WO2012078680A1

WO2012078680A1 - Electronic livestock feeding system

Info

Publication number: WO2012078680A1
Application number: PCT/US2011/063604
Authority: WO
Inventors: George R. Eakin
Original assignee: Osborne Industries Inc
Current assignee: Osborne Industries Inc
Priority date: 2010-12-06
Filing date: 2011-12-06
Publication date: 2012-06-14
Anticipated expiration: 2013-06-06

Abstract

An electronic livestock feeding system includes a feeding station (6) having a framework (20), a feeding trough (7), a load cell (25) associated with the feeding trough (7) for weighing feed in the feeding trough (7), and a plurality of sway bars (19A, 19B, 19C) connecting the feeding trough (7) to the framework (20). The sway bars (19A- 19C) are arranged to limit side-to-side movement and fore-and-aft movement of the feeding trough (7) without imparting a vertical force to the feeding trough (7) during use that would interfere with a weight measurement by the load cell (25).

Description

ELECTRONIC LIVESTOCK FEEDING SYSTEM

RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application

No. 61/420,315 filed on December 6, 2010. The entire contents of this provisional application are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates generally to livestock feeding systems and, in particular, to livestock feeding stations that record an animal's feed intake and other performance characteristics.

Description of the Related Art

[0003] Meat packers and their customers are demanding the production and delivery of market animals with weights that must meet progressively tighter windows for acceptable weights. Marketing animals whose weights fall outside the specified weight ranges usually result in significant deductions from market prices for such underweight or overweight animals. Historically pig producers selected animals for market by simple visual inspection relying on pig judging skills to identify market animals. Such methods are neither sufficiently accurate nor reliably consistent for modern markets.

[0004] Simultaneously producers are increasingly conscious that underfeeding or overfeeding not only hurts their bottom line profitability, but feeding a feed that is not optimum each phase of the growth cycle unnecessarily burdens them with waste nutrient disposal costs and regulatory review. To manage feed, phase feeding is increasingly used to change feed composition to match growth utility at multiple intervals during the growth cycle. These changes are best accomplished with an accurate understanding of the daily weight distribution and its rate of change for the animals. Although visual inspection or fixed calendar-based growth curves have usually been the methods used to make phase feed changes, visual inspection is approximate at best, and growth curves do not take into account the effects of environmental temperatures or pen stocking densities which affect actual rate of gain.

[0005] For a number years Osborne Industries Inc. has been designing, manufacturing, and selling an ad libitum feeding system, commonly known by the trademarked name FIRE®. FIRE® is an acronym for Feed Intake Recording Equipment. Osborne Industries has been selling FIRE® Systems in the United States of America and in numerous foreign countries since the early to mid 1990' s. Over the years, Osborne Industries' FIRE® Systems have become the industry standard for feeding and performance testing of livestock including without limitation cattle, swine, sheep, and goats. Osborne Industries' FIRE® Systems automate the measurement of individual daily feed intake and other performance characteristics of raising animals for various purposes including, without limitation, commercial sales, research, genetic testing, feed testing, and pharmaceutical testing.

[0006] Each FIRE® System includes a single-space feeder or feeding station that can service about 12 to 15 animals without measurable feed restriction. Animals may have free access to the feeding trough at all times. Refilling of the feed hopper with feed and weighing of the feed in the feed hopper never interrupts the animals while they are feeding as with many other livestock feeding systems. The feeding trough and feed hopper may be constructed of plastic or metal. The feeding trough is suspended on a sensitive load cell that weighs the feeding trough and feed. The trough mount and load cell are protected by an isolation mechanism and a sturdy enclosure that houses a highly accurate feed dispensing system. The FIRE® System automatically stores the time and duration of each animal visit, along with the weight of feed consumed by the animal. This information may then be transferred to a computer and the information may be used to generate management reports or studied in relation to environmental, genetic, and nutritional variables. The FIRE® Systems can be designed to a wide array of

configurations to meet the needs of the end-user.

[0007] Whenever an animal enters a FIRE® System feeding station the animal is automatically identified by an electronic radio frequency identification (RFID) ear tag as read by the FIRE® antenna. The ear tag allows the FIRE® System feeding station to assign all measurements to a record for that specific animal.

[0008] The FIRE® System makes individual performance testing of animals kept in groups feasible and cost effective. Older manual methods of testing animals in artificial isolated environments may yield results that are not accurate for real- world conditions. However, testing in a group environment with a FIRE® System simulates actual commercial production practice.

