MXPA06007656A - Device and method for cooling cattle in sheds. - Google Patents

Abstract

A method and apparatus is described for moistening cattle, especially cows (61), in sheds, and taking into account the effect of the wind. Rows of sprayers (60) are provided which project water sprays (64) directed toward the cattle. The sprayers may be angularly shifted to take into account the deviating effect of the wind. Processing means calculate the angular shift that is needed for the existing wind direction and intensity. All the sprayers concurrently receive the angular shift. Preferably said shift is transmitted to the first sprayer from a control station and successively from each sprayer to the next. In this way, a plurality of sprayers can be controlled even if they are not arranged in straight lines or at the same level, depending on the structure of the cattle shed.

Description

DEVICE AND METHOD TO COOL LIVESTOCK IN STABLES FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for cooling livestock, by means of coordinated groups of spray devices that direct spray flows to rows of said livestock in a controlled manner that takes into account environmental conditions. In particular, although not exclusively, said Cattle are cows and the cooling apparatus and method are applied when the cows are inside a barn and the relevant environmental conditions are defined by the prevailing wind flows.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION One of the requirements for high milk production in summer is to relieve stress by heat. Several studies have determined that milk production can be increased by installing cooling systems ("Interactions Between Body Condition at Calving and Cooling of Dairy Cows during Lactation in Summer", Flamenbaum et al, Journal of Dairy Science, Vol. 78, No. 10 , 1995 and "Dry Period Heat Stress Relief Effects on Prepartum Progesterone, Calf Birth Weight, and Milk Production", Wolfenson et al, Journal of Dairy Science, Vol. 71, No. 3, 1988). A side benefit of the installation of these cooling systems is that the reproductive performance of the cows can be improved with cooling. A prior art cooling system generally consists of an air distribution duct to direct a turbulent air flow to the cows and a separate water line that ends with a nozzle that produces dew. The nozzles are frequently used, in contrast to the discharge directly from a hose, to conserve water. Sprinklers that are located in the feed area of a dairy farm generally provide additional cooling, reducing the required fan power and allowing a marginally hot cow to be much more comfortable. Because cows sweat only a tenth as compared to humans, a dew fan cooling system removes surface heat and increases the vaporization of skin moisture. This body cooling effect improves comfort and increases milk production. Although the prior art systems provide adequate cooling, they have some disadvantages. First, an excessive amount of water is wasted. The cooling water is not necessarily directed to the cows, but rather is discharged throughout a wide region, e.g. within the feeding area, so that an optimal number of cows with heat will be cooled by water spray. In order to spray water throughout a wide region, a pump and steel pipes are required, so that the water can be supplied to a spray device at a pressure of approximately 40 atmospheres. Second, cows may not look for a comfort zone cooled with dew, so the spray may not be used effectively. Water that does not reach the cow's hair cover falls to the ground. Third, water that falls to the ground usually accumulates in puddles, serving as a source of disease for cows, such as mastitis, especially in conjunction with cows' droppings, despite the constant operation of a fan that functions additionally as a means to dry the soil. In addition, the water is sometimes sprayed on the face of the cows, causing them much discomfort. The co-pending patent application WO 03/066168 A1 discloses a spray device comprising a fan to produce a vapor flow and expel it to a predetermined location, viz. to a cattle head, typically a cow. It is established in that site that, when the cows are distributed along a large area, particularly in the feeding area, pen and sheep pen, a plurality of spray devices can be employed, each of which directs a controllable steam spray to a different location, viz. to a different livestock head. Although the device of WO 03/066168 A1 is highly effective, it only cools a cow or other head of cattle at a time and must be operated and controlled manually by a person. Therefore, it is unsatisfactory to cool rows of cattle in a barn, particularly for prolonged periods of time, as is often the case, and with varying atmospheric conditions, since it would require a functionally and economically unacceptable use of labor. Another prior art, listed in said PCT application, should be considered as cited herein as well, by reference. A purpose of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for cooling livestock arranged in rows, in particular cows housed in a barn. A further purpose of the present invention is to provide said method and apparatus that are controlled automatically. A further purpose of the present invention is to provide said method and apparatus that automatically take into account the influence of the wind. A further purpose of the present invention is to provide said method and apparatus that minimize water consumption. A further purpose of the present invention is to provide such method and apparatus that are efficient, regardless of the configuration of the livestock barn. A further purpose of the present invention is to provide said method and apparatus that are efficient when the livestock is disposed in a plurality of rows at an angle of distance from each other. Other purposes and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The method of the present invention for cooling livestock, in particular cows, distributed in an orderly configuration, particularly in pens and, more particularly, in a stable, comprises the following steps: a) providing a plurality of spray generators; b) distributing said spray generators in a configuration corresponding to the configuration in which the livestock is distributed, particularly corresponding also to the rows of cattle in a stable; c) concurrently driving said dew generators to generate water sprays, each of which is directed basically to at least one cow body; d) detect the direction and, optionally, the speed and / or other relevant parameters, if any, of the wind; and e) concurrently change the direction of water spray according to the direction and, optionally, the speed and / or other relevant parameters, if any, of the wind, so that each spray continues to be directed basically at minus a cow body. Although the cattle are usually cows, it can also be another type of livestock. Although the ordered configuration in which it is generally distributed is the configuration in rows in a barn, it could be a different configuration, as long as the spray generators are distributed in a corresponding configuration, so that water sprays can reach the livestock, and it is not necessary for cattle to be in a stable. All the variants mentioned are included in the invention. The apparatus of the present invention for chilling livestock, generally cows, distributed in an ordered configuration, particularly in rows and, more particularly, in a barn, comprises the following components: I. - a plurality of water spray generators, arranged in a configuration corresponding to said orderly configuration of the cattle; II.- actuation means to act concurrently and stop concurrently all of said water spray generators; III.- Wind detector means to detect the direction and, optionally, the speed and / or other relevant parameters, if any, of the wind; IV.