GB2026832A - Farrowing crate - Google Patents
Farrowing crate Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2026832A GB2026832A GB7830776A GB7830776A GB2026832A GB 2026832 A GB2026832 A GB 2026832A GB 7830776 A GB7830776 A GB 7830776A GB 7830776 A GB7830776 A GB 7830776A GB 2026832 A GB2026832 A GB 2026832A
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- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- pen
- cage
- breeding
- animal
- litter
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status 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 status listed.)
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- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 6
- 241001465754 Metazoa Species 0.000 claims description 76
- 238000009395 breeding Methods 0.000 claims description 75
- 230000001488 breeding effect Effects 0.000 claims description 75
- 238000003975 animal breeding Methods 0.000 claims description 56
- 238000009408 flooring Methods 0.000 claims description 34
- 238000004140 cleaning Methods 0.000 claims description 7
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 claims description 7
- 238000010276 construction Methods 0.000 claims description 4
- 230000009194 climbing Effects 0.000 claims description 3
- 230000005855 radiation Effects 0.000 claims description 3
- 239000002250 absorbent Substances 0.000 claims description 2
- 230000001419 dependent effect Effects 0.000 claims 2
- 238000010438 heat treatment Methods 0.000 abstract description 2
- 239000012530 fluid Substances 0.000 description 5
- 229910000831 Steel Inorganic materials 0.000 description 3
- 239000010959 steel Substances 0.000 description 3
- 238000002485 combustion reaction Methods 0.000 description 2
- 239000002184 metal Substances 0.000 description 2
- 230000032696 parturition Effects 0.000 description 2
- 230000029058 respiratory gaseous exchange Effects 0.000 description 2
- 230000000717 retained effect Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000005096 rolling process Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000035939 shock Effects 0.000 description 2
- 239000007787 solid Substances 0.000 description 2
- 208000034423 Delivery Diseases 0.000 description 1
- 230000002745 absorbent Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000034994 death Effects 0.000 description 1
- 231100000517 death Toxicity 0.000 description 1
- 208000014674 injury Diseases 0.000 description 1
- 230000000284 resting effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000000926 separation method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000003068 static effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000005728 strengthening Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000008733 trauma Effects 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
- A01K—ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; AVICULTURE; APICULTURE; PISCICULTURE; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS
- A01K1/00—Housing animals; Equipment therefor
- A01K1/02—Pigsties; Dog-kennels; Rabbit-hutches or the like
- A01K1/0218—Farrowing or weaning crates
Landscapes
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Environmental Sciences (AREA)
- Zoology (AREA)
- Animal Husbandry (AREA)
- Biodiversity & Conservation Biology (AREA)
- Housing For Livestock And Birds (AREA)
Abstract
A farrowing crate comprises a cage which is suspended within an assembly which comprises a surrounding channel or pen into which the litter fall after birth. A device is provided for on lifting the cage so that the floor 104 of the cage is elevated relative to the floor 56, 62 of the surrounding pen during the birth and for a short time afterwards to prevent the litter getting access to the sow or gilt. In this way mortality due to crushing or savaging of the litter which can occur particularly with gilts, is significantly reduced. The side walls of the cage are adjustable to accommodate different sized sows and gilts and the lifting mechanism may lift the cage relative to the surrounding pen or drop the pen relative to the cage. Lamps 74, 76 are provided for heating selected regions of the pen to keep the litter warm and a false floor 62 is provided onto which the litter fall when initially born to break their fall. The false floor is preferably constructed from a cushioning material and is preferably removable to be replaced and/or cleaned. The wall 52 of the pen adjoining the entrance gate 118 to the cage may be removable or at least hingeable to give access to the cage. <IMAGE>
Description
SPECIFICATION
Improvements in and relating to animal breeding pens
Field ofinvention This invention concerns animal breeding pens particularly sow crates in which sows and gilts are located during the birth of a litter. Whilst the invention will be described specifically with reference to a sow crate, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this particular application but may be applied to any animal breeding pen in which the female animal is constrained and separated from the young animals which are being born to prevent the latter from being damaged during the remainder of the birth of the litter.
Background to the invention
It is known to constrain a sow and particularly a gilt (a gilt being a female pig carrying her first litter) by means of a steel cage commonly referred to as a sow crate. This takes the form of a generally open framework one end of which is in the form of a gate which can be opened to allow the pig to be driven into the crate and also to allow the pig to leave the crate and the opposite end of which includes a feeding trough and the like. The crate is commonly surrounded by a framework or pen and a floor is provided which is usually common to both the crate and the surrounding pen so that as the litter is born each of the baby animals which are delivered can pass below the open steel framework of the crate and enter the relative safety of the surrounding pen well away from the animal giving birth to the remainder of the litter.The birth pangs experienced by a sow and particularly a gilt commonly causes the sow or gilt to behave somewhat viciously during the delivery period and for some time afterwards until the trauma of the delivery period has subsided. In addition sows have been known to lie on some or all of their litter and thereby crush them and it is with this in mind that the sow crate has been developed and used extensively in an attempt to reduce the loss of young piglets due to the vicious behaviour of the sow or simply due to the sow rolling over and crushing the litter.
