WO2013187820A1 - Method and arrangement for automatically feeding milk producing animals - Google Patents

Method and arrangement for automatically feeding milk producing animals Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2013187820A1
WO2013187820A1 PCT/SE2013/050260 SE2013050260W WO2013187820A1 WO 2013187820 A1 WO2013187820 A1 WO 2013187820A1 SE 2013050260 W SE2013050260 W SE 2013050260W WO 2013187820 A1 WO2013187820 A1 WO 2013187820A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
milking
feed
row
milk producing
stalls
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/SE2013/050260
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Anders UMEGÅRD
Gert Winkler
Original Assignee
Delaval Holding Ab
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Delaval Holding Ab filed Critical Delaval Holding Ab
Priority to EP13716468.7A priority Critical patent/EP2858482A1/en
Publication of WO2013187820A1 publication Critical patent/WO2013187820A1/en

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Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
    • A01K—ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; CARE OF BIRDS, FISHES, INSECTS; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS
    • A01K1/00—Housing animals; Equipment therefor
    • A01K1/12—Milking stations
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
    • A01K—ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; CARE OF BIRDS, FISHES, INSECTS; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS
    • A01K11/00—Marking of animals
    • A01K11/006—Automatic identification systems for animals, e.g. electronic devices, transponders for animals
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
    • A01K—ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; CARE OF BIRDS, FISHES, INSECTS; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS
    • A01K5/00—Feeding devices for stock or game ; Feeding wagons; Feeding stacks
    • A01K5/02—Automatic devices
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
    • A01K—ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; CARE OF BIRDS, FISHES, INSECTS; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS
    • A01K5/00—Feeding devices for stock or game ; Feeding wagons; Feeding stacks
    • A01K5/02—Automatic devices
    • A01K5/0275—Automatic devices with mechanisms for delivery of measured doses

Definitions

  • the present invention generally relates to the field of dairy farming and more specifically the invention relates to methods and arrangements for automatically feeding milk producing animals in a milking parlor.
  • Cows are often hesitant to enter a milking parlor. In-parlor feeding may encourage the cows to enter the milking parlor, but still, some cows may hesitate even if they know that they will be fed in the milking parlor.
  • US 3,738,320 discloses a herringbone milking parlor having automatic controls for preparation and movement of milking cows. Since the cows must be positioned in individual stalls when they enter the row of the herringbone milking parlor, it is desirable that the first cow entering, not stops at the closest manger to feed, but proceeds to the stall located in the far end of the row of the herringbone milking parlor. Therefore, feed is dispensed to this stall first. When a cow positions herself in this stall, an electrical sensing switch closes causing a feed let-down valve for the next stall as seen from the far end to be activated. This procedure continues until all mangers have feed.
  • Feed costs comprise 40-50% of the cost of milk production. Implementation and management of feeding systems to sustain high levels of milk production and control feed costs are crucial to the profitability of dairy farms. Considerations have to be made regarding nutritional demands of the cows, ration management (including analysis of the feed, cost and availability), feed preparation, feed transport, feed distribution, and feed consumption control.
  • the amount of suitable feed given to the animals may be calculated to achieve maximum profit, maximum milk production, milk of a desired quality, and/ or animals of a desired condition. While the approach of US 3,738,320 indeed entices cows to enter the stalls of the milking stall rather quickly, thereby improving the throughput of cows through the rnilking stall, it does not focus on feeding management and efficiency.
  • An object of one aspect of the invention is to provide methods and arrangements for feeding milk producing animals in a milking parlor, which provide for high profit, high milk production, milk of a desired quality, and/ or animals of a desired condition, while taking into account both the feeding efficiency and the throughput of milk producing animals through a milking parlor.
  • a method for automatically feeding milk producing animals may be implemented in a milking parlor comprising a row of milking stalls accessible in serial order to a plurality of milk producing animals from a front end thereof, wherein each of the rnilking stalls comprises equipment for milking a milk producing animal and a feed manger, the milking parlor comprising further at least one animal identification device for identifying the milk producing animals.
  • feed is dispended into the feed manger of the milking stall located in the far end of the row of milking stalls in connection with a first one of the plurality of milk producing animals entering the row of milking stalls to entice the plurality of milk producing animals to enter the row of milking stalls;
  • the first milk producing animal is identified when she enters the row of milking stalls, when she enters the milking stall in die far end of the row of milking stalls, or at both occasions, the feed dispensed into the feed manger of the milking stall in the far end of the row of milking stalls is subtracted from the feed ration individually adapted for the first milk producing animal to arrive in a corrected feed ration individually adapted for the first milk producing animal; and the corrected feed ration individually adapted for the first milk producing animal is dispensed into the feed manger of the milking stall in the far end of the row of milking stalls in connection with the rnilking of the first milk producing animal, thereby
  • the feeding of the milk producing animal in the milking stall in far end of the row of milking stalls can be well controlled, and thus be made efficient, and be part of an individually selected feeding program.
  • the milk producing animal in the far end of the row of rnilking stalls can be given a certain percentage, or all, of her daily ration of concentrate in connection with the milking of her in the milking parlor.
  • the amount and composition of the feed may be individually controlled.
  • Each of the milk producing animals may be given an individually adapted meal, e.g. of the above kind, when being milked in the milking parlor. In such a manner, en efficient feeding according to a feeding management scheme may be applied, while still the milk producing animals can be enticed to quickly enter the milldng stalls of the milldng parlor.
  • the first milli producing animal may be identified in the front end of the row of milking stalls already before feed is dispensed into the feed manger of the milldng stall located in the far end of the row of milking stalls to entice the milli producing animals to enter the row of milking stalls.
  • This allows for dispensing enticing feed into the feed manger of the milldng stall located in the far end of the row of milking stalls, which is of a size or a composition, or is dispensed in a manner, that is individually adapted to the first milk producing animal.
  • the first milk producing animal can be even more strongly enticed to enter the row of milking stalls and the milking stall in the far end of the row of milking stalls, in order to speed up the positioning of her in her milking stall. This will also entice the milk producing animals entering the row of milking stalls after her to enter the row of milking stalls quickly.
  • milk producing animals may be identified also when they enter or have entered a respective milking stall, i.e., a milk producing animal can be identified when she enters a milldng stall by an animal identification device arranged at the entry of that milking stall and a milk producing animal can be identified when she has entered a milking stall by an animal identification device arranged inside that milking stall.
  • a milk producing animal is identified when she enters or has entered a first milking stall, which is not located in the front or far ends of the row of rnilking stalls.
  • Feed is dispensed into the feed manger of a second milking stall located immediately after the milking stall as seen from the far end of the row of milking stalls.
  • a milk producing animal entering the second milking stall is identified. This may be done by the animal identification device arranged at the entrance of the row of milldng stalls or by a further animal identification device located at or in the second milldng stall.
  • the feed dispensed into the feed manger of the second milking stall is subtracted from the feed ration individually adapted for the milk producing animal entering the second milking stall, thereby arriving in a corrected feed ration individually adapted for that milk producing animal.
  • the corrected feed ration individually adapted for the milk producing animal entering the second milking stall is dispensed in connecdon with the milking of that milk producing animal, thereby allowing her to consume her individually adapted feed ration.
  • the above steps may be repeated for at least one other pair of adjacent milking stalls.
  • the fast positioning of the milk producing animals in the respective milking stalls is promoted by dispensing feed in more rnilking stall(s), and simultaneously, the feeding of the milk producing animals in the above identified milking stall(s), and the rest of the milking stalls, can be well controlled, and thus be made efficient, and be part of an individually selected feeding program.
  • an animal identification device is arranged at or in each of the rnilking stalls, wherein milk producing animals may be identified when they enter or have entered a respective milking stall.
  • the animal identification device arranged at the entrance of the row of milking stalls may be dispensed with, and in such instance, the milk producing animals are identified firstly when they enter or have entered a respective milking stall.
  • n be a positive integer index running from 1 to N-l and perform the following steps: identifying the milk producing animal numbered n when she enters or has entered rnilking stall numbered n; dispensing feed into the feed manger of milking stall numbered n+1 in response to the milk producing animal numbered n being identified when she enters or has entered milking stall numbered n; subtracting the feed dispensed into the feed manger of milking stall numbered n+1 from the feed ration individually adapted for the milk producing animal numbered n+1, thereby arriving in a corrected feed ration individually adapted for the milk producing animal numbered n+ 1 ; and dispensing the corrected feed ration individually adapted for the milk producing animal numbered n+1 into the
  • enticing feed which is dispensed into the feed manger of the milking stall located in the far end of the row of milking stalls in connection with the first milk producing animal entering the row of milking stalls, may be performed in response to (i) the first milk producing animal being identified in the front end of the row of milking stalls— if an animal identification device is located there, (ii) the first milk producing animal being detected in the front end of the row of milking stall by any other kind of detector, or (iii) the opening of an entrance gate in the front end of the row of milking stalls.
  • the enticing feed may be dispensed in various ways.
