METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING PIGLETS FROM SUFFOCATING UNDER THE DAM IN A BROODING PEN

METHODE ET DISPOSITIF POUR EMPECHER LES PORCELETS DE SUFFOQUER SOUS LEUR MERE DANS L'ENCLOS D'ALLAITEMENT

English Abstract

ABSTRACT
A method and apparatus prevents piglets from being
suffocated under a sow by detecting when the sow stands up
and establishing an unpleasant condition, specifically
blowing air under the sow to discourage the piglets from
moving under the sow. A pleasant condition can
simultaneously be established at a location spaced from a
pen confining the sow to further encourage the piglets to
stay away from the underside of the standing sow.

Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive
property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
1. A method for preventing piglets from suffocating under
a dam in a brooding pen provided with a bay (1) space
reserved for the dam, in which method the standing up and
lying down of the dam are detected by a sensor, for
c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that after the dam has stood
up, under it are arranged unpleasant conditions for the
piglets by blowing air under the dam according to an
indication of the sensor.
2. The method of claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in
that the air is blown mainly from one side of the dam
towards a heat lamp (7), which is placed outside the bay
(1) in the direction of the air flow.
3. A method of preventing the young of a parent animal
from being harmed under the parent animal comprising:
detecting when the parent animal rises; and establishing a
flow of air in a flow direction under the parent animal
when it has risen.
4. A method according to claim 3, including confining the
parent animal to a pen.
5. A method according to claim 4, including establishing a
warmth condition which is pleasant to the young at a
location spaced from the pen.
6. An apparatus for preventing piglets from being
suffocated by a dam in a brooding pen comprising: a
detector positioned to detect the presence of a dam; at a
selected vertical location in the pen, which location is
occupied by the dam when the dam in standing; and a blower
operable to direct an air current under the dam is standing

in the pen, said blower connected to said detector and
activated by said detector when said detector detects the
presence of the dam at said selected vertical location.
7. An apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said detector
comprises a photo cell arrangement.
8. An apparatus according to claim 6, including a heat
lamp mounted at a location spaced from said pen for
establishing a condition which is pleasant to the piglets
to attract the piglets away from an area below the dam when
the dam is standing in said pen.
9. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said heat
lamp is positioned with respect to said pen in a direction
of flow of the air blown by said blower.
10. An apparatus according to claim 6, including a vertical
pipe connected to said blower and a horizontal pipe
connected to said vertical pipe at a location remote from
said blower, said horizontal pipe extending in a lengthwise
direction of said pen and positioned at a vertical location
corresponding to an underside of a dam when a dam is
standing in said pen so that air blown by said blower is
directed under a standing dam in said pen.
11. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said pen
includes means defining a bay for confining either side of
a dam, said means including said horizontal pipe as a
constructional part thereof.
12. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said pen
includes means defining a bay for confining a dam, said
blower and said vertical and horizontal pipes with said
detector forming a separate unit form said means defining
said bay.

Description

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METHnD AN~ APPARATU~ FOR PREVENTING PIGLETS FROM
SUFFOCATING UNDER THE DAM IN A BROODING PEN
Field and background of the invention
The present invention relates to a method for preventing
piglets from suffocating under the dam in a brooding pen
provided with a particular bay or equivalent space reserved
for the dam, the method using a suitable sensor, for
example a photocell, for detecting when the dam stands up
and lies down. The invention also relates to an apparatus
for the application of the aforementioned method.
It is generally known that when the dam stands up to eat or
drink either during or after farrowing, the piglets tend to
creep under the dam. This is evidently due to the fact that
the place where the dam has lain is warm, as well as to the
piglets' natural instinct to be in immediate contact with
the dam. When the dam lies down again, there is great
danger that all piglets do not move away from under the dam
quickly enough. Piglets are often killed, particularly
under old and fat brooding sows.
In prior practice it has been tried to eliminate this
drawback for instance by constructing various bay
structures for brooding pens. The purpose of such bays
is to limit the movements of the dam, whereas the piglets
can move freely in the pen irrespective of the bay. In the
prior art it is also known to employ heat lamps or heat
planes in the brooding pen. The use thereof is based on the
fact that piglets like warm and light conditions and
consequently tend to draw close to the lamp or e4uivalent.
British Patent No. 932 189 discloses a bay construction for
a brooding sow, the bay comprising separate side partitions

