FR3040258A1 - STRUCTURE FOR THE STABULATION OF ANIMALS SUCH AS BOVINE AND CONSTITUENT ELEMENTS - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a front element (la, lb) for the stabulation of an animal in a stall, better adapted to the morphology and movements of the animal to contain compared to the previous devices, for guiding the animal during his positioning, getting up and / or sleeping in his cubicle. Such a front element (la, lb) can be implemented in pairs in a frontal structure (10), in order to delimit the interior space of said box. The frontal element is remarkable in that it comprises, inter alia, an upper portion (4a, 4b) provided with an upper edge (41a, 41b) having a complementarity of shape with the neck of the animal, and a lower portion (5a, 5b) associated at least with the upper portion (4a, 4b), so as to project, or be projectable for example by being mounted movably relative to said upper portion (4a, 4b), towards the outer space of the cubicle.

Description

Technical area

The present invention relates to the general field of farms and more specifically to the field of cubicles intended to serve as sleeping space for an animal, for example a cattle, in free stabling or hampered. The invention relates more particularly to a device allowing animals to get up and / or lie down more easily.

Prior art

The current cubicles, very present in the farms, comprise various elements well known to those skilled in the art, such as the bar at the withers, the stop, the cubicle separator, as well as the horizontal frontal bars.

Most of these elements are arranged in a fixed way. They therefore cause discomfort, even trauma in animals during their movements. The stop, whose function is to limit the advancement of the animal in supine position, is an element that frequently causes injuries (abrasions, ulcers ...) at the knees and / or the hocks of animals.

In the case of the frontal bar or bar at the withers, whose function is to limit the advancement of the animal in standing position, it is easy to spot a bad adjustment of the stalls. Hair loss or swelling in the neck occurs when the bar is incorrectly adjusted in height, while a lameness and / or "perched" position of the animal occurs when the bar is set too close to the threshold. the cubicle.

In the opposite case, when the animal can get up with ease, it will tend to stay deeper in its stall, which means that it defecates more, increasing the risk of infections and the time needed for it. interview.

Finally, the bar at the withers and the stop are very often positioned in the same vertical plane, which is not a very ergonomic configuration.

It will be recalled that a cow folds and rises an average of 16 times per day and that the average length of lying down time influences the productivity of the animal (milk / meat) and its health (veterinary costs / improvement of the rate of culling). ).

Finally, the anatomy of a cow is such that his shoulder moves on the one hand on a rising diagonal during the sequence of the rising and on the other hand along a vertical axis during the bedtime sequence. The optimization of the frontal elements according to this particular anatomy is therefore a real stake, in order to guarantee to the animal on the one hand a guiding of its movements, on the other hand an increased freedom for its positioning, and finally a space of life cleaner.

Presentation of the invention

The present invention aims to provide front elements that are better adapted to animals, whether they are used alone or in a global frontal structure.

The present invention rethinks the positioning of the animal in its box no longer exclusively relative to the parameter "height at the withers", but relative to the parameters "width of the animal" and "height hoof - shoulder tip".

The proposed solution is based on a globally vertical arrangement, which makes it possible to overcome the traditional horizontal system "bar with tourniquet stopper".

A cubicle can be defined by an "interior space" delimited inter alia by a front element (s) (ux) or a frontal structure and a cubicle separator (s).

Thus, when the animal is in its box, it is surrounded by the various blocking elements that make up the latter: • The element (s) of high facade (s), such as an element (s) (s) ) or frontal structure, • The low facade element (s), such as a ground stop (also called a knee brace) and / or anti-crawling element (s) (still called the pectoral stop), • The lateral element (s), such as a stall separator (s).

The "outer space" is the space beyond the stall, at the front of the animal.

The terms "left" and "right" correspond to the view from the outside of the cubicle, when viewed from the front of the animal, when in the traditional position in his cubicle.

The vertical plane PI delimits the interior space I with respect to the outer space E at the front of the box.

When the animal is installed in its box, it performs a particular series of movements in the case of rising (or sleeping). The animal stretches its head forward and downward to lift its hindquarters, and then steps approximately 45 cm forward of the shoulder with a first forelimb on which it will lean, all by moving backwards and upwards at the same time, finally unfolding the second forelimb and standing up completely in a vertical motion.

In order not to disturb the animal, the overall geometry of the frontal element should follow this sequence of movements. In this respect, it is proposed, in accordance

the invention, a front element, independently of its laterality (left element or right element), which is oriented according to a vertical plane PI defining an interior space and a space outside said housing, a P2 plane inclined relative to the plane PI of an acute angle ai, a plane P2 'inclined relative to the plane PI of an acute angle a2 greater than ai so that the plane P2' is inclined relative to the plane P2 of an acute angle δα, a vertical axis A belonging to PI , a horizontal axis B defined by the intersection of the planes PI, P2 and P2 '.

