FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for feeding young animals, and in particular, but not exclusively to a method and apparatus for feeding calves from birth to weaning age.

BACKGROUND

In the USA a hutch calf rearing system has been used for some time. The hutch calf rearing system is one in which calves are individually housed and fed. Each calf has a small pen and a small shelter. The calves are effectively raised‘outdoors’ and the concept is designed to strengthen the calves’ environmental defences, and the separation helps to prevent the spread of diseases from one calf to another. In addition, each calf can be fed from a separate container ensuring that each calf receives a controlled or regimented amount of milk.

The hutch or‘individual pen’ calf rearing system was developed based on scientific literature of the time that supported feeding a constant milk volume throughout the milk feeding stage of a calf s life. This is traditionally 2 quarts of milk twice a day for 6 to 8 weeks until the calf is weaned. The hutch system and the feeding systems were developed around this school of thought, and it has been a reasonably efficient way to rear calves.

Recent scientific research however has moved away from a "flat" feeding system to a graduated milk feeding system which can follow a feeding regime along the following lines;

• Week 1 : calves fed 2.5 quarts twice a day,

• Week 2: calves fed 3 quarts twice a day,

• Weeks 3 to 5: calves fed 3.5 quarts twice a day, and

• Weeks 6 to weaning: calves fed 4 quarts once a day. With current feeding equipment and systems it is difficult to track the ages of the calves in a calf rearing system, and it is not easy to ensure that the correct volume of milk is given to each calf within each age group in the calf rearing system. Some calf rearing systems are set up to feed thousands of calves and in such situations these problems become unmanageable.

In addition, the teats or nipples used on the calf feeding equipment usually need to be replaced every 2 to 3 months. When an old or worn teat is replaced with a new teat, the calves will usually get upset as feeding suddenly becomes much slower which can lead to upset calves. When a new calf is taught to feed on an old worn teat, the milk flow can to too fast for the new calf s digestive system to cope with, and the calf can develop diarrhoea and other problems.

A cal s digestive system is more easily upset in the first few days of life. For example, if a young calf is not fed a suitable quantity of milk, or is fed too quickly, the calf can experience a digestive system problem leading to diarrhoea and reduced weight gain. To help minimise this problem it has become accepted in recent years that it is better if a new calf can start with a new teat and stay with that teat, or at least with a teat that has had similar use, until weaning. However, the task of managing the teats used by each calf, and ensuring that each calf uses a teat that has a usage life similar to the calf s age, is not an easy task.

In this specification unless the contrary is expressly stated, where a document, act or item of knowledge is referred to or discussed, this reference or discussion is not an admission that the document, act or item of knowledge or any combination thereof was at the priority date, publicly available, known to the public, part of common general knowledge; or known to be relevant to an attempt to solve any problem with which this specification is concerned.

OBJECT

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for feeding young animals which will at least go some way towards overcoming one or more of the above mentioned problems, or at least provide the public with a useful choice. STATEMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, in a first aspect, the invention may broadly be said to consist in a method of feeding young animals for a predetermined total period of time, the method comprising at least the steps of; · dividing the total period of time into a number of time intervals,

• identifying a number of unique visual identifiers, the number of unique visual identifiers being the same as the number of time intervals,

• determining a smallest of the time intervals,

• dividing the young animals into age-groupings based on their birth date, each age- grouping comprising all of the young animals bom within a sub-time period equivalent to the smallest of the time intervals, assigning one of the unique visual identifiers to each age-grouping of young animals, and

• assigning a set of feeding apparatus to each age-grouping of young animals, the set of feeding apparatus for each age-grouping of young animals having the unique visual identifier assigned to that age-grouping of young animals.

Preferably the set of feeding apparatus assigned to each age-grouping of young animals remains with that age-grouping of animals throughout the total time period.

Preferably the set of feeding apparatus assigned to each new age-grouping of young animals is fitted with new feeding teats or nipples.

Preferably the young animals are calves.

Preferably the predetermined total period of time is a period of time in the range of eight to sixteen weeks, and more preferably a period of time in the range of ten to twelve weeks.

Preferably the smallest of the time intervals is in the range of three to ten days. Preferably the unique visual identifiers are each a different colour.