[0009] FIRE® Systems give full and accurate performance information to make sound management and financial decisions. FIRE® Systems provide for the recording of the daily feed intake and total feed consumption of each animal. FIRE® Systems also show the operator or end-user changes in the health status and in growth response to feed and environment.

[0010] An Integrated Function Controller (IFC) automatically operates each

FIRE® System unit or feeding station and collects and stores data. The integrated function controller may have an LED touch screen. The integrated function controller may have an LED readout or some other type of display. The time and duration of each meal and total meal events each day are logged and collected. Mealtime duration and the number of meal events are useful diagnostics for health and behavior that are not known to be available by any other method. Body- weight and daily body-weight change can be measured for each animal automatically with the addition of the weigh race option. Daily weight gains and losses can be compared with total average daily weight gain over a testing period to help evaluate daily influences on growth. Feed intake and growth combine to provide daily feed conversion efficiencies. Changes in body confirmation may be measured and tracked along with other data using the Visual Image Analysis (VIA) option of the FIRE® System. The VIA option extends traditional growth and performance information obtainable from the FIRE® Systems with objective measures of conformational change. These changes may occur at different rates with growth, which may provide opportunities for genetic selection of desired carcass traits as well as growth efficiency.

[0011] Each FIRE® System is a stand-alone unit that includes a sophisticated

Integrated Function Controller with its own microprocessor and memory. Software associated with each FIRE® System maintains data collection for several days while disconnected from a computer. When activated the FIRE® System software installed on a computer can collect data from as many as 128 individual FIRE® Systems or feeding stations. These data files are easily exported to various software programs including without limitation data management, spreadsheet, and graphing programs. All of the measurements collected by the FIRE® System are available in the Event Log, but individual reports provide user-controlled data filters that allow the end-user to manipulate, display, and organize the data to fit their individual needs. For example, an animal performance screen summarizes key data for each animal including without limitation the daily feed, median weight, number of meals, and total feeder occupancy time. The Event Log records data each time an animal visits a FIRE® System feeding station or feeding trough, providing the end-user with a wealth of valuable information including without limitation information about the weight, feed consumption, and general well-being and health of individual animals.

[0012] The FIRE® System feeding stations can be used as stand-alone livestock feeders, however, optional protective races may be used to reduce or eliminate the opportunity for dominant animals to produce atypical results and errors in the data obtained. The various protective races allow the FIRE® Systems to simulate commercial multi-opening feeders more accurately. The width of the protective race may also be adjusted to match the average size of the animals being used with the FIRE® Systems. The shoulder race permits moderate competition between animals for access to the FIRE® Systems feeding trough by shielding the head and front shoulders of the animal. The full-body race may limit competition further by shielding the animal's entire body from other animals as it feeds from the FIRE® System feeding trough. The weigh race is a full-body race with an integrated scale allowing for the following to be measured including without limitation daily median animal weights, weight gain, and feed-to-gain efficiencies. One embodiment of the basket assembly using the weigh race is known and is described in United States Patent Number 4,533,008, the contents of which is included herein by reference.

[0013] The FIRE® System is an automated feeding system which makes continuous and accurate recordings of the ad libitum feed intake of each individual animal in a herd or pen of animals. The FIRE® System consists of a network of FIRE® feeding stations linked to a personal computer. Each FIRE® feeding station contains an IFC (Integrated Function Controller) and the associated equipment that identifies each animal, measures the weight of the FIRE® feeding station feeding trough and delivers feed to the feeding trough. Data is recorded by the FIRE® System each time an animal visits a FIRE® feeding station. Each time an animal visits a feeding station the IFC records the following data: the RFID tag number, day and time of entry, time of exit, quantity of feed consumed, and the animal weight. The data recorded in the IFC may be transferred from the IFC to a personal computer at anytime.

[0014] While FIRE® Systems have become the industry standard for performance testing of livestock there are certain design and mechanical equipment components and mechanical mechanisms that have limited the degree to which the end-user may consistently obtain accurate and reliable data. These issues pertaining to data accuracy are the direct result of the manner in which the feeding trough is mechanically connected to the structural framework, in particular the mechanical connection between the feeding trough and the feeding trough frame.