Unfortunately even the conventional sow crate does not eliminate the possibility of the piglets wandering back into the crate either to be savaged by the sow or gilt or simply crushed under the animal or between the animal and the framework forming the crate. There is every tendency for the piglets to stray back towards the sow since their natural instinct is to suckle as soon as they are able and the sow or gilt therefore represents a focus of attention for the litter and losses can still occur (sometimes to the extent of a large percentage of a litter) even though a sow crate has been used and all precautions have been taken.
Objects of the present invention
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved breeding pen or sow crate in which the disadvantages of the conventional sow crate are to a large extent obviated and in which it is virtually impossible for the litter to stray back to the sow and either be savaged or crushed.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved animal breeding pen such as a sow crate which can be adjusted so as to accomodate different sizes of animal.
The invention
According to the present invention an animal breeding pen particularly a sow crate comprises a cage having a feeding trough at one end and a lockable gate at the other end and which is adapted to receive an animal and prevent the latter from turning around therewithin so that the head remains at the feeding trough end and the hindquarters remain at the gated end of the cage, the gate being of generally open construction so that baby animals born during the delivery period can escape therethrough, a litter retaining pen surrounding at least the gated end of the breeding pen in which the baby animals collect as they are born and means for effecting relative movement between the floor on which the mother animal is situated and the floor within the litter retaining pen onto which the newly born animals fall so that the latter can be located at a lower level than the floor surface on which the mother animal is located, the difference in levels being sufficient to prevent the newly born animals from climbing into the breeding pens and re-joining the mother.
Relative movement may be effected by raising the floor surface on which the mother animal is located relative to the litter retaining pen or by lowering the floor within the litter retaining pen relative to the floor surface on which the mother animal is located.
The floor surface on which the mother animal is located may be fixed in relation to the breeding pen so that elevation of the breeding pen relative to the litter retaining pen automatically causes the floor surface on which the mother animal is located to be raised.
Alternatively the floor surface within the breeding pen may be movable relative to the sides and roof of the pen and means is provided for producing appropriate relative movement of the floor surface relative to the sides of the pen to produce the desired step between the level of the surface on which the mother animal is located and the floor surface in the litter retaining pen.
Likewise where the floor surface in the litter retaining pen is moved relative to the floor surface within the breeding pen, either the floor surface within the litter retaining pen is an integral part of and is fixed relative to the walls of the litter retaining pen so that lifting the pen automatically lifts the floor or the floor of the litter retaining pen is movable relative to the walls of the pen so that only the floor member has to be adjusted in height so as to introduce the step in level between the floor within the breeding pen and the floor within the litter retaining pen.
Conveniently the litter retaining pen surrounds not only the gated end of the breeding pen but also the two sides of the breeding pen.
Preferably the floor surface within the litter retaining pen is inclined and/or stepped and the level of the floor surface adjacent the gated end of the breeding pen onto which the newly born animals first fall is less distant from the floor surface of the breeding pen than are the floor surfaces of the litter retaining pen on either side of the breeding pen so that the newly born animals have less far to fall than would be the case if the floor surface of the litter retaining pen were at the lower level adjacent the delivery end of the breeding pen.The floor surface of the litter retaining pen adjacent the delivery end of the breeding pen can therefore be thought of as constituting an intermediate floor level and by providing an inclined plane or more preferably a step between this intermediate level and the lower level of the floor surface of the litter retaining pen on either side of the breeding pen, the newly born animals tend to struggle away from the intermediate floor region down onto the lower litter retaining pen floor regions and by virtue of the step or inclined plane are physicaily unable to return to the interme diatefloor level from which they might just be able to clamber back onto the floor surface of the breeding pen.
Whether the floor surface of the litter retaining pen is elevated to form the said intermediate floor level or is at a single level, it is preferably formed from a shock absorbent material at least adjacent the delivery end of the breeding pen so that the initial impact of a newly born animal landing on the floor surface of the litter retaining pen is cushioned.
Preferably the floor surface onto which the newly born animals drop does constitute an elevated intermediate floor surface and is preferably removable from the litter retaining pen and replaceable by a fresh intermediate level flooring to enable it to be replaced between litters and to allow a fresh and sterile intermediate flooring to be used for each litter.
Preferably the boundary wall of the litter retaining pen is removable, conveniently in sections, to allow access to the litter retaining pen for cleaning and if required to give more complete access to a litter retained therein.