- Kinematic connection means to control concurrently the direction of the water sprays generated by said water spray generators; and V. means for actuating said kinematic means in accordance with the direction and, optionally, the speed and / or other relevant parameters, if any, of the wind detected by said detection means. Preferably, if said water spray generators, hereinafter referred to collectively as "sprinklers", are considered arranged in a succession, in particular in a row or rows, said kinematic means connect each of the sprinklers with the following and at the same time they change or adjust, if and when required, the direction of the water sprays generated by them. The direction of water sprays is changed or adjusted by angularly shifting sprinklers around a basically vertical axis. Preferably, each of the sprinklers comprises a fan having blades defining a blade diameter, as well as a protective grid, and comprising a nozzle unit for feeding water from a supply conduit, which is mounted centrally. on the downstream side of the grid and the blades. Said sprinklers can be as described in the aforementioned document WO03 / 066168 A1, although they can also be different. In the embodiment described in WO 03/066168 A1, each nozzle unit is basically concentric with respect to the blades of the fan, comprises one or more nozzles located substantially symmetrically with respect to the center of the blades of the fan and has, preferably, a low profile, viz. It creates the least possible disturbance to the air flow generated by the fan. The pressure of the liquid introduced into the nozzle unit is relatively low pressure, which ranges from 4 to 6 atmospheres. In order that the direction of water spray generated by the sprinklers can be controlled, each of said sprinklers must be pivotally movable about a vertical axis. Changes in the direction and speed of the wind also affect the scale of water spray, which is reduced / increased, everything else being equal, as the wind component along the desired direction of water spray is reduced / increase. In a limiting condition, if that component is reversed, viz. if the wind blows in the direction opposite to that desired direction, the scale of the water spray is reduced / increased as that component increases / decreases and said scale can become zero or even inverted. Therefore, the direction and speed of the wind and / or other relevant parameters, if any, detected by the wind detector, are preferably transmitted to a computer that generates the calculated rotation of the sprinklers around an axis vertical, viz. horizontal rotation, which is required to maintain the desired direction and scale of water sprays. Said other relevant parameters may include the humidity of the wind and its temperature. The computer issues a command to change the direction of the sprinklers only if the wind detector maintains its new position for at least several minutes, in order to eliminate the response to temporary changes in wind direction. Preferably, each of the sprinklers is mounted on a horizontal axis which is the lower side of a quadrilateral support, preferably rectangular. Said support, specifically its upper side if the support is rectangular, is integral with a short vertical axis, which is maintained and is mounted rotatably in a sleeve attached to a static element, e.g. a division, of the cattle stable. Said vertical axis carries a first gear wheel or high and a second gear or low gear. Of course, other structural arrangements are possible, as long as the sprinkler can be rotated about a vertical axis with respect to a static structural element. A control station is provided to control the direction of the sprinklers. The kinematic connection means for concurrently controlling the direction of the sprinklers, can be of any type that is convenient for the person skilled in the art but, preferably, they comprise, for each of the sprinklers, a flexible bidirectional member, viz. . a fiexibie member, e.g. a metal, plastic or textile cable, which is continuous since it comprises two ends connected at both ends thereof. A bi-directional flexible member surrounds the vertical axis of each sprinkler. The sprinkler closest to said control station will be called the first sprinkler, the next one will be called the second sprinkler, etc. until it reaches the last sprinkler. The flexible member that surrounds the vertical axis of the first sprayer also passes through a support located in said control station and will be referred to as the first flexible member. Each flexible member other than the first surrounds the vertical axes of two adjacent sprinklers, viz. a sprinkler and the preceding sprinkler, where "precedent" means the sprinkler that is closest to said sprinkler and closer to the control station. Means are provided for moving said first flexible member along itself, e.g. means for removing one of its ends and retracting the other end, from said control station, wherein said means can be actuated merely by a manual action. Transmission means are provided to translate the displacements of said ends in the rotation of said first sprayer about a vertical axis. Said transmission means may comprise, in one embodiment of the invention, the first / second gear mentioned above of the first sprayer and a first coupling gear, viz. row of gear teeth, carried by said first flexible member. The first / second gear of the first sprayer is coupled with a second gear carried by a second bidirectional flexible member and, when said wheel rotates, it displaces said second flexible member along itself. Said second flexible member engages a first / second gear inserted in the vertical axis of the second sprayer and, when traveling along itself, causes said first / second gear to rotate. The rotation is then transmitted from the first sprayer to the second and is transmitted in the same way from the second sprayer to the third, and so on, until reaching the last sprayer. In this way, the desired rotation is made along the row of sprinklers from the closest to the control point to the farthest. The scale of water sprays also depends on the inclination of sprinklers, viz. of the angle that makes the axis of each of the sprinklers with a horizontal plane. Therefore, it may be desirable, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, to vary or adjust said inclination. This would require turning the sprinkler around a horizontal axis, which can be done manually. However, if desired, such rotation, as well as other actions that might be desirable for the operation of sprinklers, being that said other actions are described, for example, in WO03 / 066168 A1, could be generated and controlled by means of control, generally electromagnetic means, known per se, which can be included in the fans or in the sprinkler supports, or else assembled in some other way. The concurrent operation of said means is within the ability of the person skilled in the art and it is not necessary to describe it. For example, one of said control means could generate and control the intermittent cooling of the cows. An optimal cooling of the cows will occur when water sprays occur intermittently. By closing the water inlet to the nozzle units of the sprinklers, the cows will not get too wet and water will be preserved. After the cows get wet and the water inlets close, the air flows can continue to flow, so that the evaporation and cooling of the cows water continues. A feature of this invention is that, since the angular adjustment is transmitted from one sprinkler to the next, adaptation to any orderly configuration of livestock and, in particular, to any stall arrangement is allowed. For example, if the cows are lined up successively along two lines that form an angle to each other, the sprinklers can be aligned in a similar way, one of them being located at the junction of the two lines. If it is not necessary to place a sprinkler in said joint: only a vertical axis that has two sprockets inserted in that place must be placed in said union and does not require to be the axis of a sprinkler. Several of these axes allow to handle more complicated configurations of livestock and / or stable arrangements and with the consequent irregular alignments of the positions of cows and sprinklers. Similarly, if the cows and, therefore, the sprinklers are successively aligned along two lines at different levels, the angular adjustment is transmitted from one sprinkler to the next, where said level changes are found, by means of slanted flexible members and the same means may be employed to transmit the angular adjustment from one sprinkler to the next in other configurations of the sprinklers in a plurality of levels.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings: Figure 1 is a front view of a spray device that revolves around a vertical axis, in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a perspective view of the spray device of Figure 1 in another angular position. Figure 3 illustrates the connection between the control station and the first sprayer in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 4 is a schematic plan view illustrating the application of the invention to two rows of cows in a barn. Figure 5A is a schematic plan view illustrating the application of the invention to two rows of cows at an angle to each other in a barn. Figure 5B is a schematic plan view illustrating the application of the invention to a barn where a closed space is formed by the route of the sprinklers. Figure 6 illustrates schematically one embodiment of the invention in which sprinklers are on two different vertical levels. Figure 7 is a detail of Figure 3 on an enlarged scale. Figure 8 is a schematic illustration of a wind detector. And figures 9 and 10 show an example of the influence of a transversal wind on the angular adjustment of the sprinklers.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED MODALITIES In Figures 1 and 2, the number 10 indicates a static element of the barn, which can be a partition or a wall, but which could also be an open structure through which water sprays can pass if the direction of the sprinklers are reversed.