  • the time lapsed from when the first milk producing animal enters the row of milking stalls (when the enticing feed is dispensed in the manger of the milking stall in the far end of the row of milking stalls) is continuously monitored, and a second amount of enticing feed is dispensed into the feed manger of the milking stall located in the far end of the row of milking stalls to further entice the first milk producing animal to quickly enter the milking stall located in the far end of the row of milldng stalls provided that the time lapsed increases above a threshold value and the first milk producing animal has still not entered the milking stall located in the far end of the row of milldng stalls.
  • an enticing feed dispensing approach which is dynamically adapted to the progress of the positioning of the milk producing animals in the milldng stalls is obtained.
  • the enticing feed dispensed into the feed manger of the milldng stall located in the far end of the row of rnilking stalls may be of a size or a composition, or is dispensed in a manner, that is varied from time to time.
  • the way of enticing is changed over time in order to allow the milk producing animals to keep a curiosity regarding what is happening in the milking parlor, and as a result thereof, to maintain a fast positioning in the milking stalls.
  • any of the above disclosed feeding methods is repeated a plurality of times - e.g. for the first milk producing animal entering the row of milking stall first
  • the time from when the first milk producing animal enters the row of milldng stalls (or when the enticing feed is dispensed into the feed manger of the milking stall in the far end of the row of milking stalls) to when the milk producing animal enters or has entered the making stall located in the far end of the row of milking stalls is monitored repeatedly; and the variation of the size or the composition of the feed, or the manner in which the feed is dispensed, may be made based on the monitored times.
  • the monitored times provide a good indication of when the enticing feed becomes less enticing (e.g. due to the milk producing animals becoming bored) and when, consequently, the variation of the size or the composition of the feed, or the manner in which the feed is dispensed, can be initiated. For instance, when the monitored time rises above a threshold time, an enticing feed dispensing variation may be initiated in order to speed up the positioning of the milk producing animals in the milking stalls.
  • a feeding arrangement for automatically feeding milk producing animals may be provided for a milking parlor comprising a row of milking stalls accessible in serial order to a plurality of milk producing animals from a front end thereof, wherein each of the milking stalls comprises equipment for milking a milk producing animal and a feed manger.
  • the feeding arrangement may be provided for giving each of the milk producing animals an individually adapted feed ration in connection with the milking thereof and comprises a feed dispenser, an animal identification arrangement, and a control device.
  • the feed dispenser is arranged to dispense feed into the feed manger of the milking stall located in the far end of the row of milking stalls in connection with a first one of the plurality of milk producing animals entering the row of milking stalls to entice the plurality of milk producing animals to enter the row of milking stalls.
  • the animal identification arrangement is arranged to identify the first milk producing animal.
  • the control device is arranged to subtract the feed dispensed into the feed manger of the milking stall located in the far end of the row of milking stalls from the feed ration individually adapted for the first milk producing animal, diereby arriving in a corrected feed ration individually adapted for the first milk producing animal; and is arranged to control the feed dispenser to dispense the corrected feed ration individually adapted for the first milk producing animal into the feed manger of the milking stall located in the far end of the row of milking stalls in connection with the milking of the first milk producing ariimal, thereby allowing her to consume her individually adapted feed ration.
  • This feeding arrangement may be equipped with equipment for performing each of the various functions described above and may possess each of the advantages and benefits disclosed above.
  • Fig. 1 is a schematic top plan view of portions of a milking parlor in a herringbone configuration wherein a feeding arrangement according to one aspect is implemented.
  • Fig. 2 is a schematic top plan view of portions of a milking parlor in a herringbone configuration wherein a feeding arrangement according to another aspect is implemented.
  • Fig. 3 is a schematic top plan view of portions of a milking parlor in a herringbone configuration wherein a feeding arrangement according to yet another aspect is implemented.
  • Fig. 4 is a schematic top plan view of portions of a milking parlor in a herringbone configuration wherein a feeding arrangement according to still another aspect is implemented.
  • Fig. 5 is a schematic top plan view of portions of a milking parlor in a herringbone configuration wherein a feeding arrangement according to yet another aspect is implemented.
  • Fig. 6 is a schematic top plan view of portions of a parallel stall milking parlor wherein a feeding arrangement according to still another aspect is implemented.
  • Fig. 7 is a flow diagram of a method of automatically feeding milk producing animals according to yet another aspect.
  • cows In the detailed description the milk producing animals are referred to as cows. However, the invention is not limited to cows, but is applicable to any animals having the capability to produce large quantities of milk, such as sheep, goats, buffaloes, horses, etc.
  • Fig. 1 shows portions of a milking parlor 10 for batch-wise milking a plurality of cows 12, in which a feeding arrangement according to one aspect is implemented.
  • One row 14 of a double row parlor in herringbone configuration is shown, including a first row of stalls numbered 1 , 2, ... , N.
  • Each stall comprises equipment for milking a cow 12 and a feed manger 16, in which each of the cows 12 is given an individually adapted feed ration in connection with the milking thereof.
  • the row 14 is provided with a portal based cow identification station 21 in a front end 14a thereof, through which the cows 12 can pass serially while being identified.
  • a transponder 20 worn on a band around the neck of a cow 12 approaching the cow identification station 21 is energized by a multi-directional electromagnetic field generated by a double antenna loop (not explicidy illustrated) in a portal structure of the cow identification station 21.
  • the transponder when energized, will transmit unique identification data back to the antenna loop after the electromagnetic field has been removed.
  • a control device 18, connected to the cow identification station 21, is provided to process the information so that the cow can be identified.
  • the transponder may be worn at other positions of the cow than on a band around the neck.
  • cow identification station 21 and the control device 18 are comprised in the feeding arrangement.
  • the cows After the cows have passed serially through the cow identification station 21 they enter sequentially the row 14 of stalls 1, 2, ..., N arranged in parallel such that the first identified cow will enter the stall closest to the far end 14b of the row, i.e. the stall numbered 1 in Fig. 1, the second identified cow will enter the stall numbered 2, and so on, until the row is completely full with the last identified cow in die stall closest to the front end 14a of the row, which is numbered N in Fig. 1.
  • the control device 18 identifies the respective cow and stores the identities in chronological order.
  • cows When cows have filled the row 14 completely they are milked simultaneously. During the milldng, measurements of the milk produced by the cows 12 are performed, which typically at least include weights, volumes or flows of the milk produced by each cow. Such information is valuable in the management of the cows, e.g. for controlling their individual feed consumption and for monitoring their health.
  • the milk weights are correlated with the cow identities and are stored by the control device 18.
  • the cows 12 are allowed to leave the parlor, which typically is made in a sequential order at the far end 14b of the row 14 of milking stalls.
  • the row 14 of milking stalls may comprise an entrance gate 5a at the front end 14a of the row 14 of milking stalls and an exit gate 15b at the far end 14b of die row 14 of milking stalls.
  • the entrance gate 15a and the exit gate 15b may be automatically controlled gates, which are operatively connected to the control device 18, which may control the opening of the entrance gate 15a when the cows 12 are allowed to enter the row 14 of milking stalls and the closing thereof when die last one of the cows 12 have entered the row 14 of milking stalls.
  • control device 18 may control the opening of the exit gate 15b when the cows 12 are allowed to leave the row 14 of milking stalls after milking and the closing thereof when the last one of the cows 12 have left the row 14 of milking stalls.
  • a feed dispenser, schematically indicated at 17, is comprised in the feeding arrangement and is arranged to give each of the cows 12 an individually adapted feed ration in connection with the milking thereof.
  • the feed dispenser 17 may e.g. be a feed wagon or other feeding arrangement capable of giving each of the cows 12 an individually adapted ration of feed, both regarding amount and composition.
  • the feed dispenser 17 dispenses feed into a feed manger 16 of a milking stall 1, 2, ... , N a characteristic sound is created which the cows 12 will associate with feed. Further, the smell of the feed can be noticed by the cows 12.
  • the feed dispenser 17 is arranged to dispense feed into the feed manger 16 of the milking stall 1 located in the far end 14b of the row 14 of milking stalls in connection with a first one of the cows entering the row 14 of milking stalls to entice this cow to rapidly walk through the row 14 of milking stalls and enter the milking stall 1 in the far end 14b of the row 14 of milking stalls and to entice the rest of the cows 12 to enter the row 14 of milking stalls.
  • the enticing or teaser feed may be given as a fixed amount or a percentage amount of a ration, e.g. an individually adapted ration for that cow 12.
  • the dispensing may be performed in one or several pulses.
  • the enticing dispensing of feed may be triggered by the first cow 12 being identified by the cow identification station 21 in the front end 14a of the row of milking stalls, by the first cow 12 being detected in the front end 14a of the row 14 of milking stalls, e.g. by a simple detection sensor such as a photocell (not illustrated), or by the opening of the entrance gate 15a in the front end 14a of the row 14 of milking stalls.
  • the control device 18 comprises three modules or parts: a cow identification module 18a operatively connected to the cow identification station 21, an analyzing module 18b, and a feed dispenser control module 18c operatively connected to the feed dispenser 17.
