Claims
- 1. A system for assigning feed to feed bunks in a feedlot, comprising:
- computer means programmed for receiving, storing, and displaying feed consumption data for each of a plurality of animal pens in the feedlot;
- data entry means accessible at each of said animal pens for entering feed assignment data for the feed bunk associated with an animal pen and for communicating said assignment data to the computer means; and
- display means accessible at each of said animal pens and communicating with the computer means for displaying the feed consumption data for the animal pen;
- identification means associated with each animal pen for identifying the animal pen;
- the data entry means including means for reading the identification means.
- 2. The system of claim 1 in which the computer means comprises a host computer for storing the feed consumption data and a portable computer associated with the data entry means and display means for recording the feed assignment data, said portable computer being adapted to transfer said feed assignment data to the host computer and to display the feed consumption data from the host computer.
- 3. The system of claim 1 in which the computer means further comprises means to update the feed consumption data with the assignment data and to determine from said updated data a feeding route to said animal pens, said route being a list of pens to be displayed successively on the display means as feed is subsequently dispensed at each pen.
- 4. The system of claim 1 in which the computer means further comprises means to update the feed consumption data with the assignment data and to determine from said updated data a ration quantity for each of said animal pens.
- 5. The system of claim 1 in which the identification data entry means includes an RF transmitter and the machine comprises an RF receiver.
- 6. The system of claim 1 in which the identification means comprises a bar code and the data entry means includes a bar code scanner.
- 7. A system for delivering feed rations to feed bunks in a feedlot, comprising:
- computer means programmed for providing feed delivery data indicating a desired weight of a ration quantity to be delivered to each of a plurality of animal pens for dispensing in an associated feed bunk;
- feed carrying means for delivering feed to each animal, the feed carrying means including a scale for weighing each ration quantity actually dispensed into the associated feed bunk;
- data entry means accessible at each animal pen for receiving the weight of each ration quantity as it is weighed by the scale, said data entry means being adapted to communicate with said computer means as the ration quantity is dispensed;
- the computer means being further programmed to compare the actual weight of the ration quantity against the desired weight for each animal pen and to provide an alarm as the actual weight approaches the desired weight;
- said computer means being programmed to compare an animal pen identified to receive a ration quantity from the feed carrying means against the ration type being delivered to the pen and to provide an alarm if the pen so identified is not one of the plurality of animal pens.
- 8. The system of claim 7 in which the computer means comprises a host computer for storing the feed delivery data and a portable computer associated with the data entry means for recording said feed dispensed data, said portable computer being adapted to transfer said feed dispensed data to the host computer.
- 9. The system of claim 7 in which said data entry means includes means for coupling the computer means to the scale for receiving the weight measured by the scale.
- 10. A system for delivering feed rations to feed bunks in a feedlot, comprising:
- computer means programmed for providing feed delivery data indicating a desired weight of a ration quantity to be delivered to each of a plurality of animal pens for dispensing in an associated feed bunk;
- feed carrying means for delivering feed to each animal, the feed carrying means including a scale for weighing each ration quantity actually dispensed into the associated feed bunk;
- data entry means accessible at each animal pen for receiving the weight of each ration quantity as it is weighed by the scale, said data entry means being adapted to communicate with said computer means as the ration quantity is dispensed;
- the computer means being further programmed to compare the actual weight of the ration quantity against the desired weight for each animal pen and to provide an alarm as the actual weight approaches the desired weight;
- the computer means being programmed to include within the feed delivery data withdrawal data for each drug within a feed ration to be delivered and to check the withdrawal data for the ration against the date that animals are being discharged from the animal pen which is receiving the ration and to provide an alarm if the feed should not be dispensed.
- 11. The system of claim 10 in which the feed delivery means comprises a motor vehicle and the feed delivery data includes a delivery route for the motor vehicle calculated from the ration quantities to be delivered to the animal pens.
- 12. A system for delivering feed rations to feed bunks in a feedlot, comprising:
- computer means programmed for providing feed delivery data indicating a desired weight of a ration quantity to be delivered to each of a plurality of animal pens for dispensing in an associated feed bunk;
- feed carrying means for delivering feed to each animal, the feed carrying means including a scale for weighing each ration quantity actually dispensed into the associated feed bunk;
- data entry means accessible at each animal pen for receiving the weight of each ration quantity as it is weighed by the scale, said data entry means being adapted to communicate with said computer means as the ration quantity is dispensed;
- the computer means being further programmed to compare the actual weight of the ration quantity against the desired weight for each animal pen and to provide an alarm as the actual weight approaches the desired weight;
- identification means associated with each animal pen for identifying the animal pen, and the data entry means including means for reading the identification means.
- 13. A process for assigning feed to feed bunks in a feedlot, comprising:
- driving to an animal pen having an associated feed bunk for which feed is to be assigned;
- entering pen identification data for the pen in a computer programmed to store data about each pen;
- observing the condition of the feed bunk for making a feed assignment;
- entering feed assignment data for the feed bunk into the computer for recording with the pen identification;
- repeating the above steps until feed has been assigned to each feed bunk; and
- gathering the entered data for determining the feed to be delivered to the animal pens;
- the entering of pen identification data comprising reading the pen identification on the animal pen by machine.
- 14. The process of claim 13 in which gathering the entered data comprises transferring the data to a host computer for updating feed consumption data for the animal pens.
- 15. The process of claim 13 in which entering assignment data includes entering data on the priority of feeding for the animal pens.
- 16. The process of claim 13 in which entering pen identification data comprises reading and confirming a pen identification provided as part of a preselected bunk reading route by the computer.
- 17. A process for delivering feed rations to feed bunks in a feedlot, comprising:
- storing in a computer for selective display feed delivery data for each of a plurality of animal pens in the feedlot, each pen having an associated feed bunk, said data including the type of feed ration for each pen;
- loading a feed truck with a ration quantity for said delivery;
- driving to one of the animal pens for delivering the ration quantity;
- entering in the computer pen identification data;
- checking via the computer the pen identification data against the type of ration to determine if the ration type is to be dispensed to the pen;
- monitoring the ration quantity as it is being dispensed into the feed bunk associated with the pen;
- repeating the above steps for each animal pen; and
- recording for each pen the actual quantities dispensed;
- the entering of pen identification data comprising reading the pen identification on the animal pen by machine.
- 18. The process of claim 17 in which the feed delivery data includes a desired quantity of feed ration to be delivered to each pen, and monitoring the ration quantity comprises comparing via the computer the ration quantity actually dispensed against the desired quantity in the feed delivery data.
- 19. The process of claim 17 in which the feed delivery data includes a desired quantity of feed ration to be delivered to each pen, the process including recording the desired quantity dispensed for each pen along with the actual quantity dispensed.
- 20. The process of claim 17 including checking the type of feed ration for a withdrawal date against the date that animal in the pen are being discharged.
- 21. The process of claim 17 in which entering pen identification data comprises reading and confirming a pen identification provided as part of a preselected feed delivery route by the computer.
- 22. The process of claim 17 in which monitoring the ration quantity as it is being dispensed includes displaying the target weight for the quantity beforehand and alerting the truck operator as the target weight is approached during the dispensing.
- 23. The process of claim 17 in which checking the pen identification against the ration type includes alerting the truck operator if the ration type should not be dispensed in the identified pen.
RELATED APPLICATION DATA
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/085,073, filed Aug. 12, 1987. This application incorporates herein by reference the complete disclosure of the parent application.
US Referenced Citations (5)
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
85073 |
Aug 1987 |
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