Patent Application
20180256303
This disclosure relates to apparatus and related methods for poultry treatment, and, more specifically to apparatus that deliver vaccine as a spray simultaneously to poultry disposed on multiple tiers.
Poultry are susceptible to various diseases particularly when congregated in large numbers in close quarters. In order to prevent disease, poultry farmers deliver vaccine to poultry by spraying a mist of liquid droplets containing vaccine onto the poultry. The droplets in the mist may land upon the poultry, and the poultry may then ingest the droplets while grooming thus delivering the vaccine to the poultry. Poultry may inhale the droplets, or the poultry may ingest feed or other material that includes the droplets.
Poultry, as used herein, includes, for example, chickens, turkeys, guinea hens, Cornish hens, ducks, geese, and other domesticated birds raised either for meat or for eggs.
Poultry may be arranged in tiers in a poultry barn with the tiers stacked one above the other with narrow pathways along the tiers. In such settings, delivery of vaccine by spray has been performed using devices that require the user to direct the spray about each tier while traversing the narrow pathway. This is time inefficient and may result in unequal distribution of vaccine among a flock. While other devices may allow for spraying multiple tiers, these devices are complex, tend to clog, and may also deliver the vaccine unequally.
Accordingly, there is a need for improved apparatus as well as related methods that deliver vaccine to flocks of poultry that may be arranged on multiple tiers.
These and other needs and disadvantages may be overcome by the apparatus and related methods of use disclosed herein. Additional improvements and advantages may be recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art upon study of the present disclosure.
A poultry treatment apparatus is disclosed herein. In various aspects, the poultry treatment apparatus may include a tank forming a reservoir at ambient pressure and containing liquid. A pump may be in fluid communication with the tank, and the pump may be in fluid communication with a liquid intake of a first nozzle, and in fluid communication with a liquid intake of a second nozzle to supply liquid under pressure from the tank to the liquid intake of the first nozzle and to the liquid intake of the second nozzle. A compressor may be in fluid communication with an air intake of the first nozzle and with an air intake of the second nozzle to supply compressed air to the air intake of the first nozzle and to the air intake of the second nozzle. The air pressure pg is independent of the liquid pressure ph in various aspects. In various aspects, the combination of compressed air and liquid under pressure deliver spray from the first nozzle and deliver spray from the second nozzle, and the first nozzle and the second nozzle may deliver about the same flow rate of liquid and may have droplets of similar size. The first nozzle is secured to a boom at a first elevation to deliver spray into a first tier, and a second nozzle secured to the boom at a second elevation to deliver spray into a second tier, the second tier being at a different elevation than the first tier, in various aspects. The tank, the compressor, the pump, and the boom are attached to a cart traversable to deliver spray simultaneously to poultry contained on the first tier and poultry contained on the second tier, in various aspects.
Related methods of poultry treatment are also disclosed herein. In various aspects, the methods of poultry treatment may include the steps of traversing a cart with a boom attached thereto, the boom having a first nozzle at a first elevation and a second nozzle at a second elevation along a first tier and a second tier containing poultry, and delivering spray simultaneously to poultry contained on the first tier at a first elevation through the first nozzle and poultry contained on the second tier at a second elevation through the second nozzle by delivering liquid to the first nozzle and the second nozzle using a pump disposed about the cart and delivering air to the first nozzle and the second nozzle using a compressor disposed about the cart. The liquid pressure at the nozzle is greater than the gas pressure at the nozzle and the liquid comprises a vaccine, in various aspects.
This summary is presented to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the apparatus and methods disclosed herein as a prelude to the detailed description that follows below. Accordingly, this summary is not intended to identify key elements of the apparatus and methods disclosed herein or to delineate the scope thereof.
The Figures are exemplary only, and the implementations illustrated therein are selected to facilitate explanation. The number, position, relationship and dimensions of the elements shown in the Figures to form the various implementations described herein, as well as dimensions and dimensional proportions to conform to specific force, weight, strength, flow and similar requirements are explained herein or are understandable to a person of ordinary skill in the art upon study of this disclosure. Where used in the various Figures, the same numerals designate the same or similar elements. Furthermore, when the terms “top,” “bottom,” “right,” “left,” “forward,” “rear,” “first,” “second,” “inside,” “outside,” and similar terms are used, the terms should be understood in reference to the orientation of the implementations shown in the drawings and are utilized to facilitate description thereof. Use herein of relative terms such as generally, about, approximately, essentially, may be indicative of engineering, manufacturing, or scientific tolerances such as ±0.1%, ±1%, ±2.5%, ±5%, or other such tolerances, as would be recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art upon study of this disclosure.
