An automatic milking system controlled by receiving a parameter representing a measured flow of milk extracted from at least one teat of an udder of an animal being milked in a milking operation via at least one teatcup of the milking system, wherein the milking system is controlled to stop the milking operation based on a first criterion indicating that the flow has reached a decline phase, and a second criterion indicating that the flow decreases faster than a threshold slope, the milking operation being stopped in response to fulfillment of the second criterion on or after a point in time when the first criterion has been fulfilled. As a result, a particular amount of milk is left in the udder of the animal, irrespective of an overall milking time for the animal.

An automatic milking system controlled by receiving a parameter representing a measured flow of milk extracted from at least one teat of an udder of an animal being milked in a milking operation via at least one teatcup of the milking system, wherein the milking system is controlled to stop the milking operation based on a first criterion indicating that the flow has reached a decline phase, and a second criterion indicating that the flow decreases faster than a threshold slope, the milking operation being stopped in response to fulfillment of the second criterion on or after a point in time when the first criterion has been fulfilled. As a result, a particular amount of milk is left in the udder of the animal, irrespective of an overall milking time for the animal.

A milking stable configured to house one animal at a time for milking the animal, with a first long side wall, a second long side wall located opposite to the first long side wall, a first short end wall and an opposite second short end wall, an entrance door hingedly connected to the second long side, and an exit door hingedly connected to the second long side wall, wherein the second long side wall is displaceable in a direction towards and away from the first long side wall so as to change the size of the milking stable to accommodate animals of different size.

A milking stable configured to house one animal at a time for milking the animal, with a first long side wall, a second long side wall located opposite to the first long side wall, a first short end wall and an opposite second short end wall, an entrance door hingedly connected to the second long side, and an exit door hingedly connected to the second long side wall, wherein the second long side wall is displaceable in a direction towards and away from the first long side wall so as to change the size of the milking stable to accommodate animals of different size.

A space divider (4) of a milking parlor arrangement (1, 1, 1, 1) for at least one milking parlor (3) for milking milk-producing animals (T), wherein the space divider (4) is arranged approximately parallel to a longitudinal axis of the animal (T) to be milked, has an arm device (6) having a milking cluster (5), which can be adjusted from a parking position to a working position and back. The arm device (6) is arranged with the milking cluster (5) in the parking position in the space divider (4) and can be adjusted into the working position laterally to the animal (T) to be milked between the front and rear legs thereof in fully automatic operation or semi-automatic operation. The space divider (4) is designed in such a way that no additional space is required between adjacent animals (T), so that many animals (T) can be milked in a milking parlor arrangement (1, 1, 1, 1) while the smallest possible amount of space is required.

A space divider (4) of a milking parlor arrangement (1, 1, 1, 1) for at least one milking parlor (3) for milking milk-producing animals (T), wherein the space divider (4) is arranged approximately parallel to a longitudinal axis of the animal (T) to be milked, has an arm device (6) having a milking cluster (5), which can be adjusted from a parking position to a working position and back. The arm device (6) is arranged with the milking cluster (5) in the parking position in the space divider (4) and can be adjusted into the working position laterally to the animal (T) to be milked between the front and rear legs thereof in fully automatic operation or semi-automatic operation. The space divider (4) is designed in such a way that no additional space is required between adjacent animals (T), so that many animals (T) can be milked in a milking parlor arrangement (1, 1, 1, 1) while the smallest possible amount of space is required.

A valve device that transitions between the pressure and vacuum phases for the purpose of milking animals. The improvement provides a pulsation output with a vacuum supply duration less than that of atmospheric air pressure supply duration.

