2023.04.04) The problem to be solved

[0012] The present invention has been devised to solve the aforementioned problems and aims to provide a feed system that allows even the elderly and infirm to easily transport and feed feed, and to easily feed a desired amount of feed according to the condition of the livestock. means of solving the problem

[0014] A livestock barn feed supply system according to one embodiment of the present invention is a system for supplying feed in a livestock barn in which a plurality of rearing compartments are installed on both sides of a passageway, comprising: a main rail installed above the passageway; a feed tank installed below the main rail so as to be movable along the main rail and having a main feed stored in its internal space; a chute extending from the bottom of the feed tank to deliver the main feed discharged from the feed tank to a feed container in each rearing compartment, wherein the upper end is rotatably connected to the bottom of the feed tank and is formed with an inclined surface so as to descend from the bottom of the feed tank toward the feed container; a main distributor that discharges a certain amount of main feed from the feed tank into the chute; a control unit that regulates the amount of main feed discharged from the main distributor; an auxiliary rail installed longitudinally along the passageway above the rearing compartment; and auxiliary supports installed extending from both sides of the feed tank. The apparatus includes an auxiliary wheel rotatably coupled to the auxiliary support and traveling along the auxiliary rail, wherein the auxiliary rail and the auxiliary wheel are configured to suppress shaking of the feed tank when the feed tank moves, and the auxiliary support is equipped with a reader that receives information on the required feed amount from a wireless tag storing information on the required feed amount of livestock housed in each rearing compartment, and the control unit adjusts the discharge amount of the main distributor according to the information on the required feed amount received from the reader.

[0015] delete

[0016] It further includes a load cell installed at the bottom of each breeding compartment; and according to the change in the body weight of the livestock measured by the load cell, the information on the required amount of feed stored in the wireless tag can be updated.

[0017] The apparatus further includes an auxiliary tank installed on the side of the feed tank for storing a main feed and a different type of sub-feed; and a sub-distributor for discharging a certain amount of sub-feed from the auxiliary tank into a chute; wherein the wireless tag stores information on the required amount of feed for the main feed and the required amount of feed for the sub-feed individually, and the control unit can adjust the discharge amount of the main feed and the sub-feed according to the information on the required amount of feed for the main feed and the required amount of feed for the sub-feed received from the reader.

[0018] The main distributor and the sub-distributor have a rotary valve structure, and the control unit controls the discharge amount of the main feed by adjusting the rotational speed of the main distributor according to the information on the required amount of feed of the main feed, and controls the discharge amount of the sub-feed by adjusting the rotational speed of the sub-distributor according to the information on the required amount of feed of the sub-feed.

[0019] The control unit includes a control panel installed on the side of the feed tank, and the control panel may be equipped with a plurality of control buttons capable of operating a main distributor and a sub distributor to discharge a preset amount of main feed and sub feed.

[0020] The control panel may include multiple control buttons for discharging main feed in amounts of 300g, 500g, and 1kg, respectively, and multiple control buttons for discharging sub feed in amounts of 300g, 500g, and 1kg, respectively, and continuously.

[0021] delete

[0022] delete Effects of the invention

[0023] According to the present invention, even the elderly and infirm can easily feed a fixed amount of feed to each breeding compartment by themselves.

[0024] In addition, the status of livestock in each enclosure is received via wireless tags, and the appropriate amount of feed is automatically calculated to provide feeding.

[0025] In addition, since the equipment rails are not installed on the floor, a feed system can be installed that is easy to move along the passageway or to clean. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0027] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a livestock feed system according to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a front view of a livestock feed system according to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the main distributor, sub-distributor, and chute of a livestock feed system according to one embodiment of the present invention. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0028] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings, but the present invention is not limited or restricted by the embodiments. For reference, in this description, the same number refers to substantially the same element, and under this rule, descriptions may be made by citing content described in other drawings, and content that is deemed obvious to those skilled in the art or is repetitive may be omitted.

[0030] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a livestock feed system according to one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a front view of a livestock feed system according to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is an enlarged view showing the main distributor, sub-distributor, and chute of a livestock feed system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] As illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, the livestock feed supply system (100) is a system for supplying feed in a livestock barn in which a plurality of rearing compartments (10) are installed on both sides of a passageway, and comprises a main rail (210) installed above the passageway, a feed tank (110) installed below the main rail (210) so as to be movable along the main rail (210) and having a main feed stored in its internal space, a chute (120) extending from the bottom of the feed tank (110) to deliver the main feed discharged from the feed tank (110) to the feed container (11) of each rearing compartment (10), a main distributor (130) that discharges a certain amount of main feed from the feed tank (110) to the chute (120), and a control unit (300) that controls the amount of main feed discharged from the main distributor (130).

