A method and device are provided for generating an attention indication for a dairy animal that is kept in an environment with a freely accessible robotic milking system, including measuring a plurality of visit intervals, milking intervals, respectively of said dairy animal, determining a value of a statistical parameter regarding the measured plurality of intervals from the measured intervals, generating the attention indication, in particular a mastitis alarm signal, if the value exceeds a predetermined threshold value. Valuable information can be derived from the spread of, or change in, the values.

A method and device are provided for generating an attention indication for a dairy animal that is kept in an environment with a freely accessible robotic milking system, including measuring a plurality of visit intervals, milking intervals, respectively of said dairy animal, determining a value of a statistical parameter regarding the measured plurality of intervals from the measured intervals, generating the attention indication, in particular a mastitis alarm signal, if the value exceeds a predetermined threshold value. Valuable information can be derived from the spread of, or change in, the values.

A method of operating a robotic attacher, comprises extending a robotic attacher between the legs of a dairy livestock. The method further comprises attaching milking equipment to the dairy livestock using a gripping portion of the robotic attacher during a milking operation, wherein the gripping portion has a nozzle that is positioned away from a teat of the dairy livestock during the milking operation. The method further comprises rotating the gripping portion of the robotic attacher so that the nozzle is positioned to face a teat of the dairy livestock during a spraying operation.

A method and system for early detection of Bovine Mastitis (BM) uses enhanced chemiluminescence (CL) to determine Haptoglobin (Hp) levels in highly diluted milk samples. The samples are placed in the wells of one or more bio-functionalized Hemoglobin (Hb) modified CL assay plates. Hp-Hb binding occurs in those samples containing Hp. After a first pre-determined time duration, the wells are treated with a CL solution containing luminol and peroxide, and a colloidal suspension of crosslinked nanoparticles. After a second pre-determined time duration, the CL intensity approaches a steady state value. A processor analyzes CL images provided by a camera in order to measure CL intensity and to determine an estimate of Hp level in each well, based on a pre-determined regression curve. The processor then forms a BM clinical diagnosis by combining the estimated HP levels from wells with different milk sample dilutions.

A method and system for early detection of Bovine Mastitis (BM) uses enhanced chemiluminescence (CL) to determine Haptoglobin (Hp) levels in highly diluted milk samples. The samples are placed in the wells of one or more bio-functionalized Hemoglobin (Hb) modified CL assay plates. Hp-Hb binding occurs in those samples containing Hp. After a first pre-determined time duration, the wells are treated with a CL solution containing luminol and peroxide, and a colloidal suspension of crosslinked nanoparticles. After a second pre-determined time duration, the CL intensity approaches a steady state value. A processor analyzes CL images provided by a camera in order to measure CL intensity and to determine an estimate of Hp level in each well, based on a pre-determined regression curve. The processor then forms a BM clinical diagnosis by combining the estimated HP levels from wells with different milk sample dilutions.

A milking system includes a device to sample and analyse a milk sample, including a control unit, a sample supply line connected to the milk line, a pump to control the sample flow, an optical radiation source, and an optical sensor device to detect and analyse optical radiation coming from the reagent pad with said sample, to provide an indication of a substance in the sample, a tape mover to move and unwind the tape from the tape reel, and a pump drive, external to the cassette, and releasably operably connected to the pump device for driving the pump device. The sampling and analysis device also includes a cassette with a sample receiving line, releasably connected to the sample supply line by a liquid connector, and arranged to receive the sample from the sample supply line, a tape reel with a tape that includes a base tape layer and a series of separate reagent pads, and a dosing device to provide a droplet of the sample onto a reagent pad. The dosing device includes a nozzle in fluid connection with the sample receiving line, and a nozzle mover arranged to move the nozzle in at least a longitudinal direction. The cassette is replaceably received in the milking system. Hereby, a large number of parts that are subject to wear and contamination by milk residues are exchanged regularly, which improves measurement reliability and accuracy.

A milking system including a milking means, a milk line, and a sampling and analysis device, that includes an analysis tape, with a carrier layer and a reagent tape layer with a reagent that provides a detectable response in the presence of a substance in the sample, a dosing device, an optical radiation source, and an optical sensor device to detect optical response radiation emitted by the reagent tape layer and to analyse the detected optical response radiation to provide an indication of a presence or concentration of the substance in the droplet. The reagent tape layer includes, or is, a material with an asymmetrical porosity, having the largest pore size at a first side where the sample is provided, and the smallest pore size at the opposite side.

A method of operating a robotic attacher, comprises extending a robotic attacher between the legs of a dairy livestock. The method further comprises attaching milking equipment to the dairy livestock using a gripping portion of the robotic attacher during a milking operation, wherein the gripping portion has a nozzle that is positioned away from a teat of the dairy livestock during the milking operation. The method further comprises rotating the gripping portion of the robotic attacher so that the nozzle is positioned to face a teat of the dairy livestock during a spraying operation.

A system includes a milking box stall of a size sufficient to accommodate a dairy livestock. The milking box stall comprises a front wall, a rear wall, a first side wall and a second side wall. The system further includes an equipment portion located adjacent to the rear wall. The equipment portion comprises a separation container for use with only the milking box stall and that is operable to receive milk from the dairy livestock to be discarded if it is determined to be bad milk. The equipment portion further comprises a receiver jar for use with only the milking box stall and that is operable to receive milk from the dairy livestock if it is determined to be good milk.

A system includes a milking box stall of a size sufficient to accommodate a dairy livestock. The milking box stall comprises a front wall, a rear wall, a first side wall and a second side wall. The system further includes an equipment portion located adjacent to the rear wall. The equipment portion comprises a separation container for use with only the milking box stall and that is operable to receive milk from the dairy livestock to be discarded if it is determined to be bad milk. The equipment portion further comprises a receiver jar for use with only the milking box stall and that is operable to receive milk from the dairy livestock if it is determined to be good milk.