Animal Sciences
New Zealand
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Our project for New Zealand came as a result of the research work being performed at the University of Illinois. Once we were able to license the technology that we had developed for the U of I we were then able to commercialize this for others to benefit from and the Grasslands Research Centre in New Zealand contacted us for a custom system based upon what we had completed for the U of I and Dr. Ryan Dilger.
This new system for Ag Research in NZ put demands on us to create new food denial and feeding trough drainage systems that would be controlled by the automated dispensing system which is programmed via a touch screen system.
This system for Ag Research is special in that it is autonomous from any large software program like the U of I uses which is Labview. The system sent to New Zealand is a 6 cage package that has each master cage having space for up to 4 piglets and accommodates growth of each piglet in this space up to a given weight and week cycle.
The food is liquid and is dispensed in our custom proprietary containers which have a mixing system for nutritional diet formulas. Each pot holds a certain volume of liquid as specified by the researcher. The automated system dispenses the liquid on a milliliter volume per shot and allows for a nearly 100 dispensing over as little time or as great as desired. Most will provide this liquid over a 24 hour period however based upon typical needs of an animal they may dispense quickly or as called for by the animal depending on the system purchased from us.
In some cases the research is requiring that the formula diet is provided and exposed to the animal for a certain period of time. If the animal does not eat the fluid is drained automatically into a container outside the caging system and is weighed later and put into the equation of what the animal chose to eat or refused.
The piglet is typically weighed on a daily basis, the fluid for that given day is provided in the mixing container which basically keeps the already mixed diet in suspension. The liquid diet is provided quietly and consistently into the food bowl in the cage and as the study goes on the piglet is weighed and measured and checked for health.
Each cage system, maze or arena we build have flooring panels, side walls or even ceiling panels that allow for mounting toys. We all must have toys! Animals are studied by who toy they choose, how often, left or right turns and if they tire of a certain toy. So much is learned by the objects in the room.
Also, we strive to maintain a sense of family and societal familiarity in a caging system. When you are housing the animal you want them to be able to see others, smell them and be close enough to them yet separate so that you can measure their feeding habits and provide diets only for that specific animal and to know they are not being eaten by their friend from the next stall.
From Clear Abrasion Resistant plastics to stainless steel to custom mounts for food bowls, water troughs and dispensers, toys and other devices including cameras we have incorporated into each system we build for the benefit of all.
This new system for Ag Research in NZ put demands on us to create new food denial and feeding trough drainage systems that would be controlled by the automated dispensing system which is programmed via a touch screen system.
This system for Ag Research is special in that it is autonomous from any large software program like the U of I uses which is Labview. The system sent to New Zealand is a 6 cage package that has each master cage having space for up to 4 piglets and accommodates growth of each piglet in this space up to a given weight and week cycle.
The food is liquid and is dispensed in our custom proprietary containers which have a mixing system for nutritional diet formulas. Each pot holds a certain volume of liquid as specified by the researcher. The automated system dispenses the liquid on a milliliter volume per shot and allows for a nearly 100 dispensing over as little time or as great as desired. Most will provide this liquid over a 24 hour period however based upon typical needs of an animal they may dispense quickly or as called for by the animal depending on the system purchased from us.
In some cases the research is requiring that the formula diet is provided and exposed to the animal for a certain period of time. If the animal does not eat the fluid is drained automatically into a container outside the caging system and is weighed later and put into the equation of what the animal chose to eat or refused.
The piglet is typically weighed on a daily basis, the fluid for that given day is provided in the mixing container which basically keeps the already mixed diet in suspension. The liquid diet is provided quietly and consistently into the food bowl in the cage and as the study goes on the piglet is weighed and measured and checked for health.
Each cage system, maze or arena we build have flooring panels, side walls or even ceiling panels that allow for mounting toys. We all must have toys! Animals are studied by who toy they choose, how often, left or right turns and if they tire of a certain toy. So much is learned by the objects in the room.
Also, we strive to maintain a sense of family and societal familiarity in a caging system. When you are housing the animal you want them to be able to see others, smell them and be close enough to them yet separate so that you can measure their feeding habits and provide diets only for that specific animal and to know they are not being eaten by their friend from the next stall.
From Clear Abrasion Resistant plastics to stainless steel to custom mounts for food bowls, water troughs and dispensers, toys and other devices including cameras we have incorporated into each system we build for the benefit of all.
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