The sprayer is generally indicated with 11, mounted at a convenient height on the static element 10, in the manner described hereinafter, and tilted downward as required to obtain the desired scale of water spray, taking into account said height. The sprayer 11 comprises a fan 12 and a water inlet through which a water supply pipe 13 which, as seen in figure 2, can be fed from a water manifold 35. The sprinkler is mounted on and it can be angularly displaced around horizontal pivoting means, which can consist of two pivots 14 or a horizontal rod. The pivots or the rod define the lower side of a rectangular support 16, which also includes an upper horizontal side 17 and two vertical side sides 18. Of course, said rectangular support is only an example and supports with different shapes could be used. The upper side 17 and, therefore, the support 16, is integral with an axis 21. Said axis 21 is mounted rotatably on the sleeve 19, which is attached to an arm 15, supported by the structural element 10, which keeps the sprinkler 11 at such a distance from the component 10 that said sprinkler can be rotated about a vertical axis as desired, even 180 degrees. The arm 15 is shown separately in figure 1, but in figure 2 a way of holding it of the structural element 10 is shown. The arm 15 is rigidly connected with a support 36 which, in turn, is connected with a sleeve or similar hollow member indicated with 29, attached to the structural element 10, through which wires or other connections can pass and be guided. However, this is only one example of a way in which the arm 15 can be supported by the structure element 0 and many other forms of support could be designed by the person skilled in the art and implemented to put the invention into practice. As mentioned, the shaft 21 is rotatably mounted on the sleeve 19. Any suitable means, which is not visible in Figure 1, is provided to prevent said shaft from sliding along and / or out of said sleeve , vg an annular projection may preferably be formed around the axis 21 and preferably coupled with an annular seat on the inner surface of the sleeve 19, or said projection can be formed around the internal surface of said sleeve and be coupled with a corresponding seat formed on the surface of said axis. The shaft 21 carries an upper gear 23 and a lower gear 24. A bi-directional flexible member is generally indicated by 25 and comprises two ends 26 and 27. It also comprises a gear 28, viz. a row of gear teeth, located where it engages with the lower gear 24. The other end of the member 25 is not seen in Figure 1, but is similar to the end of the bi-directional flexible elements 30 that will now be described and counted. with a gear, viz. a row of gear teeth, which engages with the gear wheel carried by the preceding sprayer shaft or, if the sprayer shown is the first, this is coupled with an element of a control station, as will be described later on in FIG. present when reference is made to figure 3.