  • the cow identification module 18a receives the identification of the first cow 12 entering the row 14 of milking stalls from the cow identification station 21, the feed dispenser control module 18c controls the dispensing of the enticing feed into the feed manger 16 of the milking stall 1 in the far end 14b of the row 14 of milking stalls, the analyzing module 18b subtracts the feed dispensed into the feed manger 16 of the milking stall 1 in the far end 14b of the row 14 of milking stalls from the feed ration individually adapted for the first identified cow 12, thereby arriving in a corrected feed ration individually adapted for the first identified cow 12, and the feed dispenser control module 18c controls the feed dispenser 17 to dispense the corrected feed ration individually adapted for the first identified cow 12 into the feed manger 16 of the milking stall 1 in the far
  • This procedure will encourage the first cow to quickly move into her position, and also subsequently encourage the other cows to follow her into the row 14 of milking stalls. Further, each cow will get her individually adapted feed ration in connection with the milking of her.
  • the cow identification station 21 identifies the cows already before entering the row 14 of milking stalls
  • the enticing feed dispensed into the feed manger 16 of the milking stall 1 located in the far end 14b of the row 14 of milking stalls to entice the cows 12 to enter the row 14 of milking stalls may be of a size or a composition, or may be dispensed in a manner, which is individually adapted to the first identified cow 12.
  • the time lapsed from when the first identified cow 12 enters the row 14 of milking stalls is monitored by the control device 18; and the feed dispenser control module 18c of the control device 18 may control the feed dispenser 17 to dispense a second amount of feed into the feed manger 16 of the milking stall 1 in the far end 14b of the row 14 of milking stalls to entice the first identified cow 12 to enter the milking stall 1 in the far end 14b of the row 14 of milking stalls provided that the time lapsed increases above a threshold value and the first identified cow 12 has still not entered the milking stall 1 in the far end 14b of the row 14 of milking stalls.
  • the analyzing module 18b has to subtract also the second amount of dispensed enticing feed from the feed ration individually adapted for the first identified cow 12, thereby arriving in a new corrected feed ration individually adapted for the first identified cow 12, and the feed dispenser control module 18c controls the feed dispenser 17 to dispense the new corrected feed ration individually adapted for the first identified cow 12 into the feed manger 16 of the milking stall 1 in the far end 14b of the row 14 of rnilking stalls in connection with the milking of her.
  • the cow 12 will always get her individually adapted feed ration.
  • the exit gate 15a has been opened, and the cows are let out, and a new line of cows enter the row 14 of milking stalls
  • the enticing feed may not be dispensed in the feed manger 16 of the milking stall 1 in the far end 14b of the row 14 of milldng stall until all the cows 12, which have been milked, have left the row 14 of milldng stalls, and the exit gate 15b has been closed, and possibly not until the entry gate 15a has been opened for the new batch of cows.
  • the above disclosed enticing and feeding approach may be repeated a plurality of times - for the first identified cow entering the row 14 of milking stalls first, wherein the feed dispensed into the feed manger 16 of the milldng stall 1 in the far end 14b of the row 14 of milldng stalls in connection with the first identified cow 12 entering the row 14 of milldng stalls may be of a size or a composition, or may be dispensed in a manner, that is varied from time to time.
  • the variation may be realized according to a predetermined scheme, e.g. a cyclingly varying scheme or an irregularly varying scheme, e.g. applying random approaches.
  • a predetermined scheme e.g. a cyclingly varying scheme or an irregularly varying scheme, e.g. applying random approaches.
  • the time from when the first identified cow 12 enters the row 14 of milldng stalls to when the same cow 12 enters or has entered the milldng stall 1 in the far end 14b of the row 14 of milking stalls is monitored repeatedly; and the variation of the size or the composition of the feed, or the manner in which the feed is dispensed, is made based on the monitored times.
  • Fig. 2 shows portions of the rnilking parlor 10 for milldng a plurality of cows 12, in which a feeding arrangement according to another aspect is implemented.
  • the feeding arrangement comprises not only the cow identification station 21, but also one cow identification or detection device 21-4 in or at one of the milking stalls, i.e. milking stall 4, operatively connected to the control device 18.
  • the cow identification module 18a receives the identification of the first cow 12 entering the row 14 of milking stalls
  • the feed dispenser control module 18c controls the dispensing of the enticing feed into the feed manger 16 of the irrilking stall 1 in the far end 14b of the row 14 of rnilking stalls
  • the analyzing module 18b may subtract the feed dispensed into the feed manger 16 of the milking stall 1 in the far end 14b of the row 14 of milking stalls from the feed ration individually adapted for the first identified cow 12, thereby arriving in a corrected feed ration individually adapted for the first identified cow 12
  • the feed dispenser control module 18c may control the feed dispenser 17 to dispense the corrected feed ration individually adapted for the first identified cow 12 into the feed manger 16 of the milking stall 1 in the far end 14b of the row 14 of milking stalls in connection with the milking of her, thereby allowing her to consume her individually adapted feed ration.
  • the identification or detection is passed to the cow identification module 18a of the control device 18.
  • the feed dispenser control module 18c controls the feed dispenser 17 to dispense feed into the feed manger 16 of the milking stall 5 located immediately after the milking stall 4 as counted from the far end 14b of the row 14 of stalls, thereby enticing at least a further cow 12, which enters the row 14 of milking stalls immediately after the cow identified in the milking stall, to enter the milking stall 5.
  • three more cows 12 are enticed to enter the respective milking stalls 6, 7, and 8.
  • the analyzing module 18b may subtract the feed dispensed into the feed manger 16 of the milking stall 5 from the feed ration individually adapted for the cow 12 to enter this milking stall, thereby arriving in a corrected feed ration individually adapted this cow 12.
  • the feed dispenser control module 18c may control the feed dispenser 17 to dispense the corrected feed ration individually adapted for the cow entering the milking stall 5 into the feed manger 16 of the milking stall 5, thereby allowing this cow 12 to consume her individually adapted feed ration in connection with the milking of her.
  • this aspect may comprise each of the features of the aspect disclosed with reference to Fig. 1.
  • the above concept may be generalized to a feed arrangement comprising a cow identification or detection device in or at any milking stalls except possibly for the milking stall N in the front end 14a of the row 14 of milking stalls since no further milking stall is located after this milking stall N as seen from the far end 14b of the row 14 of milking animals.
  • Fig. 3 shows portions of the milking parlor 10 for milking a plurality of cows 12, in which a feeding arrangement according to one aspect is implemented.
  • the feeding arrangement comprises cow identification or detection devices 21-1, 21-3, 21-5, 21-7 in every second milking stall, i.e. milking stalls 1, 3, 5, 7, each being connected to the control device 18.
  • Enticing feed is then dispensed (except for into the feed manger 16 of the milking stall 1 in the far end 14b of the row 14 of milking stalls) into the feed manger 16 of every second milking stall, i.e. milking stalls 2, 4, 6, 8.
  • Fig. 4 shows portions of the milking parlor 10 for milking a plurality of cows 12, in which a feeding arrangement according to another aspect is implemented.
  • the feeding arrangement comprises cow identification or detection devices 21-1, 21-2, 21-3, 21-4, 21-5, 21-6, 21-7, 21-8 in each milking stall, i.e. milking stalls 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, each being connected to the control device 18.
  • Enticing feed is dispensed into the feed manger 16 of each milking sau 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.
  • Fig. 5 shows portions of the milking parlor 10 for milking a plurality of cows 12, in which a feeding arrangement according to another aspect is implemented.
  • no cow identification station 21 is arranged in the front end 14a of the row of milking stalls.
  • each of the milking stalls 1, 2, ..., N is provided with a respective cow identification or detection device 21-1, 21-2, . .., 21-N, each being connected to the control device 18.
  • Each cow 12 is thus identified firstiy when she enters or has entered the respective milking stalls 1, 2, ..., N..
  • the feed dispenser 17 is arranged to dispense (under the control of the feed dispenser control module 18c of the control device 18) feed into the feed manger 16 of the milking stall 1 located in the far end 14b of the row of milldng stalls in connection with a first one of the cows 12 entering the row 14 of milking stalls to entice the cows 12 to enter the row 14 of milking stalls.
  • the analyzing module 18b of die control device 18 may be arranged to subtract the feed dispensed into the feed manger 16 of the milldng stall 1 located in the far end 14b of the row 14 of milking stalls from the feed ration individually adapted for the first identified cow 12, thereby arriving in a corrected feed ration individually adapted for that cow 12; and the feed dispenser control module 18c of the control device 18 may be arranged to control the feed dispenser 17 to dispense the corrected feed ration individually adapted for the first identified cow 12 into the feed manger 16 of the milking stall 1 located in the far end 14b of the row 14 of milking stalls in connection with the milking of that cow 12.
  • the cows are numbered from 1 to N in the order they enters the row of milking stalls.
