Animal management systems

Abstract

A system for controlling and monitoring animals, the system including control devices that are able to be fitted to the animals and arranged for communication with one another. Each control device is capable of determining the position of an animal relative to a second animal as well as the distance between animals and the relative movement of animals fitted with the control device. The system of control devices also includes a stimulus device that allows stimuli to be applied to an animal or animals based on the relative position, movement and/or distance of the respective animals to one another.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for controlling and monitoring at least two animals, comprising control devices that are adapted to be fitted to said animals and arranged for communication with one another, wherein each control device includes a distance and movement processor and a communication module, the communication module of the control devices including a transmitter and a receiver configured to transmit and receive radio frequency signals to communicate directly with other control devices, wherein the distance and movement processor determines a distance of said control device relative to other control devices and determines relative movement of said control device with respect to other control devices using the radio frequency signals, and a trigger signal generator arranged to generate a trigger signal upon comparison of values of the determined distance and relative movement with one or more predetermined or situation-dependent selectable distance and relative movement threshold values deviating from allowable values thereof, the system further comprising at least one stimulus application device that is adapted to be fitted to at least a selected one of said animals and arranged for selective application of a stimulus to the animal upon activation by the trigger signal. 
     
     
         2 . A system for controlling and monitoring at least two animals, comprising control devices that are adapted to be fitted to animals and arranged for communication with one another, wherein each control device includes: a positioning device, a distance and movement processor, and a communication module including a transmitter and a receiver configured to transmit and receive radio frequency signals to communicate directly with other control devices, wherein the positioning device determines a position of the animals fitted with such control device, and wherein the distance and movement processor determines a distance between the animals and relative movement of the animals relative to one another using the radio frequency signals; the system further comprising: at least one stimulus application device arranged for selective application of a stimulus to an animal carrying said device, the stimulus application device being arranged to be responsive to one or more of the control devices; and a processor that determines a need to apply a stimuli to the animal in response to the determination of at least one of the position, distance and relative movement and comparison thereof with one or more predetermined or situation-dependent selected attributes thereof. 
     
     
         3 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein said control devices further include: a processor and storage device for determining the distance and the relative movement and effecting comparison thereof with stored predetermined allowable threshold values for relative position, distance, and/or movement. 
     
     
         4 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the control devices further utilize additional attributes not related to relative position, distance and/or movement to determine whether the stimulus, and strength or intensity thereof, needs to be applied to one or more of the animals. 
     
     
         5 . A system according to  claim 4 , wherein said additional attributes include one or more of environmental attributes, animal identity, sex and behavior. 
     
     
         6 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein said control devices are arranged to allow data transmission along a chain of said control devices. 
     
     
         7 . A system according to  claim 6 , wherein said data includes a unique control device identifier. 
     
     
         8 . A system according to  claim 1 , the system further including one or more secondary sensors associated with said control devices for monitoring animal centric and/or environmental attributes. 
     
     
         9 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the control devices are arranged to allow data to be acquired from and/or provided to, a selected control device.