Abstract: A poultry breeder pan feeder system and method in which a feeder pan assembly having a grille with ribs defining openings for feeding pullets and the like is converted into a female breeder pan assembly by providing such pan assembly for feeding male poultry pullets and the like and inserting an outer grille over the inner grille. The outer grille has ribs that overlap the ribs of the inner grille and cover portions of the feeder openings of the inner grille. The outer grille is adjustable on the inner grille to adjust the size of the openings through which the birds feed. A linear slide valve is provided to adjust the amount of feed dropping into the pan of the feeder so that the feed dropped into the pans can be a preselected amount, can flood the pan, or can be entirely shut off.

Abstract: A feeding device for birds, in particular for breeders with a limited, predetermined daily ration of feed. The device has a dish-shaped pan with a bottom and upright peripheral wall, a drop tube with an open upper end which can be coupled to a feed supply system. The drop tube also has a lower end which is situated above the dish-shaped pan. The sum of the volume of the dish-shaped pan and the feed volume of the drop tube is at most equal to the volume of the sum of the daily rations of feed for the birds feeding at the device at the same time. A filling element may be provided in the drop tube, spaced from the inner wall of the drop tube.

Abstract: A poultry feeder (10) comprising a generally vertically disposed feed tube (18) adapted to be installed on a generally horizontal feed conveyor tube (14) for receiving feed from the feed conveyor tube. The feed tube has an upper portion (26) fixed with respect to the feed conveyor tube and a lower portion (27) movable axially with respect to the upper portion between an extended position (as shown in FIG. 5) and a collapsed position (FIG. 6). A feed pan (23) is disposed below the bottom end of the feed tube for receiving feed.

Abstract: A stimulative feeding device for use by animals. The device is designed as a function of the specific animal for which it is intended, with the underlying characteristic that the animal is required to use its natural foraging capabilities to recover food from the device. The device includes a basic structure having a plurality of cavities for retaining a supply of food for the animal. The basic structure is opaque so that the animal cannot see through it to observe some or all of the food. A portion or all of the cavities are hidden so that the animal is required to manipulate any hiding component in order to expose the food. The means for hiding the food can be as varied as the skill level of the animal for which it is intended. The device is not designed to teach the animal, but is instead designed to occupy that animal's time through activities that it would ordinarily carry out while in its natural environment.

Abstract: An animal feeder having a lower base member that includes an annular trough and a cylindrical feed tube that is supported on the lower base member. Formed about the lower end of the cylindrical feed tube is a plurality of feed cut-outs that are disposed adjacent the annular trough of the base member. Feed is contained within the cylindrical feed tube and flows by gravity downwardly through the feed cut-outs into the annular feed trough formed in the lower base member.

Abstract: A non-conductive dairy parlor gate is provided which retains the strength and corrosion resistance of magnetically conductive materials while permitting the gate to swing into and/or through an electromagnetic field generated by an electronic identification system for use with animal-worn transponders. The gate includes at least two magnetically conductive parts connected by an electrically non-conductive member to interrupt the formation of a magnetic loop. The gate may include additional structural members for strength and which inhibit a dairy animal from placing her head through the gate. The gate is used as a part of a dairy parlor and placed along an animal passage lane to prevent dairy animals from moving their transponders past the identification system prematurely. The gate may be positioned adjacent a milking stall to retain one dairy animal in position while inhibiting the passage of a second set of animals into the milking stalls.

Abstract: A horse stall gate manufactured from a lightweight polymer. The gate includes a plurality of ventilation slots designed to provide optimum airflow to the horse stall while only nominally reducing the strength of the gate, the slots being sized smaller than the horse's hooves. The gate is formed by rotational molding resulting in a hollow construction in the areas between ventilation slots and greatly reducing the weight. Rotational molding also produces a smooth exterior surface with rounded edges and corners to eliminate the chance of injury from sharps. The gate is reversible so that it may be hinged to either side of a stall doorway and includes a central indent in the upper edge for the horse to lean out of. Finally, the raw material can be provided in any color prior to rotational molding completely eliminating the expense and hazard of paint.

