Abstract: An apparatus for handling, sorting, apportioning, packaging and dispensing bulk food products is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a dispenser which is connected to a reservoir containing a supply of a dry, granular foodstuff. The dispenser receives and dispenses a predetermined portion of the foodstuff from the reservoir through a dispensing opening. In one embodiment, a predetermined portion of the foodstuff is received by the dispenser by rotating a manually operated rotatable member. The reservoir is rotatably attached to a mounting rack, the rotation of the reservoir permitting access to its interior to fill it with foodstuff to be dispensed. A plurality of dispensing systems, each containing a different foodstuff, can be juxtaposed to form a foodstuff dispensing bar.

Abstract: Apparatus is disclosed for feeding animals in at least two stages of development. The apparatus includes animal feeding places arranged in two adjacent, opposing rows which physically isolate one group of animals from a second group of animals. The two rows can be controlled and operated independently of each other, to provide different predetermined amounts of dry feed and water to the feeding places in each of the two rows.A feed supply duct is provided above each of the feeding places. The lower outlet ends of the feed supply ducts have a square cross-sectional area for more efficient delivery of dry feed to the feeding places. Feed is measured and discharged into each of the feeding places in a row by a movable feed pushing plate which pushes a predetermined amount of feed into the feeding places from beneath the lower outlets of the ducts in that row.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for feeding a plurality of untethered animals at their respective feeding places in the same enclosure. During each feeding period portions of fodder each not exceeding a few mouthfuls and preferably not substantially exceeding one mouthful are supplied to each feeding place, and the portions are supplied at such time intervals that the rate of fodder supply to the feeding place substantially corresponds to the desired eating rate of each of the animals. Preferably a portion of dry fodder and a corresponding portion of liquid are supplied simultaneously to each feeding place. The portions of fodder are preferably supplied successively to the various feeding places, and the portions may be metered by a rotor arm having a free end extending radially through an annular slot communicating with a fodder reservoir.

Abstract: An animal feeding apparatus includes fodder supply means for supplying amounts of dry feed or fodder to one or more animal feeding places. The fodder supply means may be driven by a hydraulic motor, such as a double-acting hydraulic cylinder to which water or another aqueous liquid is supplied under superatmospheric pressure as driving medium. The aqueous liquid discharged from the hydraulic motor is distributed to the various feeding places, whereby the hydraulic motor is used as a metering device.The fodder supply means may comprise a number of supply ducts each having a lower outlet end located above and closely spaced from an opposite fodder supporting wall, and a reciprocatable fodder pushing means arranged therebetween. The fodder pushing means has leading edge portions defining a concave shape and a through-going relief passage extending between the bottom of the concave shape and the trailing edge portions of the pushing means.

Abstract: A plurality of animals, especially swines or hogs, which are able to move freely in the same enclosure, are fed by means of an apparatus supplying fodder at a low rate to a number of separate feeding places (11) corresponding to the number of animals in the enclosure. These feeding places may be formed by a trough (10) in which the respective feeding places are defined by partition walls (12). The bottom of the trough is separated into a supply section (15) and an eating section (16). In order to satisfy the root instinct of the animals and thereby make it possible to reduce the fodder supply rate to the respective feeding places without causing the animals to become impatient so that they tend to change feeding place, the fodder is at least partly supplied to the supply section (15) which is shaped and/or arranged so that it is uncomfortable for the animals to eat the fodder directly from the supply section but more comfortable to root the fodder to the eating section (16) before eating it.