[0015] In the existing FIRE® Systems the feeding trough is connected to the feeding trough framework by an automatic adjusting structure comprising a type of threaded rod which allows the feeding trough limited movement within the confines of the feeding trough framework. The automatic adjusting structure is made up of threaded rods (commonly referred to as sway rods) and nuts which hold the threaded rods in place. The threaded rods extend through positioning holes in the feeding trough which are aligned with positioning holes on the feeding trough frame. The threaded rods are secured in place by nuts on the ends of the threaded rods. Therefore, the threaded rod and nuts move back and forth along the axial direction of the threaded rod. The incorporation of the threaded rods in this manner allows for movement of the feeding trough in the axial direction of the threaded rods in response to an applied force.

[0016] However, the aforementioned design of connecting the feeding trough to the feeding trough framework using threaded rods often results in weighing errors. In existing FIRE® Systems which utilize threaded rods it is possible for there to be weighing errors due to friction caused by the rubbing of the threads of the threaded rods with the positioning holes incorporated into the feeding trough and feeding trough frame. Over a certain period of time this rubbing may result in the threads of the threaded rod becoming damaged, which can hinder the freedom of movement of the feeding trough producing undesired resistance, a temporary jam, or even mechanical damage which may result in the weighing functionality to be impaired until the damaged threaded rods can be replaced. Unfortunately, this type of damage to the threads of the threaded rod may go unnoticed leading to the reporting of inaccurate data and information to the end-user.

[0017] There is a need in the industry for an improved mechanical mechanism for connecting the feeding trough to the structural framework. In particular there is a need for an improvement in the mechanical connection between the feeding trough and the feeding trough frame.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has all of the advantages and capabilities of the existing FIRE® Systems, but the present invention solves the problems described above. As discussed above, in existing FIRE® Systems the feeding trough is connected to the feeding trough framework using threaded rods. In the present invention the feeding trough is connected to the feeding trough framework of the FIRE® feeding station by a type of plate or bar (commonly known as a sway bar). The use of sway bars to connect the feeding trough to the framework provides a significant improvement compared to the existing use of threaded rods. Similar to threaded rods, sway bars allow the feeding trough limited movement within the confines of the feeding trough framework. Similar to threaded rods, sway bars allow for movement of the feeding trough in the axial direction of the sway bars in response to an applied force. However, sway bars are a significant improvement over threaded rods because unlike threaded rods the sway bars do not bind up in response to an applied force. In addition, sway bars do not hinder the movement of the feeding trough because there are no threads to rub in the positioning holes of the feeding trough and the feeding trough framework. Replacing the threaded rods with sway bars allows the end-user to obtain more accurate data and reliable information regarding the feed intake data of animals.

[0019] According to one aspect of the present invention, an electronic livestock feeding station is provided, comprising: a framework; a feeding trough; a load cell associated with the feeding trough for weighing feed in the feeding trough; and a plurality of sway bars connecting the feeding trough to the framework. The sway bars are arranged to limit side-to-side movement and fore-and-aft movement of the feeding trough without imparting a vertical force to the feeding trough during use that would interfere with a weight measurement by the load cell.

[0020] One or more sway bars may be used and the sway bars may be made of any type of material including without limitation any metal, plastic, or wood. The sway bars may be flexible or rigid. The sway bars may have any geometric shape and dimensions.

The present invention may be used with any type of feed dispensing mechanism.

[0021] Numerous other objects of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in this art from the following description wherein there is shown and described embodiments of the present invention, simply by way of illustration of some of the modes best suited to carry out the invention. As will be realized, the invention is capable of other different embodiments, and its several details are capable of modification in various obvious aspects without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and description should be regarded as illustrative in nature and not restrictive. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] The present invention will become more clearly appreciated as the disclosure of the present invention is made with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

[0023] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a feeding station incorporating the present invention;

[0024] Fig. 2A is a left side view of a feeding station incorporating the present invention;

[0025] Fig. 2B is a right side view of a feeding station incorporating the present invention;

[0026] Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a weigh race assembly for use with a feeding station incorporating the present invention;

[0027] Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a feed dispensing auger assembly for use with a feeding station incorporating the present invention;

[0028] Fig. 5A is a thumbnail perspective view of an electronic feeding station of the present invention;

[0029] Fig. 5B is a detail view of the area labeled 5B in Fig. 5A illustrating a lower left corner of the electronic livestock feeding station of the present invention to show how one of the sway bars is connected between the framework and the feeding trough;

[0030] Fig. 6 illustrates an electronic feeding station of the present invention with a protective shoulder race connected to the feeding station;

[0031] Fig. 7 illustrates an electronic feeding station of the present invention with a protective full-body race connected to the feeding station; [0032] Fig. 8 illustrates an electronic feeding station of the present invention with a weigh race connected to the feeding station;

[0033] Fig. 9 illustrates an animal actively interacting with the electronic feeding system of the present invention as the animal feeds from a feeding station; and

[0034] Fig. 10 illustrates the layout and the components of an electronic feeding system according to the present invention in which a network of feeding stations are connected to a personal computer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0035] An electronic livestock feeding system (FIRE® System) 5 incorporating the present invention will now be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 10 of the accompanying drawings.