The bidirectional flexible member 30 comprises the ends 31 and 32, as well as the gear 33. The gear 33 engages with the upper gear 23 of the spindle 21 of the sprayed sprayer. When said shaft is rotated, the sprocket 23 causes one end 31 to 32 to retract and the other end to exit. The bidirectional flexible member 30 engages with a sprocket on the axis of the next sprayer, which is not seen in Figure 1. Therefore, if the sprayer shaft 21 is rotated at a certain angle, the axis of the next sprayer It will be rotated at the same angle and said rotation will be transferred from one sprayer shaft to the next, all along the row of sprinklers. If a sprinkler is missing, but it is in an axis similar to a sprinkler shaft, the rotation will be transmitted in the same way. At the control station, means are provided for holding the first bidirectional flexible member and for displacing said member to retract one end and draw the other end. The simplest way to provide this is to fix on the control station an axle carrying a gear wheel and provide means for manually or mechanically rotating said axle to the desired angle, by means of which all sprinklers are rotated around its vertical axis. It is not necessary to provide any flexible member after the last sprayer. The control station can be programmed to activate the sprinklers so that they spray towards a desired direction during predetermined periods, during which the cattle eat. Similarly, the control station can be programmed to activate sprinklers to spray towards a different desired direction and scale during predetermined periods, during which the cattle normally rest. In this case, the control station can be programmed to activate sprinklers for spraying while oscillating within a predetermined sector. Figure 3 illustrates an embodiment of the connection of the first sprayer, generally indicated 40, to a control station generally indicated at 41. Figure 7 illustrates on an enlarged scale a detail of said connection. However, Figure 3 could also illustrate the connection between two successive sprinkler lines, establish an angle therebetween and functionally coordinate. The illustrated control station comprises an arm 42 supported on the structural element 10 in any convenient way. In the illustrated example, the arm 42 is supported by a rigid connection 43 which, in turn, joins the sleeve 47, similar to the sleeve 38 of Figure 2, which joins the structural element 10. A flexible bidirectional member 45 carries two gears, viz. rows of gear teeth 46 and 51. The arm 42 supports a motor 48. The cover 49 houses a gear transmission of the shaft of said motor 48 to the shaft 53 into which a gear 54 is inserted. The gear 54 engages with a gear 55 inserted in a shaft 56, into which a gear 50 is inserted. The gear 50 engages with the gear 51 and, therefore, when rotated, the flexible member 45 moves along itself same, viz. one end is retracted and the other is removed. The gear 46 displaces the sprayer 40 (only partially seen) in the manner previously described in relation to figures 1 and 2. Other means, in general any convenient means, could be used to move the flexible member 45 by retracting one end thereof and pulling out the other extreme. For example, an axis corresponding to the shaft 50 could be rotated manually, through a lever or in any other way. It would even be possible to replace a flat or notched wheel with the gear 50, to omit the gear 51, and to depend on the friction coupling between said flat or notched wheel and the flexible member 45. Conveniently, the cover 49 also contains the control processor that controls the operation of the device in accordance with the relevant parameters, understanding the wind parameters. Figure 4 schematically shows the operation of a row of sprinklers 60 in a barn where the cows 61 are arranged in two opposite straight rows 62 and 63. In the situation of figure 4, no wind is blowing, or else the wind It is too weak to have an influence on water spray. Therefore, each sprinkler 60 produces a dew 64 that reaches one of the cows 61, although exceptionally it could also reach a second cow, as shown with 65. Figures 4 and 5A are plan views; however, for illustrative purposes, the cows are shown as they would look in a vertical view and not a plant view. Whenever the spraying ends, the control processor tilts all the sprinklers to be in a position that is basically parallel to the cables 45, so as to save the space required for the tractors to clean the excrement from the cattle.

