Animal husbandry – Animal controlling or handling – Bird
Patent
1997-04-25
1998-11-17
Price, Thomas
Animal husbandry
Animal controlling or handling
Bird
A01K 4500
Patent
active
058362673
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to an anti-pecking device.
Animals, for example young birds, kept in captivity have a tendency to exhibit violent behaviour towards each other and many often kill each other.
It is clearly desirable to prevent animals from harming each other and several well known methods and devices (henceforth called anti-pecking devices) have been used.
Known methods of prevention include de-beaking or beak trimming of birds and previously known anti-pecking devices include fitted beak guards and beak covers, and also beak bits which prevent beaks from fully closing.
De-beaking is painful, unnatural and may adversely affect the birds. Various degrees of beak-trimming are now being legislated against after proof of trauma, especially to older birds. Although often carried out on very young poultry, beak trimming is also performed at laying age and it is carried out on mature game birds either pre-release in "wild" systems, or upon release to larger outdoor communities. The de-beaking and beak trimming procedures often have a temporary effect, and must be repeated at intervals to maintain their effectiveness.
Known fitted anti-pecking devices impose various degrees of pain on the birds to which they are fitted, depending on the type of product and method of fixing. Pin fixed devices, which involve location of the device via a single pin passed through the nasal septum, cause pain to the birds and are now legislated against. Beak bits which hold the mandibles apart, are often used on younger growing birds, but are effective for a limited period only. Larger sizes must be subsequently fitted to maintain the effectiveness of such devices, and this is time consuming, costly and stressful if birds are kept for any significant length of time in captivity.
Clip-on devices are unreliable in that they are difficult to fit securely to the birds and may be removed by the birds themselves.
It is therefore desirable to produce an anti-pecking device as effective as some of the prior art devices but with a greatly reduced level of cruelty to the bird to which the device is to be applied.
According to the present invention there is provided an anti-pecking device for fitting to an animal, comprising first and second limb members each having an end portion adapted to be located in a nostril of the animal, at least one bit member coupled to at least one of said limb members and adapted to be positioned between the jaws or mandibles of the animal and at least one guard member coupled to at least one of said limb members adapted to extend outwardly from the jaws or mandible of the animal.
In the preferred embodiments of the invention, said at least one guard member extends forwardly of the jaws or mandible of the animal.
In alternative embodiments, at least first and second guard members extend laterally on either side of the jaws or mandible of the animal.
Preferably, the end portions of said limb members, which are adapted to be located in the nostrils of the animal, are spaced apart from each other.
Preferably, the device is configured so that said end portions may be resiliently forced away from each other, increasing the distance by which they are spaced apart.
Preferably, said limb members are formed from a resilient material.
Preferably, one or both of the bit member and guard member connect the first and second limb members.
Preferably, there is provided bias means to bias the bit member against the upper jaw or mandible of the animal. Such bias means helps to stabilise the location the device with respect to the jaw or mandible of the animal.
Preferably, said bias means comprises at least one bias member adapted to press down upon an upper surface of the upper jaw or mandible of the animal.
Preferably, at least one of the first and second limb members is provided with at least one bias member.
Preferably, both the first and second limb members are provided with a bias member.
The device may be configured such that the bit member provides the only connection between the first and second limb members, and said
REFERENCES:
patent: 546905 (1895-09-01), Schild
patent: 2445867 (1948-07-01), Wolfson et al.
patent: 2573942 (1951-11-01), Wolfson et al.
patent: 3446187 (1969-05-01), Harwood et al.
Eadie Brian Kenneth MacGregor
Eadie Peter Scott
Martin Edgar
Price Thomas
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