[0036] The feeding station 6 component of the electronic livestock feeding system

(FIRE® System) 5 is shown in Fig. 1. The feeding station 6 is comprised of a feeding trough 7, a feed hopper 8, a feed dispensing auger assembly 9, an integrated function controller 10, and other miscellaneous components. An RFID antenna (not shown) is positioned on the side of the feeding trough 7 for detecting the presence and identity of an animal within the feeding station 6.

[0037] The integrated function controller 10 is affixed to the integrated function mount plate 12. The electrical connections to the integrated function controller 10 are protected by an integrated function controller protection plate 13. The top of the feed hopper 8 is connected to the feed hopper mount 14. The feed hopper mount 14 is connected to the feeding station side frame 15. The feeding station side frame 15 is connected to the feeding station back frame 16 and the feeding station front frame 17. The base of the feed hopper 8 is positioned above the feeding trough 7. The feed hopper 8 is not physically connected to the feeding trough 7.

[0038] A sway bar attachment plate 18 is connected to and extends across the bottom opening of the feeding trough 7. Three feeding trough sway bars 19 connect the sway bar attachment plate 18 to the feeding trough frame 20 . The sway bars 19 are substantially flat members and have pin connections at each of their ends. The sway bars 19 are arranged to limit the side-to-side movement and the fore-and-aft movement of the feeding trough 7 when animals are using the trough 7. The sway bars 19 are also arranged such that they do not impart a vertical force to the feeding trough 7 during use that would bind or otherwise interfere with a weight measurement by the load cell 25 (described below).

[0039] The sway bar attachment plate 18 has a main body portion 18m, a first tab

18A that extends downwardly from the main body portion 18M, a second tab 18B that extends rearwardly from the main body portion 18M on the right side of the feeding trough 7, and a third tab 18C that extends rearward from the main body portion 18M on the left side of the feeding trough 7. Each of the tabs 18A-18C has a hole for connecting to a respective one of the sway bars 19.

[0040] A first one of the sway bars 19A is connected between the first tab 18A of the attachment plate 18 on the feeding trough 7 and a corresponding structure on the framework 20. The first sway bar 19A extends generally horizontal and parallel with a front side of the feeding trough 7 and functions to limit movement of the feeding trough 7 in a side-to-side direction. The first sway bar 19A has pin connections at its respective ends that extend in a fore-and-aft direction. Each of the pin connections comprises a threaded bolt with a head at one end, a threaded portion at another end, a non-threaded shoulder portion between the head and the threaded portion, and at least one and preferably a pair of threaded nuts on the threaded portion to secure the bolt to the framework 20 or the attachment plate 18, respectively. The shoulder portion of the bolt provides a smooth pivotal connection with a controlled tolerance at each end of the first sway bar 19 A.

[0041] The second and third sway bars 19B, 19C are connected between the second and third tabs 18B, 18C and corresponding structures on the right and left sides of the framework 20, respectively. The second and third sway bars 19B, 19C extend perpendicular to the front side of the feeding trough 7 in a fore-and-aft direction on the right and left sides of the feeding trough 7, respectively. The second and third sway bars 19B, 19C extend generally horizontal and perpendicular to the front side of the feeding trough 7. The second and third sway bars 19B, 19C each have pin connections at their respective first and second ends that extend in a side-to-side direction. The pin connections for the second and third sway bars 19B, 19C may have the same construction as the pin connections described above for the first sway bar 19 A. The pin connections provide smooth pivotal connections with controlled tolerances at each end of the second and third sway bars 19B, 19C, which allow the sway bars 19B, 19C to prevent movement of the feeding trough in a fore-and-aft direction without interfering with the weight measurement by the load cell 25.

