Abstract: A livestock breeding system including a breeding place enclosed by a fence for breeding livestock; layers of wood chips spread over and stacked up on the surface of the earth in the breeding place; and a feedstuff for breeding the livestock, and in this system, the feedstuff is prepared by mixing wood fine chips containing sawdust and/or wood fibers with large quantities of fermentation tubes.

Abstract: Apparatus for use with a slatted floor comprises a floor covering apparatus for placement on the individual slats of a slatted floor. Each floor covering apparatus includes an elongated elastomeric mat (410) adapted to be fitted to a floor slat. The mat has a rigid fixing base (411), a flexible core (11) and an outer skin (415). The rigid fixing base (411), the flexible core (11) and the outer skin (415) are integrally formed together. The mat has a longitudinal leg (413) at each side to locate the mat. Also a flap valve (412) is mounted on each leg and protrudes into the gap between adjacent slats.

Abstract: A system and method of reducing ammonia emissions. The system and method include a facility having a waste storage compartment below a floor comprised of slats with openings therebetween. A plurality of injection pipes are attached to a bottom surface of the slats. Each of the plurality of injection pipes includes a plurality of precipitation nozzles.

Abstract: Benchtop panels are formed with spaced apart longitudinal edge webs and intermediate webs and spaced apart transverse edge webs and intermediate webs forming a grid with parallel top and bottom surfaces. At least one pair of longitudinal and transverse intermediate webs are closely spaced to allow subdividing the panel into plural panels by severing portions of a panel at a point between the closely spaced webs. Longitudinal bottom surface flanges provide for ease of mounting panels on a frame or table at spaced apart frame members. A connector with spaced apart legs and a connecting tab may be inserted in openings formed in gussets of adjacent panels to secure panels to each other.

Abstract: A system for a free stall barn or the like for keeping animals, especially cattle including a grooved floor configured as a concrete slab. The grooved floor has a floor surface that is between adjacent grooves. The floor surface is provided with an elastic and anti-slip covering that reaches close to the grooves. Furthermore, the invention concerns a pre-cast concrete slab for assembling such a system. The pre-cast concrete slab corresponds to the floor width and, in the longitudinal direction, is provided with adjusting elements for exactly aligning the slabs to be joined. Finally, the invention concerns a method for keeping the animals in the system according to the present invention.

Abstract: Floor covering (I) for an animal house for beef animals and dairy animals comprises an elastomeric mat (2) which can be fixed to a floor or floor slat by screws (8). Rigid strips (6) are located at the base (7) of mat (2) for securing the screws (8) which are coverable by the mat when it is fixed to the slat. Mat (2) is designed for cleanliness and enhanced protection and comfort for animals. Flap valve (3) forms an openable flap valve along one longitudinal edge of the mat (2) to seal a gap between adjacent slats of a slatted floor to reduce the emission of gases and fumes emanating from a tank beneath the floor. The flap valve (3) allows waste material to pass through the slatted floor to the tank.

Abstract: An animal confinement pen flooring system, particularly adapted for swine farrowing operations, includes at least first and third rows of spaced-apart molded plastic foraminous flooring panels and an intermediate row of cast iron foraminous flooring panels, all of the panels being supported on spaced-apart elongated support rails in a stand off position above a subfloor. The plastic and cast iron panels each include opposed sets of hooked-shaped flanges for engagement with support rails, respectively, for supporting the panels thereon. The cast iron panels each include a boss and an opposed recess disposed on opposite sides thereof for interconnecting adjacent panels by cooperating hook portions formed on the boss and in the recess of the adjacent panel, respectively. The combination of the cast iron and molded plastic flooring panels provides enhanced comfort for swine in farrowing operations.

Abstract: A pet litter apparatus has an upper screen to retain litter and debris, a plurality of upper bars, a lower plurality of bars, mechanism for lowering the lower plurality of bars to define spaces for passage of particulate matter between the upper and lower bars, by rotating rods on sprockets to lower the second plurality of bars.

