FR2534774A1 - System preventing the crushing of piglets and which can be fitted onto a farrowing cage. - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a system which is fixed to the rear of farrowing cages and prevents the sow crushing her piglets by lying down too rapidly or by slipping. It consists of a retention element formed by two bars welded together in a T 1 and 2 which is curved at the ends of its transverse bar 2 pivoting about a spindle, selectable as a function of the holes pierced on the main bar 1 of the T and permitting width adjustment. This spindle is fixed onto a support formed by an angle bracket 4 and by a small plate 8, by an adjustment bar 7 which permits height regulation by displacement of the bolt which joins it solidly to the angle bracket and by two fastening tubes 3 and 5, the tube 5 being equipped with a clamping device 6. The tubes may be replaced by "tube collars" or the tube 5 may be mounted vertically depending on the type of farrowing cage onto which the apparatus is to be installed.

Description

 The present invention relates to a system preventing sows in farrowing cages from crushing their piglets.

 It frequently happens, especially the first days after birth, that the sow, by lying down quickly or by sliding, crushes the piglets which were under or near her belly and which did not have time to leave. The latter can also between crushed stils sleep against the mother at the moment when she turns around. Later they can be crushed or trapped in the bars of the cage when they try to suckle the mother when she is standing. These accidents can be favored by slippery ground, a motherless or stressed sow, a large litter, a bad breeding environment or poor hygienic conditions. These accidents are the cause of regrettable economic losses.

The current farrowing cages have contributed to an improvement compared to systems leaving sows free in huts with their piglets. But they do not prevent the sow from dropping from the hindquarters on the ground as is often the case, and the piglets under the mother at this time are not protected.

 The system according to the invention makes it possible to limit or even completely eliminate these problems. It being understood that the efficiency depends on the settings.

I1 comprises a pair of identical devices made up of welded tubes forming a curved T which hold the rear of the sow when it is lying down; Caged sows almost always lie down first before then drop from behind along one of the walls of the cage (The crushed piglets are taken under the belly or under the thighs). The Ts are raised around an axis located on a support which at the same time serves as a stop at rest. The fixings also allow height adjustment. The adjustment in width being ensured by displacement of the bars pierced with several holes each one being able to be the axis of rotation. According to the diagram of the plate I / 2 fig. (I), the sow standing (II) the retaining bars are in the low position. When the sow lies down she must lift one of the retaining bars with a movement of the thighs after having let herself slide on the affixed bar (12. a). Once on the ground the sow will release the resting area by lifting one of the bars by a movement of the kidneys (13). It also happens that the sow goes down or one gently descends from its hind legs (12 b) between the bars of restraint which it removes by a remembrance of the kidneys, then once to the zol, it operates as previously (13)
Plate 2/2 shows in figure (2) the left device rear view and in figure (3) the right device (identical) exploded and in perspective. Figure (4) shows a variant of the fixing tubes (3) and (5).

Figure (5) shows a variant of the fixing tube (5) in the or adaptation on cages b harreaudags ver-
tical.

 The device shown in Figures (2) and (3) of Plate 2/2 (the two devices forming the perire are identical) has a T-shaped retainer (I) and (2). The crossbar of the T (I) in 32mm diameter and 50cm long tube is rounded at its ends, in order to avoid any injury to the sow. The longitudinal bar of the T (2) which measures 35cm long is pierced with holes about 3cm apart to allow for width adjustment. The average adjustment hole must be 25cm from the top of the T.

 The support consists of 2 fixing tubes (3) and (5) respectively 32mm and 21mm in diameter and 10cm long, which slide into the telescopic part at the back of the cage (In the box of the the fixing fits on cages with removable rear). A bracket (4) is welded to the tube (3); the square has a height of 19cm with regard to the construction (but this varies depending on the cages) and a width of 7cm. A 10mm hole is drilled on the short part 6.5cm from the axis of the tube (3) in order to receive a 10mm bolt which serves as the axis of rotation for the retaining bar. A plate (8) is welded parallel to the short part of the bracket and also pierced with a hole of 10mm to 6.5cm from the exe of the tube (3). This plate is 33mm from the bracket so to be able to insert the retaining bar (2). Another 8mm hole is drilled at the end of the long part of the bracket in order to screw it onto the adjustment plate (7) using an 8mm bolen. The adjustment bar (7) has a length of 8cm, and the adjustment holes are 8mm in diameter and 1.5cm apart from each other. Four holes are planned. The tubing (5) is provided with a tightening nut (6) in order to make the device rigid with the cage.

 The tubes (3) and (5) can be replaced by collars in the form of an open tube in the case of nise-bas cage with fixed rear part (Figure 4).

 In the case of a vertical bar cage, the tube (5) can be replaced by a "collar-tube" in the vertical mens, on which the plate (7) is welded vertically allow adjustment. The height of the collar can be changed depending on the setting (Figure 5).

 The device must be galvanized once welded. The use of bolts with hard nuts is recommended.

 The good delvent settings keep on tracing the pitch @ er just between the two harres do retained and being braked at the top of the queen in the name of the overturning on the ground. For a medium-sized adult sow, this corresponds to 35cm between the restraint bars and b 30th between the ground and the resting bars. It is advisable to only mount the system when it is put in place to avoid impacts in the belly of the unaccustomed sow.

 In the case of weaning at six weeks or more, the device can be removed when the poroelets are about a month old, the risks of crushing rarely persist beyond this age.

 A sow usually needs a day to get used to the system.

 The system according to the invention is particularly intended to equip the mine-bottom cages of sodornen farms, industrial or not.

Claims (6)

T bent at the ends of its transverse bar, and of a support formed by a square (4), a plate (8) and an adjustment bar (7) and two fixing tubes (3) and (5).  I) System adaptable on farrowing cage preventing the sow from crushing her piglets, characterized in that it comprises a retaining element formed by two tubes (I) and (2) welded according to a  2) System according to claim I characterized in that the retaining element pivots about an axis integral with the support constituted by a bolt passed through the holes drilled at the angle of the angle.  3) System according to claim I characterized in that the main bar of the T of the retaining element is pierced with several holes for adjusting the width by placing the bolt serving as an axis, selectively in one of the holes.  4) System according to claim I characterized in that the adjustment bar (7) allows by selectively moving in one of the holes, the fixing bolt of the end of the bracket, the height adjustment of the bar of restraint.  5) System according to the preceding claims characterized in that the fixing tubes (3) and (5) can be replaced by "pipe collars" in the case of rear cage C not removable.  6) System according to the preceding claims characterized in that in the case of farrowing cage with vertical bar, the fixing tube (5) can be replaced by a vertical "tube collar" and the adjustment bar welded parallel to the axis of the tube.