[0042] As shown in Fig. 2, a feeding trough hanging bracket 21 is attached to the top of the feeding trough 7. A rod 22 extending from the feeding trough hanging bracket 21 extends through a wear guide 23. The wear guide 23 is connected to the top portion of the feeding trough frame 20. A hanger clevis 24 is connected to the rod 22 extending from the feeding trough hanging bracket 21. A load cell 25 is connected to a load cell mount 26. The load cell mount 26 is connected to the top portion of the feeding trough frame 20. An eyebolt 27 is connected to the load cell 25. The eye bolt 27 is connected to the hanger clevis 24 by a clevis pin 28. Three side panels 29 are attached to the feeding station side frame 15 and feeding station back frame 16 to enclose the working components of the feeding station 6.

[0043] As shown in Fig. 3, a weigh race 30 can be attached to the front of the feeding station 6. The weigh race 30 includes a basket assembly, a linkage system, and a load cell assembly.

[0044] The basket assembly is part of the weigh race 30 and includes interior protective race panels 31, a scale platform 32 and other miscellaneous component parts. The basket assembly is connected to a basket frame 33. The basket frame 33 is connected to the weigh race frame 34 by sway bars 35 and is supported by the linkage system. The basket assembly is enclosed on two sides by exterior panels 36.

[0045] The linkage system includes a top channel 37, vertical pivots 38, a long scale arm 39, short scale arm 40, hanging links 41, and other miscellaneous component parts.

[0046] A load cell assembly includes a load cell 42, load cell mount 43, flexible load cell connector 44, and other miscellaneous component parts. The base of the load cell mount 43 is attached to the top channel 37 and the load cell 42 is attached to top section of the load cell mount 43. The flexible load cell connector 44 connects the load cell 42 to the long scale arm 39. The load cell measures the weight of the animals each time they enter the weigh race 30 and stand on the scale platform 32. The integrated function controller 10 rapidly detects and stores the weight of each animal based on the input from the load cell 42 as an animal enters the weigh race 30 and stands on the scale platform 32.

[0047] As shown in Fig. 4, feed is dispensed from the feed hopper 8 into the feeding trough 7 via a feed dispensing auger assembly 9. The feed dispensing auger assembly 9 is connected to a mounting bracket 45 which is connected to the feeding station side frames 15. The feed dispensing auger assembly 9 is comprised of a motor 46 connected to an auger 47 and other miscellaneous component parts. The auger is positioned in an auger tube 48. An auger cup 49 is located at one end of the auger tube 48 and a spill guard 50 is positioned over the auger cup 49. A hopper auger boot 51 connects the feed hopper 8 to the feed dispensing auger assembly 9.

[0048] The present invention may be used with the various protective and weighing races currently used with the existing FIRE® Systems. Such races are attached to the feeding station to restrict animal access to the feeding station to a single animal.

[0049] For example, the electronic feeding station 6 of the present invention can be used with a shoulder race (short race) 50, as illustrated in Fig. 6. The shoulder race 50 is an adjustable width race that extends slightly behind the shoulders of the animal. The shoulder race 50 allows for some competition among animals in a group. [0050] The electronic feeding station 6 of the present invention can be used with a full-body race (long race) 60, as illustrated in Fig. 7. The full-body race 60 is an adjustable width race that extends the full length of the animal's body. The full-body race 60 allows for complete side protection of the animal while it is feeding from the feeding station 6.

[0051] The electronic feeding station 6 of the present invention can be used with a weigh race 70, as illustrated in Fig. 8. The weigh race 70 is an adjustable width full body length race that also provides information about the animal's weight. An animal's weight is recorded as an animal stands on the scale floor or scale platform of the weigh race 70 while feeding from the feed trough 7 of the feeding station 6.

[0052] Fig. 9 illustrates an animal P actively interacting with the electronic feeding system of the present invention as the animal feeds from a feeding station 6 while standing on the scale floor of the weigh race 70.

[0053] Fig. 10 illustrates the layout and the components of an electronic feeding system 80 according to the present invention in which a network of feeding stations 6 are connected to a personal computer 81. Computer software, such as WinFIRE™ software, can be installed on the computer 81 and used to collect and organize the information obtained from each feeding station 6.

[0054] It will be appreciated that certain features of the present invention described above can be changed without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, all or any of the features described or disclosed herein or incorporated herein by reference may also be used in this embodiment of the present invention or any

embodiment of the present invention without limitation and without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0055] While the invention has been specifically described in connection with specific embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that this is by way of illustration and not of limitation, and the scope of the application should be construed as broadly as the prior art will permit.

