Importance

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Abstract

A method and apparatus for feeding animals, particularly for feeding livestock, includes a plurality of individual feeding stalls (2) each having a feeding trough (24), a feed container (25), and a door (21) with a locking device (23). Feed is deposited in the troughs from the containers by operation of a flap (26) at the bottom of each container operated by a common operating device (27, 29). A shuttle feeding station (3) is movable along rails (12) to positions adjacent to each feeding stall and deposits feed therefrom into each feeding container. An identification label (50) is attached to each animal for generating a unique code for each animal in an electromagnetic interrogation field. A transmitter/receiver (37) on the feeding station generates an electromagnetic interrogation field and receives the unique code from each animal and transmits this identification to a computer (1) which has stored therein data relating to each unique code. After initial feeding in equal amounts, the shuttle feeding station is operated by the computer to deposit additional feed through a jack screw device (35, 36) into each feeding container in amounts depending upon the specific unique code for each animal.

First Claim