Russian scientists create device for pushing feed to cows

"The autonomous feed pusher we developed effectively solves the pressing problem of some of the feed being unavailable to animals. Often, during feeding, animals involuntarily scatter feed in front of them, which subsequently prevents them from reaching it. This leads to spoilage and loss of valuable feed, malnutrition of livestock and, as a consequence, the development of various diseases. Our innovative development allows for uniform feeding of animals 24 hours a day, thereby increasing their immunity , general well-being and productivity," Rais Sabirov, associate professor of the Department of Machinery and Equipment Operation at Kazan State Agricultural University, told Gazeta.Ru.

The device is powered by batteries, which provide autonomous operation for 120 minutes without the need for recharging. The pusher is equipped with modern ultrasonic sensors for detecting obstacles, as well as a camera, gyroscope and accelerometer for precise positioning using machine vision and artificial intelligence. The programmable electronic control unit processes data from the sensors and carries out autonomous movement of the device along the feeding table according to a given algorithm.

The prototype is currently undergoing thorough testing in real conditions of livestock farms. By optimizing the feeding process, it is possible to reduce the loss of valuable feed by 12%, as well as reduce the overall costs of farms by 10%. For large livestock enterprises, this savings amounts to tens of millions of rubles per year.

In addition, providing animals with constant access to fresh feed helps strengthen their immunity, increase productivity and improve the quality of MILK.

An important advantage of the Russian autonomous feed pusher is its more affordable price compared to foreign analogues. The domestic development will cost 500 thousand rubles less.