[0033] The present invention is installed in a livestock barn for raising livestock, and the barn may be of a general form used for raising livestock, and may be applied to, for example, a building-type barn constructed by masonry such as bricks, a vinyl greenhouse barn, and various other types of barns.

[0034] Multiple breeding compartments (10) are installed in the livestock barn, and a passageway for workers is installed to feed, transport goods, clean, etc. in these breeding compartments (10).

[0035] The main rail (210) is installed on the upper side of the passageway, and it is preferable that the installation height be higher than the height of a typical worker, specifically at a height of 2m or more, so as not to obstruct the worker's passage.

[0036] The main rail (210) is a configuration capable of moving while supporting the feed tank (110) and other components described below, and its shape or structure can be applied in various ways as long as it can perform this function.

[0037] For example, it may have various structures, such as being installed in the form of a curtain rail so that one or more wheels run along the main rail (210), or being installed in the form of a linear rail including bearings.

[0038] It would be desirable to install a bearing at the joint to reduce friction and allow for easy movement, so that the feed tank (110) supported by the main rail (210) can be easily moved by a worker pushing it by hand.

[0039] The feed tank (110) is configured to store feed, particularly the main feed generally fed to livestock, inside it.

[0040] Livestock may be fed additional supplementary feed, such as medicine or supplementary nutritional supplements, in addition to the general main feed depending on their health condition. The auxiliary tank (140) and sub-dispenser (150) for feeding such supplementary feed will be described in more detail later.

[0041] The feed tank (110) may be configured in a cylindrical or rectangular shape with an internal space, and it is preferable that the lowest part be formed in a hopper shape that gradually narrows, so that the main feed stored inside the feed tank (110) can be easily discharged to the bottom.

[0042] The capacity of the feed tank (110) can be adjusted according to various needs, such as the size of the livestock barn, the number of breeding rooms (10), and the number of livestock, but it may be a small tank with a storage capacity of about 80L, for example. This is so that workers with insufficient physical strength, such as the elderly, can easily move it.

[0043] A main distributor (130) for controlling the supply amount of main feed is installed at the bottom of the feed tank (110), and the amount of main feed delivered to the feed container (11) of the breeding compartment (10) through the chute (120) can be controlled by the operation of this main distributor (130).

[0044] The main distributor (130) may operate by simply controlling the opening and closing so that the main feed is delivered to the chute (120) by gravity while open and the discharge of the main feed is stopped while closed, but since this causes a problem of uneven discharge of the main feed depending on the situation, it is more preferable to form it with a rotary valve structure.

[0045] The rotary valve has a structure in which, as multiple blades rotate, the main feed is supplied to a space of a certain volume formed between each blade, and when rotated at a certain angle, the main feed stored in the space of a certain volume is discharged into the chute (120).

[0046] Therefore, by controlling the rotational speed of the rotary valve type main distributor (130) in the control unit (300), a precise amount of main feed can be supplied accurately.

[0047] At this time, the rotary valve type main distributor (130) is connected to the hopper-type bottom part of the feed tank (110) and can receive a certain amount of main feed descending by gravity and discharge it into the chute (120) installed at the bottom.

[0048] The chute (120) is configured to have an inclined surface structure that guides the main feed discharged from the main distributor (130) to slide down into the feed container (11) of the breeding compartment (10).

[0049] The cross-sectional shape of the chute (120) may be, for example, a downwardly convex semicircle shape, and through this structure, the main feed can be safely delivered to the feed container (11) without overflowing to the left and right sides of the chute (120).

[0050] The upper part of the chute (120) is rotatably connected to the lower part of the main distributor (130), and the lower part can be positioned adjacent to the upper side of the inlet of the feed container (11).

[0051] The reason for installing the chute (120) so that it can be rotated is that, since the breeding compartments (10) are typically installed on both sides of the passageway, when supplying the main feed to the breeding compartment (10) on the right side of the passageway and then supplying the main feed to the breeding compartment on the left side of the passageway, the direction in which the main feed is supplied can be reset simply by rotating the chute (120) without the inconvenience of dismantling and reinstalling the equipment.

[0052] Although not described in detail, the connecting part of the chute (120) may have a connecting structure such as being connected to the feed tank (110) through a single rotating shaft, for example, or being connected to the feed tank (110) via a ring-shaped bearing.

[0053] An auxiliary tank (140) is installed on the side of the feed tank (110) and is configured to store a sub-feed different from the main feed stored in the feed tank (110).

