A free dome range (FDR) where dairy animals have a free access to their stall to concurrently eat and to be milked. The FDR comprises a plurality of stalls; at least one of these stalls is characterized by a front side and rear opposite side into which a dairy animal is at least temporarily accommodated, head fronting the front side; a plurality of main living areas (MLAs); at least one of the MLAs is in connection with at least one of the stalls by a plurality of gates. The FDR further comprising a substantially horizontally positioned elevated rail system comprising a plurality of elevated rails, and a plurality of mobile milking units (MMUs), each of the MMUs is configured to transport on the elevated rail to a dairy animal at its stall, and milk the animal while it is eating.

A robotic milking system includes a milking control, a milk line, and a sampling and analysis device for the milk, wherein the milking control controls the robotic milking device based on the analysis of the milk sample. The sampling and analysis device includes a control unit, a tape reel with a tape with reagent pads that detect the presence of a substance in the sample, a tape mover, a dosing device to provide a sample onto a reagent pad, a camera to image of the reagent pad with said sample, and to analyse the images to indicate a presence or concentration of said substance. The lengthwise consecutive substantially rectangular reagent pads are separated by a hydrophobic line, and the control unit recognises said line in the image and determines a position thereof. The control unit controls the tape mover on the basis of the obtained image and line position.

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 milking system includes a milking device, a milk line, and a sampling and analysis device for the milk that includes a control unit, a tape mover to move and unwind a tape wound on a tape reel and with a base material with reagent pads, that detect a substance in the sample, and a dosing device to provide the sample onto a reagent pad, and a sensor to detect radiation from said reagent pad, and to analyse the detected radiation to indicate a presence or concentration of said substance. The reagent pad is facing downward during provision of the sample. In this way, the chance of excess liquid falling from the reagent, and possibly onto a camera, is reduced. Smaller reagent pads may be used, it reduces the chance of supplied liquid spilling over to a neighbouring reagent pad, the measures preventing this spilling may be limited, and it is easier to suck away excess fluid.

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.

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.

An arrangement is provided that is configured to measure a biomarker value of an animal milk sample, including a cassette including a carrier tape having test zones indicating the biomarker value, and an inspective window. The carrier tape is disposed on first and second spools configured to cooperate with a cassette external motor. The arrangement also includes a service module including a camera configured to inspect the test zone, a motor configured to be engaged with a cassette spool, and a tube element configured to provide the milk sample to the test zone.

A milking system includes one or more milking devices and a control unit. The system is provided with a plurality of milking cups, a first milk jar for receiving the milking, a first pumping device for pumping the milking, a second milk jar for receiving the milking from the first milk jar, a second pumping device for pumping at least a part of the milking, and at least one storage tank for storing at least a part of the milking. The second pumping device pumps the milking at a lower flow rate than that at which the first pumping device pumps the milking. As a result, the milk is for the most part moved with low mechanical load and little admixture with air which improves milk quality. In the case of a plurality of milking devices in the milking system, various milkings can be moved and treated separately.

In one aspect, the invention provides a sampling apparatus for taking a representative milk sample in a predetermined quantity range from a conveying line in which milk is conveyed at conveying intervals of unknown length. The sampling apparatus comprises a pump, a controller of the pump, and a sample container connecting element connecting member in communication with the pump, wherein the controller is configured based on the predetermined quantity range and a measured quantity indicating a flow rate of the milk conveyed in the conveying line and/or a predetermined quantity indicating a total quantity of milk to be conveyed through the conveying line in a conveying interval, to controlling a pulsed operation of the pump in a conveying interval, wherein the pump conveys a discrete sample subset along a first conveying direction of the pump during the pulsed operation in each sample pulse interval, and wherein the predetermined quantity range is greater than or equal to a total quantity corresponding to a total number of discrete sample subsets in the conveying interval.

A cassette (130) configured to enable measurement of at least one biomarker value of a milk sample of an animal (100). The cassette (130) includes a tape distributing spool (131); a tape (170) with a plurality of dry sticks (180a, 180b, 180c), configured to indicate the biomarker value of the milk sample, and a top film (310) arranged to protect the dry sticks (180a, 180b, 180c) while rolled up on the tape distributing spool (131); a tape collecting spool (132), configured to collect used dry sticks (180a, 180b, 180c); and a top film reel (330), arranged to peel off and collect the top film (310) of the tape (170).