  • a respective cow identification device 21-1, 21-2, . .. is arranged to identify the cow numbered n when she enters or has entered milking stall numbered n.
  • the feed dispenser 17 (under control of the feed dispenser control module 18c of the control device 18) is arranged to dispense feed into the feed manger 16 of milking stall numbered n+1 in response to the cow numbered n being identified when she enters or has entered milking stall numbered n.
  • the analyzing module 18b of the control device 18 may further be arranged to subtract the feed dispensed into the feed manger 16 of milking stall numbered n+1 from the feed ration individually adapted for the cow numbered n+ 1 , thereby arriving in a corrected feed ration individually adapted for the cow numbered n+1; and the feed dispenser control module 18c of the control device 18 may be arranged to control the feed dispenser 17 to dispense the corrected feed ration individually adapted for the cow numbered n+ 1 into the feed manger 16 of milking stall numbered n+1, thereby allowing the cow numbered n+1 to consume her individually adapted feed ration in connection with the milking of her.
  • this aspect may comprise each of the features of the aspect disclosed with reference to Fig. 1.
  • Fig. 6 shows portions of a milking parlor 10 for milking a plurality of cows 12, in which a feeding arrangement according to one aspect is implemented.
  • One row 14 of a double row parlor in parallel stall configuration is shown, including a first row of stalls numbered 1, 2, . .., N.
  • the cows 12 leaves the milking parlor 10 simultaneously in a direction perpendicular to the row 14 of milking stalls.
  • a gate arrangement capable of being raised is provided in front of the cows 12 when standing in the milking stalls 1, 2, . .., N.
  • the feed mangers 16 may be mounted on this gate arrangement such that also the feed mangers 16 can be raised to allow the cows 12 to leave the milking parlor perpendicular to the row 14 of milking animals.
  • the feeding arrangement may be identical with the feeding arrangement of the aspect disclosed with reference to Fig. 1. It shall, however, be appreciated that a feeding arrangement of any other aspect disclosed herein may be implemented in a milking parlor in parallel stall configuration.
  • Fig. 7 is a flow diagram of a method for automatically feeding cows according to yet another aspect.
  • the method is implemented in a milking parlor comprising a row of milking stalls accessible in serial order to a plurality of cows from a front end thereof, wherein each of the milking stalls comprises equipment for milking a cow and a feed manger, in which each of the cows is given an individually adapted feed ration in connection with the rnilking thereof, the milking parlor comprising at least one animal identification device for identifying the cows.
  • a first one of the cows entering the row of milking stalls is, in a step 71, identified, and feed is, in a step 72, dispensed into the feed manger of the milking stall located in the far end of the row of milking stalls in connection with the first one of the cows entering the row of milking stalls to entice the cows to enter the row of rnilking stalls.
  • the steps 71 and 72 may be performed in any order or simultaneously.
  • the feed dispensed into the feed manger of the milking stall in the far end of the row of milking stalls is, in a step 73, subtracted from the feed ration individually adapted for the first cow to arrive in a corrected feed ration individually adapted for the first cow.
  • the corrected feed ration individually adapted for the first cow is, in a step 74, dispensed into the feed manger of the milking stall in the far end of the row of milking stalls in connection with the milking of the first cow to allow her to consume her individually adapted feed ration provided that she actually enters the rnilking stall in the far end of the row of milking stalls.

Abstract

A method for automatically feeding milk producing animals (12) in a milking parlor (10) comprising a row (14) of milking stalls (1, 2,..., N) accessible in serial order to a plurality of milk producing animals (12) from a front end thereof (14a) is provided. Feed is dispensed (72) into the feed manger of the milking stall (1) located in the far end (14b) of the row of milking stalls in connection with the first one of the plurality of milk producing animals entering the row of milking stalls to entice the plurality of milk producing animals to enter the row of milking stalls. The first milk producing animal is identified (71) when she enters the row of milking stall and/ or when she enters the milking stall in the far end. The feed dispensed into the feed manger of the milking stall located in the far end is subtracted (73) from the feed ration individually adapted for the first milk producing animal, thereby arriving in a corrected feed ration individually adapted for the first milk producing animal. The corrected feed ration is dispensed (74) into the feed manger of the milking stall located in the far end in connection with the milking of the first milk producing animal, thereby allowing her to consume her individually adapted feed ration.

Description

METHOD AND ARRANGEMENT FOR AUTOMATICALLY FEEDING MILK PRODUCING ANIMALS
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to the field of dairy farming and more specifically the invention relates to methods and arrangements for automatically feeding milk producing animals in a milking parlor.
DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Cows are often hesitant to enter a milking parlor. In-parlor feeding may encourage the cows to enter the milking parlor, but still, some cows may hesitate even if they know that they will be fed in the milking parlor.
US 3,738,320 discloses a herringbone milking parlor having automatic controls for preparation and movement of milking cows. Since the cows must be positioned in individual stalls when they enter the row of the herringbone milking parlor, it is desirable that the first cow entering, not stops at the closest manger to feed, but proceeds to the stall located in the far end of the row of the herringbone milking parlor. Therefore, feed is dispensed to this stall first. When a cow positions herself in this stall, an electrical sensing switch closes causing a feed let-down valve for the next stall as seen from the far end to be activated. This procedure continues until all mangers have feed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Feed costs comprise 40-50% of the cost of milk production. Implementation and management of feeding systems to sustain high levels of milk production and control feed costs are crucial to the profitability of dairy farms. Considerations have to be made regarding nutritional demands of the cows, ration management (including analysis of the feed, cost and availability), feed preparation, feed transport, feed distribution, and feed consumption control.
The amount of suitable feed given to the animals may be calculated to achieve maximum profit, maximum milk production, milk of a desired quality, and/ or animals of a desired condition. While the approach of US 3,738,320 indeed entices cows to enter the stalls of the milking stall rather quickly, thereby improving the throughput of cows through the rnilking stall, it does not focus on feeding management and efficiency.
An object of one aspect of the invention is to provide methods and arrangements for feeding milk producing animals in a milking parlor, which provide for high profit, high milk production, milk of a desired quality, and/ or animals of a desired condition, while taking into account both the feeding efficiency and the throughput of milk producing animals through a milking parlor.
Various aspects of the invention are found in the appended patent claims.
A method for automatically feeding milk producing animals may be implemented in a milking parlor comprising a row of milking stalls accessible in serial order to a plurality of milk producing animals from a front end thereof, wherein each of the rnilking stalls comprises equipment for milking a milk producing animal and a feed manger, the milking parlor comprising further at least one animal identification device for identifying the milk producing animals.
According to the method, feed is dispended into the feed manger of the milking stall located in the far end of the row of milking stalls in connection with a first one of the plurality of milk producing animals entering the row of milking stalls to entice the plurality of milk producing animals to enter the row of milking stalls; the first milk producing animal is identified when she enters the row of milking stalls, when she enters the milking stall in die far end of the row of milking stalls, or at both occasions, the feed dispensed into the feed manger of the milking stall in the far end of the row of milking stalls is subtracted from the feed ration individually adapted for the first milk producing animal to arrive in a corrected feed ration individually adapted for the first milk producing animal; and the corrected feed ration individually adapted for the first milk producing animal is dispensed into the feed manger of the milking stall in the far end of the row of milking stalls in connection with the rnilking of the first milk producing animal, thereby allowing her to consume her individually adapted feed ration.
By such provisions, the feeding of the milk producing animal in the milking stall in far end of the row of milking stalls can be well controlled, and thus be made efficient, and be part of an individually selected feeding program. In such program, the milk producing animal in the far end of the row of rnilking stalls can be given a certain percentage, or all, of her daily ration of concentrate in connection with the milking of her in the milking parlor. The amount and composition of the feed may be individually controlled.
Each of the milk producing animals may be given an individually adapted meal, e.g. of the above kind, when being milked in the milking parlor. In such a manner, en efficient feeding according to a feeding management scheme may be applied, while still the milk producing animals can be enticed to quickly enter the milldng stalls of the milldng parlor.
If an animal identification device is arranged at the entrance of the row of milking stalls at the front end thereof, the first milli producing animal may be identified in the front end of the row of milking stalls already before feed is dispensed into the feed manger of the milldng stall located in the far end of the row of milking stalls to entice the milli producing animals to enter the row of milking stalls. This allows for dispensing enticing feed into the feed manger of the milldng stall located in the far end of the row of milking stalls, which is of a size or a composition, or is dispensed in a manner, that is individually adapted to the first milk producing animal. By such provisions, the first milk producing animal can be even more strongly enticed to enter the row of milking stalls and the milking stall in the far end of the row of milking stalls, in order to speed up the positioning of her in her milking stall. This will also entice the milk producing animals entering the row of milking stalls after her to enter the row of milking stalls quickly.
