The present invention relates to preparing dairy animal teats for being milked, and more particularly to teat preparation, rinsing, and milking that all take place in a milking machine teat cup liner. Such a method includes: applying a teat sanitizer to the teat; injecting air into the liner to force the teat sanitizer toward a waste milk line connected to the liner; pulsating the liner at a first pulsation rate; drawing a rinsing milk from the teat; directing the teat sanitizer, the air, and the rinsing fluid to the waste milk line; pulsating the liner at a second pulsation rate to draw additional milk from the teat; and directing the additional milk to a good milk line.

Apparatus and methods for a dairy harvesting facility including valves and valve assemblies that prevent contaminants from reaching a central milk collection system.

The present invention relates to preparing dairy animal teats for being milked, and more particularly to teat preparation, rinsing, and milking that all take place in a milking machine teat cup liner. Such a method includes: applying a teat sanitizer to the teat; injecting air into the liner to force the teat sanitizer toward a waste milk line connected to the liner; pulsating the liner at a first pulsation rate; drawing a rinsing milk from the teat; directing the teat sanitizer, the air, and the rinsing fluid to the waste milk line; pulsating the liner at a second pulsation rate to draw additional milk from the teat; and directing the additional milk to a good milk line.

In certain embodiments, a system comprises a milk collecting system, a teat cup holder, and a cleansing hose system. The milk collecting system comprises a teat cup, a milk collector, and a milking hose system connecting the teat cup to the milk collector. The teat cup holder stores the teat cup of the milk collecting system such that a nozzle of the teat cup holder substantially aligns with an opening of the teat cup. The cleansing hose system connects the nozzle of the teat cup holder to one or more cleanser sources and operable to backwash at least a portion of the milk collecting system by injecting a cleanser from one or more of the cleanser sources through the nozzle and into the teat cup.

A milking system includes a milking device, and a milk storage system having: a temporary milk storage vessel for temporarily storing milk from a plurality of milking operations, a milk pipe from the milking device to the temporary milk storage vessel, a milk tank for storing the milk from the temporary milk storage vessel, a control unit, a main milk pipe from the temporary milk storage vessel to the milk tank, a pressurized liquid supply which is controllable by the control unit and is provided and configured to supply a pressurized liquid, other than milk, to the milk storage system, a first and a second discharge provided on the main milk pipe, a selection device which is controllable by the control unit and is on the main milk pipe towards the first discharge or the second discharge, wherein the control unit is configured to perform a milk transferring action for transferring milk in the main milk pipe into the milk tank with the aid of the pressurized liquid, wherein the liquid transferring action includes bringing the pressurized liquid supply and the first discharge into liquid connection with the main milk pipe, and breaking a liquid connection of the main milk pipe with the second discharge, allowing an amount of pressurized liquid to flow under pressure from the pressurized liquid supply into the main milk pipe, and breaking the liquid connection between the main milk pipe and the first discharge. Transferring the milk in this way means that it is subjected to less mechanical load and mixed with less air, which benefits the quality. The invention also provides a temporary milk storage vessel and method of this type.

A milk tank system includes a first holder configured for intermediate storage of milk from several milkings of a milking device, and not being a milk glass; a second holder for storage of milk from the first holder; a transport device for transporting milk including a milk line from the first holder to the second holder, via which milk line the second holder may be brought into fluidic connection with the first holder, and a shut-off for shutting off the fluidic connection, in particular from the first holder to the milk line, wherein the transport device has a first operating state which is configured for collecting milk in the first holder, and a second operating state which is configured for transferring the milk from the first holder to the second holder, wherein the milk tank system further includes a control system for switching the transport device from the first to the second operating state when the milk in the first holder reaches a switching milk level which changes over time. Because the pumping of the milk from the intermediate milk storage vessel does not always begin at the same or comparable maximum milk level, but preferably at an ever increasing level, potentially caking milk residue is always rinsed away on a subsequent filling.

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 cleaning system for an automatic milking system includes a water supply arrangement alternatively serving first and second cleaning arrangements. The first cleaning arrangement is configured, in milking mode, to clean the teat cups of the automatic milking system and/or the teats of milking animals prior to being milked. The first cleaning arrangement includes at least one cleaning module, at least one feed line interconnecting the cleaning module with a tank, and a feed pump for feeding water from the tank to the cleaning module. The second cleaning arrangement is configured, in system cleaning mode, to clean the automatic milking system and includes a detergent supply system connected to the tank for supplying detergent to the tank, and a supply line interconnecting the tank with the automatic milking system allowing the cleaning liquid to be supplied to the automatic milking system.

A milking system including: at least one milking device; a milk storage vessel storing milk obtained with the milking device; a milk line system with a milk line with a first end connected to the milking device and with a second end connected to the milk storage vessel; and a monitoring system including: a sensor configured to measure a fluid parameter value of a fluid in the milk line, and a control system actively connected to the sensor and configured to process the measured fluid parameter value and generate a transition signal on fulfilment of a predefined transition criterion. The milk line includes a substantially vertical line portion, and a proposed discharge direction of milk runs through the milk line from the milking device to the milk storage vessel and is raised through the line portion, wherein the sensor is placed in or on the substantially vertical line portion.

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.