[0054] It is preferable that the storage capacity of the auxiliary tank (140) be smaller than the storage capacity of the feed tank (110), because the amount of sub-feed is generally less than the amount of main feed.

[0055] A sub-distributor (150) is installed at the bottom of the auxiliary tank (140), which is configured to control the supply amount of sub-feed similarly to the main distributor (130) described above.

[0056] Specifically, it is preferable that the sub-distributor (150) also be configured in the form of a rotary valve, and the rotational speed of the sub-distributor (150) can be controlled to supply an amount of sub-feed instructed by the control unit (300).

[0057] The sub-feed discharged from the sub-distributor (150) is mixed with the main feed and supplied to the chute (120), and can be supplied together to the feed container (11) through the chute (120).

[0058] Meanwhile, if only the upper part of the feed tank (110) according to the present invention is connected to the main rail (210), it is difficult to completely prevent shaking in all directions, and it is preferable to include the following configuration to realize more automated control.

[0059] That is, it is preferable to further include an auxiliary rail (220) installed longitudinally along a passage on the upper side of the rearing compartment (10), an auxiliary support (410) extended from both sides of the feed tank (110), an auxiliary wheel (420) rotatably coupled to the auxiliary support (410) and running along the auxiliary rail (220), a wireless tag (330) installed adjacent to the auxiliary rail (220) and storing information on the required amount of feed according to the condition of the livestock housed in each rearing compartment (10), and a reader (320) installed on the auxiliary support (410) to receive information on the required amount of feed from the wireless tag (330).

[0060] The auxiliary rail (220) is installed on the wall facing the feed container of each breeding compartment, and it is preferable to install it at a height higher than the height of the worker, specifically at a height of 2m or more, so as not to interfere with the opening and closing of the entrance door of the existing breeding compartment or the passage of the worker.

[0061] However, due to the structure of the main rail (210) and the auxiliary rail (220), the main rail (210) is installed at a higher height, and most of the weight of the feed tank (110) is supported by the main rail (210), while the auxiliary rail (220) primarily performs the role of guiding the reader (320) to the correct position while preventing shaking of the feed tank (110), and performs the function of supporting the weight of the feed tank (110) in an auxiliary manner.

[0062] The structure of the auxiliary rail (220) can be a simple structure that allows the auxiliary wheel (420) to roll on the auxiliary rail (220) in the shape of a concave groove, so the installation cost can be minimized.

[0063] An auxiliary support (410) extending from the side of the feed tank (110) can have one end joined to the side of the feed tank (110) through various joining members, such as bolts, welding, or rivets.

[0064] An auxiliary wheel (420) is rotatably connected to the other end of the auxiliary support (410) so as to be able to travel along the auxiliary rail (220).

[0065] Meanwhile, near the entrance of each breeding compartment (10), a wireless tag (330) is installed that records information about the livestock being raised in the corresponding breeding compartment and stores information about the amount of feed required for such livestock.

[0066] The information on the wireless tag (330) can be manually updated by a worker at the site, or updated remotely via a control computer (not shown), or automatically updated according to the growth period of the livestock, changes in body weight, and various other conditions.

[0067] In particular, to automatically update the above information, a load cell (340) is installed on the floor of each rearing compartment (10) to check the change in the livestock's body weight in real time and calculate the amount of feed required for the livestock in the corresponding rearing compartment.

[0068] In this way, the required feed quantity information can be automatically updated in real-time or at predetermined intervals.

[0069] Meanwhile, a reader (320) capable of receiving information from a wireless tag (330) is installed on the aforementioned auxiliary support (410). When the feed tank (110) moves by pushing it and reaches the position of one breeding compartment (10), the control unit (300) receives information on the amount of feed required for the breeding compartment (10), and then operates the main distributor (130) and the sub distributor (150) to deliver the main feed and sub feed in predetermined amounts to the feed container.

[0070] At this time, it would be desirable to operate only the reader (320) facing the direction in which the suit (120) is facing to prevent incorrect reception of information from the other breeding compartment (10) on the opposite side.

[0071] The control unit (300) is configured to control the supply amount of main feed and sub feed. The control unit (300) can automatically calculate the amount of feed according to the livestock and automatically supply feed to the feed container (11) of the corresponding breeding compartment (10), or supply an amount of feed that is manually instructed by the operator.

[0072] Specifically, the control unit (300) includes a control panel (310) installed on the side of the feed tank, and the control panel (310) preferably has a plurality of control buttons (not shown) installed thereon to operate the main distributor (130) and the sub distributor (150) to discharge a preset amount of main feed and sub feed.