If also an animal identification device is arranged at or in some or all of the milldng stalls, milk producing animals may be identified also when they enter or have entered a respective milking stall, i.e., a milk producing animal can be identified when she enters a milldng stall by an animal identification device arranged at the entry of that milking stall and a milk producing animal can be identified when she has entered a milking stall by an animal identification device arranged inside that milking stall. This opens up for an even more sophisticated approach regarding the positioning of milk producing animals in the milking stalls. A milk producing animal is identified when she enters or has entered a first milking stall, which is not located in the front or far ends of the row of rnilking stalls. Feed is dispensed into the feed manger of a second milking stall located immediately after the milking stall as seen from the far end of the row of milking stalls. A milk producing animal entering the second milking stall is identified. This may be done by the animal identification device arranged at the entrance of the row of milldng stalls or by a further animal identification device located at or in the second milldng stall. The feed dispensed into the feed manger of the second milking stall is subtracted from the feed ration individually adapted for the milk producing animal entering the second milking stall, thereby arriving in a corrected feed ration individually adapted for that milk producing animal. Finally, the corrected feed ration individually adapted for the milk producing animal entering the second milking stall is dispensed in connecdon with the milking of that milk producing animal, thereby allowing her to consume her individually adapted feed ration. The above steps may be repeated for at least one other pair of adjacent milking stalls.
Hereby, the fast positioning of the milk producing animals in the respective milking stalls is promoted by dispensing feed in more rnilking stall(s), and simultaneously, the feeding of the milk producing animals in the above identified milking stall(s), and the rest of the milking stalls, can be well controlled, and thus be made efficient, and be part of an individually selected feeding program.
In another approach, an animal identification device is arranged at or in each of the rnilking stalls, wherein milk producing animals may be identified when they enter or have entered a respective milking stall. The animal identification device arranged at the entrance of the row of milking stalls may be dispensed with, and in such instance, the milk producing animals are identified firstly when they enter or have entered a respective milking stall.
The approach features numbering the milking stalls of the row of milking stalls from 1 to N from the far end of the row of milking stalls and numbering the milk producing animals from 1 to N in the order they enters the row of milking stalls. Then, let n be a positive integer index running from 1 to N-l and perform the following steps: identifying the milk producing animal numbered n when she enters or has entered rnilking stall numbered n; dispensing feed into the feed manger of milking stall numbered n+1 in response to the milk producing animal numbered n being identified when she enters or has entered milking stall numbered n; subtracting the feed dispensed into the feed manger of milking stall numbered n+1 from the feed ration individually adapted for the milk producing animal numbered n+1, thereby arriving in a corrected feed ration individually adapted for the milk producing animal numbered n+ 1 ; and dispensing the corrected feed ration individually adapted for the milk producing animal numbered n+1 into the feed manger of milking stall numbered n+ 1 , thereby allowing the milk producing animal numbered n+ 1 to consume her individually adapted feed ration in connection with the milking of her. In each of the various approaches, enticing feed, which is dispensed into the feed manger of the milking stall located in the far end of the row of milking stalls in connection with the first milk producing animal entering the row of milking stalls, may be performed in response to (i) the first milk producing animal being identified in the front end of the row of milking stalls— if an animal identification device is located there, (ii) the first milk producing animal being detected in the front end of the row of milking stall by any other kind of detector, or (iii) the opening of an entrance gate in the front end of the row of milking stalls.
The enticing feed may be dispensed in various ways.
In one way, the time lapsed from when the first milk producing animal enters the row of milking stalls (when the enticing feed is dispensed in the manger of the milking stall in the far end of the row of milking stalls) is continuously monitored, and a second amount of enticing feed is dispensed into the feed manger of the milking stall located in the far end of the row of milking stalls to further entice the first milk producing animal to quickly enter the milking stall located in the far end of the row of milldng stalls provided that the time lapsed increases above a threshold value and the first milk producing animal has still not entered the milking stall located in the far end of the row of milldng stalls. Here, an enticing feed dispensing approach which is dynamically adapted to the progress of the positioning of the milk producing animals in the milldng stalls is obtained.
In another way, wherein any of the above disclosed feeding methods is repeated a plurality of times — e.g. for the first milk producing animal entering the row of milking stall first, the enticing feed dispensed into the feed manger of the milldng stall located in the far end of the row of rnilking stalls may be of a size or a composition, or is dispensed in a manner, that is varied from time to time. Hereby, the way of enticing is changed over time in order to allow the milk producing animals to keep a curiosity regarding what is happening in the milking parlor, and as a result thereof, to maintain a fast positioning in the milking stalls.
In yet another way, wherein any of the above disclosed feeding methods is repeated a plurality of times - e.g. for the first milk producing animal entering the row of milking stall first, the time from when the first milk producing animal enters the row of milldng stalls (or when the enticing feed is dispensed into the feed manger of the milking stall in the far end of the row of milking stalls) to when the milk producing animal enters or has entered the making stall located in the far end of the row of milking stalls is monitored repeatedly; and the variation of the size or the composition of the feed, or the manner in which the feed is dispensed, may be made based on the monitored times. The monitored times provide a good indication of when the enticing feed becomes less enticing (e.g. due to the milk producing animals becoming bored) and when, consequently, the variation of the size or the composition of the feed, or the manner in which the feed is dispensed, can be initiated. For instance, when the monitored time rises above a threshold time, an enticing feed dispensing variation may be initiated in order to speed up the positioning of the milk producing animals in the milking stalls.
A feeding arrangement for automatically feeding milk producing animals may be provided for a milking parlor comprising a row of milking stalls accessible in serial order to a plurality of milk producing animals from a front end thereof, wherein each of the milking stalls comprises equipment for milking a milk producing animal and a feed manger.
The feeding arrangement may be provided for giving each of the milk producing animals an individually adapted feed ration in connection with the milking thereof and comprises a feed dispenser, an animal identification arrangement, and a control device.
The feed dispenser is arranged to dispense feed into the feed manger of the milking stall located in the far end of the row of milking stalls in connection with a first one of the plurality of milk producing animals entering the row of milking stalls to entice the plurality of milk producing animals to enter the row of milking stalls. The animal identification arrangement is arranged to identify the first milk producing animal. The control device is arranged to subtract the feed dispensed into the feed manger of the milking stall located in the far end of the row of milking stalls from the feed ration individually adapted for the first milk producing animal, diereby arriving in a corrected feed ration individually adapted for the first milk producing animal; and is arranged to control the feed dispenser to dispense the corrected feed ration individually adapted for the first milk producing animal into the feed manger of the milking stall located in the far end of the row of milking stalls in connection with the milking of the first milk producing ariimal, thereby allowing her to consume her individually adapted feed ration.
This feeding arrangement may be equipped with equipment for performing each of the various functions described above and may possess each of the advantages and benefits disclosed above.
Further characteristics and advantages will be evident from the following detailed description given hereinafter and the accompanying Figs. 1-7, which are given by way of illustration only, and shall thus not limit the scope of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is a schematic top plan view of portions of a milking parlor in a herringbone configuration wherein a feeding arrangement according to one aspect is implemented.
Fig. 2 is a schematic top plan view of portions of a milking parlor in a herringbone configuration wherein a feeding arrangement according to another aspect is implemented.
Fig. 3 is a schematic top plan view of portions of a milking parlor in a herringbone configuration wherein a feeding arrangement according to yet another aspect is implemented.
Fig. 4 is a schematic top plan view of portions of a milking parlor in a herringbone configuration wherein a feeding arrangement according to still another aspect is implemented. Fig. 5 is a schematic top plan view of portions of a milking parlor in a herringbone configuration wherein a feeding arrangement according to yet another aspect is implemented.
Fig. 6 is a schematic top plan view of portions of a parallel stall milking parlor wherein a feeding arrangement according to still another aspect is implemented.
Fig. 7 is a flow diagram of a method of automatically feeding milk producing animals according to yet another aspect.
Identical reference numerals are used throughout the Figures to denote identical or similar components, portions, details and the like of the various embodiments.
In the detailed description the milk producing animals are referred to as cows. However, the invention is not limited to cows, but is applicable to any animals having the capability to produce large quantities of milk, such as sheep, goats, buffaloes, horses, etc.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Fig. 1 shows portions of a milking parlor 10 for batch-wise milking a plurality of cows 12, in which a feeding arrangement according to one aspect is implemented. One row 14 of a double row parlor in herringbone configuration is shown, including a first row of stalls numbered 1 , 2, ... , N. Each stall comprises equipment for milking a cow 12 and a feed manger 16, in which each of the cows 12 is given an individually adapted feed ration in connection with the milking thereof. The row 14 is provided with a portal based cow identification station 21 in a front end 14a thereof, through which the cows 12 can pass serially while being identified.
A transponder 20 worn on a band around the neck of a cow 12 approaching the cow identification station 21 is energized by a multi-directional electromagnetic field generated by a double antenna loop (not explicidy illustrated) in a portal structure of the cow identification station 21. The transponder, when energized, will transmit unique identification data back to the antenna loop after the electromagnetic field has been removed. A control device 18, connected to the cow identification station 21, is provided to process the information so that the cow can be identified. For further details of the cow identification station reference is made to US 4,798,175, the content of which being hereby incorporated by reference. It shall particularly be appreciated that the transponder may be worn at other positions of the cow than on a band around the neck.
