A milking method and system for preventing detachment of a teat cup from a teat of an animal during a milking process where the milking system includes a milk line connected to the teat cup, a vacuum system that applies at least two different vacuum levels to the teat cup, a measuring device configured to measure the air flow in the milk line during the milking process, and a control unit (5) that receives information about measured air flow values and to determine if the teat cup is about to be detached from the teat by comparing the measured air flow values (q.sub.a) with an acceptable value (q.sub.a, q.sub.al/t), and when the measured air flow values are not acceptable, to control the vacuum system to apply a higher vacuum level to the teat cup than the present vacuum level.

A pressure control device for a milking machine includes a housing, a vacuum inlet, and two control circuits. Each circuit includes a main vacuum passage extending through the housing from the vacuum inlet to an outlet, and a main valve configured to take one of an open position and a closed position. A pilot passage extends from the main vacuum passage and includes a pilot valve body configured to take one of an open pilot position and a closed pilot position. The pilot passage acts in the open pilot position on the main valve to move to the open position, and permits in the closed pilot position the main valve to move to the closed position. A solenoid controls the pilot valve body. A holding member receives the solenoid and is attached to the housing through a first bayonet coupling.

A milking system includes: a plurality of teat cups; a plurality of milk evacuation tubes, each one connected to a respective teat cup; a vacuum pump arrangement; a receiver, connected to the vacuum pump arrangement via a pipe, and also connected to each one of the teat cups via the respective connected milk evacuation tube, wherein an under-pressure in relation to atmospheric pressure prevails in the receiver during the milking session; and a vacuum regulator for setting the under-pressure prevailing in the receiver to a first level of under-pressure at a commencement of the milking session; and increase the under-pressure during the milking session to a second level of under-pressure.

A milking arrangement with a plurality of milk stations connected to the milk transport line, a receiver connected to the transport line that receives milk transported from the milk stations via the transport line, and a vacuum system that supplies a vacuum in the transport line via the receiver, with a cleaning liquid source connected to the transport line, a controllable injector that introduces an amount of gas into the transport line to produce a temporary pressure increase therein that causes a slug of a cleaning liquid from the cleaning liquid source to be formed and forwarded through the transport line, and a control system configured to control the operation of the injector, wherein the control system is configured to control characteristics of the slug by controlling the vacuum level supplied by the vacuum system and/or the amount of gas introduced via the controllable injector.

A milking system, including a milk line; a vacuum arrangement; a milking unit; a pulsator, configured to adjust pulsation ratio and pulsation rate of fluid pressure at two distinct levels; a receiver connected to the milk line, and also connected to the vacuum arrangement; a milk meter; and a processing device communicatively connected to the milk meter and the pulsator; the processing device is configured to, repeatedly during the milking session obtain and compare a milk flow measurement with a low milk flow limit; and, when the milk flow measurement is lower than the limit apply a low pulsation rate and a first pulsation ratio, wherein the D-phase is longer than the B-phase; or otherwise apply a high pulsation rate and a second pulsation ratio, wherein the B-phase is longer than the D-phase.

A milk extracting system and computer-implemented method of adjusting the vacuum pressures applied respectively at different teat cups for milking the teats of an animal during a milk extraction procedure, where a teat-specific milk flow value is determined for each individual teat during the milk extraction, based on measurements received from respective milk flow meters, each determined teat specific milk flow value is compared with a first threshold limit, and when a determination is made that all of the teat specific milk flow values exceed the first threshold limit the vacuum pressure at each teat cup is adjusted to a high flow vacuum pressure level.