Technologies Holdings Corporation

Dec International, Inc.

Bou-matic Technologies Corporation

Paul D Thompson

William S Nelson

Gary C Steingraber

Parimal G Rajkondawar

Roger K Erdman

David A Johnson

Ronald J Pulvermacher

Terrence J Mullen

A system comprises a memory and a processor. The memory stores information about a milking stall where a dairy livestock is located at a first time, and a coordinate location of the dairy livestock at a second time. The processor is communicatively coupled to the memory and determines if the coordinate location of the dairy livestock at the second time is different than the milking stall where the dairy livestock is located at the first time. If the coordinate location where the dairy livestock is located at the second time is not the milking stall, the processor generates an error flag associated with the dairy livestock.

System and method for milking stall assignment using real-time location

A method for estrus detection includes storing location information associated with a dairy livestock. This information includes coordinate locations of the dairy livestock within a free stall pen at each of a plurality of times during a time period including a first time and a second time. The coordinate locations comprise at least a first (X, Y, Z) location of the dairy livestock at the first time and a second (X, Y, Z) location of the dairy livestock at the second time. The method further includes determining, based on at least the first and second (X, Y, Z) locations, a turn index parameter indicating a number of times the dairy livestock reverses directions during the time period. The method further includes determining whether the dairy livestock is likely to be in estrus based at least in part upon whether the determined turn index parameter is in excess of a baseline turn index parameter by more than a first predefined amount.

System and method for estrus detection using real-time location

A method for health monitoring comprises electronically receiving location information for a dairy livestock that is generated by a plurality of identification devices positioned in a pen that operate in conjunction with a tag worn by the dairy livestock. The method stores the location information associated with the dairy livestock, the location information comprising a location of the dairy livestock within the pen at each of a plurality of times during a first time period. The method determines, based on at least a portion of the stored location information, a turn index parameter indicating a number of times the particular dairy livestock reverses direction during the first time period. The method determines whether the particular dairy livestock is likely to be in estrus based at least in part upon whether the determined turn index parameter is in excess of a baseline turn index parameter by more than a predefined amount.

System and method for health monitoring using real-time location

In certain embodiments, a method for estrus detection includes storing location information associated with a dairy livestock. The stored location information includes a coordinate location of the dairy livestock within a free stall pen at each of a plurality of times during a time period. The method further includes determining, based on at least a portion of the stored location information, one or more movement parameters associated with the dairy livestock. The method further includes determining, based on one or more movement parameters associated with the dairy livestock, whether the dairy livestock is likely to be in estrus.

In certain embodiments, a method for milking stall assignment includes storing first location information associated with a dairy livestock, the first location information comprising a coordinate location of the dairy livestock within a milking parlor at a first time. The method further includes comparing the stored first location information associated with the dairy livestock with an area associated with each of a plurality of milking stalls of the milking parlor to identify a milking stall in which the dairy cow is located at the first time and assigning the dairy livestock to the milking stall in which the dairy cow is located at the first time such that data associated with milking of the dairy livestock may be associated with the dairy cow.

In certain embodiments, a method includes storing location information associated with a dairy livestock. The stored location information includes a location of the dairy livestock within a free stall pen at each of a plurality of times during a time period. The method further includes determining, based on at least a portion of the stored location information, one or more movement parameters associated with the dairy livestock. The method further includes determining, based on the one or more movement parameters associated with the dairy livestock, whether the dairy livestock is likely unhealthy.

A milking claw for a dairy animal has a top having a front pair of first and second inlets laterally spaced on opposite sides of a longitudinal axis and receiving milk from the front pair of teats and directing such milk rearwardly into the claw on laterally opposite sides of the longitudinal axis, and a rear pair of third and fourth inlets laterally spaced on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis and receiving milk from the rear pair of teats and directing such milk forwardly into the claw on laterally opposite sides of the longitudinal axis, along nonintersecting flow paths.

Milking claw top

A milking claw for a dairy animal has a bottom having an outlet tubular member having a flow passage of a first vertical height, and a nozzle having an opening passing milk therethrough from the claw bottom to the flow passage. The nozzle opening has a second vertical height less than the first vertical height, such that milk level in the claw bottom need only rise to the level of the second lower vertical height of the nozzle opening rather than to the level of the first higher vertical height of the flow passage of the outlet tubular member, to provide a pressure differential between the vacuum in the outlet and the vacuum in the claw, whereby to draw milk from the claw in smaller more frequent slugs as compared to higher volume less frequent slugs while otherwise waiting for milk level in the claw bottom to rise to the level of the first vertical height.