[0073] The control panel (310) may include, for example, a plurality of control buttons for dispensing main feed in amounts of 300g, 500g, and 1kg, respectively, and a plurality of control buttons for dispensing sub feed in amounts of 300g, 500g, and 1kg, respectively.

[0074] That is, for example, when the main feed 500g button and the sub feed 300g button are pressed sequentially, 500g of main feed is dispensed from the main distributor (130) and 300g of sub feed is dispensed from the sub distributor (150), and this is delivered to the feed container (11) through the chute (120).

[0075] In addition to this manual mode, an automatic mode may also be used. When the wireless tag (330) described above is detected by the reader (320), the required feed amount information stored in the wireless tag (330) is received, and accordingly, the main distributor (130) and sub distributor (150) are operated to dispense the main feed and sub feed in a fixed amount.

[0076] When using this automatic mode, the worker only needs to move the feed tank (110) to the correct position of the rearing compartment (10), and feed is automatically discharged without any separate button operation. When the feed discharge is finished, the worker only needs to perform the task of moving the feed tank (110) to the next rearing compartment (10) position, so the labor required of the worker can be greatly reduced.

[0078] As described above, although the present invention has been explained with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications and changes can be made to the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims. Explanation of the symbols

[0080] 10: Rearing compartment 11: Feed container 100: Feeding system 110: Feeding tank 120: Suit 130: Main Distributor 140: Auxiliary tank 150: Sub distributor 210: Main rail 220: Auxiliary rail 300: Control unit 310: Control panel 320: Reader 330: Wireless Tag 340: Load cell 410: Auxiliary support 420: Training wheels

Claims

Claim 1 A system for feeding feed in a livestock barn having multiple rearing compartments installed on both sides of a passageway, comprising: a main rail installed above the passageway; a feeding tank installed below the main rail so as to be movable along the main rail and storing main feed in its internal space; a chute extending from the bottom of the feeding tank to deliver main feed discharged from the feeding tank to feed containers in each rearing compartment, wherein the upper end is rotatably connected to the bottom of the feeding tank and the chute is formed with a slope so as to descend from the bottom of the feeding tank toward the feed containers; a main distributor discharging a certain amount of main feed from the feeding tank into the chute; a control unit for adjusting the amount of main feed discharged from the main distributor; an auxiliary rail installed longitudinally along the passageway above the rearing compartment; and auxiliary supports installed extending from both sides of the feeding tank. A livestock barn feed system comprising an auxiliary wheel rotatably coupled to the auxiliary support and traveling along the auxiliary rail, wherein the auxiliary rail and the auxiliary wheel are configured to suppress shaking of the feed tank when the feed tank moves, and wherein the auxiliary support is equipped with a reader that receives information on the required amount of feed from a wireless tag storing information on the required amount of feed for livestock housed in each rearing compartment, and wherein the control unit adjusts the discharge amount of the main distributor according to the information on the required amount of feed received from the reader. Claim 2 delete Claim 3 A livestock barn feed system according to claim 1, further comprising a load cell installed at the bottom of each breeding compartment, wherein information on the required amount of feed stored in a wireless tag is updated according to the change in the body weight of the livestock measured by the load cell. Claim 4 A livestock barn feed system according to claim 3, further comprising: an auxiliary tank installed on the side of the feed tank for storing a main feed and a sub-feed of a different type; and a sub-distributor for discharging a certain amount of sub-feed from the auxiliary tank into a chute; wherein wireless tags individually store information on the required amount of feed for the main feed and the required amount of feed for the sub-feed, respectively, and the control unit adjusts the discharge amount of the main feed and the sub-feed according to information on the required amount of feed for the main feed and the required amount of feed for the sub-feed received from a reader. Claim 5 A livestock barn feed system according to claim 4, wherein the main distributor and the sub distributor have a rotary valve structure, and the control unit controls the discharge amount of the main feed by adjusting the rotational speed of the main distributor according to the required feed amount information of the main feed, and controls the discharge amount of the sub feed by adjusting the rotational speed of the sub distributor according to the required feed amount information of the sub feed. Claim 6 A livestock feed system according to claim 5, wherein the control unit comprises a control panel installed on the side of the feed tank, and the control panel is characterized by having a plurality of control buttons installed thereon capable of operating a main distributor and a sub distributor to discharge a preset amount of main feed and sub feed. Claim 7 A livestock barn feed system according to claim 6, wherein the control panel comprises a plurality of control buttons for continuously discharging main feed in amounts of 300g, 500g, and 1kg, respectively, and a plurality of control buttons for continuously discharging sub feed in amounts of 300g, 500g, and 1kg, respectively. Claim 8 delete

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