Animal husbandry – Feeding device – Having electronic identification and feed control
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-06
2001-11-13
Price, Thomas (Department: 3643)
Animal husbandry
Feeding device
Having electronic identification and feed control
Reexamination Certificate
active
06314909
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention relates to the feeding of poultry and more particularly but not exclusively to the feeding breeder chickens. The breeder chicken is the parent rearing stock which produces fertile eggs from which chickens are hatched.
BACKGROUND ART
Over the past 50 years there has been little change in the feeding technology used by the breeder industry which is based on a chain moving feed through a trough. In some areas feed is still distributed by an even older prior art by either broadcasting manually or by using manually filled hoppers throughout the shed. The latter two methods of feed distribution creates stress in the birds and has the potential for the birds to eat contaminated feed.
These prior art systems have the disadvantage that even though a male feed line is often provided, it is difficult to consistently exclude males from the female rations. This results in overweight males who are then incapable of producing the maximum number of fertile eggs per bird.
It is essential that a defined ideal bird weight as determined by the primary supplier is achieved for both sexes at a particular age if the maximum fertile egg production and feed utilization is to be realised.
The current feeding arrangements of the prior arts are based on the technology previously described and they are based upon the weekly handling of a sample of birds for weighing purposes. The results of these weighs form the basis for calculating the next week's feed rations.
To determine an accurate average weight for the flock, a hopefully representative sample of both male and female birds are manually selected from various parts of the shed and weighed. Based on these results the feed ration to be distributed for both sexes is calculated for the coming week. This manual handling places enormous stress on the birds which then leads to a drop of fertile egg production.
If the weighing shows an unacceptable uniformity of weight in the flock, the birds are sorted into smaller more evenly matched groups so that a remedial feeding program can be undertaken. This manual sorting of the flock is both costly, time consuming and stressful, not least of which is due to interference with the social order. There is also stress caused by handling.
With recent genetic improvements , a breeder hen can lay 180 eggs during its productive lifetime, however with the use of current systems, the hens more usually produce between 110 and 130 eggs.
It is an object of the invention to enable birds to achieve their most productive output by automatically calculating and updating the correct weight and volume of feed to be distributed to the birds using a statistically correct bird weight for age information base.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a poultry feeding system for a shed housing a flock of birds in which the birds roam freely, comprising:
(i) at least one female feeding line,
(ii) a male feeding line,
(iii) a feeding system including a weigh bin for supplying feed to the at least one female feeding line, and a weigh bin for supplying feed to the male feeding line,
(iv) an array of weighing cells for automatically weighing and identifying target birds formed of a representative sample of all the birds of the flock, said weighing cells being located at selected spaced apart sites in the shed so as to weigh the said target birds whenever they roam onto the weighing cells,
(v) first means for receiving data provided by the weighing cells adapted to average the overall weight of the flock in the shed,
(vi) second means adapted to receive data from the first means and to calculate a ration of feed for the shed for a predetermined time interval to maintain optimum productive weight of the birds, and
vii) control means for activating the feeding system at a predetermined time to supply the calculated ration of feed.
Preferably, the data received by the first means consists of the identity, sex and weight of the target birds which use the weighing cells. The identity and sex of the target birds which are weighed are preferably identified by a responder fitted to a leg of each of the said target birds. The second means compares the data received from the first means to a weight for age chart for both males and females and using data on how many birds are within the shed, calculates the ration of feed for the shed for the next 24 hours.
The first and second means could be consolidated into a single means.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of feeding a flock of poultry birds in a shed in which the birds roam freely having at least one female feeding line, a male feeding line, a feeding system for supplying feed to the female feeding line and to the male feeding line, said method comprising:
(i) providing an array of weighing cells which automatically weigh and identify target birds formed of a representative sample of all the birds of the flock, said weighing cells being located at selected spaced apart sites in the shed so as to weigh the said target birds whenever they roam onto the weighing cells,
(ii) obtaining from the array of weighing cells data representative of the identity, sex and weight of the target birds and utilizing that data to estimate the average overall weight of the flock, and
(iii) comparing the overall average weight of the flock with weight for age charts for both male and female birds and using data on the number within the shed to calculate a ration of feed for the shed for the next feeding cycle.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4517923 (1985-05-01), Palmer
patent: 4624215 (1986-11-01), Goldstein
patent: 4712511 (1987-12-01), Zamzow et al.
patent: 4878455 (1989-11-01), van der Veer
patent: 4920923 (1990-05-01), Hosoya
patent: 5275131 (1994-01-01), Brake et al.
patent: 5438960 (1995-08-01), Roosenboom
F&M Horwood Nominees Pty Limited
Price Thomas
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