Preferably each set of feeding apparatus includes feeding bottles, feeding bottle tops and feeding teats or nipples, and the feeding bottle tops include provisions for installing the feeding teats or nipples to the feeding bottle tops. Preferably the feeding bottle tops include provisions for aligning the feeding teats or nipples as the feeding teats or nipples are installed onto the feeding bottle tops.

Preferably the feeding bottle tops are“screw on” bottle tops.

Preferably the feeding teats or nipples are held attached to the feeding bottle tops using clips. Preferably the unique visual identifiers are clips of different colours.

Preferably the method further includes the fitting of an identification device to each young animal, or to the hutch or enclosure used to house each young animal, or to one of a series of hutches housing an age-grouping of young animals, the identification device relating to the unique visual identifier assigned to the young animal or the age-grouping of young animals.

Preferably each identification device is a coloured identification device which relates to the colour associated with each age-grouping of young animals

Preferably different amounts of milk are fed to each young animal at each feeding event during each time interval. Preferably feeding bottles of different sizes are used to control the amount of milk that is fed to each young animal at each feeding event during each time interval.

In a second aspect, the invention may broadly be said to consist in apparatus including feeding bottles, feeding bottle tops and young animal feeding teats or nipples that are configured for feeding young animals using the method of feeding young animals substantially as specified herein. Preferably the apparatus includes nipple attachment clips.

Preferably the apparatus includes either feeding bottle tops, young animal feeding nipples, or nipple attachment clips, of a range of different colours.

Preferably the apparatus includes young animal hutch tagging means of the same range of different colours which are each configured for attachment to a young animal hutch or pen.

Preferably the apparatus includes feeding bottle engagement sockets configured for attachment to each young animal hutch or pen

Preferably the bottle engagement sockets are configured to align the teats fitted to the feeding bottles in a rotational manner about a longitudinal axis of the feeding bottles. Preferably the feeding bottle tops are configured to engage with the bottle engagement sockets in such a manner that the teat fitted to each bottle top is aligned relative to its associated bottle engagement socket in a predetermined manner.

In a third aspect, the invention may broadly be said to consist in a calf feeding operation incorporating apparatus for feeding young animals and the method of feeding young animals, both substantially as specified herein.

Preferably calf feeding operation also includes a number of hutches or pens, with each hutch or pen being configured to house and contain one or more young animals.

In a fourth aspect, the invention may broadly be said to consist in a kit of parts for performing the method of feeding young animals substantially as specified herein, said kit including

• young animal feeding means comprising bottles, bottle caps, feeding nipples or nipple attachment clips, of a range of different colours, and young animal hutch tagging means of the same range of different colours. Preferably the kit of parts includes bottles of a range of volumes, the volumes being determined by the differing volumes of milk that are fed to a calf during the various stages of the calf s development.

The invention may also broadly be said to consist in the parts, elements and features referred to or indicated in the specification of the application, individually or collectively, and any or all combinations of any two or more of the parts, elements or features, and where specific integers are mentioned herein which have known equivalents, such equivalents are incorporated herein as if they were individually set forth.

DESCRIPTION Further aspects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description which is given by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front perspective view of an apparatus for feeding young animals fitted to a panel of an animal rearing hutch, FIGURE 2 is a rear perspective view of the apparatus for feeding young animals fitted to the panel of the animal rearing hutch,

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of a bottle and teat of the apparatus,

FIGURE 4 is a front elevation view of an identification tag of the apparatus,

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of a bottle socket of the apparatus, FIGURE 6 is an exploded perspective view of the bottle and teat,

FIGURE 7 is a front elevation view and a side elevation view of the apparatus in use fitted to an animal hutch,

FIGURE 8 is an exploded side elevation view of the apparatus showing the attachment to the animal hutch, and FIGURE 9 is an exploded perspective view of the apparatus showing the attachment to the animal hutch.

With reference to Figures 1 to 9, apparatus for feeding young animals (11) according to the present invention will now be described. Young animals such as calves are typically fed by farmers or calf rearers for a predetermined or total period of time in the region of eight to sixteen weeks, and often a period of time in the range of ten to twelve weeks. The present invention allows those rearing young animals such as calves to easily track groups of calves by age, and to allow the volumes of milk fed to the calves to be adjusted according their age. The present invention also allows the same teats to be used with each age-grouping of calves from the time that they begin bottle feeding until they are weaned.