A leg (205) detection system comprising: a robotic arm (200) comprising a gripping portion (208) for holding a teat cup (203, 210) for attaching to a teat (1102, 1104, 1106, 1108, 203S, 203) of a dairy livestock (200, 202, 203); an imaging system coupled to the robotic arm (200) and configured to capture a first three-dimensional (3D) image (138, 2400, 2500) of a rearview of the dairy livestock (200, 202, 203) in a stall (402), the imaging system comprising a 3D camera (136, 138) or a laser (132), wherein each pixel of the first 3D image (138, 2400, 2500) is associated with a depth value; one or more memory (104) devices configured to store a reference (3D) 3D image (138, 2400, 2500) of the stall (402) without any dairy livestock (200, 202, 203); and a processor (102) communicatively coupled to the imaging system and the one or more memory (104) devices, the processor (102) configured to: access the first 3D image (138, 2400, 2500) and the reference (3D) 3D image (138, 2400, 2500); subtract the first 3D image (138, 2400, 2500) from the reference (3D) 3D image (138, 2400, 2500) to produce a second 3D image (138, 2400, 2500); perform morphological image (138, 2400, 2500) processing on the second 3D image (138, 2400, 2500) to produce a third 3D image (138, 2400, 2500); perform image (138, 2400, 2500) thresholding on the third 3D image (138, 2400, 2500) to produce a fourth 3D image (138, 2400, 2500); cluster (2616, 2618, 2626, 2628) data from the fourth 3D image (138, 2400, 2500); identify, using the clustered data from the fourth 3D image (138, 2400, 2500), one or more legs (205) of the dairy livestock (200, 202, 203); and provide instructions for movements of the robotic arm (200) to avoid the identified one or more legs (205) while attaching the teat cup (203, 210) to the teat (1102, 1104, 1106, 1108, 203S, 203) of the dairy livestock (200, 202, 203).

A leg (205) detection system comprising: a robotic arm (200) comprising a gripping portion (208) for holding a teat cup (203, 210) for attaching to a teat (1102, 1104, 1106, 1108, 203S, 203) of a dairy livestock (200, 202, 203); an imaging system coupled to the robotic arm (200) and configured to capture a first three-dimensional (3D) image (138, 2400, 2500) of a rearview of the dairy livestock (200, 202, 203) in a stall (402), the imaging system comprising a 3D camera (136, 138) or a laser (132), wherein each pixel of the first 3D image (138, 2400, 2500) is associated with a depth value; one or more memory (104) devices configured to store a reference (3D) 3D image (138, 2400, 2500) of the stall (402) without any dairy livestock (200, 202, 203); and a processor (102) communicatively coupled to the imaging system and the one or more memory (104) devices, the processor (102) configured to: access the first 3D image (138, 2400, 2500) and the reference (3D) 3D image (138, 2400, 2500); subtract the first 3D image (138, 2400, 2500) from the reference (3D) 3D image (138, 2400, 2500) to produce a second 3D image (138, 2400, 2500); perform morphological image (138, 2400, 2500) processing on the second 3D image (138, 2400, 2500) to produce a third 3D image (138, 2400, 2500); perform image (138, 2400, 2500) thresholding on the third 3D image (138, 2400, 2500) to produce a fourth 3D image (138, 2400, 2500); cluster (2616, 2618, 2626, 2628) data from the fourth 3D image (138, 2400, 2500); identify, using the clustered data from the fourth 3D image (138, 2400, 2500), one or more legs (205) of the dairy livestock (200, 202, 203); and provide instructions for movements of the robotic arm (200) to avoid the identified one or more legs (205) while attaching the teat cup (203, 210) to the teat (1102, 1104, 1106, 1108, 203S, 203) of the dairy livestock (200, 202, 203).

A system for milking a group of animals, in particular cows, comprises an accommodation space for the animals, and several fixed milking stations. The milking stations each comprise an opening for entry of the animal from the accommodation space. The system comprises an automatic milking system for automatic milking of animals in the milking stations. The milking system is configured to automatically milk the animal based on the milking animal fulfilling a predefined milking criterion. The system comprises no expulsion means and/or attraction means which can be activated by a control unit to give stimulus for the animal to leave said milking station. The system is also configured to allow animals to enter the milking stations irrespective of whether said animals fulfil the milking criterion.