Preferably the wall section opposite the rear delivery end of the breeding cage is hingeable about a lower horizontal hinge joint and is reinforced and when in the lower hinged position constitutes an inclined plane up which the sow or gilt can be led to assist its entry into the breeding pen and after breeding, can once again be lowered to allow the sow or gilt to return down the ramp. This feature is of particular importance where the floor of the litter retaining pen is static and is elevated relative to the surrounding floor and in which the litter retaining pen or at least the flooring of the litter retaining pen is movable vertically relative to the flooring of the breeding pen.Clearly when the animal is entering or leaving the breeding pen it will be of assistance if the floor levels of the litter retaining pen and breeding pen are the same and this will entail elevation of the litter retaining pen floor relative to the main floor on which the whole apparatus is carried so that the lowered position of the hinged side wall in the form of a drawbridge constitutes a more simple access and exitforthe animal to and from the elevated floor level of the litter retaining pen.
The relative movement of the floor levels may be effected by means of a mechanical linkage or by one or more winches and may be powered electrically or by drive from a power take-off of an internal combustion engine or manually. Alternatively and preferably hydraulic or pneumatic ram means is provided for lifting the one section relative to the other or for lowering the one section relative to the other and a supply of hydraulic fluid under pressure or of air under pressure is provided by means of a suitable compressor driven by a suitable engine which may be an electric motor or internal combustion engine and valve means is provided for controlling the flow of fluid or air to the ram means to control the relative elevations of the two sections of the apparatus.
In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the litter retaining pen is formed symmetrically around the breeding pen and includes an integral framework slideable vertically relative to the framework from which the breeding pen is constructed and a single hydraulic or pneumatic ram or mechanical lifting means or winch means is provided at a central symmetrical point between the framework constituting the breeding pen and the integral framework extending from the litter retaining pen so that only one device is required to effect the appropriate thrust or pull to effect the appropriate relative movement between the two sections of the apparatus.
The flooring of the breeding pen and the flooring of the litter retaining pen may be formed from perforated flooring panels or one may be formed from perforated flooring panels and the other from solid flooring panels as desired.
Preferably means is provided for radiating heat into the titter retaining pen. Typically electric lamps with reflectors are used for this purpose and means is preferably provided on the walls of the litter retaining pen for securing such lamps and reflectors in place and adjustably positioning at least the reflectors so as to reflect the heat radiation down into the litter retaining pen. In known manner the heating means is preferably located well away from the delivery end of the breeding pen so that there is little tendency for the majority of a litter to move towards the cooler delivery end of the breeding pen where, if an intermediate floor level has been incorporated to reduce the distance the newly born animals fall, there would be the possibility of an active newly born animal clambering back onto the flooring of the breeding pen.
It will be seen that the invention is of particular advantage in the case of a breeding sow or gilt since the automatic separation of the litter from the mother as soon as the piglets are born tends to preserve the latter from being savaged or crushed by the sow or gilt during successive stages of labour. As soon as the delivery has been completed and the sow or gilt has subsided, the mechanism for adjusting the floor levels of the breeding pen and litter retaining pen can be operated so as to bring the two floor levels into general alignment thereby allowing the litter to gain access to the mother to allow the litter to feed.In the early stages, after feeding, it may still be advantageous to once again introduce a difference in level between the breeding pen floor and the litter retaining pen floor so as to restrict access to the sow or gilt which can still even during the first two or three days after giving birth to a litter, turn upon the litter unexpectedly or simply crush the litter accidentally by rolling over.
Sows and gilts often give birth during the night and a particular advantage of the invention lies in the fact that the pig breeder does not now need to stay up all night waiting for the birth of a litter so as to quickly separate each of the new born piglets from the mother as soon as they are delivered as has hitherto been the case. Instead, it is merely sufficient to separate the two floor levels in the manner previously described so that piglets after being born drop onto the lower floor level in the litter retaining pen where they are then kept warm and safe away from the gilt or sow. In practice it is found to be time enough the next morning to adjust the floor levels and allow the litter access to the sow or gilt for feeding purposes under the watchful eye of the breeder.
Afurther advantage of the invention lies in the fact that the new born piglets (or any other animal for which the apparatus is used) have to fall a somewhat greater distance than would otherwise be the case immediately after having been born and provided the impact on landing is cushioned by the use of an appropriate flooring material in the region where the
new born animals land, the result is a more reliable start in the young animals' breathing due to the shock of the fall. This can further assist in an
unattended delivery in reducing the number of
deaths which otherwise can occur in an unattended delivery simply due to the fact that the young
animals do not begin breathing as a result of a
normal birth.
According to another preferred feature of the
invention, the side walls of the breeding pen are
adjustable at least laterally so as to increase or
decrease the transverse spacing between the two
side walls of the breeding pen between which the
mother is sandwiched when located therein. Typical
ly the side walls are hinged and provision is made
for locking the side walls in any one of a plurality of
separate inclined positions so that the internal
transverse spacing between the two side walls at the
base of the breeding pen is adjustable. Both of the
side walls may be so adjustable or alternatively one
side wall may be fixed and the other adjustable.
