GB2316289A - Dust binding agent applicator - Google Patents

Abstract

An applicator for applying a dust binding agent to livestock in an animal building comprises a binding agent reservoir having a layer of absorbent material 8 to accept and retain for release, binding agent. This reservoir may be restocked by direct injection of binding agent or through a trickle feed supply 9 connected to the layer 8. A flexible transfer means 10 is co-operable with the reservoir 8 to automatically transfer dust binding agent therefrom and on to the bodies of livestock during their contact with the transfer means 10. A support element 12 is provided to maintain the transfer means 10 at a predetermined location within an animal building. The applicator may be in the form of a pest (fig.4). The binding agent may be (rapeseed) oil based.

Description

Applicator The present invention relates to an applicator and in particular to an applicator suitable for applying a dust binding agent to the bodies of livestock.

Intensively farmed livestock which are reared in animal buildings generate large quantities of dust which can present a serious health hazard both to the animals and to the farm labourers who must work in those buildings. In animal buildings, for example pig buildings, dust originates predominantly from feed, dead skin and dried faeces which, once broken down into small particles, can become airborne. Once airborne this dust can be breathed in causing a variety of respiratory problems. These problems may severely affect health and productivity.

One known method of controlling airborne dust in pig buildings is described by Takai, Miller et al in "Dust Control in swine buildings by spraying of rapeseed oil", Proceedings of Livestock Environment W (1993), Coventry, England. This method consists essentially of showering the pigs intermittently with an emulsion of rapeseed oil and water. This emulsion serves as a binding agent which binds the dust particles together, thereby preventing them from becoming airborne. In order to carry out the spraying effectively a spraying system must be installed in the building. However, such a system requires a substantial capital expenditure which makes it an unattractive solution for many farmers. Furthermore there exists possible adverse long term effects of this aerial emulsion on the health of the pigs and of the emulsion on the building surfaces.

According to the present invention there is provided an applicator comprising a dust binding agent reservoir, a transfer means co-operable with the reservoir to transfer binding agent therefrom and a support element for maintaining the transfer means at a predetermined location within an animal building wherein the transfer means is attached to the support element and is adapted to apply the binding agent automatically to the bodies of livestock within the animal building in response to contact therewith.

This has the advantage that the binding agent is automatically applied directly to the animal which reduces wastage and eliminates the need for an airborne spray. The animal traps dust particles on to the areas of its body surface which have been coated with the agent as it moves about the building or contacts other animals.

Preferably the transfer means is porous and the reservoir may include an absorbent layer proximal to and able to contact with the transfer means. This arrangement, which may for example be achieved by arranging for the transfer means to be integral with and formed from the same material as the reservoir, has the advantage that the dust binding agent can be retained within the applicator until pressure, from contact of the transfer means with an animal, forces some of the agent out of the absorbent layer and through the pores of the transfer means.

The transfer means may be fabricated from a fabric, for example hessian, or most advantageously from a flexible mesh, such as for example a perforated plate or net arrangement, of metallic or plastics material. As the mesh is stronger than fabric this has the advantage that the transfer means formed from it is more durable and can act as a protective barrier between the reservoir and an impinging animal.

In order to ensure an even distribution of binding agent throughout the reservoir the reservoir may additionally comprise a plurality of perforated conduits disposed within the absorbent layer and adapted to communicate binding agent from external of the applicator to the absorbent layer of the reservoir.

Simply the transfer means may comprise a plurality of porous strips in abutment with and surrounding the absorbent layer of the reservoir, the strips being arranged to form a curtain. This has the advantage that the transfer means can drape over the animal as it moves through the curtain to ensure contact with that animal and does not provide a great hindrance to the animal.

Preferably, when the transfer means is in the form of a curtain the support is adapted to define an aperture through which at least some part of the body of the livestock may pass with the transfer means arranged to extend into the aperture.

Most usefully, this aperture may comprise the entrance to a feeder enclosure. This has the advantage that all the livestock housed in the animal building will of necessity enter the enclosure and so contact the transfer means.

The binding agent can comprise any flowable material capable of binding dust particles and may be, for example, a liquid such as water or, more suitably, a non-toxic oil such as rapeseed oil, or an emulsion thereof. Oil based creams may also be used.

The support element may be securable to a part of the building itself, for example a section of the roof or walls, or may be made free-standing.

The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the drawings of the accompanying figures of which: Figure 1 is a part section view of a porous curtain strip used in an applicator according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is a representation of a feeder unit employing an applicator according to the present invention having a curtain of strips shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section view of a wall mounted applicator.

Figure 4 is a section view of a floor mounted rubbing post applicator.