Claims

CLAIMS What is claimed is:

1. An electronic livestock feeding station (6) comprising:

a framework (20);

a feeding trough (7);

a load cell (25) associated with said feeding trough (7) for weighing feed in the feeding trough (7); and

a plurality of sway bars (19A, 19B, 19C) connecting the feeding trough to said framework (20), said sway bars (19A, 19B, 19C) being arranged to limit side-to-side movement and fore-and-aft movement of said feeding trough (7) without imparting a vertical force to said feeding trough (7) during use that would interfere with a weight measurement by said load cell (25).

2. The electronic livestock feeding station according to claim 1, wherein said sway bars (19A, 19B, 19C) each comprises a structural member with first and second ends, and pin connections that connect said first and second ends to said feeding trough (7) and said framework (20), respectively.

3. The electronic livestock feeding station according to claim 2, wherein said plurality of sway bars comprises a first sway bar (19A) connected between said feeding trough (7) and said framework (20) for limiting movement of said feeding trough in a side-to-side direction, said first sway bar (19A) extending generally horizontal and parallel with a front side of said feeding trough.

4. The electronic livestock feeding station according to claim 3, wherein said plurality of sway bars comprises a second sway bar (19B) connected between said feeding trough and said framework for limiting movement of said feeding trough in a fore-and-aft direction, said second sway bar (19B) extending generally horizontal and perpendicular to said front side of said feeding trough.

5. The electronic livestock feeding station according to claim 4, wherein said plurality of sway bars comprises a third sway bar (19C) connected between said feeding trough and said framework for limiting movement of said feeding trough in said fore-and- aft direction, said third sway bar (19C) extending generally horizontal and perpendicular to said front side of said feeding trough, said second and third sway bars (19B, 19C) being positioned on right and left sides of said feeding trough, respectively.

6. The electronic livestock feeding station according to claim 2, wherein said pin connections each comprises a threaded bolt with a head at one end, a threaded portion at another end, a non-threaded shoulder portion between said head and said threaded portion, and at least one threaded nut, and wherein said bolt extends through respective openings in one of said sway bars and one of said feeding trough and said framework with said shoulder portion providing a smooth pivotal connection between the connected members.

7. The electronic livestock feeding station according to claim 2, wherein said plurality of sway bars comprises a first sway bar connected between said feeding trough and said framework for limiting movement of said feeding trough in a side-to-side direction, said first sway bar having pin connections at its respective first and second ends that extend in a fore-and-aft direction.

8. The electronic livestock feeding station according to claim 7, wherein said plurality of sway bars comprises second and third sway bars connected between said feeding trough and said framework for limiting movement of said feeding trough in a fore-and-aft direction, said second and third sway bars having pin connections at their respective first and second ends that extend parallel with said side-to-side direction.

9. The electronic livestock feeding station according to claim 2, wherein each of said sway bars are positioned so that the pin connections at each end are at substantially the same height.

10. The electronic livestock feeding station according to claim 2, wherein each of said sway bars comprises a substantially flat member having an opening at each of its ends for receiving respective pin connectors.

11. The electronic livestock feeding station according to claim 1, further comprising a hanging structure for hanging said feeding trough from said framework, said load cell being arranged to measure a load in said hanging structure to determine a feed weight in said feeding trough.

12. The electronic livestock feeding station according to claim 1, further comprising an integrated function controller that collects and stores data from said load cell.

13. The electronic livestock feeding station according to claim 12, wherein said integrated function controller records data each time an animal visits the feeding station, said data including time and duration of each meal and total number of meal events each day.

14. The electronic livestock feeding station according to claim 13, wherein said data further comprises RFID tag number, date and time of entry, time of exit, quantity of feed consumed, and animal weight.

15. The electronic livestock feeding station according to claim 12, wherein said integrated function controller has an LED touch screen.

16. The electronic livestock feeding station according to claim 1, further comprising a feed hopper and a feed dispensing mechanism that dispenses feed from said feed hopper into said feeding trough.

17. The electronic livestock feeding station according to claim 16, wherein said feed dispensing mechanism is an auger.

18. The electronic livestock feeding station according to claim 1, further comprising a radio frequency identification antenna positioned near the feeding trough for identifying each animal that visits the feeding station.

19. The electronic livestock feeding station according to claim 1, wherein a protective race is attached to the feeding station.

20. The electronic livestock feeding station according to claim 19, wherein the protective race is a shoulder race.

21. The electronic livestock feeding station according to claim 19, wherein the protective race is a full-body race.

22. The electronic livestock feeding station according to claim 1, wherein a weigh race is attached to the feeding station, said weigh race comprising a means for measuring a weight of an animal using the feeding station.