Methods and apparatus for milking a milk-producing animal, in particular a cow, that set a target milk quantity which is lower than a possible expected milk quantity, carry out the milking process, determine the milked quantity and compares the milked quantity with the target milk quantity, and terminate milking when the milked quantity corresponds substantially to the target milk quantity.

A three-dimensional camera of an automatic milking system records image data representing an outer surface of a teat of a dairy animal in three dimensions. Based on the image data, a processing unit performs a geometric analysis and calculates at least one size measure of the teat. A user interface presents output data reflecting the size-related classification of the teat.

A three-dimensional camera of an automatic milking system records image data representing an outer surface of a teat of a dairy animal in three dimensions. Based on the image data, a processing unit performs a geometric analysis and calculates at least one size measure of the teat. A user interface presents output data reflecting the size-related classification of the teat.

An end effector of a robot arm that is configured to participate in an animal-related operation, where the end effector is comprised of an actuator and a housing that is provided with a first aperture at a first end portion, where the actuator participates in the animal related operation via the first aperture, and the housing is provided with a second aperture providing access to an interior of the housing, wherein a passage extends through the housing along at least part of the actuator, from the second aperture to the first aperture such that the housing may be flushed through for removing dirt.

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.

An automatic teat treatment method and apparatus uses a control system and an associated robot apparatus with an arm that carries a treatment apparatus, to establish a treatment operation start time and establish the presence of an animal at a treatment location, and then (i) initiate detection of a spatial teat position of a first teat, (ii) register the spatial position, (iii) derive a dedicated teat-treating action, (iv) carry out the teat-treating action, and (v) successively repeat the initiating, registering, deriving, and treating steps once in respect of each teat until all teats are treated, where, when after the start time, a predefined point in time is passed before any of the preceding steps is completed, the method is interrupted and a default treating action for treating all remaining untreated teats is derived and carried out by the treatment apparatus and thereafter the robot arm is retracted.

A system that includes a three-dimensional (3D) camera configured to capture 3D images of a dairy livestock. The system further includes a memory operable to store a thigh gap detection rule set and a processor operably coupled to the 3D camera and the memory. The processor is configured to obtain the 3D image, to identify one or more regions within the 3D image comprising depth values greater than a depth value threshold, and to apply the thigh gap detection rule set to the one or more regions to identify a thigh gap region. The processor is further configured to demarcate an access region within the thigh gap region. The processor is configured to reduce the width of the access region by shifting a first vertical edge and a second vertical edge of the access region and to determine position information for the first vertical edge and the second vertical edge.

A system that includes a three-dimensional (3D) camera configured to capture 3D images of a dairy livestock. The system further includes a memory operable to store a thigh gap detection rule set and a processor operably coupled to the 3D camera and the memory. The processor is configured to obtain the 3D image, to identify one or more regions within the 3D image comprising depth values greater than a depth value threshold, and to apply the thigh gap detection rule set to the one or more regions to identify a thigh gap region. The processor is further configured to demarcate an access region within the thigh gap region. The processor is configured to reduce the width of the access region by shifting a first vertical edge and a second vertical edge of the access region and to determine position information for the first vertical edge and the second vertical edge.

The present invention provides a teat treatment device, as well as an automatic milking device, a method and a teat cup therefor. The present invention cleans or otherwise treats a teat by repeatedly placing a teat cup on the teat and removing it therefrom again, wherein the upper side thereof, in particular segments with projections on the inner side, around the teat-receiving opening scrub the teat clean under frictional contact. Nozzles which can spray a jet of liquid on, in particular, the projections in the inactive position, can assist this treatment.