We thus have α2 = ai + δα.

Such a frontal element comprises, in its most general case, a support and a means of restraining the animal comprising an upper portion and a lower portion: said upper portion, dedicated to the management of the "standing" position, is included in the PI plane, is associated with said support and said lower portion, and has an upper border having a complementary shape with the neck of the animal. said lower portion, dedicated to the management of the "lying down" position, is associated at least with the upper portion and disposed relative thereto according to a reference position chosen from: a first position in which said lower portion is included in the plane PI, a second position in which said lower portion is included at least partly in the plane P2.

Advantageously, the upper portion further comprises a vertical inner edge, contiguous with said upper edge having a complementary shape with the neck of the animal. Preferably, said vertical internal edge is adjustable.

Preferably, the angle α1 is between 50 ° and 75 °. Even more preferentially, the angle α is 60 °.

Preferably, the angle δα is between 5 ° and 25 °. Even more preferentially, the angle δα is 15 °.

According to a first variant, the reference position is the second position and the lower portion is integral with said upper portion. Advantageously, the upper portion and the lower portion form a single bent element.

In a second variant, the reference position is the first position and the lower portion is movably mounted relative to said upper portion to move from the first position to the second position.

According to a third variant, on the one hand the reference position is the second position, on the other hand the lower portion (5a, 5b) is able to take a third position, in which said lower portion (5a, 5b) is included at least partly in the plane P2 ', and finally the lower portion (5a, 5b) is associated with said upper portion (4a, 4b) by ball joint or pivot connection, to pivot about the axis B between the second and the third position.

Sub-variants from the general case, the second and the third variant comprise a bottom portion at least partially deformable, and for example made of a deformable material or portions hinged together as in the case of a chain .

Advantageously, according to another variant, the lower portion has at least one longitudinal internal edge perpendicular to the axis B.

Advantageously, according to yet another variant, said lower portion comprises a longitudinal inner edge forming an acute angle β with the axis B, so that said longitudinal inner edge is generally oriented towards said support. Preferably, the angle β is between 5 ° and 15 °.

It is understandable that the upper portion is vertical in order to respect the vertical movement (final in the case of rising, initial in the case of bedtime) of the animal, and that the lower portion preferably protrudes forward (ie in the direction of advance of the animal) with respect to the latter, so that the animal can perform its movement at an angle.

Advantageously, according to the variant adopted, the front element is generally tubular, for example designed from metal tubes or from more flexible tubes. The skilled person knows how to choose the appropriate material depending on the age and type of animal to contain.

In these tubular variants, the front element preferably further comprises at least one safety bar, disposed between the upper edges of said upper portion and the lower edge of said lower portion. Such a safety bar makes it possible to prevent the animal from wedging its head into said front element. Similarly, the upper portion preferably comprises an adjustable internal tubular vertical edge, for example by a system of telescopic tubes.

According to a sub-variant of these tubular variants, the front element is monobloc. In this case, on the one hand the reference position is the second position, on the other hand said high portion comprises a vertical longitudinal inner edge and finally said support, said lower portion and said upper portion are integral. Of course, the dimensions of said front element should be studied at best to suit the animals, without the need for further adjustment.

According to other variants, the invention is adjustable, for example to be adjustable throughout the growth process of the animal:

In this sense, the support and / or the contention means and / or the upper portion and / or the lower portion advantageously comprises at least one means for adjusting the dimensions, for example via a sliding plate system.

Similarly, the support and / or the means of contention and / or the upper portion and / or the lower portion advantageously comprises at least one adjustment means of their (s) length (s), for example via a system of tubes telescopic, in the case of a tubular structure.

According to other variants, the invention is designed to be able to adapt following a mechanical stress induced by the animal: For this purpose, the support and / or the restraining means and / or the upper portion and / or the lower portion are advantageously articulated with respect to each other, for example by a ball joint or a pivot connection.

According to other variants, the invention is capable of damping any shocks following a mechanical stress induced by the animal.

For this, the support and / or the contention means and / or the upper portion and / or the lower portion is advantageously provided with at least one damping means, for example a spring.

Finally, the front element according to the invention is advantageously provided with at least one fastening means, such as a collar, a ring, a stud, a perforated wing, arranged on the support and / or on the means of contention. or one of its portions, to allow its attachment to a connecting element or a carrier element such as a cubicle separator element, a suspension chain or a bar.

