A method of operating a robotic attacher, includes suspending a robotic attacher from a rail and extending the robotic attacher between the legs of a dairy livestock. The method continues by 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 concludes by 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 robotic attacher comprises a gripping portion, a vision system positioned on a first surface of the gripping portion, and at least one nozzle positioned on a second surface of the gripping portion. The gripping portion is rotates about a longitudinal axis such that during a first time, the vision system is positioned generally on the top of the gripping portion, and during a second time, the nozzle is positioned generally on the top of the gripping portion.

A robotic attacher comprises a gripping portion, a vision system positioned on a first surface of the gripping portion, and at least one nozzle positioned on a second surface of the gripping portion. The gripping portion is rotates about a longitudinal axis such that during a first time, the vision system is positioned generally on the top of the gripping portion, and during a second time, the nozzle is positioned generally on the top of the gripping portion.

Described herein is an in-line sensor for sensing properties of a pulsed milk flow on a continuous basis. A milking cluster comprising multiple pulsed milk flow inputs from lactating animal teats and a mixing point or claw for the multiple inputs is described that includes multiple in-line sensors for each pulsed milk flow input. Methods of use of the in-line sensor and milking cluster are also described. The in-line sensor described may be easily integrated into existing milking apparatus, is reliable, has a low cost, and is self-cleaning/self-emptying.

A method comprises receiving a flow of milk at an inlet of a manifold. The inlet comprises a first end coupled to a hose that receives a flow of milk from a teat cup and a second end terminating in a chamber of the manifold. The manifold comprises one or more other inlets and a plurality of outlets. The plurality of outlets includes one or more milk collector outlets and one or more drain outlets. The method proceeds by causing the flow of milk to be directed to a corresponding milk collector outlet by causing a shut-off valve corresponding to the inlet to open, and by causing a drain valve corresponding to the inlet to close. The method concludes by causing the flow of milk to be directed to a corresponding drain outlet by causing the drain valve corresponding to the inlet to open.

A method comprises receiving a flow of milk at an inlet of a manifold. The inlet comprises a first end coupled to a hose that receives a flow of milk from a teat cup and a second end terminating in a chamber of the manifold. The manifold comprises one or more other inlets and a plurality of outlets. The plurality of outlets includes one or more milk collector outlets and one or more drain outlets. The method proceeds by causing the flow of milk to be directed to a corresponding milk collector outlet by causing a shut-off valve corresponding to the inlet to open, and by causing a drain valve corresponding to the inlet to close. The method concludes by causing the flow of milk to be directed to a corresponding drain outlet by causing the drain valve corresponding to the inlet to open.

A method of producing a reagent tape, that includes a base tape layer and a series of consecutive and separate reagent pads of a reagent, is provided for use in a milk sampling device. The milk sampling device is arranged to supply a droplet of a milk sample onto one of the reagent pads on the tape in order to produce a response in the reagent to detect a presence or concentration of a substance in the milk sample. The method includes providing the base tape layer of the reagent tape, applying onto the base tape layer a continuous layer of the reagent, dividing the supplied continuous reagent layer into separate reagent pads by providing a hydrophobic barrier line between said pads. This may be done by laser ablating thin lines of reagent material, or by providing additional hydrophobic material into the layer. Thus, a simple and fast way of providing a tape with pads is obtained, in which a narrow spacing between pads is possible. A tape made by the method, and a milking device with a sampling device with such a tape are disclosed.

A robotic attacher comprises a main arm, a supplemental arm coupled to the main arm, and a gripping portion coupled to the supplemental arm. The gripping portion is operable to rotate such that at a first time, a nozzle is positioned generally on the bottom of the gripping portion, and at a second time, the nozzle is positioned generally on the top of the gripping portion.

A robotic attacher comprises a main arm, a supplemental arm coupled to the main arm, and a gripping portion coupled to the supplemental arm. The gripping portion is operable to rotate such that at a first time, a nozzle is positioned generally on the bottom of the gripping portion, and at a second time, the nozzle is positioned generally on the top of the gripping portion.

A milking system with a milking device, a milk line, and a sampling and analysis device to sample and analyse the milk are disclosed. The sampling and analysis device includes a control unit, a tape wound on a tape reel, and including a base material with a series of reagent pads arranged to provide a detectable response in the presence of a substance in the sample, a tape mover to move and unwind the tape, a dosing device to provide a part of the sample onto one of the reagent pads, and an optical sensor device to detect optical radiation from said reagent pad with said sample, and to analyse the detected optical radiation to provide an indication of a presence or concentration of said substance. The dosing device includes a displaceable nozzle with a supply line for supplying the sample to the nozzle. The nozzle is arranged for supplying the sample upwardly to the reagent pad. The dosing device further includes a nozzle mover to move the displaceable nozzle towards and away from the tape, and an overflow device, or cup, including a wall that surrounds the nozzle. An overflow space is provided between the wall and the nozzle, and further includes a discharge. The overflow device can collect excess fluid, both when sampling and certainly when flushing. Herein, gravity helps in collecting fluid, but importantly, also in supplying the sample, since the sample droplet cannot break off the nozzle unexpectedly.