Not Applicable.
Not Applicable.
Not Applicable.
The invention relates to a milking box for cows, comprising at least at one of its sides an entrance fence for entry of a cow and an exit fence for exiting a cow after it being milked. The invention is also concerned with a cow stable comprising resting boxes for cows, milking boxes, at least one feeder trough, a separation zone or zones, and walking paths allowing the cows to move between the resting boxes, milking boxes, the at least one feeder trough and the separation zone or zones.
Milking box or boxes are well known in the art and are conventionally placed in the middle or at one of the sides of the cow stable. Whenever a cow in the stable needs to be milked, the cow moves to the milking box at which the cow will be milked manually, semi-automatically, or automatically. When the milking operation has been completed the cow leaves the milking box at the same side as it entered, and either returns to its resting box, or moves to the feeding trough. Occasionally the cow can be separated, for instance if the milking operation was unsatisfactory, or when the cow is recognized (by automatic recognition means) as being nominated for a checkup.
One of the problems with existing cow stables is that it requires quite complicated fencing to have a cow move from the milking box to a separation zone.
Another problem with prior art cow stables is that the cows and people that need to work in the stable share the same room, which is not always desirable.
Still another problem with prior art cow stables is that it requires quite some labor to secure that each cow is moved from a first position within or outside the cow stable to a second position within or outside the cow stable.
It is an object of the invention to alleviate or remove one or more of the above-mentioned problems that pertain to the cow stable of the prior art.
According to the invention a milking box and a cow stable are proposed in accordance with the appended claims.
The invention will hereinafter be further elucidated with reference to the drawing.
In the drawings:
Wherever in the figures the same reference numerals are applied, these numerals refer to the same parts.
The milking box of the invention has two entrance fences and two exit fences, wherein one first entrance fence and one first exit fence form a first pair of fences positioned at a first side, and one second entrance fence and one second exit fence form a second pair of fences that is positioned at a second side which is opposite to the first side.
In accordance with the invention the cow stable that is implemented with such a milking box or milking boxes, is arranged such that at least the resting boxes are placed at the first side of the milking box or boxes, and that at the second side of the milking box or boxes at least one is placed that is selected from the group comprising at least one feeder trough, a separation zone or zones, outdoors. The milking box of the invention thus provides the possibility that the movement of the individual cows can be controlled and that accurate track can be kept of each individual cow that has been milked. It is also possible to regulate the movement of the cows between indoors and outdoors of the cow stable, and between different parts within the cow stable.
Referring first to
It will be clear for the artisan that the side 5, 6 at which the cow enters the milk box 1 can be selected independent from the side 5, 6 at which the cow will leave the milk box 1. Consequently milk box 1 of the invention provides flexibility and versatility to any cow stable in which it is used, which is clearly demonstrated in the embodiments of the cow stable of the invention shown in the
Whenever the cows enter the milking box 1 again for another milking operation, another decision can be made whether or not the cow that has been milked may go outdoors or must further remain inside of the stable 7.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2004272 | Feb 2010 | NL | national |
This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/100,796 filed Dec. 9, 2013 entitled “MILKING BOX AND COW STABLE COMPRISING SUCH A MILKING BOX”, which is a continuation application of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/588,770 which is now U.S. Pat. No. 8,601,979 issued Dec. 10, 2013, and entitled “MILKING BOX AND COW STABLE COMPRISING SUCH A MILKING BOX”, which is a continuation application of International Patent Application Serial No. PCT/NL2011/050111, entitled “Milking Box and Cow Stable Comprising Such a Milking Box” filed on Feb. 17, 2011, which is a continuation of Netherlands Patent Application Serial No. 2004272, entitled Milking Box and Cow Stable Comprising Such a Milking Box,” filed on Feb. 19, 2010, and the specifications and claims thereof are incorporated herein by reference
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 14100796 | Dec 2013 | US |
Child | 15866641 | US | |
Parent | 13588770 | Aug 2012 | US |
Child | 14100796 | US | |
Parent | PCT/NL2011/050111 | Feb 2011 | US |
Child | 13588770 | US |