Designing and Simulating the Control Process of a Feed Pusher Robot Used on a Dairy Farm

Abstract

Feeding cattle on livestock farms is a labor-intensive operation that requires considerable capital investments to purchase equipment and cover labour costs. The global trends in developing technological equipment for feeding cattle include the robotization of various processes. The operation of feed pushing on the feeding table is an integral part of the feeding process, which has a significant impact on livestock productivity. This study concentrates on the simulation modeling of a feed pusher robot using Simulink tools in the Matlab environment to facilitate robot modernization or optimize the final cost for artificial testing of typical system elements and reduce production costs. Based on a simulation model, an experimental sample was designed with a controlled dispenser of feed additives, which can significantly facilitate the feeding process and optimize the dosing of concentrated additives.

Keywords

• automated feeding
• dairy cattle
• modern farm cattle
• wheeled mobile robot