The apparatus for feeding young animals (11) includes a milk bottle (13) and a "screw on" type bottle cap, lid or top (15). A feeding nipple or teat (17) is fitted to each bottle cap (15) and is secured in place with a clip (19). In use, the teats (17) are not usually removed from the bottle caps (15) until the age-grouping of calves that are fed using the teats (17) are weaned. And at that time, the teats (17) are replaced for the next intake of calves. A flat circular seal (21) is provided between the bottle cap (15) and the top of a threaded neck portion (23) of the bottle (13).

At the heart of the invention is the use of unique visual identifiers on the feeding apparatus (11) that is used to feed the animals within each age-grouping. In this example the unique visual identifiers are a range of easily distinguishable colours. And in this case, these easily distinguishable colours are applied to coloured identification devices in the form of the clips (19) of different colours that are used to secure the teats (17) to the bottle caps (15). The same coloured clip (19) is used to secure a teat (17) to a bottle cap (15) for each calf introduced into a particular age-grouping. Different coloured clips (19) are used for each different age-grouping of calves.

The invention also uses identification tags having the same number of unique visual identifiers as used on the feeding apparatus (11). In this example, identification tags are in the form of coloured age-grouping tags or pen tags (25). It is envisaged that each farm, or calf rearing facility will use at least ten different coloured clips (19) with the same number of different coloured corresponding tags (25).

When new calves are introduced to the calf rearing facility a pen tag (25) associated with an age-grouping of calves is fitted to each pen or hutch, or in large operations, a pen tag (25) is fitted at the end of each row of pens or hutches that house the calves of a particular age-grouping. One bottle cap (15) is assembled with a teat (17) and a clip (19) of the same colour as the pen tags for each new calf introduced into each age-grouping. These appropriately colour identified assembled bottle caps stay with the same coloured pen tags (25) until the calves are weaned. During a chosen time interval determined by the farm manager, for example a time interval of five days, all new calves bom during each chosen time interval are given the same coloured pen tag (25) and coloured teat clip (19). The chosen time interval will typically be about one tenth of the total time that the calves are fed milk, that is, about one tenth of the time from birth until they are weaned. The chosen time interval will typically be in the region of three to ten days, and a time interval of five to seven days is considered suitable.

All the calves bom during each time interval become an age-grouping of calves. A new teat (17) is fitted for each new calf introduced into the feeding program. During the following time interval of say five days, a different coloured pen tag and coloured teat clip (19) is set up for use with all new calves bom during that next time interval. The feeding bottle tops (15) include provisions for installing the feeding teats or nipples (17) to the feeding bottle tops (15). In this example, the provisions include a rectangular shaped spigot (27) that is configured to mate with a complimentary rectangular shaped recess (29) in the base of each teat (17). The rectangular shaped spigot (27) is designed to align the teats (17) in a desired manner as the teats are installed onto the bottle tops (15). The desired manner of alignment will normally be a rotational alignment about a longitudinal axis of the feeding bottles (13). This alignment is important in a number of situations since many good quality teats (17) have a slit through which the milk passes as the calves suckle, and the slit on such teats must be aligned vertically for proper operation of the teats (17). As noted above, the feeding teats (17) are each held attached to the feeding bottle tops (15) using clips (19). The clips (19) are“U” shaped clips having a hole (31) through which the teat (17) passes, and legs (33) on either side of the hole (31) that are configured to engage with and grip flat surfaces (35) on the bottle tops (15). A barbed section of each leg (33) engages with a notch on each flat surfaces (35). The clips (19) can be removed to facilitate cleaning, and/or teat replacement, by simply prising one of the legs (33) away from its associated flat surface (35).

It can be seen in the Figures that the apparatus (11) includes feeding bottle engagement sockets (41) that in the example shown are fitted to a door (43) or panel of each young animal hutch. The sockets (41) are configured to align the bottle tops (15), and thereby the teats (17), about the longitudinal axis of the feeding bottles (13) to ensure that any slit in the teats (17) is presented to the calves in a vertical orientation.

The feeding bottle tops (15) each include two cam follower features (37) that are configured to engage with end cam profiles (45) formed in the bottle engagement sockets (41). The cam followers (37) interact with the end cam profiles (45) in such a manner that the teat (17) fitted to each bottle top (15) is aligned relative to its associated bottle engagement socket (41) in the manner noted above.

