Abstract: In a headlock system having a plurality of n headlock cells, each of the n cells being adapted to enclose at least one animal; n is an integer greater than 1; a system for locating the position of at least one animal, the system comprising: at least one identification means adapted to transmit at least one identification signal associated with said at least one animal; at least one locating means adapted to generate at least one location signal associated with said at least one animal; and, a data processing system in communication with said at least one identification means and said at least one locating means, adapted to analyze said signals, said analyzed signals comprising the position within a predetermined region in said headlock system of each of said at least one animals as a function of time.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides using stratification of air to reduce the amount of air in a greenhouse to manage and a conditioning chamber to precondition air prior to the air having contact with plants. A light deprivation chamber is provided with a centerline vent and operable louvres to recycle warm air and to be able to reduce the area of the building to heat by closing the light deprivation cover to create a smaller chamber to heat and recycle to conserve heat and take advantage of the heat from grow lights. The present disclosure further provides being able to cycle warm air from an upper air sink chamber back into the an air intake/conditioning chamber to conserve energy and using air tube fans to deliver quality conditioned air from a conditioning chamber to all the plants.

Abstract: Generating consensus biomass estimates include providing a first biomass parameter data set associated with a first biomass attribute parameter to a first biomass estimation model and providing a second biomass parameter data set associated with a second biomass attribute parameter to a second biomass estimation model different from the first biomass estimation model. The first biomass estimation model is adaptively weighted with a first weighting factor relative to a second weighting factor for the second biomass estimation model. An aggregated biomass estimate is determined based on a combination of the first biomass estimation model using the first weight factor and the second biomass estimation model using the second weight factor.

Abstract: A play ball has a rubber shell filled with resilient foam having an entire outer peripheral surface thereof intimately attached by heat fusion and adhesive to an entire interior surface of the shell. Such attachment enables the foam to provide additional resiliency by foam tension, as well as by foam compression, thereby significantly extending the effective bounce life of the ball. A seamed dog chew toy has essentially similar construction such that the increased retention force provided by the intimate attachment of the foam to the shell resists the chewing force of the dog popping a seam improving durability.

Abstract: A feeder including: a) a base portion having a serving area; b) a chamber portion supported by the base portion and configured to retain a granular material within a chamber interior; c) a dispenser configured to segregate a portion of the granular material from the chamber interior and transfer the portion of the granular material from the chamber portion to the serving area, wherein the dispenser includes: i) a rocker body; and ii) one or more fins projecting from the rocker body; and wherein the feeder includes one or more of: i) the fin(s) are flexible; ii) sensing device(s) part of a sensing tower configured to sense the presence, distance, and/or amount of the granular material within the chamber portion; and/or iii) sensing device(s) configured to sense the presence, distance, and/or amount of the granular material within the serving area.

Abstract: The urine examination container (1) includes a bottom portion (2), a peripheral wall portion (3) that extends upward from an outer peripheral edge (6) of the bottom portion (2), surrounds the periphery of the bottom portion (2), and defines a urine receiving portion (5) that opens upward together with the bottom portion (2), and a grip portion (4) that projects outward from the peripheral wall portion (3).

Abstract: A bolus is inserted into the rumen of a bovine and includes sensors for collecting the temperature, activity level, and location of the animal over time and circuitry for communicating the collected data to a server that monitors the health, kinetic activity, and location of that animal and perhaps other animals in a herd. The battery of the bolus is continuously recharged in response to the peristaltic contractions of the rumen. The bolus communicates via a local network transmission technology such as Bluetooth to a radio transmitter mounted on the tail of the animal using a tail-mounted bracelet. This transmitter may then communicate the collected data and additional sensor data to the server. Thermal cameras mounted near water troughs, in corridors to milking rooms, or on drones may be used to supplement the data collected by the bolus to provide data indicative of the health condition of the animal.

Abstract: A monitoring system for monitoring a milking point includes an input configured to receive an electrical pulsation signal for controlling pulsation of a pulsator, and a processor configured to identify the occurrence of a milking session based on the electrical pulsation signal received at the input. A signal sensor measures a characteristic of the pulsation signal. The monitoring system may include a connector configured for electrical connection with a solenoid of a pulsator of the milking point. A power harvesting module is configured to harvest power from a flyback voltage generated by the solenoid upon interruption of a current supplied to the solenoid.

Abstract: A litter box sifting assembly for sifting cat feces and clumps from cat litter includes a plurality of mesh panels that is stacked upon each other. The plurality of mesh panels are positionable on a bottom of a litter box thereby facilitating cat litter to be poured over the plurality of mesh panels. Each of the mesh panels has a plurality of grip points each integrated into the mesh panels and each of the grip points on a topmost one of the plurality of mesh panels can be gripped for lifting the topmost mesh panel upwardly. Furthermore, each of the mesh panels is comprised of a mesh material to sift cat feces and clumps from the cat litter when the mesh panels are lifted upwardly through the cat litter. In this way the cat feces and clumps can be removed from the litter box in a single motion.

