Forage Quality Monitoring for Real-Time Animal Feed Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional laboratory analysis of forage composition is time-consuming and does not account for quality changes during storage, leading to delayed adjustments in animal feed, which can negatively impact animal health and productivity.
Innovation Solution
A system with stand-alone probes inserted into forage monitors temperature and moisture in real-time, adjusting animal feed automatically based on forage quality changes, ensuring timely and accurate nutritional balance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional laboratory analysis is used to determine forage composition, then accurate nutritional information is obtained, but the analysis time is too long (3 weeks to 1 month for chemical method, 1 week for infra-red method)
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical/chemical laboratory analysis systems with optical sensing technology. Portable infrared analysers and spectral sensors directly measure forage composition in the field, substituting lengthy wet chemistry and lab-based infra-red methods with immediate optical detection, thereby eliminating the time delay while maintaining measurement capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses spectral signatures and optical patterns as copies or proxies for actual forage composition. By measuring reflectance, absorbance, or emission spectra, the system creates an optical representation of nutritional content that can be instantly analyzed without physically processing the forage sample through lengthy chemical methods
2Duration of action of stationary object
If forage is stored for extended periods, then feed supply stability is improved, but forage quality degrades due to fermentation, mould, and dust
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements continuous monitoring of forage quality parameters during storage using portable analysers and sensors. This feedback system tracks changes in moisture content, nutritional composition, and quality indicators in real-time, allowing operators to detect degradation trends and take corrective actions before significant quality loss occurs, thus maintaining reliability throughout extended storage
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary quality assessment and monitoring at multiple stages during storage rather than waiting until feeding time. By conducting repeated measurements during the storage period, the system identifies quality changes early and enables proactive management interventions to preserve forage quality before fermentation, mould, or dust problems develop
3Reliability
If feed rations are adjusted based on visual inspection or delayed milk analysis, then animal wellbeing can be monitored, but the latency in results causes loss of weight, appetite, and milk production
Solution Approach 1:
The patent establishes a closed-loop feedback system where forage quality is continuously measured using portable analysers, and this information immediately feeds into feed ration adjustment decisions. This real-time feedback eliminates the latency of waiting for visual inspection results or milk analysis, allowing instantaneous correction of feed formulations to maintain animal wellbeing and productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements continuous monitoring and adjustment of feed rations rather than periodic or delayed assessments. By maintaining uninterrupted measurement and adjustment cycles, the system ensures that feed formulations continuously adapt to forage quality changes, preventing any interruption in the useful action of nourishing animals and thereby eliminating losses in weight, appetite, and production
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables immediate and continuous monitoring of forage quality, allowing for rapid adjustments to animal feed, thereby maintaining animal wellbeing and productivity without latency.
Implementation Method 1
measuring repeatedly, by the temperature sensor, a temperature of the stored forage
Implementation Method 2
measuring repeatedly, by the moisture sensor, a moisture of the stored forage
Implementation Method 3
transmitting wirelessly, by the wireless transmitter, the repeatedly measured temperature and the repeatedly measured moisture, to a processing node
Data Source
AI summary
A method and a system for controlling daily feed of animals is disclosed. The method includes: measuring (302) repeatedly over a time period, by a plurality of stand-alone probes inserted inside stored forage, a temperature of the stored forage; determining (314) a quality of the stored forage based on the repeatedly measured temperature of the stored forage over the time period; and after determining (314) the quality of the stored forage, adjusting (320) a diet of an animal based on the determined quality of the stored forage, the adjusting (320) of the diet defining an additional amount of a supplementary feed.