Animal feed dispensing apparatus and a system for dispensing animal feed

摘要

606980 Disclosed is an animal feed dispensing apparatus (2) and a system for dispensing discrete predefined quantities of animal feed to animals. The system allows the ratios of ingredients to be varied before dispensing as well as tracking the quantities of feed dispensed to each animal. The animal feed dispensing apparatus (2) comprises an animal feed dispenser (5); a means for accessing data containing particulars; an identifying means; a dispensing means; a monitoring means and a communicating means. The means for accessing data contains particulars of discrete predefined quantities of animal feed. The identifying means comprises a radio frequency and determines the identity of an animal approaching the dispenser and produces an identity signal. The dispensing means in the form of an auger dispenses a discrete predefined quantity of the animal feed from the dispenser (5) appropriate to the identified animal in response to the identity signal. The monitoring means monitors the dispensing means and is responsive to failure of the dispensing means to dispense some or all of the animal feed by producing an alert signal. The communicating means communicates with a remote communications device such as a remote computer or mobile phone to communicate the alert signal to the remote communications device.