Abstract: An animal enclosure includes a kennel body including a rotational molded wall formed from a plastic material. The kennel body defines an interior space shaped to accommodate one or more animals, and defines a door opening shaped to allow the animal to enter and exit the kennel body. A door is disposed on the kennel body proximate the door opening. The door is pivotally moveable between an open position and a closed position. A latch is disposed on the door. A drain recess is defined in the rear wall of the kennel body, and a removable drain plug may be positioned in the drain recess. A moat is defined in the kennel body floor to collect water off the floor of the kennel body.

Abstract: An animal watering device is provided that is automatically fillable for providing water to animals, such as horses or other livestock. Animal watering device includes a base, a trough positioned within the base for storing water, and a water filling assembly coupled with the trough to control a water level within the trough. A ring can be positioned about an upper surface of the trough to protect the upper surface of the trough. A disc can be positioned within the trough to cover a portion of water filling assembly positioned within the trough, while allowing water to flow through the disc.

Abstract: A decision-making method for variable rate irrigation management includes the following steps: S1: sampling a soil from a root zone of a crop in an area controlled by an irrigation sprinkler, and measuring compositions of separates of the sampled soil; S2: managing and dividing the area controlled by the irrigation sprinkler according to an AWC of the soil in the root zone of the crop; S3: constructing an optimized soil moisture sensor network; S4: placing ground-fixed canopy temperature sensors; S5: constructing an optimized airborne canopy temperature sensor network centered on the center pivot; and S6: performing a variable rate irrigation by using the optimized soil moisture sensor network, the fixed canopy temperature sensors, the optimized airborne canopy temperature sensor network and an automatic weather station. The method optimizes the placement and quantity of the soil moisture sensor network and the canopy temperature sensor network to improve the measurement accuracy.

Abstract: A monokaryotic mycelium sheet producing system for creating a sheet of monokaryotic mycelial material. The mycelium sheet producing system includes a culture unit, a spore stock unit, a plating unit, a section unit, a sub-plating unit, an expanding unit and a colonization unit. The culture unit prepares a monokaryon culture. The spore stock unit grows a plurality of fruit bodies in sterile laboratory conditions to create a spore stock. The plating unit performs a peroxide-based spore rescue and a plating process. The section unit is adaptable to section robust hyphae. The sub-plating unit sub-plates and expands the robust hyphae onto a spawn grain master. The expanding unit subsequently expands the spawn grain master into appropriate production of spawn volume. The colonization unit is adaptable to perform a subsequent colonization of mycelium substrate thereby creating a substantially defect free sheet of mycelium.

Abstract: A food processing system includes at least one receptacle containing a composition of water and insoluble solids, a centripetal force-based solid/liquid separator having an inlet, a solids outlet, and a liquid outlet, and a pump able to direct the composition from the receptacle to the inlet of the separator. The separator is configured to separate the composition into a solids stream including the insoluble solids and a liquid stream including water and to direct the solids stream through the solids outlet and the liquid stream through the liquid outlet.

Abstract: A seed transportation system and method for using the same, the seed transportation system including a rotatable wheel with at least one seed supports for holding a seed, wherein the at least one seed support has one or more fixed support structures configured to restrict movement of the seed in a circumferential direction relative to the rotatable wheel and in a direction away from an axis of rotation of the rotatable wheel, and wherein the at least one seed support has an access opening in its radially outer side, the access opening permitting access to the seed for creating an opening in the seed.

Abstract: A penning system including partitions and barriers movable from a deployed configuration, in which the partitions partition an area over a floor into spaces and in which the barriers enclose the spaces to define pens for penning animals, to a collapsed configuration, wherein the partitions and barriers are collapsed for cleaning the floor.

Abstract: An automated method for crab meat picking which has an image processing system configured with an imaging sub-system and an image processing sub-system acting in cooperation with each other where the image processing system operates in accordance with a processing routine. An image of a crab to be processed is obtained by the imaging sub-system which is transmitted to the image processing system where the processing routine determines appropriate cut lines to be made on the crab being processed based on instructions from the image processing sub-system. The crab being processed is then cut in accordance with the appropriate cutting lines developed.

Abstract: A pet water dispenser may be configured such that water may fall or may flow along a surface. The pet water dispenser may include a water tank, a pump, a water supply pipe connected to the pump, and a water supply hole communicating with the water supply pipe. A water supply plate having an upper surface over which water supplied from the water supply hole flows and a plate support supporting the water supply plate to be above the water tank. The plate support may be an inclined surface or a vertical surface. When a large amount of water is pumped from the pump, water may drop directly from an edge of the water supply plate through a water guide back into the water tank. When a small amount of water is pumped, water may flow along an outer circumferential surface of the plate support to the water guide.

Abstract: A plant holder includes at least one cell which defines a plant position and which is configured to receive plant material during use. A clamp includes a clamping position in which plant material is to be clamped in the cell and an open position in which plant material is to be arranged in and/or removed from the clamp. The clamp is provided with at least one actuator which is configured to be engaged externally in order to open the clamp. A system includes such a plant holder. A method of processing a plant holder including a clamp, includes the steps of: opening the clamp; arranging plant material in the clamp and/or removing it therefrom; and closing the clamp.