Alternatively, any other kind of cow identification system may be used in conjunction with the principles of the present invention. Reference is in this respect made to US 5,653,192, US 5,183,008, and US 5,028,918, the contents of all of which being hereby incorporated by reference. The cow identification station 21 and the control device 18 are comprised in the feeding arrangement.
After the cows have passed serially through the cow identification station 21 they enter sequentially the row 14 of stalls 1, 2, ..., N arranged in parallel such that the first identified cow will enter the stall closest to the far end 14b of the row, i.e. the stall numbered 1 in Fig. 1, the second identified cow will enter the stall numbered 2, and so on, until the row is completely full with the last identified cow in die stall closest to the front end 14a of the row, which is numbered N in Fig. 1. The control device 18 identifies the respective cow and stores the identities in chronological order.
When cows have filled the row 14 completely they are milked simultaneously. During the milldng, measurements of the milk produced by the cows 12 are performed, which typically at least include weights, volumes or flows of the milk produced by each cow. Such information is valuable in the management of the cows, e.g. for controlling their individual feed consumption and for monitoring their health. The milk weights are correlated with the cow identities and are stored by the control device 18. Upon completion of milking, the cows 12 are allowed to leave the parlor, which typically is made in a sequential order at the far end 14b of the row 14 of milking stalls. Further, the row 14 of milking stalls may comprise an entrance gate 5a at the front end 14a of the row 14 of milking stalls and an exit gate 15b at the far end 14b of die row 14 of milking stalls. The entrance gate 15a and the exit gate 15b may be automatically controlled gates, which are operatively connected to the control device 18, which may control the opening of the entrance gate 15a when the cows 12 are allowed to enter the row 14 of milking stalls and the closing thereof when die last one of the cows 12 have entered the row 14 of milking stalls. Similarly, the control device 18 may control the opening of the exit gate 15b when the cows 12 are allowed to leave the row 14 of milking stalls after milking and the closing thereof when the last one of the cows 12 have left the row 14 of milking stalls. A feed dispenser, schematically indicated at 17, is comprised in the feeding arrangement and is arranged to give each of the cows 12 an individually adapted feed ration in connection with the milking thereof. The feed dispenser 17 may e.g. be a feed wagon or other feeding arrangement capable of giving each of the cows 12 an individually adapted ration of feed, both regarding amount and composition. When the feed dispenser 17 dispenses feed into a feed manger 16 of a milking stall 1, 2, ... , N a characteristic sound is created which the cows 12 will associate with feed. Further, the smell of the feed can be noticed by the cows 12.
Therefore, the feed dispenser 17 is arranged to dispense feed into the feed manger 16 of the milking stall 1 located in the far end 14b of the row 14 of milking stalls in connection with a first one of the cows entering the row 14 of milking stalls to entice this cow to rapidly walk through the row 14 of milking stalls and enter the milking stall 1 in the far end 14b of the row 14 of milking stalls and to entice the rest of the cows 12 to enter the row 14 of milking stalls. The enticing or teaser feed may be given as a fixed amount or a percentage amount of a ration, e.g. an individually adapted ration for that cow 12. The dispensing may be performed in one or several pulses.
The enticing dispensing of feed may be triggered by the first cow 12 being identified by the cow identification station 21 in the front end 14a of the row of milking stalls, by the first cow 12 being detected in the front end 14a of the row 14 of milking stalls, e.g. by a simple detection sensor such as a photocell (not illustrated), or by the opening of the entrance gate 15a in the front end 14a of the row 14 of milking stalls.
The control device 18 comprises three modules or parts: a cow identification module 18a operatively connected to the cow identification station 21, an analyzing module 18b, and a feed dispenser control module 18c operatively connected to the feed dispenser 17. The cow identification module 18a receives the identification of the first cow 12 entering the row 14 of milking stalls from the cow identification station 21, the feed dispenser control module 18c controls the dispensing of the enticing feed into the feed manger 16 of the milking stall 1 in the far end 14b of the row 14 of milking stalls, the analyzing module 18b subtracts the feed dispensed into the feed manger 16 of the milking stall 1 in the far end 14b of the row 14 of milking stalls from the feed ration individually adapted for the first identified cow 12, thereby arriving in a corrected feed ration individually adapted for the first identified cow 12, and the feed dispenser control module 18c controls the feed dispenser 17 to dispense the corrected feed ration individually adapted for the first identified cow 12 into the feed manger 16 of the milking stall 1 in the far end 14b of the row 14 of milking stalls in connection with the milking of her, thereby allowing her to consume her individually adapted feed ration. This corrected feed ration is typically given to a cow firstiy when her identity has been confirmed in some manner or corrected if required.
This procedure will encourage the first cow to quickly move into her position, and also subsequently encourage the other cows to follow her into the row 14 of milking stalls. Further, each cow will get her individually adapted feed ration in connection with the milking of her.
Since, the cow identification station 21 identifies the cows already before entering the row 14 of milking stalls, the enticing feed dispensed into the feed manger 16 of the milking stall 1 located in the far end 14b of the row 14 of milking stalls to entice the cows 12 to enter the row 14 of milking stalls, may be of a size or a composition, or may be dispensed in a manner, which is individually adapted to the first identified cow 12.
Further, the time lapsed from when the first identified cow 12 enters the row 14 of milking stalls is monitored by the control device 18; and the feed dispenser control module 18c of the control device 18 may control the feed dispenser 17 to dispense a second amount of feed into the feed manger 16 of the milking stall 1 in the far end 14b of the row 14 of milking stalls to entice the first identified cow 12 to enter the milking stall 1 in the far end 14b of the row 14 of milking stalls provided that the time lapsed increases above a threshold value and the first identified cow 12 has still not entered the milking stall 1 in the far end 14b of the row 14 of milking stalls.
This may speed up the process of positioning the cows 12 in the milking stalls 1, 2, ..., N. It shall be appreciated, that if enticing feed is dispensed a second time, the analyzing module 18b has to subtract also the second amount of dispensed enticing feed from the feed ration individually adapted for the first identified cow 12, thereby arriving in a new corrected feed ration individually adapted for the first identified cow 12, and the feed dispenser control module 18c controls the feed dispenser 17 to dispense the new corrected feed ration individually adapted for the first identified cow 12 into the feed manger 16 of the milking stall 1 in the far end 14b of the row 14 of rnilking stalls in connection with the milking of her. Hereby, it is safeguarded that the cow 12 will always get her individually adapted feed ration.
At batch change, i.e. when milking is completed, the exit gate 15a has been opened, and the cows are let out, and a new line of cows enter the row 14 of milking stalls, the enticing feed may not be dispensed in the feed manger 16 of the milking stall 1 in the far end 14b of the row 14 of milldng stall until all the cows 12, which have been milked, have left the row 14 of milldng stalls, and the exit gate 15b has been closed, and possibly not until the entry gate 15a has been opened for the new batch of cows.
The above disclosed enticing and feeding approach may be repeated a plurality of times - for the first identified cow entering the row 14 of milking stalls first, wherein the feed dispensed into the feed manger 16 of the milldng stall 1 in the far end 14b of the row 14 of milldng stalls in connection with the first identified cow 12 entering the row 14 of milldng stalls may be of a size or a composition, or may be dispensed in a manner, that is varied from time to time.
The variation may be realized according to a predetermined scheme, e.g. a cyclingly varying scheme or an irregularly varying scheme, e.g. applying random approaches. Alternatively, the time from when the first identified cow 12 enters the row 14 of milldng stalls to when the same cow 12 enters or has entered the milldng stall 1 in the far end 14b of the row 14 of milking stalls is monitored repeatedly; and the variation of the size or the composition of the feed, or the manner in which the feed is dispensed, is made based on the monitored times.
Fig. 2 shows portions of the rnilking parlor 10 for milldng a plurality of cows 12, in which a feeding arrangement according to another aspect is implemented. Here, the feeding arrangement comprises not only the cow identification station 21, but also one cow identification or detection device 21-4 in or at one of the milking stalls, i.e. milking stall 4, operatively connected to the control device 18.
The cow identification module 18a receives the identification of the first cow 12 entering the row 14 of milking stalls, the feed dispenser control module 18c controls the dispensing of the enticing feed into the feed manger 16 of the irrilking stall 1 in the far end 14b of the row 14 of rnilking stalls, the analyzing module 18b may subtract the feed dispensed into the feed manger 16 of the milking stall 1 in the far end 14b of the row 14 of milking stalls from the feed ration individually adapted for the first identified cow 12, thereby arriving in a corrected feed ration individually adapted for the first identified cow 12, and the feed dispenser control module 18c may control the feed dispenser 17 to dispense the corrected feed ration individually adapted for the first identified cow 12 into the feed manger 16 of the milking stall 1 in the far end 14b of the row 14 of milking stalls in connection with the milking of her, thereby allowing her to consume her individually adapted feed ration.
