Livestock feeding apparatus including a housing having a head insertion opening and a dosing device responsive to the presence of selected specimens of the livestock for presenting food within the housing. An animal may gain access to the food by inserting its head through the opening. A valve is mounted adjacent the head insertion opening for movement between a closed position in which the valve occludes the opening and an open position in which the valve does not occlude the opening. Mechanisms are provided for moving the valve to the open position when one of the selected livestock specimens is present and returning the valve to the closed position after a predetermined period of time has elapsed. The valve prevents an animal from loitering in feeding position with its head inserted in the opening.

The animal feeding and monitoring system includes an electronic identity tag having a code generator for generating a coded identifier signal uniquely associated with an animal to be identified. Electromagnetic energy from an RF field generator mounted in a feeding station is coupled into a pick-up coil in the electronic identity tag when the animal wearing the electronic identity tag approaches the feeding station. Electromagnetic energy coupled into the pick-up coil serves a source of power for the operating components of the tag. The code generator generates the coded identifier signal in response to timing pulses supplied by either an independently set RC oscillator circuit or a countdown circuit connected to the pick-up coil. A voltage detector connected to the pick-up coil is connected to gate the coded identifier signal transmissions only when sufficient power to provide error-free operation of the code generator has accumulated in the pick-up coil. Once the animal has been identified, certain control and monitoring functions can be performed under the command of a central computer. The central computer can direct the delivery of feed to the identified animal in accordance with that animal's feeding requirements. Where the animal to be identified is a cow, feed consumption, milk production and temperature measurements for a particular cow can be obtained and stored over a period of time, enabling the central computer to determine the feeding requirements for that cow. Additional monitoring and diagnostic routines can be performed by the central computer to ascertain whether the cow is in heat or has mastitis. A multiplexing arrangement permits these various control, monitoring and diagnostic routines to be performed for a plurality of animals located in adjacent feeding stations.

A control system for accessories used with small animals and pets comprises an accessory module, such as a pet flush toilet, small animals feeder, or small animals trainer, coupled with a detector systems that senses the presence of said small animal or pet at the needed location and transmits appropriate signals to a logic control segment designed for the particular accessory module employed. Such detectors do not physically restrict small animals or pets and can be passive infrared or proximity in their principles of operation. The preferred embodiment is demonstrated by controlling an accessory module comprising a pet flush toilet system with a delay-reset logic control.

A compact, animal-operated animal feeder is disclosed in which the feeder housing has a pair of foldable doors mounted over a feed opening and latched in a closed position. The doors can be unlatched by the animal, which carries a latch release device about its neck, and the natural tendency of the animal to push toward the feed will fold the doors laterally to an open position permitting access to food inside the feeder. A magnetic latch release assembly in which a plurality of permanent magnets are arranged in an array to provide a key for release of a latch having correspondingly arranged magnets is also disclosed. A compound door including a magnetically releasable latch assembly is also disclosed.