As illustrated in
Vaccine 15, as used herein, may include, for example, vaccine(s), antibiotic(s), vitamins, minerals, combinations thereof, or other beneficial materials amenable to being delivered by spray, and vaccine 15 may be solubilized in water as a carrier, in various implementations. The vaccine(s) may, for example, inoculate poultry against New Castle bronchitis, cholera, Marek's disease, or laryngotracheitis. Antibiotics may include, for example, various aminoglycosides, penicillins, lincosamides, or sulfonamides. Vaccine 15, as used herein, may include, for example, live virus vaccines, live bacteria vaccines, killed bacteria vaccine, killed virus vaccines, live protozoa vaccines, and killed protozoa vaccines. In various implementations, vaccine 15, as used herein, may include, for example, disinfectants, prebiotics, probiotics, antibiotics, fungicides, insecticides, competitive exclusion products, anthelmintic, field hygiene products, hatchery hygiene products, litter amendments, rodenticides, supportive care products, vaccine stabilizers, water acidifiers, sanitizer products, vitamin supplements, and other products that may be applied to livestock, poultry, and pets. Exemplary vaccine 15 may include Mycovac-L®, which is live Intervet 6/85 strain of Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) available from Merck & Co. of Kenilworth N.J. Exemplary vaccine 15 may include Poulvac® EC, which is a modified-live Escherichia coli (E. coli) vaccine or Poulvac ST, which is a modified-live Salmonella typhimurium, both available from Zoetis of Parsippany, N.J. Exemplary vaccine 15 may include sodium chlorite, available, for example, as Pro Oxine from Bio-Cide International Inc, 2650 Venture Drive, Norman, Okla. 73069. Exemplary Pro Oxine is a blend of oxychloro species containing purified sodium chlorite that, when activated, produces chlorine dioxide that may act as a sanitizer and disinfectant for poultry facilities.
The Mycovac-L® has been applied to live poultry using exemplary poultry treatment apparatus 10 with good results that may be due to better coverage, delivery into the air sacs, or both better coverage and delivery into the air sacs.
The Pro Oxine has been applied to a house of 60,000 layers, late first cycle, loosing 60 per day prior to the application of Pro Oxine at the same rate as prescribed for drinking water treatment. With the first application of activated Pro Oxine, the mortality decreased to 30 dead per day the day following the application. With a second application of Pro Oxine, mortality decreased to 15 dead per day. The Pro Oxine may be being delivered into the air sacs of the poultry.
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Battery 35, as illustrated in
Nozzles 60a, 60b of poultry treatment apparatus 10 are formed as air atomizing nozzles in exemplary poultry treatment apparatus 10. Liquid 14, which includes vaccine 15, and air 16 are mixed in nozzles 60a, 60b to produce sprays 62a, 62b, respectively, as illustrated in
As illustrated in
In certain implementations, there may be, multiple tiers. For example, certain implementations may have eight tiers, such as tiers 70a, 70b, in vertical arrangement, and, thus, for example, eight nozzles, such as nozzles 60a, 60b, may be mounted to boom 50 with each of the eight nozzles directing spray into one of the eight tiers, respectively, so that spray is directed into each of the eight tiers simultaneously as cart 12 is traversed along the eight tiers. Multiple nozzles may direct spray into each of the eight tiers in this example, so that there may be 16, 32, or some other number of nozzles.
As illustrated in
In exemplary poultry treatment apparatus 10, pump 30 produces liquid pressure pl in the liquid pathway 34 proximate pump 30, and compressor 40 produces air pressure pg in the air pathway 44 proximate compressor 40. Note that pump 30 is separate from compressor 40 so that liquid pressure pl and air pressure pg may be set independently of one another. In certain implementations, air pressure pg may range, for example, from about 30 psi to about 40 psi and liquid pressure pl may be around 60 psi, so that the liquid pressure pl is greater than the air pressure pg, in this example. Note that air pressure pg and liquid pressure pl may be set independently of one another in exemplary poultry treatment apparatus 10.
