US 11,771,057 B2
Livestock management
Ronald B. Hicks, Boerne, TX (US); Sarah C. Harkleroad, San Antonio, TX (US); Jay D. J. Pennington, Boerne, TX (US); Alan W. Neidig, Round Rock, TX (US); and Robert T. Buczkiewicz, West Bend, WI (US)
Filed by HERDX, INC., Boerne, TX (US)
Filed on Dec. 14, 2017, as Appl. No. 15/842,826.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/585,408, filed on Nov. 13, 2017.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/434,341, filed on Dec. 14, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2018/0160649 A1, Jun. 14, 2018
Int. Cl. A01K 7/00 (2006.01); A01K 7/02 (2006.01); A01K 29/00 (2006.01); B64C 39/02 (2023.01); A01K 11/00 (2006.01); G01N 33/18 (2006.01); C02F 1/461 (2023.01); A01K 39/012 (2006.01); C02F 1/00 (2023.01); C02F 103/20 (2006.01); B64U 101/30 (2023.01)
CPC A01K 7/02 (2013.01) [A01K 11/00 (2013.01); A01K 11/006 (2013.01); A01K 29/00 (2013.01); A01K 29/005 (2013.01); A01K 39/012 (2013.01); B64C 39/024 (2013.01); C02F 1/008 (2013.01); C02F 1/461 (2013.01); G01N 33/18 (2013.01); B64U 2101/30 (2023.01); C02F 2103/20 (2013.01); C02F 2209/008 (2013.01); C02F 2209/04 (2013.01); C02F 2209/05 (2013.01); C02F 2209/06 (2013.01); C02F 2209/29 (2013.01); C02F 2209/40 (2013.01); C02F 2209/42 (2013.01)] 36 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A livestock management system, the system comprising:
a trough adapted to hold water for animal consumption, the trough configured and sized to provide a perimeter such that multiple animals have the space to simultaneously be adjacent to the perimeter and simultaneously access a shared reservoir in the trough so as to simultaneously consume water from the reservoir, the reservoir configured such that a molecule of water therein can interact with any other water molecule in the reservoir, and including an opening adapted to receive water being injected into the trough;
a first sensor coupled to the trough and adapted to detect a level of water in the reservoir;
a water treatment unit coupled to the trough and adapted to alter at least one property of water being injected into the trough, the injected water affecting all of the water in the reservoir; and
a controller, the controller adapted to regulate the injected water to achieve a predetermined water property for all of the water in the reservoir based on the level of water in the reservoir.