Abstract: A pet feeding and watering assembly (20) includes a pet feeder (22) and a pet waterer (24), where the feeder (22) may be detachably retained within a cavity (40) of the waterer (24). The feeder (22) has a molded body (26) having marginal wall structure (42-52) defining an interior chamber (54) communicating a feed inlet opening (98) and a feed outlet opening (72) across a shiftable divider barrier (136). Feed inlet lid (28) and feed outlet lid (30) are interchangeable. The pet waterer (24) includes reservoir-defining wall structure (36), a food or feeder-receiving cavity (40), and partition supports (166-172) for resisting the compressive loading of lower cavity wall (196).

Abstract: An improved gravity flow livestock feeder broadly includes a hopper, a base, an feeder assembly and a deflector. The feeder assembly includes an upright member and a plurality of arms pivotally and independently connected to the lower end of the upright member. Each arm extends radially from the upright member. The deflector is disposed within the interior of the hopper and is pivotally connected to the upper end of the upright member. The feeding actions of an animal against an arm facilitates the movement of feed to an area accessible to the feeding animal.

Abstract: Feeding trough for a group of animals intended for slaughter and having a size variation within a predetermined range comprises separate food and water compartments positioned at horizontally spaced apart locations within the feeding trough, A front wall is provided over which the animal's head can reach into the compartments. The trough has an access opening above the front wall through which the head of the animal reaches. A hopper is provided for supplying feed to the food compartment to a predetermined depth. The access opening is dimensioned so that only one animal can reach into the compartments at a time, The food and water compartments are positioned within the feeding trough and have shapes configured so that the animal when positioned with its head in the feeding trough can move between the food and water compartments by turning its head laterally without needing to back out of the feeding trough.

Abstract: A male only grill and poultry feeder combination. A first barrier is connected to the feeder and extends radially outward therefrom for holding birds in a predetermined spaced relation from the feeder to restrain female birds from the feeder. A second barrier is connected to the feeder and positioned above the first barrier for preventing female birds from reaching the feeder by standing on the first barrier. A third barrier is connected to the feeder and spaced laterally outward from the feeder and is positioned between the first and second barrier for preventing female birds from reaching the feeder by forcing their chest portions between the first and second barriers.

Abstract: This invention relates to feeding troughs for animals, particularly pigs. The feeding trough has an elongate trough member (10) subdivided by lateral partitions into individual compartments (11). The width (7) of the compartments (11), the height (3) of a front wall (13) of a trough over which the animal's head extends, and a canopy (15, 16) which restricts the space within the compartment into which the animal's head can reach are all designed ergonomically with respect to a range of animals intended to use the trough. The base of the trough is at floor level (18) and the front wall (13) extends from said floor level (18) to a predetermined minimum brisket height (3) of a predetermined smallest size of pig intended to feed. The trough member has an inner front wall (14) which extends angularly downwards and inwards of the trough to terminate at floor level (18) and an inner rear wall (17) which extends angularly downwards to terminate at a predetermined height above floor level at said mean reach.

Abstract: A livestock feeder has a trough bed and a bin for storing and dispensing feed mounted above and spaced from the bed, the bin being collapsible onto the bed for facilitating shipment and storage of the feeder. When the bin is collapsed onto the bed, the livestock feeder can support a payload without damage to the collapsed bin. The feeder may include wheels to define a wagon bunk-type feeder, wherein the feeder can be converted to other uses when the bin is in the collapsed position.

Abstract: A pig feeder includes a hopper in which a supply of feed is stored, and a feed trough mounted adjacent a lower end of the hopper and in communication with the hopper through an opening therein so that feed in the hopper can pass into the feed trough. The trough includes a bottom wall, a front wall extending upwardly from the bottom wall and having a top edge, and a top face having a width extending between the top edge of the front wall and the hopper. The top face has at least one feeding hole therethrough which is substantially U-shaped having a curved portion and a straight portion, the curved portion of the feeding hole being remote from the hopper. The diameter of the curved portion is preferably equal to the height of the front wall so that pigs feeding from the trough must reach vertically downwardly to get to the feed.