Livestock Footbath System

Abstract

A footbath system for livestock includes a water and/or chemical containment tank, a footbath pan with a drainage exit door, non-turbulent flow, and a multiple branch system.

1 . A footbath system for livestock, comprising a footbath pan for livestock to walk through, said pan having walls containing footbath liquid therein, a water tank separate from said pan, said tank receiving water from a water source for containment in said tank to provide said footbath liquid, said tank supplying said footbath liquid to said pan. 
     
     
         2 . The footbath system according to  claim 1  wherein said tank has an inlet conduit receiving water from said water source, and has an outlet conduit supplying said footbath liquid to said pan, and wherein said tank is disposed in serial fluid flow communication between said inlet conduit and said outlet conduit such that water flows from upstream to downstream from said inlet conduit into said tank and then from said tank to said outlet conduit, said tank isolating said outlet conduit from said inlet conduit such that liquid pressure in said outlet conduit supplying said footbath liquid to said pan is isolated from water pressure in said inlet conduit supplying water from said water source. 
     
     
         3 . The footbath system according to  claim 1  wherein said tank has an outlet conduit supplying said footbath liquid to said pan, and comprising a valve having an on state permitting liquid flow from said tank through said outlet conduit to said pan, and having an off state blocking said liquid flow from said tank through said outlet conduit to said pan. 
     
     
         4 . The footbath system according to  claim 1  wherein said tank has an outlet conduit supplying said footbath liquid to said pan, and comprising a pump pumping liquid from said tank through said outlet conduit to said pan at a pressure independent of water pressure from said water source. 
     
     
         5 . The footbath system according to  claim 1  wherein said tank has an outlet conduit supplying said footbath liquid to said pan, and comprising a pump in said outlet conduit pumping liquid from said tank through said outlet conduit to said pan, and a valve in said outlet conduit downstream of said pump and having an on state permitting liquid flow through said outlet conduit to said pan and having an off state blocking liquid flow through said outlet conduit to said pan. 
     
     
         6 . The footbath system according to  claim 1  wherein said tank is a combined water containing and chemical mixing tank separate from said pan, said tank receiving water from said water source and receiving one or more chemicals from a chemical source for mixing in said tank to provide a pre-mixed said footbath liquid, said tank supplying said pre-mixed footbath liquid to said pan. 
     
     
         7 . The footbath system according to  claim 6  wherein said tank has an inlet conduit receiving water from said water source, and has an outlet conduit supplying said pre-mixed footbath liquid to said pan, and wherein said tank is disposed in serial fluid flow communication between said inlet conduit and said outlet conduit such that water flows from upstream to downstream from said inlet conduit into said tank and then from said tank to said outlet conduit, said tank isolating said outlet conduit from said inlet conduit such that liquid pressure in said outlet conduit supplying said pre-mixed footbath liquid to said pan is isolated from water pressure in said inlet conduit supplying water from said water source. 
     
     
         8 . The footbath system according to  claim 6  wherein said tank has a chemical inlet conduit, and wherein said chemical source comprises a chemical container storing one or more chemicals, said chemical container supplying said one or more chemicals along said chemical inlet conduit to said tank. 
     
     
         9 . The footbath system according to  claim 8  wherein said chemical container is a hopper storing one or more powder chemicals, and wherein said chemical inlet conduit transports said powder chemicals to said tank. 
     
     
         10 . The footbath system according to  claim 6  wherein said tank has a first inlet conduit receiving water from said water source, a second inlet conduit receiving one or more chemicals from said chemical source, and an outlet conduit supplying said pre-mixed footbath liquid to said pan. 
     
     
         11 . The footbath system according to  claim 1  wherein said footbath liquid consists solely of said water. 
     
     
         12 . The footbath system according to  claim 1  wherein said footbath liquid comprises said water and one or more chemicals. 
     
     
         13 . The footbath s stem according to  claim 1  wherein said pan has walls containing footbath liquid therein, said walls comprising upstream and downstream end walls and a pair of sidewalls extending axially therebetween, said end walls and said sidewalls having a height sufficient to contain footbath liquid around the livestock's hooves, the livestock initially stepping into said pan over said upstream end wall and then walking axially while between said sidewalls and then exiting said pan by stepping over said downstream end wall, each of said end walls having a respective length extending laterally between said sidewalls, each of said sidewalls having a respective length extending axially between said end walls, an inlet supplying said liquid into said pan, a door having a closed position retaining said liquid in said pan, and having an open position draining said liquid from said pan, said door comprising at least a portion of a designated one of said walls, said door having an edge pivoted on a hinge about a pivot axis, and an opposite edge swingable in an arc about said pivot axis between said closed position and said open position. 
     
