A milking control arrangement and milk extracting system, configured to obtain teat size data of at least one teat of an animal to be milked and to adjust a milking parameter of a milk extraction unit when milk is extracted from the teat based on the obtained teat size data of the teat.

A teat dip fluid manifold and methods for distributing teat dip fluids, and including redundant valve sets and pressure monitoring between valve pairs to determine valve condition.

A teat dip fluid manifold and methods for distributing teat dip fluids, and including redundant valve sets and pressure monitoring between valve pairs to determine valve condition.

A human operated control device for assisting a plurality of milking robots includes a controller adapted for controlling communication with a plurality of milking robots operated substantially simultaneously, graphical user interface (GUI) adapted for displaying information received from at least one milking robot and for receiving input from a human supervisor for operating the at least one milking robot based on the displayed information, and a processor adapted to convert the input received from the human supervisor into a command for operating the at least one milking robot from which the information was received. A milking robot for operating milking equipment is adapted to operate in one of an automated mode of operation and a human assisted mode of operation.

A human operated control device for assisting a plurality of milking robots includes a controller adapted for controlling communication with a plurality of milking robots operated substantially simultaneously, graphical user interface (GUI) adapted for displaying information received from at least one milking robot and for receiving input from a human supervisor for operating the at least one milking robot based on the displayed information, and a processor adapted to convert the input received from the human supervisor into a command for operating the at least one milking robot from which the information was received. A milking robot for operating milking equipment is adapted to operate in one of an automated mode of operation and a human assisted mode of operation.

A method for sampling milk in a milking machine includes the steps of attaching teat cups to teats of an animal and starting to milk said teats; receiving a first amount of milk in a milk receiver while keeping an outlet valve device open; closing the outlet valve device; continuing the receiving of milk in the milk receiver; agitating the milk in the milk receiver using an agitation device of a milk sampling arrangement; taking a regular milk sample from the milk in an outlet portion of the milk receiver using a milk sample device of the milk sampling arrangement; and opening the outlet valve device so that the milk can be transferred to a milk tank.

A method for sampling milk in a milking machine includes the steps of attaching teat cups to teats of an animal and starting to milk said teats; receiving a first amount of milk in a milk receiver while keeping an outlet valve device open; closing the outlet valve device; continuing the receiving of milk in the milk receiver; agitating the milk in the milk receiver using an agitation device of a milk sampling arrangement; taking a regular milk sample from the milk in an outlet portion of the milk receiver using a milk sample device of the milk sampling arrangement; and opening the outlet valve device so that the milk can be transferred to a milk tank.

A milking arrangement with a milk transport line and a plurality of milk stations connected thereto, with a receiver that receives milk transported from the milk stations via the transport line, a vacuum system that supplies a vacuum in the transport line via the receiver, a cleaning liquid source connected to the transport line, and a controllable injector that introduces gas into the milk transport line that to cause a slug of cleaning liquid from the cleaning liquid source to be formed and forwarded through the transport line, a vibration sensor being arranged on the receiver and configured to measure a motion of the receiver caused by the slug entering the receiver, and a control system configured to control the operation of the injector and to determine an entering of the slug into the receiver based on the measurement of the vibration sensor.

A milking arrangement with a milk transport line and a plurality of milk stations connected thereto, with a receiver that receives milk transported from the milk stations via the transport line, a vacuum system that supplies a vacuum in the transport line via the receiver, a cleaning liquid source connected to the transport line, and a controllable injector that introduces gas into the milk transport line that to cause a slug of cleaning liquid from the cleaning liquid source to be formed and forwarded through the transport line, a vibration sensor being arranged on the receiver and configured to measure a motion of the receiver caused by the slug entering the receiver, and a control system configured to control the operation of the injector and to determine an entering of the slug into the receiver based on the measurement of the vibration sensor.

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.