IntelliTek ESF Feeding Station

The IntelliTek Feeding station is a feeding system for sows in group housing.  The station identifies the sow with an individual RFID-Eartag and provides every sow with an individual calculated feed demand.  The IntelliTek Feeding station can be equipped with additional options to execute management tasks additional to the feeding.  In order to provide a solution for each application Fancom has the following stations available:

• IntelliTek GL1, 4140680
• IntelliTek GL1 + Selection, 4140681
• IntelliTek GL1 Gilts, 4140682
• IntelliTek GL1 Gilts + Selection, 4140683
• IntelliTek GR1, 4140694
• IntelliTek GR1 + Selection, 4140695
• IntelliTek GR1 Gilts, 4140696
• IntelliTek GR1 Gilts + Selection, 4140697

Components:

For each individual IntelliTek Feeding station you need:

• one of the available versions listed above and
• a DosTek feed dispenser

Feed dispenser for IntelliTek / DosTek, part no. 4140594
Every IntelliTek Feeding station needs to be equipped with a minimum of one DosTek feed dispenser for dry feed! Optionally a second DosTek dry feed dispenser can be used in order to blend feed.  Every DosTek dispenser comes with a feed reservoir and capacitive sensor to switch off the station if the feed reservoir is empty.  In combination with the FillTek Conveyer controller, part no. 4420621, the DosTek dispenser is able to start the conveyer if the minimum feed level is reached.  If you want to run the IntelliTek Feeding station in combination with liquid feed instead of dry feed it is required to consult and clarify how to keep the liquid feed stable with this dispensing method.  In general, Fancom recommends the use of dry feed in combination with the ESF stations.

For each individual IntelliTek Feeding station the following options are available:

• ColorTek Color Marking Unit for IntelliTek, 4140610
• DryTek Control Unit for Substance Dispenser, 4140651
• DryTek Substance Dispenser for IntelliTek, 4140652
• DosTek Dry Feed Dispenser for IntelliTek, 4140594
• HeatTek G Heat Detector, 4140592 / 4140593

Control for IntelliTek Stations:

The IntelliTek Feeding stations are controlled by a Lumina TouchTek Box, part no. 7150075.  Per “sow pen” one Lumina TouchTek Box is required which is connected to all IntelliTek stations of this “sow pen”.  A “sow pen” is defined as a confined area where the sows can move around.  You can connect a maximum of eight IntelliTek stations, including one HeatTek Heat detector, per Lumina TouchTek Box.

• All IntelliTek stations within one “sow pen” need to be the same versions with the same amount of DosTek feed dispensers and equipped with the same options.
• Do not connect the IntelliTek stations of different “sow pens” to a single Lumina TouchTek Box! Use always one TouchTek Box per “sow pen”.
• In case of using a FillTek control, part no. 4420621, to fill up the DosTek dispensers all DosTek dispensers (per feed type), within one “sow pen”, have to be connected to the same feed conveyer.
• The Operation mode (“standard”, “open” or “training”) of the IntelliTek stations will be adjusted at the Lumina TouchTek Box and is valid for all IntelliTek stations within this “sow pen”.  It is not possible to adjust the IntelliTek stations, connected to one Lumina TouchTek Box, into different modes

Wiring:

The IntelliTek stations of a sow pen are connected to the Lumina TouchTek Box in a row with the Cable PioNet Liycy (TP), part no. 2881386.  The length of the cable between two IntelliTek stations (or between IntelliTek station and Lumina TouchTek Box) may not exceed 100 meters.

All Lumina TouchTek Boxes of a farm are connected to a network with an Ethernet cable CAT 5 Twisted Pair, part no. 2881385.  Within one network (farm) there is always one Lumina TouchTek Server, part no. 7150060.  The length of the cable between two Lumina TouchTek Boxes (or between Lumina TouchTek Box and Lumina Touch Server) may not exceed 100 meters.

Layout of the Sow Pen:

The sow pen, where sows are living in group housing, should be designed (in terms of size and layout) in a way that considers the natural social behavior of the sows.  It is important that all sows always have unobstructed access to the feeding stations and to the water drinkers.  Also, stress situations should be avoided.

• Number of sows per IntelliTek Feeding station:
• One IntelliTek Feeding station can serve about 60 sows.
• Needed space per sow:
• The sow pen, where sows are living in group housing, should be sized on a way that every sow can move freely and has enough space to unobstructed reach the IntelliTek Feeding station and to side step other sows.  As a guideline, we recommend an area of at least 2.3 m2 per sow.  Please consider the local legal regulations if applicable.
• Design of the sow-pen:
• The sow pen, where sows are living in group housing, should be split in an “activity area” and a “rest area”.  The IntelliTek Feeding station should be located in the center of the “activity area” in such a way that the sows can see the entrance of the station.  In front of the entrance should be enough space to allow waiting sows to escape without stress.  Behind the exit should be enough space to allow the sows to leave the stations without any obstacles.

Water supply should be located within the “activity area”, but not close to the feeding station.

The “rest area” should be equipped with rest chambers where about 8 sows can reside.  We recommend rest chambers of about 2 meters deep and the partitions should be closed in the lower area.  The “rest area” should be designed so that the sows can observe the pen and can reach every spot within the sow-pen without getting disturbed by other sows or without the need to disturb other sows.

• It is fundamentally important to ensure that lower-ranking sows can always avoid other sows.  Therefore “dead-ends” must be avoided.  Corridors should always be at least 2 meters wide.

Selection Pens:

By using an IntelliTek version with selection gate, part nos. 4140681/4140683, individual sows can be separated after leaving the station into a “selection pen”.  The size of the “selection pen” has to provide enough space for all sows who might be selected (minimum 2.3 m2 per sow).

• Overcrowding of the selection pen needs to be avoided in any case; otherwise sows could be considerable damaged.

The maximum number of sows which fit into a selection pen will be configured into the system.  The IntelliTek Feeding station comes with several safety features to reliable avoid a separation of more sows than configured.

• The size of the selection pen must not be reduced after installation and configuration of the system without changing the configuration accordingly.  Because of that, there should not be any gates or equipment that is able to reduce the size of the selection pen.
• All IntelliTek stations within one “sow pen” have to select the sows into the same selection pen.

There is the possibility to select the sows of several “sow pens” into the same “selection pen”.  In that case the size of the selection pen must be big enough to handle all selected sows of all sow pens.