Abstract: A vine or cane pruning apparatus, comprising a toothed wheel for guiding the pruning apparatus over vegetation in use, the wheel comprising a multiplicity of generally radially projecting teeth distributed about the periphery of the wheel for catching vegetation between gaps of the teeth, and wherein the wheel rotates by consequence of its engagement with the vegetation and vine or cane posts as the apparatus is driven along a row of vines or canes for pruning; and a driven rotary cutter mounted co-axially to the wheel for cutting vegetation caught between the teeth, the cutter being configured such that its effective cutting area falls within the diameter of the wheel.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer-storage media, for obtaining initial parameters for ultrasonic transducers around a calibration target. The calibration target can include a fish-shaped structure, sensors placed at different locations of the fish-shaped structure, a processor that receives sensor values from the sensors, and a transmitter that outputs sensor data from the calibration target based on the sensor values. The calibration target can be fixed at a particular position relative to the ultrasonic transducers by a filament coupled to both the calibration target and a support structure. Sensor data can be obtained from the calibration target at the particular position relative to the ultrasonic transducers, and relative locations of the sensors can be determined. Parameters for the ultrasonic transducers around the calibration target can be adjusted based on the sensor data and the respective locations of the sensors.

Abstract: Systems and methods for using a feeder system for animals are described. The modular system includes frame having a plurality of walls and a trolley system having a net system and shock system. The trolley system is movable relative to the plurality of walls in order to move the net system towards and away from a floor and a roof. More specifically, the trolley system allows the net system to be moved upwards towards the roof, after which food can be inserted into the frame. Once the food is appropriately located, the trolley system allows the net system to be moved downwardly until it is on top of the food to regulate the rate at which an animal consumes the food. The walls may have releasable fasteners that can be used to releasably secure the walls to one another, and the trolley system to one of the walls.

Abstract: The invention discloses a method of rapid generation-adding breeding of rice in the technical field of rice breeding, including soaking seeds of the rice, germination, seedlings cultivation, managing and regulating of the rice at the growth stage, and harvesting the rice. The managing and regulating the rice at the growth stage includes dynamic light quality and photoperiod control in vegetative growth period, heading period and pustulation period; growth period involves light environment regulation with the ratio of red light:blue light:white light of 0.8-1:0.8-1:1.0, photoperiod of 16-18 h; heading period involves light environment regulation with the ratio of red light:blue light:white light of 1-2:0.5-1:1, photoperiod of 12-13.5 h; and pustulation period includes light environment regulation with the ratio of red light:blue light:white light of 1-2:1:1, photoperiod of 16-18 h.

Abstract: Proposed is a sinker assembly that includes a holder section and a cap section, wherein the cap section includes a receptacle part coupling the holder section to the cap section, the receptacle part has an insertion hole, an elastic body located inside the receptacle part, and a pin portion protruding from an inner wall of the receptacle part to fix the elastic body, the holder section includes a fastening part, the fastening part has a first cutout cut in the longitudinal direction so that the pin portion is moved along the first cutout, a second cutout cut along the circumference so that the pin portion is moved along the second cutout, and a third cutout cut so that the pin portion is fixed thereto.

Abstract: A dog rescue harness that is configured to be carried by a dog. The rescue harness is incorporated with a dog chest harness. The rescue harness may be stowed on or within the chest harness prior to use. If needed, the rescue harness may be deployed.

Abstract: A vacuum pump arrangement for a milking plant includes a main vacuum conduit with at least two vacuum pump units for maintaining a system vacuum in the main vacuum conduit. Each of the vacuum pump units includes a pump, a vacuum tank connected to the pump by an intermediate conduit, and an inlet conduit connecting the vacuum tank to the main vacuum conduit. A drainage extends from the vacuum tank and includes a draining valve. The pump sucks air from the main vacuum conduit via the inlet conduit, the vacuum tank and the intermediate conduit. The vacuum pump unit includes a closing valve provided on the inlet conduit and configured to close the inlet conduit in an automatic manner when the pump has been stopped.

Abstract: A headwear device is provided for the comfortable and secure positioning of a hat on the head of an animal such as a dog. The device features a body having an interior adapted to engage the head of the animal with side portions having openings therein adapted for encircling the ears of the animal during wearing of the headwear. A position-adjustable fastener adapted for locating under the chin of the animal, is slidably engageable with both of two straps connected to opposing sides of the hat body. A slide adjuster on both of the first and second straps may be employed to cinch both straps and tighten the engagement on the head of the animal.

Abstract: Methods of propagating Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) are described that do not require the addition of, or presence of, any detectable live host plant material or live plant root material. The method comprises addition of water and optionally exposure to sunlight. It was surprisingly found that soil devoid of any detectable live host plant material, including host plant roots, is capable of supporting AMF reproduction, though it is widely believed that AMF are obligate symbionts requiring live plant roots for colonization to reproduce. Described methods optionally include active removal of living host plant material from the soil prior to AMF inoculation. Optionally, phosphorous compounds are added to the soil prior to inoculation. It was found that addition of phosphorous compounds, such as phosphite, to the soil enhances the growth of AMF spores by as much as three-fold over controls having no added phosphorous compounds.

Abstract: The invention refers to a tying system employing an accessory bearing a quick attachment hook, for tying a plastic cover film for agricultural crops such as soft fruit covers. Cultivation of soft fruits in covered space has been growing in recent decades. Several solutions have been developed including greenhouses or gable systems. The placement, fastening and fixing of the plastic film is achieved with ropes, elastic cords or soft PVC tubing. However, the cost of binding the plastic film is significant as skilled staff and considerable amounts of man hours are required to tie the plastic film to the supporting structure. Tying the film, in most cases, is carried out by employing knots on grommets that the plastic films.