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.

A method is provided for a milking system including a moving device, milking stalls each provided with teat cups, an automatic teat cup attachment system, and an automatic teat cup returning system configured to return the teat cups to default storage positions subsequent to the milking. Current positions of the teat cups are, for each of the milking stalls, sensed after the teat cup returning system withdraws the teat cups, but before the automatic teat cup attachment system fetches the teat cups. The sensed positions of the teat cups are, for each of the milking stalls, compared with the default storage positions to determine whether the sensed current positions of the teat cups deviate from the default storage positions by at least a specified distance, and an action is performed when the sensed positions deviate from the default storage positions by at least the specified distance.

A method is provided for a milking system including a moving device, milking stalls each provided with teat cups, an automatic teat cup attachment system, and an automatic teat cup returning system configured to return the teat cups to default storage positions subsequent to the milking. Current positions of the teat cups are, for each of the milking stalls, sensed after the teat cup returning system withdraws the teat cups, but before the automatic teat cup attachment system fetches the teat cups. The sensed positions of the teat cups are, for each of the milking stalls, compared with the default storage positions to determine whether the sensed current positions of the teat cups deviate from the default storage positions by at least a specified distance, and an action is performed when the sensed positions deviate from the default storage positions by at least the specified distance.

An exchangeable expendable part of a milking arrangement includes an identification tag with data by which a model or a manufacturing date of the exchangeable expendable part is uniquely identified. The tag is readable by a reader arranged to repeatedly read the tag and to forward the readings to a computer system, whereby the computer system identifies the model and/or a manufacturing date of the part based on the readings; and, in response to the identified model and/or manufacturing date, i) alerts an operator, ii) monitors and/or controls the milking arrangement, and/or iii) makes the model and/or the manufacturing date of the part available to an operator. Exchangeable expendable parts include teat cup liners, cartridges including teat cup liners, and milk or vacuum tubes connected to teat cups.

A system includes includes a first milking box stall of a size sufficient to accommodate a first dairy livestock and a second milking box stall of a size sufficient to accommodate a second dairy livestock. The first and second milking box stalls face opposite directions. An equipment portion is located between the first milking box stall and the second milking box stall. A robotic attacher is housed in the equipment portion and configured to service both stalls at different times.

A robotic attacher retrieves a preparation cup from an equipment area located behind a dairy livestock and attaches and detaches the preparation cup to the teats of the dairy livestock in sequence. The sequence comprises attaching and detaching the preparation cup to the left front teat, the right front teat, the right rear teat, and the left rear teat.

A system includes a three-dimensional camera and a processor communicatively coupled to the three-dimensional camera. The processor is operable to determine a first and second edge of a dairy livestock. The first edge includes an inner portion of a first hind leg and a first portion of an udder of the dairy livestock. The second edge includes an inner portion of a second hind leg and a second portion of the udder of the dairy livestock. The processor calculates a reference point associated with the udder of the dairy livestock based at least in part upon the first edge and the second edge. A robotic attacher moves toward the udder of the dairy livestock based at least in part upon the calculated reference point.

A system includes a three-dimensional camera and a processor communicatively coupled to the three-dimensional camera. The processor is operable to determine a first and second edge of a dairy livestock. The first edge includes an inner portion of a first hind leg and a first portion of an udder of the dairy livestock. The second edge includes an inner portion of a second hind leg and a second portion of the udder of the dairy livestock. The processor calculates a reference point associated with the udder of the dairy livestock based at least in part upon the first edge and the second edge. A robotic attacher moves toward the udder of the dairy livestock based at least in part upon the calculated reference point.

An automatic animal processing device for automatically retrieving a domestic animal partly from a stall to process the animal while restraining the animal. The animal processing device includes an animal controlling mechanism operative to engage, position and restrain the animal for processing. The animal controlling mechanism may include at least on articulated arm to constrain and immobilize an animal to process it, e.g. milk it. The animal processing device may be a milking machine may be a milking machine having a milking head assembly and a cleaning system therefor whereby the milking head assembly is cleaned inside a compartment. The animal processing device may be a dual animal milking machine having full and half operation modes whereby two sets of processing equipments are used to service two animals simultaneously or only one set is used for both respectively.

A space divider (4) of a milking parlor arrangement 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, 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), wherein the milking cluster (5, 5′) can be adjusted into the working position laterally to the animal (T) to be milked between the front and rear legs thereof. The milking cluster (5, 5′) comprises two halves, wherein each half has a specific set of at least one teatcup (5a). 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″) while the smallest possible amount of space is required. A milking parlor arrangement (1, 1′, 1″) has at least one external robot (12).