     
         14 . The footbath system according to  claim 13  wherein said door is pivoted about an upper edge on said hinge about an upper pivot axis, and wherein said opposite edge is a lower edge swingable in an arc about said upper pivot axis between said closed position and said open position. 
     
     
         15 . The footbath system according to  claim 13  wherein said door is at said downstream end wall and extends laterally along said downstream end wall. 
     
     
         16 . The footbath system according to  claim 15  wherein said pan is axially elongated along a longitudinal axis, and said sidewalls extend axially longitudinally between said end walls. 
     
     
         17 . The footbath system according to  claim 1  wherein said pan has walls containing footbath liquid therein, said walls comprising upstream and downstream end walls and a pair of sidewalls extending axially therebetween, said end walls and said sidewalls having a height sufficient to contain footbath liquid around the livestock's hooves, the livestock initially stepping into said pan over said upstream end wall and then walking axially while between said sidewalls and then exiting said pan by stepping over said downstream end wall, each of said end walls having a respective length extending laterally between said sidewalls, each of said sidewalls having a respective length extending axially between said end walls, an inlet supplying said liquid into said pan, a door having a closed position retaining said liquid in said pan, and having an open position draining said liquid from said pan, said door comprising at least a portion of a designated one of said walls, said door having a length which is at least 50% of the length of said designated wall. 
     
     
         18 . The footbath system according to  claim 17  wherein said door extends along substantially the entire length of said designated wall. 
     
     
         19 . The footbath system according to  claim 17  wherein said door is at said downstream end wall. 
     
     
         20 . The footbath system according to  claim 19  wherein the lateral length of said door is less than the lateral length of said downstream end wall, and comprising tapered ramp surfaces between respective said sidewalls and said end wall and guiding flow therealong. 
     
     
         21 . The footbath system according to  claim 17  wherein said door has an edge pivoted on a hinge about a pivot axis, and has an opposite edge swingable in an arc about said pivot axis between said closed position and said open position. 
     
     
         22 . The footbath system according to  claim 1  wherein said pan has walls containing footbath liquid therein, a door having a closed position retaining said liquid in said pan, and having an open position draining said liquid from said pan, and an inlet supplying said liquid in non-turbulent flow into and along said pan. 
     
     
         23 . The footbath system according to  claim 22  wherein said inlet comprises an inlet manifold having one or more flow ports along a given span, and said door is distally opposite said flow ports and has a length at least as great as said span. 
     
     
         24 . The footbath system according to  claim 22  wherein said inlet comprises an inlet manifold having one or more flow ports, and wherein said non-turbulent flow is along a rectilinear flow path from said flow ports to said door without eddy currents. 
     
     
         25 . The footbath system according to  claim 22  wherein said inlet supplies said liquid in laminar flow into and along said pan. 
     
     
         26 . The footbath system according to  claim 22  wherein said inlet supplies said liquid in transitional flow into and along said pan. 
     
     
         27 . The footbath system according to  claim 22  wherein said inlet supplies said liquid in non-turbulent flow into and along said pan in each of said closed and open positions of said door. 
     
     
         28 . The footbath system according to  claim 22  wherein said livestock comprises dairy animals. 
     
     
         29 . The footbath system according to  claim 1  comprising a plurality of said footbath pans for livestock to walk through, said pans having walls containing footbath liquid therein, a water tank separate from said pans, said tank having a first inlet conduit receiving water from a water source for containment in said tank to provide said footbath liquid, said tank having an outlet conduit supplying said footbath liquid to said pans, said outlet conduit comprising an upstream segment receiving said footbath liquid from said tank, and a plurality of parallel downstream segments receiving said footbath liquid in parallel from said upstream segment and supplying said footbath liquid to respective said pans, a plurality of valves, each in a respective one of said downstream segments and having an on state permitting liquid flow from said tank through said upstream segment then through the respective said downstream segment to the respective said pan, and having an off state blocking said liquid flow. 
     