Referring now to Figure 1, a curtain strip 1 comprises a synthetic foam reservoir 2 which extends the length of and is surrounded by an outer layer of a hessian mesh 3. The foam 2 is impregnated with rapeseed oil dust binding agent which can be restocked throughout the lifetime of the curtain strip 1 by injecting it through the outer layer 3 at intervals along the length of the foam.

A pig feeder enclosure 4 is shown in Figure 2 and comprises a plywood box 5 having a top 6 and a single aperture through which pigs enter and exit to take feed from a trough (not shown) inside the enclosure 4. The box 5 is dimensioned such that only one pig may feed at any one time. A curtain 7 comprising a number of the composite strips la..n extends across the aperture.

Each time a pig enters the enclosure 4 it must pass through the curtain 7.

The reservoir 2 releases oil to the hessian mesh 3 as the animal applies pressure to the strips la..n. The hessian mesh 3 then transfers a coat of oil to the body of the pig as it moves through the curtain 7.

The inventors have shown that deployment of an oil impregnated curtain across the entrance to a feeder within a pig pen can achieve a reduction in the total inaalable dust of 66%.

It will be realised by a person skilled in the art that different binding agents and curtain materials and other reservoir and transfer means arrangements may be employed without departing from the present invention.

Two further embodiments of the present invention are shown in Figures 3 and 4.

Figure 3 shows a wall mounted applicator which comprises a synthetic foam reservoir 8 for holding rapeseed oil dust binding agent which itself may be received into the reservoir 8 from a trickle feed holding tank 9. An expanded steel mesh transfer means 10 is placed proximal to and over the outer surface ofthe foam 8 to provide a protective porous barrier between the foam reservoir 8 and an animal. This mesh 10 is preferably arranged to abut the surface of the foam 8 but could be made flexible enough so that an impinging animal exerts sufficient pressure to bring the mesh 10 and foam 8 in to contact with one another. A frame 11 is provided to clamp together the mesh 10 and foam 8. A support 12 is provided which acts as a backing for the foam 8 and which is able to be secured to a suitable wall of an animal building, such as a pig pen.

As an animal, such as a pig, rubs against the applicator the mesh 10 flexes and the rapeseed oil dust binding agent is squeezed from the reservoir 8, through the mesh 10 and transferred to the body of the animal.

The rubbing post applicator of Figure 4 comprises a rigid post 13 around which is wrapped a foam reservoir 14 and an expanded steel mesh transfer means 10 which is adapted to provide a protective porous barrier between the foam reservoir 14 and an animal as with the embodiment of Figure 3, described above.

A plurality of perforated conduits 15 a..n are provided inside the foam reservoir 14 to supply to it rapeseed oil dust binding agent from a trickle feed holding tank (not shown).

In use the rigid post 13 is secured to the floor of the animal building in a vertical position and the rapeseed oil dust binding agent is transferred through the mesh 10 as an animal rubs against it to squeeze the foam 14.

Claims (9)

Claims

1. An applicator comprising a binding agent reservoir, a transfer means co-operable with the reservoir to transfer dust binding agent therefrom and a support element for maintaining the transfer means at a predetermined location within an animal building wherein the transfer means is attached to the support element and is adapted to apply the binding agent automatically to the bodies of livestock within the animal building in response to contact therewith.

2. An applicator as claimed in Claim 1 characterised in that the transfer means is porous and in that the reservoir comprises a layer of absorbent material proximal to and able to contact with the transfer means.

3. An applicator as claimed in Claim 2 characterised in that the reservoir additionally comprises a plurality of perforated conduits disposed within the layer of absorbent material and adapted to communicate binding agent from external of the applicator to the layer.

4. An applicator as claimed in Claim 2 or Claim 3 characterised in that the transfer means comprises a plurality of porous strips attached to the support means to form a curtain.

5. An applicator as claimed in Claim 4 characterised in that the porous strips are configured to abut and surround the layer of absorbent material.

6. An applicator as claimed in Claim 4 or Claim 5 characterised in that the support is adapted to define an aperture through which at least a part of the body of the livestock may pass and the curtain is arranged to extend into the aperture.

7. An applicator as claimed in Claim 6 characterised in that the aperture comprises an entrance to a feeding enclosure.

8. An applicator as claimed in Claim 2 or Claim 3 characterised in that the support comprises a rigid post about which is wrapped the layer of absorbent material and the transfer means, the transfer means being disposed proximal to the surface of the absorbent material outward of the post.

9. An applicator as claimed in any of the preceding Claims characterised in that the transfer means comprises a flexible mesh of a metallic or plastics material.