AU2007100668A4 - Livestock Handling System - Google Patents

Description

LIVESTOCK HANDLING SYSTEM Field of the Invention 0 The present invention relates to a livestock handling system, and in particular to a livestock handling system that controls the flow of animals passing therethrough to assist 5 in individually attending to and/or assessing each animal as they move therethrough.

C Background of the Invention Livestock producers produce livestock for a variety of end purposes, such as raw 0 0 materials for use in clothing and the like, and for human consumption. To ensure the \I quality of such products, it is important for the producer to monitor and measure the 10 health and wellbeing of their livestock at regular intervals. This enables the producer to determine the suitability of the animal for a specific purpose and enables the producer to 0 take steps to address any deficiencies noted in the animal.

For many livestock producers that supply livestock for the purposes of human consumption, large numbers of animals are typically maintained for such purposes. The producers typically employ large holding facilities to retain the animals together for feeding and monitoring. An important aspect of efficient livestock production is regularly determining the weight of individual animals, swuh that they can be sold and/or made available for slaughter at their optimal weight. If the animal is below an optimal weight they may not sell for a premium price, and if the animal is above weight it can result in food wastage. As such, the ability to weigh and monitor individual animals is an important aspect of livestock management.

To perform this function, a variety of livestock weighing stations have been proposed. Most such stations require the isolation of individual animals in a crush or holding pen such that the weight of the animal can be measured using a load cell. The animal is typically suspended from a support frame connected to the load cell such that the animal can be weighed as they are supported on the floor of the holding pen or crush.

Typically, the holding pen or crush has entry and exit gates located at either end thereof, which re controlled to ensure that one animal at a time enters and exits the weighing station. As such, there is a static flow of animals through the weighing station requiring much human intervention to continually move the animals along, which is a time and labour intensive task.

Whilst a variety of automated systems have been proposed to reduce the need for constant human intervention and to increase flow rates through the weighing station, such x I u n o n vu 1 L1 Wc IZlgllll sLLII 1, SUCT1 systems typically rely upon the use of proximity sensors and other such devices to automatically control the opening and closing of the entry and exit gates. Hence, the animals still pass through the system in a static movement rather than a constant flow.

There is a need to provide a livestock handling system that enables livestock to 5 pass through a station at a relatively constant and manageable flow rate whilst being sufficiently separated to allow for individual monitoring of and or attendance to the animals.

00 Any discussion of documents, acts, materials, devices, articles or the like which I has been included in the present specification is solely for the purpose of providing a C 10 context for the present invention. It is not to be taken as an admission that any or all of Sthese matters formi part of the prior art base or were common general knowledge in the Sfield relevant to the present invention as it existed before the priority date of each claim of this application.

Summary of the Invention According to a first aspect, the present invention provides a livestock handling Svqtt-M fnr onntrnll;n- -Usystem for controlling te flw Uof ivestock passing through a passage comprising: a plurality of panels arranged in a pair of spaced apart rows to form said passage therebetween, the pair of spaced apart rows being configured such that the passage comprises at least two turns arranged in opposite directions; and one or more plate members, the or each plate member being attachable to at least one anel and configured to extend into the passage so as to reduce a ground surface of the passage.

In one embodiment, the one or more plate members are attachable to the at least one panel at a first end and extend angularly therefrom such that a second end of the one or more plate members is located adjacent the ground surface of the passage. The one or more plate members may extend angularly downward from the at least one panel to the ground surface so as to reduce the ground surface of the passage. In one embodiment, the one or more plate members extend into the passage from both rows ofpanels.

The one or more plate members may be in the form of metal sheets, such as stainless steel sheets. The one or more plate members may be attachable to the at least one panel by welding.

The ground surface of the passage may be reduced in order to limit the available surface upon which the livestock is able to place their feet as the pass through the L as UIV pass trough the passage. Such an arrangement may require the livestock to progress through the passage more cautiously in order to avoid slipping, thereby slowing the animals as they progress 0 along the passage and orienting the animals into a single line.

In another embodiment, a weighing device may be positioned within the passage 5 to weigh the livestock as they pass therethrough.

SIn yet another embodiment, a drafting gate is positioned within the passage to sort the livestock as they pass therethrough.

