Development of an Automated Cattle Feed Mixer

A prototype system has been designed to automate the use of a Cattle Feed Mixer with the aim of optimizing the efficiency, precision and consistency of the mix. Many additional nutrients are added into cattle feed at various times throughout their lactation cycle in order to produce optimum milk quantity and quality. Multiple herds also require various quantities of additional nutrients. At present these nutrients are calculated, weighed and individually added to the mixer by hand. The need for automation was apparent in this field as the quantity and quality of milk varies dramatically depending on the cattle´s supplement intake. The reported design uses separate feed tanks to control the quantity of individual powder nutrients. Peristaltic pumps and stepper motors control the quantities of liquid nutrient additives and actuators vary the feed rate of the mix and extension of the feed conveyor. To accomplish this, weigh sensors, strain gauges, rotary encoders, stepper motors, flow sensors, linear actuators and micro controllers were used. The prototype has been tested on a small scale implementation.