Preferably the feeding trough is suspended from a
transverse frame member of the framework forming the breeding pen at the feeding trough end of the
latter and can be swung inwardly and outwardly out
of the plane of the feeding trough end of the
framework forming the breeding pen. Conveniently
means is provided for locking the feeding trough in
either an inner or outer position, in the inner
position, the trough being accessible to the animal
within the pen to allow the latter to feed and in the outer position, the trough no longer being accessible from within the pen to allow cleaning and refilling.
The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings.
In the drawings
Figure 1 is a diagrammatic side view of one embodiment of the present invention,
Figure 2 is a diagrammatic side view of another embodiment of the present invention and
Figure 3 is a perspective view of an assembled unit constructed in accordance with the first embodiment shown in Figure 1 in which the breeding pen is lifted relative to a stationary outer litter retaining pen.
Detailed description of the drawings
Figure 1 illustrates diagrammatically one embodiment of the invention in which a sow crate generally designated 10 is suspended within a generally symmetrical framework 12 by means of a pneumatic ram 14. The framework and crate are generally rectangular when viewed in plan and on three sides of the framework 12 is located a fixed and stationary litter retaining pen having a floor 16 and a side wall 18.
The end of the crate generally designated 20 includes a removable gate member which may be slideable or hingeabie or simply securable to an opening in the end of the crate to allow entry and exit of an animal and the other end of the cage includes a suspended trough 22 for feeding purposes.
The section of the litter retaining pen wall 18 opposite the end 20 of the crate 10 is hingeable about a horizontal hinge 24 in the direction of arrow 26 and is lockable by locking means (not shown in
Figure 1) into its upright position as shown.
Retraction of the ram 14 causes the crate 10 to be lifted relative to the framework 12 and extension of the ram 14 produces movement in the opposite direction.
The floor 28 of the crate 10 is therefore raiseable and lowerable relative to the floor 16 of the litter retaining pen which surrounds the crate on three sides and during farrowing, the ram 14 is retracted so as to elevate the floor 28 relative to the floor 16 so that piglets born and dropping through the gate at the end 20 of the crate 10 fall a short distance onto the floor 16 and having arrived on that level cannot then regain the elevated level of the flooring 28 and thereby are kept well clear of th farrowing gilt or sow. After a successful farrowing and after the gilt or sow has subsided, the ram 14 can be extended so as to lower the crate 10 and bring the two floors 16 and 28 into general alignment thereby allowing the piglets access to the sow or gilt.
Figure 2 is a similar view to that shown in Figure 1 except that the crate 10 having a floor 28 is now firmly mounted on the ground such as on a concrete
base 30 and the framework 12 attached to the ram 14
on the one hand and to the litter retaining pen 16 and
18 on the other, can be raised and lowered relative to the now stationary cage 10 by extending and
retracting the ram 14. The ram now operates in exactly the opposite direction to that of Figure 1 since extension of the ram will now produce elevation of the surrounding floor 16 of the litter retaining pen whereas in Figure 1 the extension of the ram 14 produces a lowering of the floor 28 of the crate 10.
Whilst a single acting ram may be used in the
Figure 2 embodiment a double acting ram is preferably used in the Figure 1 embodiment since forced retraction of the ram is necessary to lift the crate 10.
In the Figure 2 embodiment, the weight of the litter retaining pen and framework 12 will in general be sufficient to cause the ram 14 to collapse once the pressure within the ram has been relieved.
Although the ram 14 has been described as being pneumatic, it may alternatively be a hydraulically operated ram.
In any case flexible hose 32 is provided communicating with the ram (and where a double acting ram is required, two such hoses are employed) so as to convey pressurised fluid toward and away from the ram as required and valve means 34 is provided for controlling the flow of pressurised fluid to or away from the ram 14to control the relative elevation of the floor members of the two parts of the apparatus.
Figure 3 is a perspective view of a complete apparatus constructed according to the principle shown in Figure 1. Since similar reference numerals have been used as between Figures 1 and 2, a different set of reference numerals will be used to indicate the different sections of the apparatus shown in Figure 3 so as to avoid confusion.
The apparatus comprises a generally rectangular frame 40 having upright members 42,44,46 and 48 the lower ends of which are secured to a litter retaining pen which comprises three wall sections 50,52 and 54, a floor 56 which extends around the rear and along both sides of the framework 40 as shown in Figure 3 and end wall panels 58 and 60 to close off the side sections of the litter retaining pen at the front end of the assembly as shown in Figure 3.
A false floor 62 is located across the rear of the assembly which includes inclined integral sections on either side one of which is shown at 64 which terminate in a step such as the one shown at 66. The floor 56 and false floor 62 etc. are visible in Figure 3 by virtue of the fact that the nearsidewall panel 50 of the litter retaining pen is cut away at 68.
The false floor member 62 is typically replaceable and as shown rests on bearers such as 70 and 72 and can be removed for cleaning or replacement. Typically the false floor member 62 is formed from a cushioned material or from multiple ply cardboard or the like so as to soften the impact when newly born animals land thereon.