Figure 5A shows similar situations for a stable in which the cows 71 are arranged in two opposite rows, each of which comprises two pairs of segments 72 to 73 and 74 to 75 respectively, the segments of each pair forming an angle to each other. The sprinklers 70 are arranged in two rows and each row comprises two segments that form the same angle to each other. At the point where the two segments of each row meet, a sprinkler 76 is placed which transmits the angle of travel of the preceding sprinkler 70 'to the next sprinkler 70. Instead of the sprinkler 16, if that sprinkler is not required spray a cow, an axis must be placed to transmit said angle of movement, Figure 5B shows similar situations for a stable in which the cows 71 are disposed within the area of a closed polygon. corresponding in two rectangles and each of the rows comprises four segments that form the same angle to each other At the point where the two segments of each row are located, a sprinkler 76 is placed which transmits the angle of movement of the sprinkler preceding 70 'to the next sprinkler 70". Instead of sprinkler 16, if the sprinkler is not required to spray a cow, an axle must be placed to transmit said angle of travel. In this way, the angles of all sprinklers are changed concurrently using a single motor. The control station can cause all sprinklers to oscillate within a predetermined sector, as well as to terminate the operation of those sprinklers that are in an opposite position with respect to the wind direction. Figure 6 illustrates the case that sprinklers should be arranged in two row segments located at different levels, due to the structure of the barn. It is assumed that the sprinklers are structured as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. As in these figures, the last sprinkler 80 of the first segment has a shaft 21, which is driven by the flexible member 25 through its upper sprocket 23. However, its lower gear 24 engages with a gear 82 inserted in a first inclined axis 83, to which a second gear 84 is inserted. The gear 84 engages with the gear 86 of an inclined flexible member 85. When the axle 21 moves angularly, the sprocket 84 displaces the flexible member 85 by retracting one end thereof and removing the other end. Another gear 87 is carried by the flexible member 85 and engages with the sprocket 88 of a second inclined axis 89 and rotates said axis. Shaft 89 has another gear 90 inserted there. The sprocket 90 engages a meshing 91 carried by another flexible member 92, which transmits angular displacements to a subsequent sprayer, which is not seen in the figures, in the same manner as that described hereinabove. Figure 8 illustrates schematically a wind detector 95, which comprises a plate or flag 96 mounted on an arm 97 attached to a rotating shaft 98. Preferably, the detector 95 comprises means, such as e.g. spring means or a linear electric potentiometer, to react to the rotation of the axis 98, so that it is contained within the predetermined limits, independently of what the direction and speed of the wind could be considered possible. The rotation of the shaft 98 generates a signal, which is transmitted to the control of the apparatus. In a potentiometer implementation, the resistance scale can be divided into resistance scales, each of which consists of resistance values that correspond to turns of a selected cogwheel. The turns of said sprocket are translated by the control station to a corresponding angle of each spraying device, so that its position is adjusted and it is determined if its spraying or fan operation must be maintained or finished. It is possible to control concurrently. In extreme wind conditions, e.g. If the wind blows strongly against the desired direction of water sprays, this signal can cause sprinklers to stop their operation to avoid wasting water. Figures 9 and 10 schematically illustrate an example of the influence of wind on the angular adjustment of sprinklers. Only one row of sprinklers 100 and one row of cows, indicated schematically with 101, are shown. In Figure 9, no significant wind blows. Each of the sprinklers of water 102 is substantially symmetrical with respect to an axis 103, which is the axis of the sprinkler fan and, therefore, is perpendicular to the external surface 104 of the sprinkler. In figure 10, a significant wind 110 is blowing transverse to the row of sprinklers, from the left, as seen in the figure, viz. from the west. To take the wind into account, each of the sprinklers has been rotated an angle counterclockwise, as seen in the figure, viz. with the axis of your fan pointing approximately in a northwesterly direction. As a result, water sprays have taken the curved shape 111 and reach the cows despite the wind. Although the invention has been described and illustrated as having the purpose of chilling cattle, it should be understood that the apparatus of the invention can be used for other purposes, viz. to cool targets other than livestock, for example vegetation, other animals, greenhouses, poultry, industrial facilities, such as textiles, tails at entertainment points and this use is also within the scope of the invention. Although modalities for exemplifying the invention have been described and illustrated, it will be understood that the invention can be made with many modifications, variations and adaptations without departing from the scope of the claims.

