Abstract

Facility for lactating animals includes pens in a freestall barn and a milking parlor where animals from the pens are simultaneously milked while separated. The number of animals from different pens in milking stalls is changed by sliding a parlor barrier past entrances and exits of parlor stalls. Each pen includes bedding free stalls, an alley accessible by the animals as they enter and leave the free stalls, and a movable barrier traversing the accessible alley. The pen barrier assures that animals go to the milking parlor. Paths cause animals in a first pen, prior to milking, to return to the first pen after milking while preventing animals in other pens, prior to milking, from entering the first pen after milking. There are separate return alleys to each pen from separate parlor exits. The pen barrier prevents animals from occupying stalls it passes and refurbishes these stalls.

IPC Classes  ?

• A01J 5/00 - Milking machines or devices
• A01K 1/12 - Milking stations

Abstract

Manure is scrapped from a barn floor including an elongated conduit by blades on a trolley moving in the direction of the elongated conduit. The manure passes into the conduit via a slot. The trolley has a paddle wheel and drive wheels bearing on the conduit interior lower surface. The entirety of the drive wheels and most of the paddle wheel are in the conduit. A sprocket and chain arrangement connects the wheels so that, as the drive wheels turn, the paddle wheel turns to urge manure into the conduit.

IPC Classes  ?

• A01K 1/01 - Removal of dung or urine