The front ends of the two side sections of the litter retaining pen are warmed by means of electric lamps mounted in suitable reflectors such as 74 and 76 and by virtue of the incline plane sections such as 64 the newly born animals tend to gravitate towards the warmed lower regions of the litter retaining pen on either side of the assembly after they have been born and the step 66 and inclined plane 64 inhibits their ability to struggle back onto the false floor 62 from which they might just be able to clamber back onto the platform in the middle of the assembly (to be described) on which the mother animal is located.
-In accordance with the invention, the mother which is being delivered of a litter of young is situated within a cage which is formed from four uprights 78,80, 82 and 84. The uprights include lugs generally designated 86 through which the upright members 42,44,46 and 48 slide and the uprights 78 through to 84 are joined by upper side members 88 and 90 and transverse members 92 and 94. Additional strengthening struts 96 and 98 are provided and from the centre of the rectangular frame so formed extends a ram 100 the upper end of which is secured to a transverse member 102 which extends between members 88 and 90 etc. relative to the framework 40 and extension of the ram 100 will lower this frame relative to the frame 40.
The cage includes a floor 104 which is secured to the lower ends of the upright members 78 through to 84 and the cage is completed by means of two side panels generally designated 106 and 108 and at the front end a front panel generally designated 110 having an aperture toward its lower end in which a trough 112 is located, the trough being suspended by means of hanging arms 114 and 116 from pivot joints at the upper ends. Although not shown a lock is provided to allow the trough to be situated either within or without the plane of the frame 110.
The rear end of the cage is formed by a further panel member in the form of a gate generally designated 118 which as shown is hinged at 120 and 122 and although not shown includes quick release bolt means for securing the gate in its closed position. The gate is hingedly mounted on the upright member 78 and therefore forms an integral part of the cage structure which is suspended within the framework 40.
The side panels 106 and 108 are pivoted at their upper ends between the respective uprights of the suspended cage assembly and can be swung in a generally inward or outward direction and retained in the selected position by means of locking pins such as 124 which are pushed through aligned holes in lugs 126 secured to the upright members 78 through to 84 and similar lugs 128 which cooperate with the locks 124 and are integral parts of and extend from the plane of the side panels 106 and 108. Holes are provided in the lugs through which the locking pins 124 can be pushed.
The ram 100 may be hydraulically operated or pneumatically operated and since powered retraction is required the ram is either of a suitable single acting variety in which the fluid inlet to the ram is on the piston rod side of the piston or the ram is a so-called double acting ram.
The assembly is generally constructed from steel and preferably the flooring 56 and the flooring 104 is formed from expanded metal or slotted metal sheeting. However the invention is not limited to such flooring and solid flooring panels may be used in place.
To facilitate access to the interior of the cage and allow a sow or gilt to be loaded thereinto, the litter retaining pen wall panel 52 is hinged along its lower edge to thefloor member 56 and locking pins 130 secure the panel 52 in its upper position. Removal of the pin allows the panel 52 to be lowered into general alignment with the floor 56 and after removing the false floor 62 and lowering the cage by extending the ram 100, the gate 118 can be unlocked and swung open and the sow or gilt driven into the cage face first.Once in the cage the gate 118 is closed and locked and the sides 106 and 108 adjusted so that the animal is well and truly secured in the cage to the extent that it cannot turn round after which the side panel 52 is once again raised into its upright position and locked therein by means of the pins such as 130 and the false floor 62 is relocated in position. The apparatus is then ready for use.
As the baby animals are born they drop through the gate 118 which is purposely of generally open construction and fall onto the cushioned intermediate false floor 62 from where they in general struggle laterally to one side or the other and roll down the inclined plane sections such as 64 onto the lower floor 56 and remain below the lamps such as 74 and 76 where they are kept warm. The step 66 prevents even the most active baby animals from clambering back onto the intermediate floor and even if they are capable of doing so, the step between the level of the intermediate floor and the floor 104 on which the gilt or sow is resting is arranged to be too much for a new born piglet to clamber up so that there is little or no chance of newly born piglets clambering up onto the same platform and gaining access to the cage containing the sow or gilt where they can be damaged either by savaging or as a result of the sow or gilt threshing around in the cage or lying on or squashing the newly born piglet.
Claims (24)
1. An animal breeding pen comprising a cage adapted to receive an animal and prevent it from turning around therewithin so that the head remains at one end and the hindquarters remain at the other end, at least the said other end being of generally open construction so that baby animals born during a delivery period can escape therethrough, a litter retaining pen surrounding at least the gated end of the cage in which baby animals collect as they are born and means for effecting relative movement between the floor on which the mother animal is situated and the floor within the litter retaining pen so that the latter can be located at a lower level than the floor surface on which the mother animal is located by sufficient height two preventthe newly born from climbing back into the breeding pen and re-joining the mother animal.
