A milking system for milking a dairy animal includes a milking cup having a first milk outflow opening, a measuring chamber having a milk inlet which is in flow communication with the first milk outflow opening, with a second milk outflow opening to a milk hose, and with a vacuum connection, and a level sensor for measuring a milk level in the measuring chamber. The milking system further includes a controllable valve having an adjustable passage opening, which is provided in or downstream of the second milk outflow opening, and a control unit which is operatively connected to the level sensor and the valve, and which control unit is configured to adjust the passage opening of the valve on the basis of the measured milk level.

A milking system for milking a dairy animal includes a milking cup having a first milk outflow opening, a measuring chamber having a milk inlet which is in flow communication with the first milk outflow opening, with a second milk outflow opening to a milk hose, and with a vacuum connection, and a level sensor for measuring a milk level in the measuring chamber. The milking system further includes a controllable valve having an adjustable passage opening, which is provided in or downstream of the second milk outflow opening, and a control unit which is operatively connected to the level sensor and the valve, and which control unit is configured to adjust the passage opening of the valve on the basis of the measured milk level.

A flow measurement device includes a first sensor device that responds to stimulus from fluid medium flowing through a measurement section by registering a measure representing a physical characteristic, a processor, and a data storage including a look-up table containing a first collection of values representing a first value of flow of a first fluid or a first value of flow of a second fluid, and a second look-up table containing a second collection of the values representing a second value of the flow of the first fluid or a second value of the flow of the second fluid, the processor receiving the measures registered during a measurement time interval and estimating a flow pattern of the fluid medium during the measurement interval where the flow pattern describes how the first and second fluids are distributed in the measurement section over the measurement time interval.

A flow measurement device includes a first sensor device that responds to stimulus from fluid medium flowing through a measurement section by registering a measure representing a physical characteristic, a processor, and a data storage including a look-up table containing a first collection of values representing a first value of flow of a first fluid or a first value of flow of a second fluid, and a second look-up table containing a second collection of the values representing a second value of the flow of the first fluid or a second value of the flow of the second fluid, the processor receiving the measures registered during a measurement time interval and estimating a flow pattern of the fluid medium during the measurement interval where the flow pattern describes how the first and second fluids are distributed in the measurement section over the measurement time interval.

A flow measuring device includes a first sensor device that responds to one stimulus caused by a fluid medium flowing through a measurement section by registering a first measure representing a first type of physical characteristic of the fluid medium, and a second sensor device that responds to another stimulus caused by the fluid medium by registering a second measure representing a second type of physical characteristic of the fluid medium, the second measure being independent from the first measure, and the first and second measures both being dependent on the flow of the first fluid and on the flow of the second fluid in the fluid medium in the measurement section, the first measure and the second measure being sufficient to solve both a first function that defines the flow of the first fluid and a second function that defines the flow of the second fluid.

A flow measuring device includes a first sensor device that responds to one stimulus caused by a fluid medium flowing through a measurement section by registering a first measure representing a first type of physical characteristic of the fluid medium, and a second sensor device that responds to another stimulus caused by the fluid medium by registering a second measure representing a second type of physical characteristic of the fluid medium, the second measure being independent from the first measure, and the first and second measures both being dependent on the flow of the first fluid and on the flow of the second fluid in the fluid medium in the measurement section, the first measure and the second measure being sufficient to solve both a first function that defines the flow of the first fluid and a second function that defines the flow of the second fluid.

A system and method for automatically drying-off a machine-milked dairy animal by controlling milk production during a gradual drying-off period. During the gradual drying-off period, the dairy animal is not milked out. For each milking during this period, an amount of milk to be removed is determined, which is less than the amount removed at a previous milking. When the amount of milk for the current milking has been removed from the dairy animal, milking is stopped. The start of the gradual drying-off period is calculated from the dry-off date, the desired date of cessation of milking for this lactation, and from a predetermined drying-off period.

A system and method for automatically drying-off a machine-milked dairy animal by controlling milk production during a gradual drying-off period. During the gradual drying-off period, the dairy animal is not milked out. For each milking during this period, an amount of milk to be removed is determined, which is less than the amount removed at a previous milking. When the amount of milk for the current milking has been removed from the dairy animal, milking is stopped. The start of the gradual drying-off period is calculated from the dry-off date, the desired date of cessation of milking for this lactation, and from a predetermined drying-off period.

A milk meter for measuring a flow rate of milk, having an inlet, an outlet, and a liquid flow path from the inlet to the outlet, the milk meter has a stabilization chamber in the liquid flow path and a float in the stabilization chamber configured to float on the milk, wherein the milk meter is configured so the level of milk in the stabilization chamber depends on the flow rate of the milk flow, the milk meter also has a magnetic unit for generating a magnetic field in the stabilization chamber, which varies in a height direction of the stabilization chamber, the float contains an electronic measuring unit for measuring the strength of the magnetic field, which is a measure of the height within the stabilization chamber of the float and the strength of the magnetic field measures the flow rate of the milk.

A milk meter for measuring a flow rate of milk, having an inlet, an outlet, and a liquid flow path from the inlet to the outlet, the milk meter has a stabilization chamber in the liquid flow path and a float in the stabilization chamber configured to float on the milk, wherein the milk meter is configured so the level of milk in the stabilization chamber depends on the flow rate of the milk flow, the milk meter also has a magnetic unit for generating a magnetic field in the stabilization chamber, which varies in a height direction of the stabilization chamber, the float contains an electronic measuring unit for measuring the strength of the magnetic field, which is a measure of the height within the stabilization chamber of the float and the strength of the magnetic field measures the flow rate of the milk.