GB2468209A - Animal pens - Google Patents

Abstract

An animal pen structure comprises first and second frames 12, 13, one of which is fixed in position relative to a fixed structure 10 such as a wall and the other 13 of which is fixed to an existing gate 11. Said first and second frames are provided with cooperating fastener formations 16, 17 whereby they can interengage such that, in conjunction with the fixed structure and the existing gate they define a substantially rectangular pen. The structure allows an animal to be restrained at one side of the existed before being released to the other side. The gate may be formed in two parts the second part being an additional smaller gate (26, fig 6).

Description

ANIMAL PENS

Field of the Invention

This invention relates to animal pens, i.e. to pens within which animals can be restrained while treatments are carried out on them.

Such treatments may include the carrying out of vaccinations, worming, foot trimming, weighing and the like.

In order to carry out husbandry tasks such as those mentioned above, the animal to be treated must be separated from others in the herd and then held securely. This normally takes two people, first of all to corner and catch the animal, then one to hold the head and neck area and the other to steady the rear end of the animal while carrying out the required task. The animal may become very stressed as a result of being held very closely, seeking to escape all the time and the carrying out of relatively simple husbandry tasks can become a struggle, even for two people.

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide an improved form of animal pen structure.

The animal pen structure of the present invention has been developed in relation to use thereof with alpacas, but can be used for other animals.

Sum mary of the Invention According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided an animal pen structure comprising first and second frames, one of which is intended to be fixed in position relative to a fixed structure and the other of which is intended to be fixed to an existing gate, said first and second frames being provided with cooperating fastener formations whereby they can interengage such that, in conjunction with the fixed structure and the existing gate, they define a substantially rectangular pen.

The term "fixed structure" as used above includes a wall, fence, gate or the like.

Each of said first and second frames is preferably mounted on a fixed bracket intended to be attached to either the fixed structure or the existing gate.

The frame intended to be fixed to the existing gate may include a plurality of vertical bars and the cooperating fastener formations of the other frame are then preferably such that they can engage with a selected one of the vertical bars.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided the combination of a pen structure as defined above in combination with an additional gate, in place of the existing gate, the additional gate itself including a smaller gate.

According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of carrying out a husbandry task that includes the use of the animal pen structure as defined above.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Figure 1 is a schematic plan view of an animal pen showing the movements of the pen components during closing thereof, Figure 2 is a schematic plan view of the animal pen of Figure 1 showing opening of the pen, Figure 3 is a perspective view of the animal pen of Figure 1, Figure 4 is a perspective view of the animal pen of Figure 1 showing the provision of a strap, Figure 5 is a front view of an additional gate, Figure 6 is a perspective view showing a pen that includes the additional gate of Figure 5, Figure 7 is a perspective view of a pen that includes means for the provision of multiple width settings, and Figure 8 is a plan view of a pen for larger animals.

Description of the Preferred Embodiments

The animal pen structure shown in Figures 1 to 4 of the drawings is designed for use at a location where there is an existing wall, fence, gate or the like 10 that extends at right angles to an existing gate 11. The animal pen structure comprises two frames 12 and 13 pivotally mounted on fixing brackets 14 and 15 designed to be attached to the existing wall 10 and to the existing gate 11 respectively. The first frame 12 has a length greater than the length of the animals to be penned and the second frame 13 has a length greater than the width of the animals to be penned. Thus, when the first and second frames 12 and 13 are in their closed positions, a rectangular enclosure is defined within which an animal, such as an alpaca, can be penned.

The ends of the frames 12 and 13 remote from the fixing brackets 14, 15 are provided with cooperating releasable fastener formations 16 and 17 and the arrangement is such that, when the frames 12 and 13 are swung into the positions shown in Figure 3, the fastener formations 16 and 17 will engage with one another to hold the frames 12 and 13 in their closed positions.

As shown, each frame 12, 13 comprises a number of horizontal bars extending between two vertical bars. Other gate designs that permit access to an animal that has been penned are, of course, possible.

In the particular arrangement shown in Figures 1 and 2, the gate 11 is shown as extending at right angles to an existing wall or fence 18 though the gate 11 could, of course, be effectively a continuation of an existing wall or fence.

With the frames 12 and 13 fully open, it is very easy to guide an animal into the corner defined by the junction between the wall and the gate 11. The first frame 12 is then pivoted into position alongside the animal and the second frame 13 is pivoted into position behind the animal so that the fastener formations 16 and 17 interengage to close the frames 12 and 13 around the animal.