Claims (25)

NOVELTY OF THE INVENTION CLAIMS

1. - A method for cooling livestock, in particular cows, distributed in an orderly configuration, in particular in pens and, more particularly, in a barn, which comprises the following steps: a) providing a plurality of sprinklers; b) distributing said sprinklers in a configuration corresponding to said livestock configuration; c) to act concurrently said sprinklers to generate sprinklers of water, each one of them directed basically to at least one body of cow; d) detect the direction and, optionally, the speed and / or other relevant parameters, if any, of the wind; and e) concurrently changing the direction of water sprays in accordance with the direction and, optionally, the speed and / or other relevant parameters, if any, of the wind, so that each spray continues to be directed basically at minus a cow body.

2. The method according to claim 1, further characterized because the cattle are cows.

3. The method according to claim 1, further characterized in that it comprises transmitting the wind direction and speed and / or other relevant parameters, if any, of the wind to a computer that generates the calculated change in the direction of the dew sprays. water around a vertical axis.

4. An apparatus for cooling livestock, in particular cows, distributed in an ordered configuration, in particular in rows and, more particularly, in a barn, which comprises: I.- a plurality of sprinklers, arranged in a configuration corresponding to said orderly configuration of the livestock; II.- drive means to act concurrently and stop all the sprinklers concurrently; III.- Wind detector means to detect the direction and, optionally, the speed and / or other relevant parameters, if any, of the wind; IV.- Kinematic connection means to control concurrently the direction of the water sprays generated by said water spray generators; and V. - means for actuating said kinematic means in accordance with the direction and, optionally, the speed and / or other relevant parameters, if any, of the wind detected by said detection means.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, further characterized in that the kinematic means connect each of the sprinklers with the next and change or adjust concurrently, if and when required, the direction of water sprays generated by the same.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, further characterized in that the kinematic means change or adjust the direction of water spray by angularly displacing the sprinklers around a basically vertical axis.

