For dairy farmers a feed front in which animals can be locked is a simple and convenient management tool. For many reasons (teat end closure, vet visit, locomotion check, etc.) the dairy farmer can have a need for locking the animals. As life on a farm is dynamic it unfortunately happens that releasing the animals is forgotten.
Feed front signalling puts on a visual signal when the feed front is in locking mode, and, based on a defined time out, will create an alarm on the farmers smart phone. Thus the animals can’t be forgotten anymore; increasing animal welfare, improving production, supporting management.
Monitoring the mode of a feed front has not been done before, neither has giving a signal. When the feed front is in locking mode this will be made visible by a red lamp. The lamp to be installed where it is best seen. The App Feed Front Signalling, on the farmer’s smart phone, will create an alarm when the predefined time out is reached. This alarm can be snoozed; only by opening the feed front the alarm will stop.
The mode of the feed front is monitored by a proximity sensor in the operating handle. The operating handle is connected to a specific feed front section on the farm. When the feed front is put in locking mode a lamp will switch on. In the App the dairy farmer can define the time he allows the animals to be locked in the feed front. Once this period (time out) is passed the App will send an alarm; to be reset when the animals are released from the feed front.