Next, when a cow enters or has entered the milking stall 4 (depending on the exact location and operation of the cow identification or detection device 21-4) it is assumed that cows have already entered milking stalls 1, 2, and 3.
The identification or detection is passed to the cow identification module 18a of the control device 18. In response thereto, the feed dispenser control module 18c controls the feed dispenser 17 to dispense feed into the feed manger 16 of the milking stall 5 located immediately after the milking stall 4 as counted from the far end 14b of the row 14 of stalls, thereby enticing at least a further cow 12, which enters the row 14 of milking stalls immediately after the cow identified in the milking stall, to enter the milking stall 5. Actually, in the illustrated case three more cows 12 are enticed to enter the respective milking stalls 6, 7, and 8.
The analyzing module 18b may subtract the feed dispensed into the feed manger 16 of the milking stall 5 from the feed ration individually adapted for the cow 12 to enter this milking stall, thereby arriving in a corrected feed ration individually adapted this cow 12. Finally, the feed dispenser control module 18c may control the feed dispenser 17 to dispense the corrected feed ration individually adapted for the cow entering the milking stall 5 into the feed manger 16 of the milking stall 5, thereby allowing this cow 12 to consume her individually adapted feed ration in connection with the milking of her.
In other respects this aspect may comprise each of the features of the aspect disclosed with reference to Fig. 1.
The above concept may be generalized to a feed arrangement comprising a cow identification or detection device in or at any milking stalls except possibly for the milking stall N in the front end 14a of the row 14 of milking stalls since no further milking stall is located after this milking stall N as seen from the far end 14b of the row 14 of milking animals.
Fig. 3 shows portions of the milking parlor 10 for milking a plurality of cows 12, in which a feeding arrangement according to one aspect is implemented. Here, the feeding arrangement comprises cow identification or detection devices 21-1, 21-3, 21-5, 21-7 in every second milking stall, i.e. milking stalls 1, 3, 5, 7, each being connected to the control device 18. Enticing feed is then dispensed (except for into the feed manger 16 of the milking stall 1 in the far end 14b of the row 14 of milking stalls) into the feed manger 16 of every second milking stall, i.e. milking stalls 2, 4, 6, 8.
Fig. 4 shows portions of the milking parlor 10 for milking a plurality of cows 12, in which a feeding arrangement according to another aspect is implemented. Here, the feeding arrangement comprises cow identification or detection devices 21-1, 21-2, 21-3, 21-4, 21-5, 21-6, 21-7, 21-8 in each milking stall, i.e. milking stalls 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, each being connected to the control device 18. Enticing feed is dispensed into the feed manger 16 of each milking statt 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.
In other respects the aspects disclosed with reference to Figs. 2-4 may comprise each of die features of the aspect disclosed with reference to Fig. 1.
Fig. 5 shows portions of the milking parlor 10 for milking a plurality of cows 12, in which a feeding arrangement according to another aspect is implemented. Here, no cow identification station 21 is arranged in the front end 14a of the row of milking stalls. Instead, each of the milking stalls 1, 2, ..., N is provided with a respective cow identification or detection device 21-1, 21-2, . .., 21-N, each being connected to the control device 18. Each cow 12 is thus identified firstiy when she enters or has entered the respective milking stalls 1, 2, ..., N..
This aspect is similar to the aspect disclosed with reference to Fig. 4, one difference being that the cow identification station 21 is dispensed with and another difference is that the cow identification or detection devices are cow identification devices. The feed dispenser 17 is arranged to dispense (under the control of the feed dispenser control module 18c of the control device 18) feed into the feed manger 16 of the milking stall 1 located in the far end 14b of the row of milldng stalls in connection with a first one of the cows 12 entering the row 14 of milking stalls to entice the cows 12 to enter the row 14 of milking stalls. The analyzing module 18b of die control device 18 may be arranged to subtract the feed dispensed into the feed manger 16 of the milldng stall 1 located in the far end 14b of the row 14 of milking stalls from the feed ration individually adapted for the first identified cow 12, thereby arriving in a corrected feed ration individually adapted for that cow 12; and the feed dispenser control module 18c of the control device 18 may be arranged to control the feed dispenser 17 to dispense the corrected feed ration individually adapted for the first identified cow 12 into the feed manger 16 of the milking stall 1 located in the far end 14b of the row 14 of milking stalls in connection with the milking of that cow 12.
The cows are numbered from 1 to N in the order they enters the row of milking stalls. For n being a positive integer running from 1 to N-l, a respective cow identification device 21-1, 21-2, . .. is arranged to identify the cow numbered n when she enters or has entered milking stall numbered n. The feed dispenser 17 (under control of the feed dispenser control module 18c of the control device 18) is arranged to dispense feed into the feed manger 16 of milking stall numbered n+1 in response to the cow numbered n being identified when she enters or has entered milking stall numbered n. The analyzing module 18b of the control device 18 may further be arranged to subtract the feed dispensed into the feed manger 16 of milking stall numbered n+1 from the feed ration individually adapted for the cow numbered n+ 1 , thereby arriving in a corrected feed ration individually adapted for the cow numbered n+1; and the feed dispenser control module 18c of the control device 18 may be arranged to control the feed dispenser 17 to dispense the corrected feed ration individually adapted for the cow numbered n+ 1 into the feed manger 16 of milking stall numbered n+1, thereby allowing the cow numbered n+1 to consume her individually adapted feed ration in connection with the milking of her.
In other respects this aspect may comprise each of the features of the aspect disclosed with reference to Fig. 1.
Fig. 6 shows portions of a milking parlor 10 for milking a plurality of cows 12, in which a feeding arrangement according to one aspect is implemented. One row 14 of a double row parlor in parallel stall configuration is shown, including a first row of stalls numbered 1, 2, . .., N. Typically, the cows 12 leaves the milking parlor 10 simultaneously in a direction perpendicular to the row 14 of milking stalls. To this end a gate arrangement capable of being raised is provided in front of the cows 12 when standing in the milking stalls 1, 2, . .., N. The feed mangers 16 may be mounted on this gate arrangement such that also the feed mangers 16 can be raised to allow the cows 12 to leave the milking parlor perpendicular to the row 14 of milking animals. The feeding arrangement may be identical with the feeding arrangement of the aspect disclosed with reference to Fig. 1. It shall, however, be appreciated that a feeding arrangement of any other aspect disclosed herein may be implemented in a milking parlor in parallel stall configuration.
Fig. 7 is a flow diagram of a method for automatically feeding cows according to yet another aspect. The method is implemented in a milking parlor comprising a row of milking stalls accessible in serial order to a plurality of cows from a front end thereof, wherein each of the milking stalls comprises equipment for milking a cow and a feed manger, in which each of the cows is given an individually adapted feed ration in connection with the rnilking thereof, the milking parlor comprising at least one animal identification device for identifying the cows.
A first one of the cows entering the row of milking stalls is, in a step 71, identified, and feed is, in a step 72, dispensed into the feed manger of the milking stall located in the far end of the row of milking stalls in connection with the first one of the cows entering the row of milking stalls to entice the cows to enter the row of rnilking stalls. The steps 71 and 72 may be performed in any order or simultaneously.
The feed dispensed into the feed manger of the milking stall in the far end of the row of milking stalls is, in a step 73, subtracted from the feed ration individually adapted for the first cow to arrive in a corrected feed ration individually adapted for the first cow. Finally, the corrected feed ration individually adapted for the first cow is, in a step 74, dispensed into the feed manger of the milking stall in the far end of the row of milking stalls in connection with the milking of the first cow to allow her to consume her individually adapted feed ration provided that she actually enters the rnilking stall in the far end of the row of milking stalls.
It will be obvious that the invention may be varied in a plurality of ways within the scope of the appended patent claims.

Claims

1. A method for automatically feeding milk producing animals (12) in a milking parlor (10) comprising a row (14) of milking stalls (1, 2, ..., N) accessible in serial order to a plurality of milk producing animals (12) from a front end thereof (14a), wherein each of the milking stalls comprises equipment for milking a milk producing animal and a feed manger (16), in which each of said milk producing animals is given an individually adapted feed ration in connection with the milking thereof, the milking parlor comprising at least one animal identification device (21, 21-1, 21-2, .. .) for identifying said milk producing animals, c h a r a c t e r i z e d b y the steps of:
- dispensing (72) feed into the feed manger of the milking stall (1) located in the far end ( 4b) of the row of milking stalls in connection with a first one of said plurality of milk producing animals entering the row of milking stalls to entice said plurality of milk producing animals to enter the row of milking stalls;
- identifying (71) said first milk producing animal;
- subtracting (73) the feed dispensed into the feed manger of the milking stall located in the far end of the row of milking stalls from the feed ration individually adapted for said first milk producing animal, thereby arriving in a corrected feed ration individually adapted for said first milk producing animal; and
- dispensing (74) said corrected feed ration individually adapted for said first milk producing animal into the feed manger of the milking stall located in the far end of the row of milking stalls in connection with the milking of said first milk producing animal, thereby allowing her to consume her individually adapted feed ration.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein said first milk producing animal is identified in the front end (14a) of said row of milking stalls before the step of dispensing feed into the feed manger of the milking stall located in the far end of the row of milking stalls in connection with said first milk producing animal entering the row of milking stalls is performed.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein the feed dispensed into the feed manger of the milking stall located in the far end of the row of milking stalls in connection with said first milk producing animal entering the row of milking stalls to entice said plurality of milk producing animals to enter the row of milking stalls, is of a size or a composition, or is dispensed in a manner, that is individually adapted to said first milk producing animal.
