摘要:
A device (1) for determining the mass flow rate of milk turbulently flowing with air in a pipe (2) in pulsed milk slugs comprises sampling a signal from a microphone (8) of the device (1) indicative of sonic signals produced by the milk flow. The sampled signals are read by a microprocessor (15) which applies a Fast Fourier Transform to the sampled signal to produce the frequency domain of the sampled signal. The microprocessor (15) is configured to compute the average energy value of the sampled signal in the frequency bandwidth of 6 kHz to 15 kHz during consecutive monitoring periods. The average energy values are inserted into a calibration equation, which may be a power law equation, a polynomial equation, a logarithmic equation or any other such suitable equation in order to convert the average energy value to a mass flow rate of the milk flowing through the pipe 2 during that predefined monitoring period. The total mass flow of milk flowing through the pipeline (2) during a period from T1 to T2 is determined by integrating the determined mass flow rate of the milk from the time T1 to the time T2. Disengagement of a milking cluster from the teats of an animal as a result of kick-off during milking is also determined when the monitored signal from the microphone (8) transitions from the signal indicative of milk flowing in pulsed slugs to a continuous relatively high energy noise signal indicative of air being continuously drawn through the pipeline.
摘要:
A method and apparatus (3) for operating a rotary milking platform (1) to maximise the number of animals milked per unit time. The milking platform (1) is rotated about a central vertical axis (4) by a variable speed motor (6), and comprises a plurality of animal accommodating locations (5) for the animals being milked. An entry position (7) and an exit position (9) accommodate animals to and from the platform (1). A position sensor (10) monitors the angular position of the platform (1). An RFID sensor (12) reads the identity of animals entering the platform (1). Historical data relating to milking time per milking session and the milk yield per animal per session is stored in an electronic memory (17). A microprocessor (15) reads signals from flow meters (14) which monitor the milk flow from milking clusters of each animal accommodating location (5). The microprocessor (15) is configured as each animal enters the platform (1) to compute an optimum angular velocity for the platform (1) in order to maximise the number of animals milked per unit time. The optimum angular velocity is computed as a function of the historical data of each animal on the platform (1), and the current milk yield of each animal on the milking platform (1) determined from the flow meter (14).
摘要:
A data collection system (1) for monitoring the behaviour and states of a plurality of animals (2) comprises providing the animals (2) with respective monitoring devices (4) for monitoring the behaviour and states of the animals (2). A drone (7) comprising a mobile data collection device (5) secured thereto is configured to fly past the animals (2) at predefined data collection time intervals, typically of six hourly intervals. Each mobile data collection device (5) comprises a first secondary communications module (15) for wirelessly communicating with a second secondary communications module (32) located in the respective monitoring devices (4) for uploading data indicative of the behaviour and states of the animals (2) to a microcontroller (8) in the mobile data collection device (5). The uploaded data indicative of the behaviour and states of the respective animals (2) is written to and stored in a primary memory (17) of the mobile data collection device (5). A primary communications module (10) in the mobile data collection device (5) transmits the stored data indicative of the behaviour and states of the respective animals (2) which is stored in the primary memory (17) wirelessly to a central server (12). In an alternative embodiment of the invention the mobile data collection device (5) is mounted on one of the animals (2). In a further alternative embodiment of the invention the monitoring devices (4) are omitted from the animals, and the mobile data collection device is provided with a video camera for capturing images and video clips of the respective animals, and data from the video camera is analysed for identifying the animals and the behaviour and states of the respective animals.
摘要:
A method and apparatus (3) for operating a rotary milking platform (1) to maximise the number of animals milked per unit time. The milking platform (1) is rotated about a central vertical axis (4) by a variable speed motor (6), and comprises a plurality of animal accommodating locations (5) for the animals being milked. An entry position (7) and an exit position (9) accommodate animals to and from the platform (1). A position sensor (10) monitors the angular position of the platform (1). An RFID sensor (12) reads the identity of animals entering the platform (1). Historical data relating to milking time per milking session and the milk yield per animal per session is stored in an electronic memory (17). A microprocessor (15) reads signals from flow meters (14) which monitor the milk flow from milking clusters of each animal accommodating location (5). The microprocessor (15) is configured as each animal enters the platform (1) to compute an optimum angular velocity for the platform (1) in order to maximise the number of animals milked per unit time. The optimum angular velocity is computed as a function of the historical data of each animal on the platform (1), and the current milk yield of each animal on the milking platform (1) determined from the flow meter (14).