Thus, a stall separator is on the one hand a lateral blocking element of the animal and on the other hand a carrier element intended to support one or more various elements (element (s) frontal (ux), frontal structure, element anti-crawling ...) according to the arrangement chosen for the stall.

The term "connecting element" means an element making it possible to connect a plurality of front elements to each other by their point (s) above the (s), such as a horizontal bar, an element in the form of a U inverted, triangular, rounded, a frame or string.

It is understood that the front element according to the invention is an "off-ground" element, in the sense that the animal can freely pass its members underneath without encountering obstacles.

Such a front element can be implemented in a frontal structure characterized in that it comprises on the one hand at least two front elements, having a horizontal spacing D between their respective upper parts, said spacing being both greater than 1 neckline and lower than the middle of the animal, said front elements being arranged in a chiral symmetry relation relative to the PI plane and to the axis A and associated with each other by at least one connecting element, and secondly by at least one fastening means for fixing said front structure to a carrier member.

Advantageously, in order to make it possible to adjust the horizontal spacing D, the connecting element comprises at least one means for adjusting its dimensions.

Advantageously, the horizontal spacing D will take a value of between 20 and 30 cm. Preferably, the horizontal spacing D is 30 cm.

Advantageously, said connecting element comprises at least one fixing means to be fixed to at least one carrier element.

In normal use, the animal advances in its box provided with at least one frontal element or a frontal structure. This was placed at such a height that the head of the animal passes over the edges of the upper portion, and under any connecting element. The head of the animal is then in the outer space. The horizontal spacing D between the two front elements is such that the animal can not advance further than at the level of his shoulders. The animal is then free to perform head swings and the movements of descent and rise of his body to get up and / or lie down, while being guided by the structure, which, depending on the variant selected may furthermore be adjustable and / or equipped with damping elements.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other advantages and features will become more apparent from the description of the front elements and the structure with reference to the drawings, in which: FIG. 1a is a perspective view of a box comprising front elements, FIG. 1b is a side view of the movement of the animal as it rises, FIG. 2a is a perspective view of a left front element 1a according to a variant of the invention, in which the restraining means is shown in a gray manner 3b is a left side view of the front member shown in FIG. 2a; FIG. 2c is a plan view, taken along an axis perpendicular to the plane P2, of a right front member 1b. where the restraining means is represented in a gray manner, under the reference 3b, FIG. 2d is a perspective view of a front structure according to a first variant of the structure according to the invention, FIGS. 4 are perspective views of a housing comprising a front structure according to different variants of the invention, Figure 5 is a perspective view of a housing comprising a front structure and two anti-crawling elements.

Description of Embodiments of the Invention

FIG. 1a shows a housing 100 comprising front elements 1a-1b, one-piece and tubular in this variant, and compartment dividers 81. The vertical plane PI delimits the interior space I with respect to the outer space E. The plan P2 is inclined relative to the plane PI of an angle ai. The outer space E is located at the front of the box 100, and comprises two subspaces E1 and E2. The subspace E1 corresponds to the lower left outer space and the subspace E2 corresponds to the lower right outer space.

An animal wishing to rise, in accordance with FIG. 1b, stretches its head forward and downward in a movement M1 to lift its hindquarters, then makes a backward movement M2 at a time towards the rear and upward, to finally get up completely in a vertical movement M3.

A left front element la, according to Figures 2a and 2b, comprises a support 2a, comprising in this variant a vertical upright 21 and a horizontal upright 22 serving as an axis of rotation, so that the lower portion 5a of the contention means 3a, which is arranged in the second position, can pivot about the axis B relative to the upper portion 4a, to the third position, in which it is in the plane P2 'according to an angle "2 = ai + δα relative to the PI plan. The upper portion 4a has an upper edge 41a having a complementary shape with the neck of the animal, and is associated with the support 2a by dovetail type assembly, to allow easy replacement. The lower portion 5a has a longitudinal inner edge 51a perpendicular to the axis B. The upper portions 4a and 5a low consist of plates with rounded edges.

A right front element lb seen from above, along an axis perpendicular to the plane P2, is shown in FIG. 2c. The upper portion 4b of the restraining means 3b is tubular. The support 2b, the longitudinal edge 41b and the vertical internal edge 42b are integral and included in the plane PI (not shown). The tubular lower portion 5b is articulated relative to the upper portion 4b and has a longitudinal inner edge 51b forming an acute angle β with the axis B, so that said longitudinal inner edge is generally oriented towards said support. The lower portion 5b further comprises damping means 9.

It is understood that in other variants not shown the lower portion 5a can be completely articulated for example by ball joints so as to adopt any angular orientation in the outer space El for a left frontal element or E2 for a right front element .