The animal is thus held securely and will stand in position quietly without stress while the required husbandry task, such as vaccination or foot trimming or the like, is carried out.

The existing gate 11 has a latch 19 and this can be released by pulling on a cord (not shown) once the husbandry task has been completed. The gate 11 can then be opened, as shown in Figure 2, and the animal let out of the pen on the side of the pen opposite to the handler. Once the animal has left the pen, the existing gate 11 can then be closed and the frames 12 and 13 can then be opened ready for the next animal. It is to be noted that, as shown in Figure 2, when the existing gate 11 is in its open position, the gate opening is closed by the two frames 12 and 13 preventing the passage of other animals through the gate opening. The person carrying out the husbandry task can thus ensure that all the animals in a herd are treated one at a time.

If desired, and as shown in Figure 4, a flexible strap 20 may be provided. This can be attached to one of the bars of the existing gate 11 and then passed over an animal before being attached to one of the horizontal bars of the first frame 12.

Figure 5 shows an additional gate 21 that can be used in place of the existing gate 11. The additional gate 21 includes a vertical rectangular frame 22 on one upright 23 of which are mounted fixings 24 for attachment of the additional gate 21 to a wall or other structure, e.g. the post 25 shown in Figure 6. Within the rectangular frame 22 there is a smaller gate 26 having a latch 27 and, to the other upright 28 of the rectangular frame 22, there is attached a gate structure having a latch 29.

The additional gate 21 is used in the manner illustrated in Figure 6. The first and second frames 12 and 13 are used in the manner described above with reference to Figures 1 to 3 and, in this case, the first frame 12 is provided with a locking catch 30. The use of the additional gate 21 enables the operator to pen an animal in readiness for the carrying out of a husbandry task, and then go through the smaller gate 26 to obtain access to the other side of the penned animal, or for any other reason, either before, during or after the carrying out of the husbandry task.

A locking catch such as that shown at 30 may be provided for any or all of the embodiments of the present invention.

The second frame 13 shown in Figures ito 3 and 6 includes a pair of vertical side members and a number of horizontal members interconnecting the two side members. In contrast with this, the second frame 13A shown in Figure 7 includes top and bottom horizontal members and a number of vertical members. The first frame 12 of Figure 7 has top and bottom horizontal frame members that terminate in hook formations that can engage with a selected one of the vertical members of the second frame I 3A. The first frame 12 is also provided with a locking catch 30.

After an animal has been appropriately positioned, the first and second frames 12 and i3A will be moved into the positions shown in Figure 7 and the hook formations of the first frame 12 will be engaged with a selected one of the vertical members of the second frame 13A, depending on the length and width of the animal being penned and depending on whether or not the operator wishes to get into the pen with the animal. In a further modification, (not shown in the drawings) the second frame is extendible in width to cater for use with animals of varying widths. The first frame may also be extendible in length to cater for animals of different lengths.

Figure 8 shows another configuration for the second frame 13B. The second frame 13B is larger than the second frame 13 shown in Figures 1 to 3 and is designed for use with larger animals, such as llamas.

Advantages of the animal pen structure of the present invention are thus that:-each animal is held in a much more stress-free environment with no struggling or very little struggling, the carrying out of husbandry tasks is a one-person operation thus saving labour costs or permitting better use of available labour on the farm, there is a safer working environment for the operator, and vaccination and other husbandry tasks can be carried out with ease.

Claims (6)

1. Claims:- 1. An animal pen structure comprising first and second frames, one of which is intended to be fixed in position relative to a fixed structure (as herein defined) and the other of which is intended to be fixed to an existing gate, said first and second frames being provided with cooperating fastener formations whereby they can interengage such that, in conjunction with the fixed structure and the existing gate, they define a substantially rectangular pen.
2. 2. An animal pen structure as claimed in Claim 1, in which each of said first and second frames is mounted on a fixed bracket intended to be attached to either the fixed structure or the existing gate.
3. 3. An animal pen structure as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the frame intended to be fixed to the existing gate includes a plurality of vertical bars and the cooperating fastener formations of the other frame are such that they can engage with a selected one of the vertical bars.
4. 4. An animal pen structure substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.
5. 5. An animal pen structure as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 3 in combination with an additional gate, in place of the existing gate, the additional gate itself including a smaller gate.
6. 6. A method of carrying out a husbandry task that includes the use of the animal pen structure as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.