     
         30 . The footbath system according to  claim 29  wherein said tank comprises a combined water containing and chemical mixing tank separate from said pans, said tank having a second inlet conduit receiving one or more chemicals from one or more chemical sources for mixing in said tank to provide a pre-mixed said footbath liquid, said outlet conduit supplying said pre-mixed footbath liquid to said pans. 
     
     
         31 . A method for treating hooves of livestock, comprising:
 providing a footbath system comprising a footbath pan for livestock to walk through, said pan having walls containing footbath liquid therein;   providing a water containing tank separate from said pan;   supplying water from a water source to said tank to provide said footbath liquid;   supplying said footbath liquid from said tank to said pan.   
     
     
         32 . The method according to  claim 31  comprising:
 providing said tank with an inlet conduit receiving water from said water source, providing said tank with an outlet conduit supplying said footbath liquid to said pan; 
 disposing said tank in serial fluid flow communication between said inlet conduit and said outlet conduit; 
 supplying said water to flow from upstream to downstream from said inlet conduit into said tank and then from said tank to said outlet conduit; 
 isolating said outlet conduit from said inlet conduit by said tank therebetween such that liquid pressure in said outlet conduit supplying said footbath liquid to said pan is isolated from water pressure in said inlet conduit supplying water from said water source. 
 
     
     
         33 . The method according to  claim 31  comprising:
 providing said tank as a combined water containing and chemical mixing tank separate from said pan; 
 supplying one or more chemicals from a chemical source to said tank; 
 mixing said water and said one or more chemicals in said tank to provide a pre-mixed said footbath liquid; 
 supplying said pre-mixed footbath liquid from said tank to said pan. 
 
     
     
         34 . The method according to  claim 33  comprising:
 providing said tank with an inlet conduit receiving water from said water source, providing said tank with an outlet conduit supplying said pre-mixed footbath liquid to said pan; 
 disposing said tank in serial fluid flow communication between said inlet conduit and said outlet conduit; 
 supplying said water to flow from upstream to downstream from said inlet conduit into said tank and then from said tank to said outlet conduit; 
 isolating said outlet conduit from said inlet conduit by said tank therebetween such that liquid pressure in said outlet conduit supplying said pre-mixed footbath liquid to said pan is isolated from water pressure in said inlet conduit supplying water from said water source. 
 
     
     
         35 . The method according to  claim 33  comprising:
 providing said tank with a chemical inlet conduit; 
 providing said chemical source as a chemical container storing one or more chemicals; 
 supplying said one or more chemicals from said chemical container along said chemical inlet conduit to said tank. 
 
     
     
         36 . The method according to  claim 35  comprising:
 providing said chemical container as a hopper; 
 storing one or more powder chemicals in said hopper; 
 transporting said powder chemicals along said chemical inlet conduit to said tank. 
 
     
     
         37 . The method according to  claim 31  comprising providing said footbath liquid solely as water. 
     
     
         38 . The method according to  claim 31  comprising providing said footbath liquid comprising both water and one or more chemicals. 
     
     
         39 . A method for treating hooves of livestock, comprising:
 providing a footbath system for livestock comprising a footbath pan for livestock to walk through, said pan having walls containing footbath liquid therein;   providing said pan with a door having a closed position retaining said liquid in said pan, and having an open position draining said liquid from said pan;   providing said pan with an inlet;   supplying said liquid from said inlet in non-turbulent flow into and along said pan.   
     
     
         40 . The method according to  claim 39  comprising supplying said liquid in laminar flow into and along said pan. 
     
     
         41 . The method according to  claim 39  comprising supplying said liquid in transitional flow into and along said pan. 
     
     
         42 . The method according to  claim 39  comprising supplying said liquid in non-turbulent flow into and along said pan in each of said closed and open positions of said door. 
     
     
         43 . The method according to  claim 39  comprising providing said system with a drain mode, a flush mode, and a fill mode, and comprising:
 in said drain mode, opening said door without liquid flow into said pan; 
 in said flush mode, opening said door and supplying said liquid in non-turbulent flow into and along said pan; 
 in said fill mode, closing said door and supplying said liquid in non-turbulent flow into and along said pan. 
 
     
     
         44 . The method according to  claim 43  comprising, during said fill mode, additionally supplying one or more chemicals into said pan through the same said inlet supplying said liquid in said non-turbulent flow.