7. The apparatus according to claim 4, further characterized in that each of the sprinklers comprises, preferably, a fan having blades defining a blade diameter, as well as a protective grid, and comprising a nozzle unit for feeding water from a supply conduit, which is mounted centrally on the downstream side of the grate and the blades.

8. The apparatus according to claim 4, further characterized in that each of the sprinklers can be pivoted about a vertical axis.

9. The apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a computer that introduces the wind direction and speed and / or other relevant parameters, if any, detected by the wind detector, as well as generates the calculated rotation of sprinklers around a vertical axis that is required to maintain the desired direction and scale of water sprays.

10. The apparatus according to claim 4, further characterized in that the other relevant parameters of the wind include the humidity of the wind and its temperature.

11. The apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that each of the sprinklers is mounted on an integral support with a vertical axis, said axis being rotatably mounted in a sleeve connected to said static element.

12. The apparatus according to claim 4, further characterized in that the vertical axis carries a first gear wheel and a second gear wheel.

13. The apparatus according to claim 4, further characterized in that it comprises a control station for controlling the direction of the sprinklers.

14. The apparatus according to claim 4, further characterized in that the kinematic connection means for concurrently controlling the direction of the sprinklers comprises, for each sprinkler, a bidirectional flexible member comprising two ends connected at both ends and that surround the vertical axis of each sprinkler.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14, further characterized in that it comprises a control station for controlling the direction of the sprinklers and in that the first flexible member, which surrounds the vertical axis of the first sprinkler, also surrounds a support located in the control station.

16. The apparatus according to claim 14, further characterized in that each flexible member other than the first surrounds the vertical axes of two adjacent sprinklers.

17. - The apparatus according to claim 14, further characterized in that it comprises means for moving the first flexible member along itself from the control station, as well as transmission means for moving the displacements of said flexible member around a vertical axis.

18. The apparatus according to claim 14, further characterized in that it comprises transmission means for transmitting the rotation of one sprinkler preceding the next.

19. The apparatus according to claim 18, further characterized in that the transmission means comprise a first gear that can rotate with the preceding sprinkler, a gear carried by the flexible member that engages with both sprinklers, said gear engaging with said first gear wheel, as well as a second gear wheel that can rotate with the next sprayer, said gear also engaging with said second gear wheel.

20. The apparatus according to claim 4, further characterized in that it comprises means for rotating each of the sprinklers about a horizontal axis.

21. The apparatus according to claim 4, further characterized in that it comprises means for causing and controlling the intermittent cooling of the cows.

22. The apparatus according to claim 4, further characterized in that the sprinklers are successively aligned along at least two segments that form an angle between each other and a sprinkler or vertical shaft having two inserted sprockets in that place they are located in the union of said two segments.

23. The apparatus according to claim 4, further characterized in that the sprinklers are aligned successively along at least two segments at different levels from each other, said apparatus further comprising a flexible inclined member that transmits angular displacement from the last sprinkler of a segment to the first sprinkler of the next segment, a first inclined axis rotatably connected to said last sprinkler, a second inclined axis rotatably connected to said first sprinkler, said inclined flexible member connecting said first and second inclined axes .

24. The apparatus according to claim 23, further characterized in that the last sprinkler of a segment to the first sprinkler of the next segment are each provided with a vertical axis having an additional sprocket inserted there, the first inclined axis being rotatably connected to said last sprayer by means of a sprocket inserted in said first inclined axis and engaging with the additional sprocket inserted in the vertical axis of said last sprayer, while the second inclined axis is rotatably connected with said sprocket. first sprayer by means of a sprocket inserted in the second inclined axis and connecting with the additional sprocket inserted in the vertical axis of said first sprayer.

25. - The apparatus according to claim 13, further characterized in that the control station comprises detecting means for detecting the wind direction and speed, as well as processing means for calculating, from the detected direction and speed and optionally other parameters of wind, the desired angular displacement of sprinklers around basically vertical axes.