Electrically controlled spraying device for cleaning and treating animals

Abstract

A low maintenance, electrically controlled automatic spray bath employs a spray system to wash animals and subsequently deliver treatment and prevention products at a continuous, consistent dosage rate. The automatic spray bath comprises at least one component. Each component comprises four rails defining an enclosure through which animals are walked in one direction, one after the other. Each rail of each component has a plurality of nozzles. When one component is employed the nozzles are divided into sets. Each set of nozzles sprays either a cleaning fluid or a treatment fluid. When more than one component is employed, the nozzles of each component spray either a cleaning fluid or a treatment fluid. The components are modular and portable. As animals are led between a set of nozzles, an electric eye beam is broken, causing a check valve to allow liquid to flow from a remote reservoir. Nozzles delivering the liquid are located and correctly pressurized to spray a particular part of an animal, for example, the hooves of a cow and not the udder. The rails of the automatic spray bath are mounted above the floor for continually flushing debris washed from the animal under the rails and out of the component enclosure. The nozzles have check valves to prevent the liquid from draining from the supply lines. The treatment solution is delivered to nozzles by a metering device which ensures that each animal is exposed to the correct dosage.