Dairy Animal Urea Monitoring for Pasture Access Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for controlling urea content in dairy animal milk do not consistently achieve the desired protein alteration, leading to potential excessive protein intake when dairy animals are allowed access to pastures with high protein grass.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that measure milk parameters related to protein and energy intake, comparing these values to criteria adjusted based on factors like season, nitrogen content, animal characteristics, and feeding history to control access to pastures, preventing excessive protein intake by adjusting access permissions dynamically.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If dairy animals are allowed access to pasture with high protein grass, then their protein intake increases, but this leads to excessive protein consumption and unwanted urea content in milk
Solution Approach 1:
The system measures urea content in milk and uses this information to control pasture access. The measured urea value is compared to a criterion, and based on this comparison, access to pasture is granted or restricted, creating a closed-loop feedback system that dynamically adjusts protein intake control
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the criterion for pasture access based on measured milk parameters (urea content, protein content). When urea content exceeds the criterion, access is restricted; when it is below, access is granted. This dynamic parameter adjustment allows flexible control of protein intake based on actual animal status
2Object-generated harmful factors
If protein content in feed is increased to reduce urea content in milk, then urea content decreases, but this may lead to excessive protein intake when animals access high protein pasture
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary measurement of milk parameters (urea content, protein content) before allowing pasture access. Based on these measurements and comparison with criteria, the system preemptively grants or restricts access to prevent excessive protein intake or unwanted urea accumulation
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables animals to self-regulate their protein intake through automated access control. Animals with low urea content are granted pasture access to increase protein intake, while animals with high urea content are restricted, allowing the herd to self-adjust overall protein consumption and urea levels
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a system and method of managing a group of dairy animals. More particularly, the invention relates to measuring one or more milk parameters, comparing this parameter to a criterion, and allowing an animal access to a pasture based on this comparison. The milk parameter is related to the composition of milk obtained from a dairy animal in as far as the composition is defined by at least one of the amount of protein and the energy intake of the dairy animal. The measured milk parameter is, for example, urea. Access to the pasture will be completely or partly blocked for a dairy animal having a high content of urea. This dairy animal is thus prevented from taking in an undesirably large amount of protein.