2. An animal breeding pen as claimed in claim 1 in which the means for effecting relative movement raises the floor surface on which the mother animal is located relative to the litter retaining pen floor.
3. An animal breeding pen as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means for effecting relative movement lowers the floor within the litter retaining pen relative to the floor surface on which the mother animal is located to effect the said difference in height.
4. An animal breeding pen as claimed in claim 1 in which the floor surface on which the mother animal is located within the cage is fixed in relation to the breeding pen so that elevation of the breeding pen relative to the litter retaining pen automatically causes the floor surface on which the mother animal is located to be raised.
5. An animal breeding pen as claimed in claim 1 wherein the floor surface within the breeding pen is movable relative to the sides and roof of the pen and the means for effecting relative movement act on the floor surface within the cage to produce relative movement of the floor surface within the cage relative to the sides thereof to produce the desired difference in height between the level of the floor surface on which the mother animal is located and the floor surface in the litter retaining pen.
6. An animal breeding pen as claimed in claim 1 in which the floor surface within the litter retaining pen is an integral part of and is fixed relative to the walls of the litter retaining pen so that lifting or lowering the pen automatically lifts the floor.
7. An animal breeding pen as claimed in claim 1 in which the floor of the litter retaining pen is movable relative to the walls of the pen so that only the floor member has to be adjusted in height so as to introduce the difference in level between the floor within the breeding pen and the floor within the litter retaining pen.
8. An animal breeding pen as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the litter retaining pen surrounds two sides of the breeding pen in addition to the gated end of the breeding pen.
9. An animal breeding pen as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the floor surface within the litter retaining pen is inclined and/or stepped and the level of the floor surface adjacent the gated end of the breeding pen onto which the newly born animals first fall is less distant from the floor surface within the cage than are the floor surfaces of the litter retaining pen on opposite sides of the cage so that newly born animals have less far to fall than would be the case if the floor surface of the litter retaining pen were of the lower level adjacent the delivery end of the breeding pen.
10. An animal breeuing pen as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the floor surface within the litter retaining pen at least adjacent the delivery end of the cage is formed from a shock-absorbent material so that the initial impact of the newly born animal landing thereon is cushioned.
11. An animal breeding pen as claimed in claim 9 or 10 in so far as it is dependent on claim 9 in which an intermediate flooring member is situated within the litter retaining pen to provide the intermediate floor surface onto which the newly born animals first fall, the said intermediate flooring being removable from the litter retaining pen for replacement and/or cleaning.
12. An animal breeding pen as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the boundary wall of the litter retaining pen is removable.
13. An animal breeding pen as claimed in claim 12 in which the boundary wall is formed in sections which are separately removable.
14. An animal breeding pen as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the wall section of the litter retaining pen opposite the rear delivery end of the breeding cage is hingeable about a lower horizontal hinge joint so that it can be lowered to allow an animal to gain entry to the breeding cage and after breeding to exit from the cage.
15. An animal breeding pen as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the means for effecting relative movement between the floor surfaces constitutes a mechanical linkage or one or more winches or a hydraulic or a pneumatic ram means.
16. An animal breeding pen as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 14 in which the means for effecting the relative movement between the floor levels is manually adjustable.
17. An animal breeding pen as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 14 in which the litter retaining pen is formed symmetrically around the breeding cage and includes an integral framework slideable relative to the framework from which the breeding cage is constructed and a single drive means is provided at a central symmetrical point between the framework constituting the breeding cage and the integral framework extending from the litter retaining pen so that only one operating device is required to effect the appropriate thrust or pull and effect the appropriate relative movement between the two sections of the apparatus.
18. An animal breeding pen as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the flooring of the breeding cage and the flooring of the litter retaining pen are formed from perforated flooring panels.
19. An animal breeding pen as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 17 in which the flooring of the breeding cage is formed from perforated flooring panels.
20. An animal breeding pen as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 17 in which the flooring of the litter retaining pen is formed from perforated flooring panels.
21. An animal breeding pen as claimed in any one of the preceding claims further comprising means for radiating heat into the litter retaining pen.
22. An animal breeding pen as claimed in claim 21 in which the means for radiating heat comprise electric lamps with reflectors and means is provided on the walls of the litter retaining pen for securing the lamps and reflectors in place and adjustably positioning at least the reflectors so as to reflect light and heat radiation from the lamps into the litter retaining pen.
23. An animal breeding pen as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the walls of the breeding cage are adjustable at least laterally so as to increase or decrease the transverse spacing between the two side walls of the breeding cage between which the mother animal is sandwiched when located therein.
24. An animal breeding pen constructed arranged and adapted to operate substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
24. An animal breeding pen as claimed in claim 23 in which the side walls of the breeding cage are hinged and provision is made for locking the side walls in any one of a plurality of separate inclined positions so that the internal transverse spacing between the two side walls near the base of the breeding pen is adjustable.
25. An animal breeding pen as claimed in claim 23 in which one of the side walls is adjustable only and the other is fixed.