Milking claw bottom

A top unloading milking claw (10) includes a high-impact transparent plastic lower bowl (12) and a stainless steel upper top (14). The claw has a plurality of deflectors (50, 52, 54, 56) on the inner surface (48) of the lower bowl (12) and spaced radially outwardly of the vertical riser outlet tube (28) by an annular gap (58) therebetween. The deflectors (50, 52, 54, 56) reduce tangential velocity of milk flow along the inner surface (48) of the bowl (12) by intercepting such tangential milk flow and redirecting the intercepted milk flow inwardly and downwardly along the inner surface (48) toward the bottom of the bowl (12) to fill the space (38) between the lower end (36) of the outlet tube (28) and the bottom of the bowl (12), to maximize the air pressure differential across the surface of the milk, between the ambient air pressure within the claw and the vacuum within the outlet tube, to maximize milk flow capacity of the claw ( 10). An acceleration surface (94) having a bell-shaped curve extends from the bottom of the bowl (12) upwardly into the outlet tube (28) and provides uniform acceleration of the milk as it enters the outlet tube (28), to minimize shear stress and energy loss as the milk is directed to flow upwardly through the outlet tube (28).

Top unloaded milking claw

A milking system uses a variable pressure source and varies the pressure supplied to the pulsation chamber along a controllably variable pressure curve of selectable waveshape. Pulsation cycles are shortened by shortening the transition time between pressure levels providing on and off portions of the pulsation cycle. The pulsation chamber is sequenced through different pressure change rates, all during the transition. Pressure transition times during pulsation cycles are varied at the beginning, middle and end of a milking interval to provide a faster rate of liner opening movement and/or larger diameter liner opening at the beginning of the milking interval to provide deeper teat penetration into the liner, an intermediate rate of liner opening movement and/or intermediate diameter liner opening during the middle of the milking interval, and a slower rate of liner opening movement and/or smaller diameter liner opening at the end of the milking interval to limit loss of adhesion between a less than full teat and the interior of the liner. The repetition rate of the waveshape may be varied to provide a plurality of pulsation cycles of variable duration, further reducing milking time. The pressure is further varied during both on portions and off portions of the pulsation cycle at a higher frequency than the repetition frequency of the pulsation cycle to stimulate milk flow.

Milking system with variable pressure source

A new teat cup inflation comprises a flexible tubular member having upper and lower barrels and a mouthpiece chamber. The walls of the upper and lower barrels are formed as continuous bands of alternating internal and external flutes. The lower end of the lower barrel is formed with an external projection that is received in a groove in a teat cup shell. The wall of the inflation upper barrel diverges from the lower barrel toward the mouthpiece chamber. The wall of a portion of the mouthpiece chamber is fluted on the interior and has a frusto-conical surface on the exterior. The mouthpiece chamber further has a band portion that receives a retaining ring for assembling the inflation in the teat cup without tools and without stressing the inflation mouthpiece after assembly. The new inflation provides better control for teat penetration for improved milkout.

Teat cup inflation

The milk claw has a frusto-conical cover fitting on and oriented to the bowl. The four inlets to the cover are downwardly and tangentially arranged on the cover so incoming milk hugs the inside wall of the cover as it swirls around the cover for discharge into the bowl. The bowl has a downwardly spiraled path leading to the outlet arranged on a radius of the bowl. A dam separates the start of the spiral path in the bowl from the outlet and serves to prevent the flow at the outlet from interfering with the flow entering the bowl.

Milking claw

An inflation for mounting in a teat cup assembly in the form of an elongated tubular member made of silicon material and having a uniform cross-section from end to end and a wall thickness of approximately 0.05 inches. The wall of the tubular member consists of a plurality of outwardly projecting flute portions connected by a plurality of inwardly projecting flute portions, said outwardly and inwardly projecting flute portions extending vertically and parallel with each other.

Growing community of inventors

Madison, WI, United States of America

Paul D Thompson