摘要:
An electronic monitoring device for attaching to an animal includes an NFC module facilitating wireless communication between a smart phone and the monitoring device, an accelerometer for monitoring acceleration of the head of the animal, and a microprocessor which determines various states of the animal from signals received from the accelerometer. The smart phone is programmed by a software application which allows an identifying code of the monitoring device to be read from the memory chip and cross-referenced in the smart phone with the identity of an animal, which can be inputted into the smart phone. Data relating to the states(s) of the animal can be read from the microprocessor through the NFC module into the smart phone. Additionally, data relating to the animal stored in a cloud server corresponding to the state or states of the animal is downloaded from the cloud server by the smart phone.
摘要:
A device (5) attached to the neck (6) of an animal (2) comprises an accelerometer (17) which produces first and second signals indicative of the raised and lowered state of the head (7) of the animal (2) and movement of the animal (2). A microprocessor (20) in the device (5) processes the first and second signals to determine if the animal is ruminating, resting, feeding or in a highly active state during respective second predefined time periods of approximately 15 minutes duration. Data indicative of the ruminating, resting, feeding and the highly active state of the animal is stored by the microprocessor (20) in the device (5) and is periodically wirelessly communicated to a base station computer which further processes the data to determine various health states of the animal.
摘要:
A rotary milking platform (3) comprises a plurality of stalls (5) and an RFID animal identifying system (9) for identifying animals entering the stalls (5) of the platform (3). A microprocessor (14) reads signals from an image capturing device (15) and computes a feature vector from the captured image of each animal. A plurality of reference feature vectors comprising respective matrices of metrics already derived from images of the respective animals captured by the image capturing device (15) are stored and cross-referenced with the identity of the respective animals. The microprocessor (14) compares computed feature vectors of each animal with the stored reference feature vectors until a best match has been determined with one of the reference feature vectors. The identity of the animal of that matching reference feature vector is then determined as the identity of the animal of that computed feature vector. The determined identity of the animal in the relevant stall (5) is compared with the identity of the animal determined for that stall (5) by the RFID system (9). On a favourable comparison the identity of the animal determined from the captured image of that animal is confirmed as the identity of the animal. In the event of a conflict between the two identities being determined, a conflict alert signal is produced.
摘要:
A rotary milking platform (1) comprises a platform (3) having a circular carrier beam (7) secured to the underside of the platform (3). The carrier beam (7) is supported on a plurality of support elements (10), each of which comprise a freely rotatable roller (35) which is configured to rollably engage an under surface (38) of the carrier beam (7). Each support element (10) comprises an anchor plate (27) adjustably mounted on a corresponding ground engaging element (20) which is secured to the ground. A carrier plate (40) is carried on four guide bolts (50) extending upwardly from the anchor plate (27). Side members (41) extending downwardly from the carrier plate (40) rotatably carry the roller (35). Compression springs (59) acting between abutment washers (55) secured to the guide bolts (50) and the carrier plate (40) urge the carrier plate (40) against heads (53) of the guide bolts (50). The compression springs (59) accommodate downward and upward movement of the roller (35) in order to accommodate rising and falling of the under surface (38) of the beam (7). The compression springs (59) permit tilting movement of the roller (35) about a tilt axis (61) which extends in the direction of motion of the beam (7) in order to facilitate tilting of the roller (35) to follow any non-horizontality of the under surface (38) of the beam (7). The tilt axis is located just below a line of contact (67) of the roller (35) with the under surface (38) of the beam (7) to minimise lateral movement of the roller relative to the beam (7) as the roller (35) tilts about the tilt axis.
摘要:
A device (5) attached to the neck (6) of an animal (2) comprises an accelerometer (28) which produces first and second signals indicative of movement of the animal (2) and the raised and lowered states of the head of the animal. A microprocessor (30) in the device (5) processes the first and second signals to detect ruminating, resting, feeding and three activity states of the animal during respective second predefined time periods of approximately 15 minutes duration. Data indicative of the states of the animal is stored by the microprocessor (30) in the device (5) and periodically transmitted to a cloud computer server which further processes the data to determine various health states and other issues of the animal.
摘要:
An electronic monitoring device (20) for attaching to an animal (21) for determining a plurality of states of an animal (21). The monitoring device (20) comprises an NFC module (31) which facilitates wireless communication between a smart phone (32) and the monitoring device (20). The monitoring device (20) comprises an accelerometer (27) for monitoring acceleration of the head (25) of the animal (21). A microprocessor (28) determines various states of the animal from signals received from the accelerometer (27). The smart phone (32) is programmed by a software application which allows an identifying code of the monitoring device (20) to be read from the memory chip (36) and cross-referenced in the smart phone (32) with the identity of an animal, which can be inputted into the smart phone (32). Data relating to the state or states of the animal can be read from the microprocessor (28) through the NFC module (31) wirelessly into the smart phone (32). Additionally, data relating to the animal stored in a cloud computer server corresponding to the state or states of the animal is downloaded from the cloud computer server by the smart phone (32).