Abstract: Improved flooring is disclosed that is formed by concrete slabs (1) with several parallel ribs (11) on the upper surface, between which there are longitudinal channels (12) connected with a main channel (2) laid transversally, in relation with one of the ends of the concrete slabs (1), and which ends in an outside connection (3). The ribs (11) have a thickened part (13) on the upper edge with an inner hole (15) for the circulation of hot water. Between the thickened parts (13) there are some grooves (15). The flooring is manufactured on site or by means of prefabricated slabs.

Abstract: An animal confinement pen flooring system, particularly adapted for swine farrowing operations, includes at least first and third rows of spaced-apart molded plastic foraminous flooring panels and an intermediate row of cast iron foraminous flooring panels, all of the panels being supported on spaced-apart elongated support rails in a stand off position above a subfloor. The plastic and cast iron panels each include opposed sets of hooked-shaped flanges for engagement with support rails, respectively, for supporting the panels thereon. The cast iron panels each include a boss and an opposed recess disposed on opposite sides thereof for interconnecting adjacent panels by cooperating hook portions formed on the boss and in the recess of the adjacent panel, respectively. The combination of the cast iron and molded plastic flooring panels provides enhanced comfort for swine in farrowing operations.

Abstract: An agricultural floor panel and system having a design for improved strength and cleaning is described. The floor panel is designed for support on at least two cross beams. The floor panel has two opposing edges, each edge having a plurality of flanges for supporting engagement on the cross beams and the plurality of flanges defining a plurality of recesses between adjacent flange. The flanges and recesses are adapted for interlocking engagement with corresponding flanges and recesses of an adjacent panel and also include a locking and spacing system for locking adjacent panels together while substantively maintaining a gap between the opposing edges of two adjacent panels.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an enclosure for the containment of livestock. Preferably, the livestock enclosure includes a floor assembly forming a planar floor surface and an overlay assembly operably coupled to the floor assembly for selectable engagement with the floor assembly. Preferably, the overlay assembly includes a traction grid having a plurality of grid apertures extending therethrough, wherein the overlay assembly is configured to be placed adjacent the planar floor surface to provide traction for livestock placed within the enclosure. The overlay assembly is preferably configured to be moved, thereby allowing waste from the livestock to flow through the grid apertures and onto the planar floor surface to facilitate removal of said waste from the planar floor surface to clean the enclosure.

Abstract: A fastener for securing objects to a slat floor, having a self-centering and self-aligning capability. A first embodiment comprises a body formed of a durable material and having a top surface, a lower surface, at least one side surface, and a central hole extending between the top surface and the lower surface. A second embodiment comprises a body formed of a durable material and having a top surface, a lower surface, at least one side surface, and a central hole extending between the top surface and the lower surface, wherein the top surface of the body has a flat central surface and two sloping upper surfaces starting adjacent to the flat central surface and angling downward toward either end of the body, and a lower fastener component that is coaxial with the central hole.

Abstract: A heating element (12) is described for use in flooring, preferably for pigstys (3). The heating elements consist of a liquid filled chamber (16). The liquid in the chamber is brought into heat transmitting connection with a conduit (24) connected with a heat source. The connection between the conduit (24) and the chamber (16) do not have to be pressure tight, as no pressure occurs in the chamber (16). Therefore, a relatively simple connection may be established and there will only be a small risk of leakage.

Abstract: A mat for a free stall, the mat having a series of body supports and a series of connectors or spacers. The body support members are in a spaced apart relationship that defines a series of compartments. The connectors or spacers interconnect the body supports. The mat may optionally include a series of connecting strands, that threadably pass through at least one body support and one connector. In one described embodiment the body supports are a series of elongated strips of recycled tire carcasses in an approximately parallel and spaced apart relationship to each other. Each body support is spaced apart from the next body support by connectors. The described embodiment has a connector positioned near each end of elongated body support and at least one additional connector positioned approximately midway between the two connectors located near the ends of body support.