26. An animal breeding pen as claimed in any one of the preceding claims further comprising a feeding trough suspended from a transverse frame member of the framework forming the breeding cage at the head end of the cage.
27. An animal breeding pen as claimed in claim 26 wherein the feeding trough can be swung inwardly and outwardly out of the plane of the framework forming the head end of the breeding cage and means is provided for locking the feeding trough either in an outer position or in an inner position, the inner position being one in which the trough is accessible to the animal within the cage and the outer position being one in which the trough is no longer accessible from within the pen to allow cleaning and refilling.
28. An animal breeding pen constructed arranged and adapted to operate substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
New claims or amendments to claims filed on 18
July 1979
Superseded claims 1-28
New or amended claims:- 1-24
CLAIMS
1. An animal breeding pen comprising a cage adapted to receive an animal and prevent it from turning around therewithin so that the head remains at one end and the hindquarters remain at the other end, at least the said other end being of generally open construction so that baby animals born during a delivery period can escape therethrough, a litterretaining pen surrounding at least the gated end of the cage in which baby animals collect as they are born and means fo effecting relative movement between the floor on which the mother animal is situated and the floor within the litter-retaining pen so that the latter can be located at a lower level than the floor surface on which the mother animal is located by a sufficient height to prevent the newly born from climbing back into the cage and rejoining the mother animal, characterised in that the means for effecting relative movement raises and lowers the floor surface on which the mother animal is located relative to the litter-retaining pen floor which is fixed.
2. An animal breeding pen as claimed in claim 1 in which the floor surface on which the mother animal is located is fixed in relation to the cage so that elevation of the cage relative to the litterretaining pen automatically causes the floor surface on which the mother animal is located to be raised.
3. An animal breeding pen as claimed in claim 1 wherein the floor surface within the cage is movable relative to the sides and roof of the cage and the means for effecting relative movement act on the floor surface within the cage to produce relative movement of the floor surface within the cage relative to the sides thereof to produce the desired difference in height between the level of the floor surface on which the mother animal is located and the floor surface in the litter-retaining pen.
4. An animal breeding pen as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the litter-retaining pen surrounds two sides of the cage in addition to the gated end of the cage.
5. An animal breeding pen as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the floor surface within the litter-retaining pen is inclined and/or stepped and the level of the floor surface, adjacent the gated end of the cage, onto which the newlyborn animals first fall is less distant from the floor surface within the cage than are the floor surfaces of the litter-retaining pen on opposite sides of the cage so that newly-born animals have less far to fall than would be the case if the floor surface of the litter-retaining pen were of the lower level adjacent the delivery end of the cage.
6. An animal breeding pen as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the floor surface within the litter-retaining pen at least adjacent the delivery end of the cage is formed from a shockabsorbent material so that the initial impact of the newly-born animal landing thereon is cushioned.
7. An animal breeding pen as claimed in claim 5 or 6 in so far as it is dependent on claim 9 in which an intermediate flooring member is situated within the litter retaining pen to provide the intermediate floor surface onto which the newly-born animals first fall, the said intermediate flooring being removable from the litter-retaining pen for replacement and/or cleaning.
8. An animal breeding pen as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the boundary wall ofthe litter-retaining pen is removable.
9. An animal breeding pen as claimed in claim 8 in which the boundary wall is formed in sections which are separately removable.
10. An animal breeding pen as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the wall section of the litter-retaining pen opposite the rear delivery end of the breeding cage is hingeable about a lower horizontal hinge joint so that it can be lowered to allow an animal to gain entry to the breeding cage and after breeding to exit from the cage.
11. An animal breeding pen as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the means for effecting relative movement between the floor surfaces constitutes a mechanical linkage or one or more winches or a hydraulic or a pneumatic ram means.
12. An animal breeding pen as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10 in which the means for effecting the relative movement between the floor levels is manually adjustable.
13. An animal breeding pen as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 10 in which the litter-retaining pen is formed symmetrically around the cage and includes an integral framework slideable relative to the framework from which the breeding cage is constructed and a single drive means is provided at a central symmetrical point between the framework constituting the breeding cage and the integral framework extending from the litter-retaining pen so that only one operating device is required to effect the appropriate thrust or pull and effect the appropriate relative movement between the two sections of the apparatus.
14. An animal breeding pen as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the flooring of the breeding cage and the flooring of the litterretaining pen are formed from perforated flooring panels.
15. An animal breeding pen as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 13 in which the flooring of the breeding cage is formed from perforated flooring panels.
16. An animal breeding pen as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 13 in which the flooring of the litter-retaining pen is formed from perforated flooring panels.
17. An animal breeding pen as claimed in any one of the preceding claims further comprising means for radiating heat into the litter-retaining pen.