00 Throughout this specification the word "comprise", or variations such as N "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated O 10 element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps, but not the exclusion of any other element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps.

Brief Description of the Drawings By way of example only, the invention is now described with reference to the accompanying drawings: FIG. 1 is a partial side view of an embodiment of the livestock handling system of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional end view of the livestock handling system of FIG. 1; and FIG. 3 is a top view of the livestock handling system of FIGS. 1 and 2.

Detailed Description of an Exemplary Embodiment of the Invention The livestock handling I system of the present invention will be described below in relation to its application to the weighing of individual sheep as they flow through the system. It will be appreciated that the livestock handling system of the present invention could be equally applied to other types of livestock, such as cattle, pigs and the like, and could also be employed to perform functions other than weighing the animals, such as manial drafting and the like.

Referring to FIG. 3, an embodiment of the livestock handling system is shown generally as reference numeral 10. The system 10 is shown as being employed between a standard race or chute 14 and a drafting race 12 having a drafting gate 13 movable therein to sort the animals 5 as they pass from the system In this arrangement, the animals can move freely along the chute 14 towards the system 10 in a standard manner. As the animals approach the system 10, due to the Sconfiguration of the system 10, they are required to asume a more controlled move.ment x W -V M U M U UJt V I I I LU I I U l l OVU 1 1 0 I IV C L Sto negotiate and pass through the system 10. This results in the animals travelling 5 through the system at a reduced pace in a single line (as shown). In the specific embodiment as shown, a weighing platform 15 is positioned within the system 10 such that the animals 5 walk over the platform 15 as they pass through the system 10. As the O animals pass through the system 10 at a reduced pace and in a single line, the weight of N each animal 5 is measured by the weighing platform 15. This information is then used C) 10 by an operator operating the drafting gate 13 of the drafting race 12 to sort the animals based on individual weight characteristics. Once the animals are sorted they can then O progress through the drafting race at an increased pace substantially unimpeded.

It will be appreciated that the weighing platform 15 could include a display that displays individual weight information of the animal 5 to the operator of the drafting gate 13. Alternatively, the drafting gate 13 may be automatically controlled by an appropriate compulter system to automatically sort the animals 5 according to their measured weight.

Referring to FIGS 1 and 2, side and front views of the system 10 are shown. The system 10 is in the form of a race having a pair of rows of panels 21, 22 spaced apart to define a path therebetween through which the animal 5 passes. The separation distance between each row of panels 21, 22 may vary depending upon the type of animal heing handled. For example, when used for handling sheep, the panels 21, 22 may be separated a distance of between 400 500 mm, preferably about 425mm.

Each panel 21, 22 is substantially identical in configuration and comprises one or more horizontal rails 23 that extend between end posts 26. Rails 23 are separated a distance to provide gaps therebetween that enables access to animals as they pass through the system 10 a- required Thp ln- the system 10 as required. The loer region of the panels 21, 22 are provided with angled plates 24. The angled plates 24 are made from a sheets of steel and are welded to the lower reoion nf t -e 2..I1 2" the lower region of the panels 21, 22. The plates 24 extend a distance X from the base of the panels 21, 22 to form a pair of smooth, inwardly angled surfaces. This distance

X

may vary depending on the size of the animal being handled. In the embodiment as shown in relation to the present application to handling sheep, the distance X may vary between 200-300 m, preferably about 250 mm.may vary between 200-300 mm, preferably about 250 mm.

As shown more clearly in FIG. 2, the plates 24 are angled to extend inwardly so as to reduce the interior ground surface 25 of the system 10, namely the region available to accommodate the feet of the animals 5 as they pass through the system 10. In this regard, the ground surface 25 has a maximum width Y, which may vary between 150 200 mm, 5 preferably about 175mm. It will be anpreciated that the distance Y may vary depending upon the type and size of animal being handled by the system 10. As the surface of the plates 24 are smooth and angled inwardly, if the animals 5 place their feet on the surface 0 of the plates 24, their feet slip down the surface of the plates 24 towards the ground I surface 25. Such an arrangement naturally causes the animals 5 to more carefully place C 10 their feet on the ground surface 25 to avoid slipping, thereby naturally slowing the animals 5 as they pass through the panels 21, 22, and prevents animals 5 overtaking Sother animals during passage.