The bottles (13) are held in sloping support cradles (47) that are designed to hold the bottles at a suitable angle for the calves to drink from them. Bottles (13) containing milk can simply be dropped into the cradles (47), teat end downwards, and the bottles (13) will slide down the cradles (47) causing the cam followers (37) on the bottle tops (15) to engage with the end cam profiles (45) of the sockets (41), to cause the teats (17) to become correctly aligned for the calves as noted above.

Bolts (49) and nuts (51) and retainer straps (53) are used to clamp the cradles (47) and sockets (41) to the mesh of the hutch doors (43).

Method of feeding

The method of feeding young animals using the apparatus (11) can be described as a system comprising the following steps; • dividing the total period of time into a number of time intervals,

• identifying a number of unique visual identifiers, the number of unique visual identifiers being the same as the number of time intervals,

• determining a smallest of the time intervals, · dividing the young animals into age-groupings based on their birth date, each age- grouping comprising all of the young animals bom within a sub-time period equivalent to the smallest of the time intervals,

• assigning one of the unique visual identifiers to each age-grouping of young animals, and · assigning a set of feeding apparatus to each age-grouping of young animals, the set of feeding apparatus for each age-grouping of young animals having the unique visual identifier assigned to that age-grouping of young animals.

Ideally, the set of feeding apparatus assigned to each age-grouping of young animals is fitted with new feeding teats or nipples and remains with that age-grouping of animals throughout the total time period.

The method can further include the fitting of an identification device to each young animal, or to the hutch used to house each young animal, or to one of a series of hutches housing an age-grouping of young animals, the identification device relating to the unique visual identifier assigned to the young animal or the age-grouping of young animals. Using this method, different and controlled amounts of milk can be fed to each young animal at each feeding event during each time interval. In situations where bottles (13) are filled with an automatic bottle filling system where the volume can be controlled, or where the volume is measured manually, bottles (13) of the largest volume fed to the calves at any feeding time can be used and filled with the required volume of milk for the stage of each age-grouping of calves. Where filling is done by a manifold and the bottles (13) are filled to the top for each feed, then feeding bottles of different sizes can be used to control the amount of milk that is fed to each young animal at each feeding event during each time interval. For example, the calves would start with smaller bottles during the first time interval, and the bottle size would increase during later time intervals when the desired volume of milk for an age- grouping of calves increases as the calves age.

If calves are moved into groups of two or more before weaning, one of the coloured tags (25) would move to the hutch or pen housing the group, and those calves will continue to be fed with the bottle caps fitted with the same colour clips (19) as previously. VARIATIONS

Aspects of the present invention have been described by way of example only and it should be appreciated that modifications and additions may be made thereto without departing from the scope thereof.

In the example described herein, the unique visual identifiers, or colours, are applied to the clips (19). As an alternative, the unique visual identifiers, or colours, could be applied to the bottle caps (15), or to the teats (17), or to the bottles (13), or alternatively to a separate tag or collar that is fitted to each bottle, cap, teat or clip.

Also, in the example described herein, the unique visual identifiers are colours. It is envisaged that in an alternative embodiment, the unique visual identifiers could be symbols or other distinguishable markings.

In the example described herein, the age-grouping tags are fitted to the hutch or pen of each animal or to a row or group of hutches, but alternatively the age-grouping tags could be fitted to the animals, for example using a neck collar or an ear tag system.

Recent scientific research has found that calves will eat more grain, gain more weight, and have better social development if they are reared in pairs or in small groups. It is envisaged that the system described herein will also work on such housing systems by having the correct number of bottle holders or cradles in a pair or group hutch or pen, where each of the animals within the hutch or pen belong to the same age-grouping. DEFINITIONS

Throughout this specification the word "comprise" and variations of that word, such as "comprises" and "comprising", are not intended to exclude other additives, components, integers or steps.

ADVANTAGES

Thus it can be seen that at least the preferred form of the invention provides a method and apparatus for feeding young animals which;

• allows those rearing young animals such as calves to easily track groups of calves by age, and to allow the volumes of milk fed to the calves to be adjusted according their age, and

• allows the same teats to be used with each age-grouping of calves from birth until they are weaned.