Abstract: In one aspect, a disposable liner for a litter box is provided. The liner includes a base comprising a first end edge, a second end edge opposite the first end edge, a first seam edge, and a second seam edge opposite the first seam edge. The first seam edge and the second seam edge extend between the first end edge and the second end edge. The liner also includes a first side wall coupled to the base at the first end edge, a second side wall coupled to the base at the second end edge, a first end wall coupled to the base at the first seam edge, and a second end wall coupled to the base at the second seam edge. The first end wall comprises an integrally formed first gusset, and the second end wall comprises an integrally formed second gusset.

Abstract: A herd management system for monitoring and managing the movements of animals within a herd comprises a user interface for defining one or more virtual fences for each to comprise a paddock, a plurality of wireless tags affixed to the monitored animals, and a network server for managing communications between the user interface and wireless communication with the tags. The tags include devices for stimulating the animal to move as desired by the herd management system, including staying within a paddock or moving from one paddock to another as guided by the system.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the breeding and collection of neonate larvae, in particular of the black soldier fly, containing the placing of insects in a cage, provided with means for depositing eggs, guiding larvae, hatched from the deposited eggs, by means of a guiding device, placed under the cage, under the influence of gravity to a conveyor belt placed under the guiding means, moving the larvae by means of the conveyor belt to a recipient placed at the end of the conveyor belt, counting the number of larvae on the conveyor belt before collection in the recipient, and collecting the larvae of the conveyor belt in the recipient until a predetermined number of larvae has been reached.

Abstract: A pet crate having a top, a bottom, and a cage between the top and bottom. The cage can be engaged to and disengaged from each of the top and bottom. When engaged to the top and bottom, or when disengaged from either one or both of the top and bottom, the cage is endless and can safely hold a pet therein. When disengaged from the top and bottom, the cage is foldable into a closed, endless and flat configuration such that the cage can be stored between the top and bottom such that the crate as a whole in such stored configuration is generally flat. When disengaged from the top and bottom, the cage is foldable out into a fence configuration by disconnecting two ends of the cage.

Abstract: The present disclosure discloses an automatic trash bag sealing device for an automatic cat litter box and an automatic cat litter box. In the automatic trash bag sealing device, a drive motor drives a first rod and/or a second rod to rotate, thereby driving a pushing member to move towards a sealing member, and the trash bag is sealed when the sealing member is interfaced with the pushing member. The sealing device has fewer parts and is simple to assemble, effectively reducing the difficulty of process assembly and the overall cost of the automatic cat litter box.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an intelligent push-pull anti-cockroach automatic pet feeder, including a feeder main body, wherein the feeder main body includes a base, a driving device is arranged in the base, a base cover is arranged on the base, a grain barrel is arranged above the base cover, a grain barrel cover is arranged above the grain barrel, a grain conveying trough is formed in the base cover, a grain conveying push block is slidingly arranged in the grain conveying trough, a grain toggling sheet is arranged above the grain conveying push block, a grain outlet is formed at a front side of the base corresponding to the grain conveying trough, a grain leakage-preventing blocking sheet is arranged at a front end of the grain conveying push block, an anti-cockroach sealing strip is arranged at a front end of the grain conveying push block, the top of the driving device and the grain conveying push block are connected to each other, a feeding basin is arranged on the front side of the base correspondi

Abstract: A bed for at least one animal is provided. The bed includes a strip of belting having a front end, a back end, and opposing sides, an animal bed having a first fluid chamber and a second fluid chamber. The first fluid chamber is provided within the strip of belting and includes a first width extending between a first side and a second side of the first fluid chamber. The second fluid chamber is provided within the strip of belting and includes a second width extending between a first side and a second side of the second fluid chamber. A first fluid supply tube is in fluid connection with the first chamber, and a second fluid supply tube is in fluid connection with the second chamber, wherein the first and second chambers are fluidly isolated from one another. A method of preparing for use a bed for at least one animal is also provided. In addition, a system for using a bed for at least one animal is also provided.

Abstract: A two-tier in vitro growth apparatus and method for cultivating Oestridae larvae and maggots is provided. The growth apparatus includes a top tier container and a bottom tier container where the top tier container has a growth container residing within the volume of the top tier container. The growth container is constructed of a semipermeable material and facilitates cultivating Oestridae larvae and maggots within an interior space of the growth container.

Abstract: A rodent barrier system includes a plurality of panels joined together into an enclosure surrounding a motor vehicle and preventing access to the vehicle by small rodents. The system includes a number of relatively flexible panels that can be bent to define corners of the enclosure. Each of the panels has a smooth outer surface that resists scaling by rodents. The panels also include attachment structures that aid in joining the panels together.

Abstract: A height adjustability mechanism including a height adjustability mechanism including a spring-biased first lever including a first lever body comprising a first rod hole including a first hole perimeter face pivotally engaged with a guide rail extending through the first rod hole, a spring-biased second lever including a second lever body including a second rod hole including a second hole perimeter face pivotally engaged with the guide rail extending through the second rod hole, wherein the spring bias of the first lever frictionally engages the first hole perimeter face against the guide rail, and wherein the spring bias of the second lever frictionally engages the second hole perimeter face against the guide rail.

Abstract: A method for the automated operation of a greenhouse which has at least one first plant growth room which is operated without artificial lighting and which has at least one second plant growth room which is different from the first plant growth room and which is equipped with artificial light sources for generating artificial light. An associated supply device and an associated greenhouse can be operated automatically.