SThe weighing platform 15 is positioned centrally between the panels 21, 22 such that the animals 5 pass over the weighing platform 15 as they travel through the system 10 in a controlled manner. In this regard, as an animal 5 passes over the weighing platform 15 in Qinlp f;,1 latform 15 in single file, each individual animal's feet are received on the platform thereby transferring the load of the animal to the platform. Measurement of the animal's ght can th.. en be t, ake n, and as the animals are progressing in a slow single line, they are sufficiently separated from adjacent animals in the line such that individual weights can be taken. In the embodiment as shown, the weighing platform 15 is in the form of a suspended platform- hnwev-r it r;ll suspended platfor however, it will be appreciated that a variety of weighing devices, as would be appreciated by those skilled in the art, could also be employed.

As shown more clearly in FIG. 3, the rows of panels 21, 22 are arranged to form a passage having a series of turns 30 in opposite directions. The degree of curvature of the turns may vary depending upon the type and size of animal being handled. In one embodiment for handling sheep as shown in FIG. 3, the radius of curvature may vary between 350 450 mm, preferably about 4 00mm. As the distance between the rows of panels 21. 22 is substantially constant throughout the system 10, the corresponding row of panels 21, 22 would be formed to assume the same degree of curvature so as to form a path of constant width for the animal 5 to pass.

The provision of a series of opposing turns 30 within the system 10, gives the passage an shaped path through which the animals to travel. Such a path further assists in controlling the flow of the animals 5 as they travel through the system O1. In -n,Lc throughl the system 10. in this regard, the shape of the passage acts as a chicane which causes the animals 5 to naturally control their movements as they pass between the chute 14 and the drafting race O 12. It will be appreciated that the number and length of the turns 30 can be varied to achieved a variety of flow animal flow rates, as can the position of the weighing platform n 5 15 with respect to the turns The shape of the passage of the system 10 in combination with the reduced ground surface 25 of the passage formed by the angled plates 24, requires the animals to 00 place their feet purposively on the ground surface 25 as they travel through the winding N passage. This results in the animals travelling in a single line through the system 10 at a substantially reduced speed than would typically be expected with a wide and straight path. Such animal movement enables individual monitoring/weighing of the animals as 0 they pass over an inspection station, such as weighing platform 15. This can aid the livestock producer in sorting the animals based on weight or other such characteristics such as wool condition, ifor fiuLhe assessment.

The livestock handling system 10 of the present invention provides a simple system for isolating individual animals during transit such that the animals can be individually assessed without the need to physically restrain the animals. This is achieved by causing the animals to assume a path of progression that requires them to llrnniveIV nlaeo thplr foot A lac ar e t:l. purposively place their feet on a reduced surface area whilst negotiating a series of turns, in order to avoid falling over. Such a system of controlling the movement of animals naturally slows the animals, and causes the animals to move in a single line as they are unable to pass each other and lack the dexterity to perform such a passing movement in such a limited space. As such, weight measurements can be taken from individual animals during transit: substantially rpeducin t;me and laour costs typica:lly associated b -l l u v LU IV3 N I llUly l L with such actions. Also, as the animals move in a single slow moving line, they can be more easily manually drafted into smaller heflock sizes as required.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that numerous variations and/or modifications may be made to the invention as shown in the specific embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as broadly described. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive.

Claims (4)

1. A livestock handling system for controlling the flow of livestock passing through a passage comprising: S 5 a plurality of panels arranged in a pair of spaced apart rows to form said passage therebetween, the pair of spaced apart rows being configured such that the passage comprises at least two turns in opposite directions; and 0 one or more plate members, the or each plate member being attachable to at least N one panel and configured to extend into the passage so as to reduce a ground surface of the passage.

2. A livestock handling system according to claim 1, wherein the one or more plate members are attachable to the at least one panel at a first end and extend angularly therefrom such that a second end of the one or more plate members is located adjacent the ground surface of the passage.

3. A livestock handling system according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the one or more plate meminers extend into the passage from both rows of panels.

4. A livestock handling system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a weighing device is positioned within the passage to weigh the livestock as they pass therethrough. A livestock handling system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a drafting gate is positioned within the passage to sort the livestock as they pass therethrough.