A frontal structure 10, monobloc and tubular, seen in perspective, is shown in Figure 2d. It comprises two front elements la-lb connected by a connecting element 7.

3 shows a housing 100 where the interior space I is delimited by a front structure 10 and separators 81. The front structure 10 comprises two monobloc and tubular front elements and a connecting element 7 arch. Said structure is fixed to the stall separators 81 via fastening means 6 provided at the front elements la-1b.

FIG. 4 shows a housing 100 comprising a front structure 10 and separators 81. The front structure 10 comprises an inverted U-shaped connecting element 7 and provided with a fixing means 6 for fixing said structure to a carrier element 8 , namely a suspension bar in this variant of the invention.

It is understood that, in its minimalist variant, a housing 100 comprises at least one high facade element and at least one lateral blocking element. One can for example consider a cubicle 100 delimited by a wall which serves as a side element and a single front element la or lb associated with a stall separator 81 on the other side, or for example a cubicle as shown in FIG. figure the.

The improved variants of a cubicle 100, regardless of the variant chosen for the high facade element (s), also include at least one low facade element, which completes the basic assembly presented. previously and consisting of at least one high facade element associated with at least one lateral blocking element.

Thus, according to a first improved variant, the low facade element is a stop placed on the ground, in the plane PI. Such a stop may for example take the form of a pipe or a wooden board.

According to a second improved variant, the low front element is an anti-crawling element 11a, 11b disposed in the plane PI, allowing the animal to pass its legs below but not its head, and projecting towards space In this configuration, the lowest point of the lower surface of said anti-crawling element is disposed at a height H of the ground. Preferably, the height H is between 20 and 40 cm.

Thus, a particularly preferred sub-variant of this second improved variant consists of a box 100 comprising at least one pair of anti-crawling elements (left element (s) and right element (s)) arranged in the plane PI, from and other of the housing, each being attached to a side element such as a cubicle separator.

Furthermore, according to the sub-variants of this second improved variant, said anti-crawling element can be fixed or be an integral part of a lateral blocking element.

In the variants where the anti-crawling elements are arranged symmetrically on either side of the box, the horizontal spacing D which separates their respective internal ends (end directed towards the interior of the box) must be adapted to the template. of the animal, and in particular to its breadth of chest or shoulders. Preferably, the spacing D 'is between 20 and 60 cm.

Finally, in order for the animal to be able to pass its head between the high and low facade element (s), a sufficient vertical spacing H 'must exist between them.

Advantageously, in the case where the element (s) of low facade is (are) element (s) anti-crawling, the vertical spacing H 'is between 40 and 70 cm.

Advantageously, the anti-crawling element consists of a horizontal rod.

On this principle (s), Figure 5 illustrates a variant of the invention, where a housing 100 is delimited by a front structure 10 and separators 81 on which are fixed symmetrical anti-crawling elements 11a, 11b, having a horizontal spacing D 'between their inner ends and a vertical spacing H' with the front structure 10 which constitutes the top facade element, and arranged at a height H of the ground. Said frontal structure 10 comprising two front elements, having a horizontal spacing D.

Finally, it is understood that the skilled person can choose the most appropriate characteristics for said anti-crawling element, depending on the animals to contain. The anti-crawling element can thus be adjustable (for example in the form of a telescopic rod) and / or removable and / or provided with damping and / or hinged elements.

Possibility of industrial application

It is well understood that the front element la-lb and the frontal structure 10 according to the invention apply to the housing of animals, and more particularly to cattle, in order to limit the advance of the animal in its stall , without causing injury.

Finally, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described; it embraces, on the contrary, all variants of implementation and application respecting the same principle.

Claims (21)

