A system for cleaning a dairy animal milker unit and applying dip to a dairy animal, the system includes a main control, an air supply, a water supply, a backflush fluid supply, a dip supply, a stall control for receiving the air, water, backflush fluid and dip supplies, and a safety valve that is adjacent to a downstream portion of the milker unit to control backflush and dip fluids being fed to the milker unit.

A system for cleaning a dairy animal milker unit and applying dip to a dairy animal, the system includes a main control, an air supply, a water supply, a backflush fluid supply, a dip supply, a stall control for receiving the air, water, backflush fluid and dip supplies, and a safety valve that is adjacent to a downstream portion of the milker unit to control backflush and dip fluids being fed to the milker unit.

A device suitable for attachment to a milking platform at a “milking position” has a strippings viewing area and a light source, which is operable to illuminate in a suitable manner the strippings viewing area to enhance the visibility to an operator of any mastitis symptoms in use and/or to illuminate the udder to facilitate inspection or treatment. The light source may also be operable to give continuous or intermittent colour signals to the operator and the device might also include an alpha-numeric area. The device might form part of a leg separator and/or sprayer and/or milk hose support. A milking platform with such a device is also claimed.

A device suitable for attachment to a milking platform at a “milking position” has a strippings viewing area and a light source, which is operable to illuminate in a suitable manner the strippings viewing area to enhance the visibility to an operator of any mastitis symptoms in use and/or to illuminate the udder to facilitate inspection or treatment. The light source may also be operable to give continuous or intermittent colour signals to the operator and the device might also include an alpha-numeric area. The device might form part of a leg separator and/or sprayer and/or milk hose support. A milking platform with such a device is also claimed.

A teat cleaning cup (130) for cleaning a teat (120) includes a teat cleaner (300) having an inner body (270) forming a central cavity (280) for enclosing the teat (120), the inner body (270) including an inner surface (271), an outer surface (272), and a set of apertures (275) extending from the outer surface (272) to the inner surface (271); an exterior part (220) enclosing the inner body (270); a set of channels (291, 292), which set of channels (291, 292) connects to the set of apertures (275); a lower part (230) removably attached to the teat cleaner (300), which lower part (230) includes at least one cleaning liquid valve (240, 260), and a drain (250); and a seal (235) configured to distribute liquid from the cleaning liquid valve (240, 260) into the set of channels (291, 292).

A teat cleaning cup (130) for cleaning a teat (120) includes a teat cleaner (300) having an inner body (270) forming a central cavity (280) for enclosing the teat (120), the inner body (270) including an inner surface (271), an outer surface (272), and a set of apertures (275) extending from the outer surface (272) to the inner surface (271); an exterior part (220) enclosing the inner body (270); a set of channels (291, 292), which set of channels (291, 292) connects to the set of apertures (275); a lower part (230) removably attached to the teat cleaner (300), which lower part (230) includes at least one cleaning liquid valve (240, 260), and a drain (250); and a seal (235) configured to distribute liquid from the cleaning liquid valve (240, 260) into the set of channels (291, 292).

An automatic milking machine controlled by a control unit that, in response to a control request from a first remote user terminal that indicates an intention to initiate transmission of control commands and/or parameter settings, checks whether at least one control command and/or parameter setting from a second remote user terminal has been received within a particular interval preceding a point in time when the control request was received, and if so, returns status data to the first remote user terminal that indicate an identity of the second remote user terminal so that, based thereon, an operator of the first remote user terminal can decide whether or not to remote control the milking machine at the present point in time.

A teat sprayer for use in dairy applications is described that uses an articulated arm and system to deliver a spray to a teat and move between multiple dairy animals.

In one aspect the dairy animal teat treatment apparatus, comprises a spray inlet, a spray nozzle, a flow path extending between the spray inlet and the spray nozzle, and an articulated arm conveying the spray nozzle, movement of the articulated arm driven by an actuator. Articulated arm movement may be between a retracted position in which the spray nozzle and articulated arm are retracted and an extended position in which at least part of the articulated arm and spray nozzle thereon is extended, moving the spray nozzle to a position configured to be about an animal's udder.

In a further aspect, the apparatus, comprises an animal sensor positioned generally above and behind an animal bail and directed generally downwards configured to sense the presence of an animal in the animal bail; and a controller configured to actuate spraying of the animal's teats from spray nozzle extension and retraction in response to a signal received from the sensor.

The apparatus may act to reduce cost through reduced numbers of treatment apparatus and/or lower labour costs and expenses; increase accuracy/efficiency through automation and speed of treatment; address issues associated with the inconvenience/space constraints in dairy platform configurations; and minimise the number of sensors required and position these sensors away from the animal bail.

A teat sprayer for use in dairy applications is described that uses an articulated arm and system to deliver a spray to a teat and move between multiple dairy animals.

In one aspect the dairy animal teat treatment apparatus, comprises a spray inlet, a spray nozzle, a flow path extending between the spray inlet and the spray nozzle, and an articulated arm conveying the spray nozzle, movement of the articulated arm driven by an actuator. Articulated arm movement may be between a retracted position in which the spray nozzle and articulated arm are retracted and an extended position in which at least part of the articulated arm and spray nozzle thereon is extended, moving the spray nozzle to a position configured to be about an animal's udder.

In a further aspect, the apparatus, comprises an animal sensor positioned generally above and behind an animal bail and directed generally downwards configured to sense the presence of an animal in the animal bail; and a controller configured to actuate spraying of the animal's teats from spray nozzle extension and retraction in response to a signal received from the sensor.

The apparatus may act to reduce cost through reduced numbers of treatment apparatus and/or lower labour costs and expenses; increase accuracy/efficiency through automation and speed of treatment; address issues associated with the inconvenience/space constraints in dairy platform configurations; and minimise the number of sensors required and position these sensors away from the animal bail.

An automatic milking machine extracts milk from the teats of an animal by applying a milking vacuum to a respective teat receiving cavity of a teat cup (111, 112, 113, 114) each in which one of the teats is located during a milking session. The milking session includes a boost phase (TBOOST) and is concluded by an exit phase (TEXIT). During the boost phase (TBOOST), the milking vacuum is applied at an elevated pressure level. During the exit phase, the milking vacuum is applied at one or more levels, each of which is lower than the elevated pressure level. The operation of the automatic milking machine transitions from the boost phase (TBOOST) to the exit phase (TEXIT) when (t2) a temporal criterion is fulfilled.