Movable Livestock Grazing Enclosure With Pivotable Head Unit
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for regenerative grazing require human intervention to move cattle and fencing systems, which can be labor-intensive and costly, especially when frequent movement is necessary.
Innovation Solution
A movable livestock grazing enclosure system that includes a front boom, side booms, and a head unit, allowing for automated or semi-automated movement of the enclosure across a field, with features such as pivotable wheels, wire reels, and a control system for incremental movement and grazing management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If wire fencing is used to retain cattle in desired areas, then grazing control is improved, but labor requirements increase due to frequent manual movement of both cattle and fencing
Solution Approach 1:
The fencing system is transformed from a static structure to a dynamic one that can move autonomously. The head unit with motors and sensors enables the fencing to relocate itself without human intervention, allowing the system to adapt its position based on grazing conditions while maintaining effective cattle containment
Solution Approach 2:
The fencing system performs self-movement and self-repositioning through integrated motors, sensors, and control mechanisms in the head unit. This self-service capability eliminates the need for manual labor to relocate fencing, as the system autonomously navigates and positions itself to maintain grazing control
2Adaptability or versatility
If wireless fences with electric collars are used, then fencing mobility is improved, but device complexity increases due to requiring collars on each cattle
Solution Approach 1:
The complex electric collar devices are extracted and removed from the system. Instead of requiring individual collars on each cattle, the invention uses a simpler physical fencing structure that contains cattle collectively, eliminating the need for individual electronic devices while maintaining mobility
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces complex electronic wireless fencing with a simplified mechanical analog - a physical fence structure that achieves the same containment goal through mechanical means rather than electronic control, reducing overall system complexity
3Reliability
If frequent cattle movement is required for regenerative grazing, then soil health improvement is enhanced, but time consumption increases due to daily manual intervention
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary positioning and preparation through automated sensors and navigation in the head unit, anticipating required movements and pre-positioning the fencing to minimize intervention time, allowing frequent cattle movements to be executed efficiently without proportional time increase
Solution Approach 2:
Manual mechanical labor for moving fencing and handling cattle is replaced with an automated electromechanical system. The head unit's motors, sensors, and control mechanisms automate the movement process, enabling frequent relocations needed for soil health without the time cost of manual operations
Data Source
AI summary
An example movable livestock grazing includes a front boom, a first side boom and a second side boom both attached to the front boom to form a contained grazing paddock. A trough is provided on at least one of the front boom, the first side boom, and the second side boom. A head unit is attached to the front boom and is configured to move the contained grazing paddock to a predetermined location for grazing the livestock within the contained grazing paddock. A front boom is formed by a first front boom structure and a second front boom structure, and is pivotally attached to the head unit at a first pivot connection, and is pivotally attached to the first side boom. The second boom structure is pivotally attached to the head unit at a second pivot connection, and is pivotally attached to the second side boom.