4. The method of claim 2 or 3 comprising the steps of:
(i) identifying a milk producing animal when she enters or has entered a first milking stall, which is not located in the front or far ends of the row of milking stalls;
(ii) dispensing feed into the feed manger of a second milking stall located immediately after the first milking stall as seen from the far end of the row of milking stalls;
(iii) identifying the milk producing animal entering the second milking stall;
(iv) subtracting the feed dispensed into the feed manger of the second milking stall from the feed ration individually adapted for the milk producing animal entering the second rnilking stall, thereby arriving in a corrected feed ration individually adapted for that milk producing animal; and
(v) dispensing the corrected feed ration individually adapted for the milk producing animal entering the second milking stall in connection with the milking of that milk producing animal, thereby allowing her to consume her individually adapted feed ration.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein the steps (i)-(v) are repeated for at least one other pair of adjacent milking stalls.
6. The method of any of claims 2-5 wherein the step of dispensing feed into the feed manger of the milking stall located in the far end of the row of milking stalls in connection with said first milk producing animal entering the row of milking stalls is performed in response to (i) said first milk producing animal being identified in the front end (14a) of said row of milking stalls, (ii) said first milk producing animal being detected in the front end (14a) of said row of rnilking stall, or (iii) the opening of an entrance gate (15a) in the front end of the row of milking stalls.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein said first milk producing animal is identified when she enters or has entered the milking stall located in the far end of the row of milking stalls.
8. The method of claim 7 comprising the steps of: - numbering the rnilking stalls of the row of milking stalls from 1 to N from the far end of the row of milking stalls;
- numbering the milk producing animals from 1 to N in the order they enters the row of rnilking stalls; and - for n being a positive integer running from 1 to N-l performing the steps of:
- identifying the milk producing animal numbered n when she enters or has entered milking stall numbered n;
- dispensing feed into the feed manger of milking stall numbered n+1 in response to the milk producing animal numbered n being identified when she enters or has entered milking stall numbered n;
- subtracting the feed dispensed into the feed manger of rnilking stall numbered n+1 from the feed ration individually adapted for the milk producing animal numbered n+1, thereby arriving in a corrected feed ration individually adapted for the milk producing animal numbered n+1; and - dispensing said corrected feed ration individually adapted for the milk producing animal numbered n+1 into the feed manger of milking stall numbered n+1, thereby allowing the milk producing animal numbered n+1 to consume her individually adapted feed ration in connection with the milking of her [provided that she enters milking stall numbered n+1].
9. The method of claim 7 or 8 wherein the step of dispensing feed into the feed manger of the milking stall located in the far end of the row of milking stalls in connection with said first milk producing animal entering the row of milking stalls is performed in response to (i) said first milk producing animal being detected in the front end of said row of milking stall, or (ii) the opening of an entrance gate in the front end of the row of milking stalls.
10. The method of any of claims 1-9 wherein the time lapsed from when said first milk producing animal enters the row of milking stalls is monitored; and a second amount of feed is dispensed into the feed manger of the milking stall located in the far end of the row of milking stalls to entice said first milk producing animal to enter the milking stall located in the far end of the row of milking stalls provided that the time lapsed increases above a threshold value and said first milk producing animal has still not entered the milking stall located in the far end of the row of milking stalls.
11. The method of any of claims 1-10 being repeated a plurality of times and wherein the feed dispensed into the feed manger of the milking stall located in the far end of the row of milking stalls in connection with said first milk producing animal entering the row of milking stalls to entice said plurality of milk producing animals to enter the row of milking stalls is of a size or a composition, or is dispensed in a manner, that is varied from time to time.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein the time from when said first milk producing animal enters the row of milking stalls to when said milk producing animal enters or has entered the milking stall located in the far end of the row of milking stalls is monitored repeatedly; and the variation of the size or the composition of the feed, or the manner in which the feed is dispensed, is made based on said monitored times.
13. A feeding arrangement for automatically feeding milk producing animals (12) in a milking parlor (10) comprising a row (14) of milking stalls (1, 2, .. ., N) accessible in serial order to a plurality of milk producing animals (12) from a front end thereof (14a), wherein each of the milking stalls comprises equipment for milking a milk producing animal and a feed manger (16), said feeding arrangement being provided for giving each of said milk producing animals an individually adapted feed ration in connection with the milking thereof and being c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n :
- a feed dispenser (17) arranged to dispense (72) feed into the feed manger of the milking stall (1) located in the far end (14b) of the row of milking stalls in connection with a first one of said plurality of milk producing animals entering the row of milking stalls to entice said plurality of milk producing animals to enter the row of milking stalls;
- an animal identification arrangement (21; 21-1) arranged to identify (71) said first milk producing animal; and - a control device (18) arranged to subtract (73) the feed dispensed into the feed manger of the milking stall located in the far end of the row of milking stalls from the feed ration individually adapted for said first milk producing animal, thereby arriving in a corrected feed radon individually adapted for said first milk producing animal; and arranged to control said feed dispenser to dispense said corrected feed ration individually adapted for said first milk producing animal into the feed manger of the milking stall located in the far end of the row of milking stalls in connection with the milking of said first milk producing animal, thereby allowing her to consume her individually adapted feed ration.
14. The arrangement of claim 13 wherein the animal identification arrangement is arranged to identify said first milk producing animal in the front end (14a) of said row of milking stalls before the feed dispenser dispenses feed into the feed manger of the milking stall located in the far end of the row of milking stalls in connection with said first milk producing animal entering the row of milking stalls.
15. The arrangement of claim 14 wherein:
- the animal identification arrangement is arranged to identify a milk producing animal when she enters or has entered a milking stall, which is not located in the front or far ends of the row of milking stalls;
- the feed dispenser is arranged to dispense feed into the feed manger of the milking stall located immediately after said milking stall, which is not located in the front or far ends of the row of milking stall, as seen from the far end of the row of milking stalls; - the animal identification arrangement is arranged to identify the milk producing animal entering the milking stall located immediately after said milking stall, which is not located in the front or far ends of the row of milking stall, as seen from the far end of the row of milking stalls;
- the control device is arranged to subtract the feed dispensed into the feed manger of the milking stall located immediately after said milking stall, which is not located in the front or far ends of the row of milking stall, as seen from the far end of the row of milking stalls, from the feed ration individually adapted for the milk producing animal entering that milking stall, thereby arriving in a corrected feed ration individually adapted for that milk producing animal; and
- the control device is arranged to control the feed dispenser to dispense the corrected feed ration individually adapted for the milk producing animal entering the rnilking stall located immediately after said milking stall, which is not located in the front or far ends of the row of rnilking stall, as seen from the far end of the row of milking stalls, in connection with the milking of that milk producing animal, thereby allowing her to consume her individually adapted feed ration.
16. The arrangement of claim 13 wherein: - the milldng stalls of the tow of milldng stalls ate numbeted ftom 1 to N from the far end of the row of milking stalls; and
- the milk producing animals are numbered from 1 to N in the otder they enters the row of milldng stalls; wherein, for n being a positive integer running from 1 to N-l,
- the animal identification arrangement is arranged to identify the milk ptoducing animal numbeted n when she enters or has entered milking stall numbered n;
- the feed dispenser is arranged to dispense feed into the feed manger of milking stall numbered n+1 in response to the milk ptoducing animal numbered n being identified when she enters or has entered milldng stall numbered n; and
- the control device is arranged to subtract the feed dispensed into the feed manger of milking stall numbered n+1 from the feed ration individually adapted for the milk producing animal numbered n+1, thereby arriving in a corrected feed ration individually adapted for the milk producing animal numbered n+1; and to control the feed dispenser to dispense said cottected feed tation individually adapted for the milk producing animal numbered n+1 into the feed manger of milldng stall numbered n+1, thereby allowing the milk producing animal numbered n+1 to consume her individually adapted feed ration in connection with the milking of her [provided that she enters milking stall numbered n+1].
PCT/SE2013/050260 2012-06-11 2013-03-15 Method and arrangement for automatically feeding milk producing animals WO2013187820A1 (en)

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* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3738320A (en) 1970-08-10 1973-06-12 Ross Holm Division Holm Tracto Automatic milking barn
GB2190767A (en) * 1986-05-02 1987-11-25 Stanley John Jacek Particulate animal feed metering apparatus
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