The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 12, 2009
Filed:
Oct. 02, 2002
Lucien Eliza Niels Voogd, Leerdam, NL;
Karel Van Den Berg, Bleskensgraaf, NL;
Lucien Eliza Niels Voogd, Leerdam, NL;
Karel van den Berg, Bleskensgraaf, NL;
Lely Enterprises A.G., Zug, CH;
Abstract
An apparatus and method for automatically supplying feed to animals such as cows. A control device generates a control signal for controlling the supply of feed to be consumed by an animal at a feed trough. A parameter-measuring component determines the value of a variable parameter which bears a relationship to the feed to be supplied to an animal at the feed trough and issues a parameter value signal to the control device. The control device is provided with a processing device for processing the parameter value signal into the control signal. The parameter-measuring component measures the parameter involved which relates to an animal that feeds at the feed trough and issues a signal providing information as to that parameter to the processing device. The parameters which may be measured include the existing physical condition profile of the animal, the rate that the animal consumes feed from the feeding trough, the existing milk yield of an animal at the feeding trough, and the amount of one or more ingredients which are present in the milk produced by the animal at the feeding trough, including proteins, fat, minerals and amino acids.