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with respect to the piglets, which partitions can be lifted
and lowered. While the dam is lying down, the partitions at
the sides of the bay are lifted, so that the piglets can
suck the dam in a normal way. When the dam stands up, the
photocell detects the action and immediately lowers the
partitions. Now the piglets cannot enter the dangerous
area. Similarly, after the dam has lain down, the photocell
causes the partitions to be raised. The drawback of the
described arrangement is its complex structure. This
naturally leads to a high price.
Summary of the invention
The purpose of the present invention is, among other
things, to avoid the above drawbacks. The invention is
based on the idea that in the brooding pen a situation
exists with strongly opposed conditions with respect to the
piglets. It is generally known that piglets do not like
drafts or the cold, whereas they are drawn to warm, light
and draftless places. Accordingly an object of the present
invention is to provide a method of preventing piglets from
suffocating under a dam in a brooding pen comprising
detecting when the dam stands up and blowing air under the
dam to discourage piglets from moving under the dam.
A further object of the invention is to provide an
apparatus for effecting such a method comprising a detector
positioned to sense when a dam stands up, a blower
connected to the detector to be activated by activation of
the detector and conduit means connected to the blower for
directing air blown by the blower under the dam when the
detector is activated.
The most remarkable advantages of a method and apparatus
according to the invention is its "naturality". Experience

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has shown that already after one day the piglets learn to
behave safely, so that they no longer try to creep under
the dam. Another advantage of the apparatus is its simple
construction and low price. It can for example be a part of
the brooding pen. Moreover, it is sufficient that the
apparatus is employed for instance 24 hours after the
farrowing, after which it can be switched off. A separate,
independent apparatus can be shifted to another brooding
pen when necessary.
Brief description of the drawings
In the following the invention is explained in detail with
reference to the appended drawings wherein:
Fig. 1 is an illustration of one preferred embodiment of
the invsntion in perspective view, and
Fig. 2 is an illustration of the apparatus of Fig. 1 seen
from behind.
Description of the preferred embodiment
The arrangement according to the invention comprises a
narrow bay 1 or similar space reserved for the dam, which
space forms part of the brooding pen. The bay 1 can be of
any of conventional types. At the sides of the bay 1,
preferably at its center, is mounted a photocell
arrangement, which consists of a suitable receiver ~ and
transmitter 3. These are placed at such a height from the
ground that while the dam is lying down, a ray of light or
equivalent can unobstructedly enter through the bay 1.
When the dam stands up, its back obstructs the passage of
the ray of light.
At the other end of the bay 1, comparatively near to the
ground, is placed a horizontal pipe 4. The pipe 4 is

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provided with several small perforations 8, through which
air can be blown evenly in narrow jets to the space under a
dam when it is standing up. The air is blowed with a blower
5 or with a similar device through the vertical pipe 6, to
the horizontal pipe 4. On the opposite side of the bay
with respect to the horizontal pipe 4, is placed in a
conventional fashion a heat lamp 7 or other similar
illumination and/or radiation device.
The apparatus according to the invention functions in the
following manner. While the dam is lying down in the oay 1,
the piglets can suck it in a natural way. When the dam
stands up for example to drink or eat, its back obstructs
the ray of light coming from the photocell arrangement 2,
3. As a consequence the blower 5 is switched on and starts
blowing air under the dam through the perforations 8 of the
horizontal pipe 4, in this case only from one direction A.
Thus under the dam is formed a condition which is
unpleasant for the piglets, and they turn to the direction
of the air flow. On the opposite side of the brooding pen,
outside the bay 1, in the direction of the air flow, is
located a heat lamp 7, which further emphasizes the
contradictory circumstances. When the dam lies down again,
the receiver 2 of the photocell detects the ray of light
coming from the transmitter 3, the blower 5 stops operation
and the piglets return to suck the dugs of the dam.
Experience has shown that new-born piglets generally learn
during the first 24 hours to retreat from under the dam and
to move towards the heat lamp 7 immediately when the dam
stands up. Thus the method according to the invention
remarkably decreases the death-rate of piglets during the
first days of their lives.
The apparatus 4, 5, 6 of the invention and the dectector

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2, 3 attached to it can form a stationary part of the bay
1~ In this case for example the horizontal pipe 4 can be
replaced by the pipe 4' belonging to the structure of the
bay 1, which pipe 4' can be perforated like the horizontal
pipe 4. On the other hand, the apparatus with the detector
form a separate device to be attached to the bay, as
presented in Figs. 1 and 2.
In the above embodiment of the invention the blower 5 is
arranged in connection with each apparatus. It is also
possible that several separate apparatuses have the same
blower in common. In these cases, a compressor or other
generally known device which produces pressure air, can
also be used instead of the blower.
The blowing of the air under the standing dam can be
carried out, expect for blowing it through the horizontal
pipe 4, 4' provided with perforations 8, also through one
or several suitable nozzles which efficiently spread the
air flow in a fanlike fashion.
It is pointed out that the blowing of the air in the
brooding pen can, if desired, also be arranged to take
place from a direction other than that of the above
embodiment, or from several directions. The essential
feature of the invention is that the air flows away from
under the dam standing in the bay or equivalent space.
In the above the invention has been described mainly with
reference to one preferred embodiment only. It is, however,
clear that the invention is by no means limited exclusively
to the described application, but the apparatuses according
to the invention can vary even to a great extent without
deviating from the scope of the invention as defined in the
following patent claims.