ANALYSIS OF ROBOTIC FEEDERS FOR LIVESTOCK COMPLEXES FOR THE CATTLE BREEDING

Abstract

Production experience shows that the development of agriculture follows the path of automation and robotization of production processes. (Research purpose) The research purpose is conducting a technological analysis of robotic devices for the preparation and/or distribution of feed mixtures at livestock complexes for the cattle breeding. (Materials and methods) Used mathematical statistics tools and software to visualize the results of the study. We analyzed the websites of manufacturers of automatic feeding systems, Russian and foreign electronic libraries of scientific literature eLibrary, Scopus, MDPI and others. (Results and discussion) The classification of the results of technological analysis was given. For the representativeness of the sample, we presented a list of machines, links to sources and analyzed parameters in the form of a table. The obtained information was investigated and statistically processed. The following parameters were determined as the basis of the analysis: type of propulsion; type of power plant or power source; presence/absence of mixing function; the design of the mixing unit; the presence/absence of a self-loading function. (Conclusions) It was revealed that 86 percent of the models in the line of manufactured robotic feeders are mobile, of which 50 percent are wheeled, and 36 percent move along suspended rail tracks. It was found that 9 percent of mobile robots operate from internal combustion engines, 44 percent - from the power grid, 47 percent - from the battery. It was shown that 59 percent of mobile robots perform the function of mixing, 41 percent - only the distribution of ready-made feed mixtures; the most common robot designs with a volume of 2-4 cubic meters. It was noted that one of the key factors determining the design of a robotic feed dispenser is the type of automatic feeding system that it is part of. It was stated that the further direction of the study will be the development of a conceptual model of an automatic feeding system for domestic farms and complexes.