18. An animal breeding pen as claimed in claim 17 in which the means for radiating heat comprise electric lamps with reflectors and means is provided on the walls of the litter-retaining pen for securing the lamps and reflectors in place and adjustably positioning at least the reflectors so as to reflect the light and heat radiation from the lamps into the litter-retaining pen.
19. An animal breeding pen as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the walls of the breeding cage are adjustable at least laterally so as to increase or decrease the transverse spacing between the two side walls of the breeding cage between which the mother animal is sandwiched when located therein.
20. An animal breeding pen as claimed in claim 19 in which the side walls of the breeding cage are hinged and provision is made for locking the side walls in any one of a plurality of separate inclined positions so that the internal transverse spacing between the two side walls near the base of the breeding pen is adjustable.
21. An animal breeding pen as claimed in claim 19 in which one ofthe side walls is adjustable only and the other is fixed.
22. An animal breeding pen as claimed in any one of the preceding claims further comprising a feeding trough suspended from a transverse frame member of the framework forming the breeding cage at the head end of the cage.
23. An animal breeding pen as claimed in claim 22 wherein the feeding trough can be swung inwardly and outwardly out of the plane of the framework forming the head end of cage and means is provided for locking the feeding trough either in an outer position or in an inner position, the inner position being one in which the trough is accessible to the animal within the cage and the outer position being one in which the trough is no longer accessible from within the pen to allow cleaning and refilling.
Priority Applications (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB7830776A GB2026832A (en) | 1978-07-22 | 1978-07-22 | Farrowing crate |
| GB7924756A GB2034568A (en) | 1978-07-22 | 1979-07-16 | Farrowing and like pens |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB7830776A GB2026832A (en) | 1978-07-22 | 1978-07-22 | Farrowing crate |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB2026832A true GB2026832A (en) | 1980-02-13 |
Family
ID=10498590
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB7830776A Withdrawn GB2026832A (en) | 1978-07-22 | 1978-07-22 | Farrowing crate |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| GB (1) | GB2026832A (en) |
Cited By (8)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO1982001300A1 (en) * | 1980-10-10 | 1982-04-29 | Ensio Salminen | Method and apparatus for preventing piglets from suffocating under the dam in a brooding pen |
| EP0068716A1 (en) * | 1981-06-25 | 1983-01-05 | C. Itoh Feed Mills Co., Ltd. | Pen for the delivery and nursing of livestock |
| GB2131268A (en) * | 1982-12-11 | 1984-06-20 | Keith Proctor | Farrowing crates |
| EP0391602A2 (en) * | 1989-04-04 | 1990-10-10 | Charles Sidney Loader | Pig farrowing and weaning apparatus |
| US5081958A (en) * | 1989-03-10 | 1992-01-21 | Terry Quisenberry | One way animal gate |
| NL1016397C2 (en) * | 2000-10-13 | 2001-11-13 | Nooyen Roosters B V | Farrowing device for a sow with piglets. |
| EP2050333A2 (en) | 2007-10-16 | 2009-04-22 | Nooyen Roosters B.V. | Farrowing device for a sow with piglets |
| CN115191361A (en) * | 2022-07-26 | 2022-10-18 | 安徽省农业科学院畜牧兽医研究所 | About gram sow obstetric table |
-
1978
- 1978-07-22 GB GB7830776A patent/GB2026832A/en not_active Withdrawn
Cited By (11)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO1982001300A1 (en) * | 1980-10-10 | 1982-04-29 | Ensio Salminen | Method and apparatus for preventing piglets from suffocating under the dam in a brooding pen |
| EP0068716A1 (en) * | 1981-06-25 | 1983-01-05 | C. Itoh Feed Mills Co., Ltd. | Pen for the delivery and nursing of livestock |
| GB2131268A (en) * | 1982-12-11 | 1984-06-20 | Keith Proctor | Farrowing crates |
| US5081958A (en) * | 1989-03-10 | 1992-01-21 | Terry Quisenberry | One way animal gate |
| EP0391602A2 (en) * | 1989-04-04 | 1990-10-10 | Charles Sidney Loader | Pig farrowing and weaning apparatus |
| EP0391602A3 (en) * | 1989-04-04 | 1991-07-03 | Charles Sidney Loader | Pig farrowing and weaning apparatus |
| US5074248A (en) * | 1989-04-04 | 1991-12-24 | Loader Charles S | Pig farrowing and weaning apparatus |
| NL1016397C2 (en) * | 2000-10-13 | 2001-11-13 | Nooyen Roosters B V | Farrowing device for a sow with piglets. |
| WO2002030179A1 (en) * | 2000-10-13 | 2002-04-18 | Nooyen Roosters B.V. | Farrowing device for a sow with piglets |
| EP2050333A2 (en) | 2007-10-16 | 2009-04-22 | Nooyen Roosters B.V. | Farrowing device for a sow with piglets |
| CN115191361A (en) * | 2022-07-26 | 2022-10-18 | 安徽省农业科学院畜牧兽医研究所 | About gram sow obstetric table |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| WAP | Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1) |