As illustrated in
Exemplary ratios of Q60b/Q60a for various exemplary elevation differences between nozzle 60a and nozzle 60b corresponding to various exemplary liquid pressures pl at nozzle 60a are given in Table 1 as calculated by the above methodology. Note from Table 1 that the ratio Q60b/Q60a tends toward 1 (equal flow) as the elevation difference between nozzle 60a and nozzle 60b decreases or as the liquid pressure pl at nozzle 60a is increased. For example, a 10 ft elevation differences (z=10 ft) with liquid pressure 60 psi at nozzle 60a is calculated using this methodology to result in about a 3.7% difference in liquid flow rate between nozzles 60a, 60b. As another example, the difference in liquid flow rate between nozzles 60a, 60b decreases from about 4.4% to about 3.2% as the liquid pressure pl at nozzle 60a is increased from 50 psi to 70 psi at z=10 ft per Table 1. The 20 ft value as the maximum value of z used in exemplary Table 1 is fairly extreme in practice, so that the height difference between nozzles 60a, 60b may be expected to be less than 20 ft (i.e., z<20 ft) in many practical applications. That is, in many practical applications, the height of the tiers is likely to be less than 20 ft. In various implementations, the elevation difference between tiers may be, for example, about 20 inches to about 30 inches, while the overall elevation difference between the lowest tier and the uppermost tier, for example, may be less than 20 ft.
Accordingly, it may be concluded from Table 1 that the differences in spray emitted by nozzles 60a, 60b may be acceptable without the need for orifice plates, valves, and so forth within tubes 80, 82 to adjust the quantity of spray 62a, 62b emitted from nozzles 60a, 60b. The ability to increase the liquid pressure pl independent of air pressure pg as in exemplary poultry treatment apparatus 10 may allow for control of the liquid flow rate between nozzles 60a, 60b. By extension, the exemplary theoretical results of Table 1 may be extendable to multiple nozzles, such as nozzles 60a, 60b, disposed at multiple elevations about boom 50.
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In various implementations, the boom, such as boom 50, 150, 250, may be positionable with respect to the cart, such as cart 12, for example, to allow positioning of nozzles, such as nozzles 60a, 60b, and to allow the boom to be placed in a collapsed position about the cart when the boom is not in use. The nozzles may be adjustably mounted to the boom to allow the nozzles to be positioned about the boom. The nozzles may be removably secured to the boom to allow various numbers of nozzles to be mounted to boom in communication with the pump and compressor, such as pump 30 and compressor 40. The boom may be formed, for example, of steel, aluminum, or various plastics. The boom may have various cross-sectional shapes such as circular (see boom 50 illustrated in
In operation of a poultry treatment apparatus, such as poultry treatment apparatus 10, 100, 200, 300 liquid, such as liquid 14, may be placed reservoir, such as reservoir 25, of a tank, such as tank 20. The liquid may include vaccine(s), such as vaccine 15, to be delivered to poultry. The boom, such as boom 50, 150, 250, may be positioned with respect to a cart, such as cart 12, and nozzles, such as nozzles 60a, 60b, may be mounted about the boom so that the nozzles align with tiers, such as tiers 70a, 70b, containing poultry. The tiers are arranged vertically, and the nozzles are arranged vertically along the boom in correspondence to the tiers so that at least one nozzle directs spray, such as spray 62a, 62b, into each tier simultaneously, in various implementations. The pump, such as pump 30, and the compressor, such as compressor 40, are powered ON, and the cart is traversed along the tiers to direct spray into the tiers through the nozzles. The pump and the compressor deliver liquid and air, such as air 16, respectively to the nozzles and the nozzles mix the air with the liquid to produce the spray. The spray may land on poultry, and the poultry may ingest the liquid, for example, while grooming their feathers. The poultry may inhale the spray while the spray is air born. The vaccine(s), antibiotic(s), or other materials may thus be delivered to the poultry by ingestion or inhalation. Alternatively, a boom, such as boom 350 may be manipulated by hand to deliver spray onto poultry in a free-range enclosure.
The droplet size of droplets, such as droplets 68a, 68b, is illustrated as an exemplary experimentally derived function of air pressure pg and liquid pressure pl at the exemplary nozzle (Quickmist® ¼ QMJ) in the Cartesian plot of
The liquid pressure pl and air pressure pg, at the nozzle may be selected independent of one another, in various implementations. The liquid pressure pl and air pressure pg at the nozzle may be adjusted independently of one another, in various implementations. In some implementations, the liquid pressure pl may be greater than the air pressure pg at the nozzle, while, in other implementations, the liquid pressure pl may be less than the air pressure pg at the nozzle. In still other implementations, the liquid pressure pl may be about equal to the air pressure pg at the nozzle.
The foregoing discussion along with the Figures discloses and describes various exemplary implementations. These implementations are not meant to limit the scope of coverage, but, instead, to assist in understanding the context of the language used in this specification and in the claims. Upon study of this disclosure and the exemplary implementations herein, one of ordinary skill in the art may readily recognize that various changes, modifications and variations can be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the inventions as defined in the following claims.
