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 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 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 system for treating livestock may include a ramp for containing dairy livestock and one or more mobile units configured to travel on the ramp, below the dairy livestock, and milk the dairy livestock. A mobile unit may be adapted to travel to a predefined location within a stall, and attach a milking equipment unit to the dairy livestock in the stall. A plurality of mobile units and a central management unit may be configured to dynamically cause at least some of the plurality of mobile units to each perform a portion of a treatment or task.

A robotic arm that extends in a longitudinal direction includes a pivot assembly that pivots a gripping portion around an axis that is substantially perpendicular to the robotic arm, in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of the robotic arm, and between at least a maximum-left position, a maximum-right position, and a centered position. The pivot assembly includes a first actuator that extends and retracts a first cable coupled to a left side of the gripping portion in order to pivot the gripping portion. The pivot assembly further includes a second actuator that extends and retracts a second cable coupled to a right side of the gripping portion in order to pivot the gripping portion.

Disclosed is a system for treating dairy livestock having fore legs and hind legs, wherein the system comprises a milking parlor ramp, livestock stalls positioned along at least part of the milking parlor ramp, wherein each stall is configured to contain one dairy livestock, at least one vertical upright teat cup holder comprising teat cups and a mobile unit. The mobile unit comprises equipment for treating livestock and a processor, where the mobile unit is configured to travel between the fore legs and hind legs of the dairy livestock on the milking parlor ramp and use the equipment to perform at least one action related to a treatment of the dairy livestock. Also disclosed is that the equipment includes an arm configured to withdraw the teat cups from the vertical upright teat cup holder and connect them to the dairy livestock.

Disclosed is a system for treating dairy livestock having fore legs and hind legs, wherein the system comprises a milking parlor ramp, livestock stalls positioned along at least part of the milking parlor ramp, wherein each stall is configured to contain one dairy livestock, at least one vertical upright teat cup holder comprising teat cups and a mobile unit. The mobile unit comprises equipment for treating livestock and a processor, where the mobile unit is configured to travel between the fore legs and hind legs of the dairy livestock on the milking parlor ramp and use the equipment to perform at least one action related to a treatment of the dairy livestock. Also disclosed is that the equipment includes an arm configured to withdraw the teat cups from the vertical upright teat cup holder and connect them to the dairy livestock.

A dairy animal treatment system for fully automatically performing a teat-related operation on a dairy animal, including a treatment location for receiving the dairy animal, a treatment device which is configured for performing the teat-related operation on the dairy animal, a teat-detecting device for determining a teat position of the teat of the dairy animal, a dairy animal position-determining device for repeatedly determining an animal position of said dairy animal with respect to the milking stall and/or the dairy animal position-determining device, a robot arm for moving the treatment device towards the teat, and a control device which is configured to control the robot arm on the basis of the determined animal position and the determined teat position. The dairy animal position-determining device comprises a mm-wavelength radar device which transmits a radar signal having a wavelength in the mm range.

A milking cluster used for milking a dairy animal in a milking parlor, the milking cluster including a teat cup unit, a teat cup, a drive device, a hose arrangement joined to the teat cup, a hose guide engaging the hose arrangement, and the hose guide includes a plurality of hose-engaging rollers.