1 - Front element (la, lb) for the stabulation of an animal in a small box, oriented along a vertical plane PI defining an interior space and a space outside said box, a plane P2 inclined relative to the plane PI of an angle acute ai, a plane P2 'inclined relative to the plane PI an acute angle a.2 greater than ai so that. the plane P2 'is inclined relative to the plane P2 of an acute angle δα, a vertical axis A belonging to PI, a horizontal axis B defined by the intersection of the planes Pl, P2 and P2', characterized in that it comprises a support (2a, 2b), a restraining means (3a, 3b) of the animal comprising an upper portion (4a, 4b) and a lower portion (5a, 5b), said upper portion (4a, 4b) which is included in the plane Pl, is associated with said support (2a, 2b) and comprises an upper border (41a, 41b) having a complementarity of shape with the neck of the animal, said lower portion (5a, 5b) is associated with the less at the upper portion (4a, 4b) and arranged relative to the latter in a reference position chosen from: - a first position in which said lower portion (5a, 5b) is included in the plane Pl, - a second position in which said lower portion (5a, 5b) is included at least partly in the plane P2 so as to project towards the space e outside said housing. 2 - front element (la, lb) according to claim 1 characterized in that said upper portion (4a, 4b) further comprises a vertical inner edge (42a, 42b), contiguous with said upper edge having a complementary shape with the neckline of the animal. fk 3 - front element (la, lb) according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the reference position is the second position and the lower portion (5a, 5b) is secured to said upper portion (4a, 4b). 4 - front element (la, lb) according to any one of claims 1 or 2 characterized in that the reference position is the first position and the lower portion (5a, 5b) is movably mounted relative to said upper portion (4a , 4b) to move from the first position to the second position. 5 - front element (la, lb) according to any one of claims 1 or 2 characterized in that on the one hand the reference position is the second position, on the other hand the lower portion (5a, 5b) is fit to take a third position, wherein said lower portion (5a, 5b) is included at least partly in the plane P2 ', and finally the lower portion (5a, 5b) is associated with said upper portion (4a, 4b) by ball joint or pivot connection, for pivoting about the B axis between the second and third positions. 6 - front element (la, lb) according to any one of claims 1, 2, 4 or 5 characterized in that said lower portion (5a, 5b) is at least partly deformable. 7 - front element (la, lb) according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the lower portion (5a, 5b) has a longitudinal inner edge (51a, 51b) perpendicular to the axis B. 8 - front element (la, lb) according to any one of claims 1 to 7 characterized in that said lower portion (5a, 5b) comprises a longitudinal inner edge (51a, 51b) forming an acute angle β with the axis B, so that said longitudinal inner edge (51a, 51b) is generally oriented towards said support (2a, 2b). 9 - front element (la, lb) according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that said support (2a, 2b) comprises at least one means for adjusting its dimensions. 10 - front element (la, lb) according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that said upper portion (4a, 4b) comprises at least one means for adjusting its dimensions in the plane PI. 11 - front element (la, lb) according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that said lower portion (5a, 5b) comprises at least one means for adjusting its dimensions. 12 - front element (la, lb) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, 6 according to claim 1 or 2, 7 to 11 characterized in that on the one hand the reference position is the second position, d ' on the other hand said support (2a, 2b), said lower portion (5a, 5b) and said upper portion (4a, 4b) are integral and generally tubular, to form a one-piece tubular front member (1a, 1b). 13 - front element (la, lbj according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises at least one fastening means (6) for fixing said front element (la, lb) to a connecting element (7). ) to connect a plurality of front members (1a, 1b) to each other, and / or to a carrier member (8) such as a log separator member (81). 14 - frontal structure (10) for the housing of an animal, characterized in that it comprises at least two front elements (la, lb) all conforming to the same claim of any one of the preceding claims, arranged according to a chiral symmetry relation relative to the PI plane and to the axis A, and associated together by at least one connecting element (7), at least one fixing means for fixing said frontal structure (10) to a carrier element (8) ), said front elements having a horizontal spacing D between their respective upper parts (4a, 4b), said spacing being both greater than the neck and lower than the middle of the animal. 15 - frontal structure (10) according to claim 14 characterized in that said connecting element (7) comprises at least one means for adjusting its dimensions. 16 - frontal structure (10) according to any one of claims 14 or 15 characterized in that said connecting element (7) comprises at least one fastening means (6) to be attached to at least one carrier member (8). ) such as a bar (82) or chains (83). 17 - Log (100) for the stabling of an animal, characterized in that it comprises at least one high front element, consisting of at least one front element according to any one of claims 1 to 13 or a structure frontal device according to any one of claims 14 to 16 and at least one lateral element. 18 - Log (100) according to the preceding claim characterized in that it comprises at least one low facade element. 19 - Log (100) according to any one of claims 17 or 18 characterized in that it comprises at least one anti-crawling element (11a, 11b) as a low facade element disposed in the plane PI, and protruding towards the interior space of said housing (100). 20 - Housing (100) according to the preceding claim characterized in that said anti-crawling element (11a, 11b) is firstly attached to a lateral element such as a stall separator (81), on the other hand at a height H of the ground of between 20 and 40 cm, and finally has a vertical spacing H 'between 40 and 70 cm with the high facade element disposed above it. 21 - Log (100) according to the preceding claim characterized in that it comprises at least one pair of anti-crawling elements (Ha, 11b) arranged symmetrically on either side of said housing (100), the inner ends respective of said antireptation elements (11a, 11b) being separated by a horizontal spacing D 'of between 20 and 60 cm.