Abstract: A modular flooring system for an animal housing is provided, the flooring being particularly suited to pig housings due to the structure of the flooring which minimizes spacings in which manure, and its attendant bacteria, could collect. A plurality of interconnecting interior and straight-edge panels are provided and a plurality of panel support units each unit comprising a device for fixing the unit to a substrate of the housing and a device for engaging at least one panel to support the panel over the substrate. The panels each have a rectangular frame having side, top and bottom members and a plurality of spaced horizontal and vertical members extending between the side and top and bottom members of the frame, respectively, forming a plurality of horizontal slots. Each side member comprises means for coupling the panel to an adjacent panel. In the interior panels the outer configurations of the top and bottom members are mirror images and the interior panels are rotatable.

Abstract: A slat for forming a flooring structure for a hog pen and particularly the area under the sow in a farrowing crate is rectangular with side edges which abut side edges of adjacent slats to align the slats in a row. Each side edge has tabs projecting outwardly to interlock above or below tabs on the next adjacent slat to prevent lifting of the slats. The length of the slat is greater than 24 inches so that it can sit with its ends on top of an existing flooring spaced at exactly 24 inches. The slats can be supported on and held in place against longitudinal movement relative to edges of an underlying flooring by inter engaging strip elements which engage onto castellated members on the edge of the underlying flooring and include upstanding flanges which stand up under the edges of the slats to hold the slats above the flooring.

Abstract: A flooring system for use in an animal shelter. The flooring system is modular and includes a disassemblable base frame having, as components thereof, a pair of end crossbars, a plurality of longitudinally extending support members, and interconnecting elements. When assembled, the base frame is formed by interconnecting the end crossbars by means of laterally spaced support members. The interconnecting elements, in turn, interconnect adjacent support members and the interconnecting elements extend generally transverse to those members. The modular flooring system also includes at least one first panel and a second panel supported on the base frame. The one or more first panels are generally coplanar, and the second panel includes a portion, intended to support an animal mother when feeding her young, which is positioned to define a second plane, elevated above the first plane, and a ramp portion angling downwardly from the second plane defining portion toward each first panel.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to rotary disc filters and in particular to sectors for such filters. Drainage channels are formed in broad, planar surfaces of the filter media support member of the sector, with the drainage channels being parallel and aligned toward elongate side channels at radial sides of the sector. The sectors have elongate side channels at radial sides of the sector. The side channels can be connected to the central shaft of the rotary disc filter apparatus so that fluid flows directly from the side channels to fluid handling means in the central shaft of the filter apparatus. The present invention further discloses planar drainage members made of elongate slats that are aligned side-by-side slats so that adjacent slats are interengaged fashion.

Abstract: An air floor for curing compost made of a series of light weight, relatively short grates each containing a plural of air slits narrow at the top of the grate openings and progressively widening toward the bottom of the opening and structure supporting the grates to provide a span spaced to limit the bending moment to which the grates are subjected and to provide space beneath the grates to facilitate removal of compost passing through the air slits and to permit unobstructed air flow through the grates.

Abstract: A slat for forming a flooring structure for a hog pen and particularly the area under the sow in a farrowing crate is rectangular with side edges which abut side edges of adjacent slats to align the slats in a row. Each side edge has tabs projecting outwardly to interlock above or below tabs on the next adjacent slat to prevent lifting of the slats. The slats have slots parallel to the end edges. The tabs at the side edges are arranged with spaces therebetween so that when abutting slots are formed between the slats which are at right angles to the slots in the slats. Each slat has a rib along its end edges raised from the upper surface with that rib being defined by an inner edge which is at right angles to the upper surface and a smoothly curved top edge and gradually inclined outer side so that the piglet can lie on the rib without discomfort but can gain purchase against the inner side to push inwardly onto the slat for suckling.

Abstract: A modular flooring system for stables is made up of a plurality of modules that each include a frame element (1) and an insertion element (30). Each frame element (1) is equipped with supporting profiles (6,7) intended for the support of the insertion element (30), which is placed in the frame element when in use. The insertion elements can be easily replaced in accordance with the type of animals expected to be walking thereon.