Wearable apparatus for the treatment of mastitis, the apparatus comprising a mammary gland wearable comprising an array of light source elements thereon emitting electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength in the range of 380-1050 nm, a power supply coupled to the array of light source elements, the wearable configured to be worn against a mammary gland in use wherein the array of light source elements emit the radiation which penetrates epidermis of the mammary gland for the treatment of mastitis.

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.

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.

There is provided a milking cluster (102) for milking an animal, the milking cluster comprising a plurality of teat cups (1) connected to a clawpiece (106). The clawpiece comprises a plurality of milk inlets that are connected to the plurality of teat cups via respective short milk tubes (11). A milk flow passageway begins at the barrel of the teat cup and ends at the clawbowl of the clawpiece, and a valve system is present within each milk flow passageway. The valve system comprises a first pressure-actuated valve through which milk flowing along the milk flow passageway must pass.

There is provided a milking cluster (102) for milking an animal, the milking cluster comprising a plurality of teat cups (1) connected to a clawpiece (106). The clawpiece comprises a plurality of milk inlets that are connected to the plurality of teat cups via respective short milk tubes (11). A milk flow passageway begins at the barrel of the teat cup and ends at the clawbowl of the clawpiece, and a valve system is present within each milk flow passageway. The valve system comprises a first pressure-actuated valve through which milk flowing along the milk flow passageway must pass.

An end effector of a robot arm that is configured to participate in an animal-related operation, where the end effector is comprised of an actuator and a housing that is provided with a first aperture at a first end portion, where the actuator participates in the animal related operation via the first aperture, and the housing is provided with a second aperture providing access to an interior of the housing, wherein a passage extends through the housing along at least part of the actuator, from the second aperture to the first aperture such that the housing may be flushed through for removing dirt.

An end effector of a robot arm that is configured to participate in an animal-related operation, where the end effector is comprised of an actuator and a housing that is provided with a first aperture at a first end portion, where the actuator participates in the animal related operation via the first aperture, and the housing is provided with a second aperture providing access to an interior of the housing, wherein a passage extends through the housing along at least part of the actuator, from the second aperture to the first aperture such that the housing may be flushed through for removing dirt.

The present disclosure relates to a spray head configured to clean a teat of a dairy animal, comprising a body comprising an inner contour at least partly enclosing a cleaning zone that is configured to receive the teat of the dairy animal; a fluid inlet; and at least one nozzle that is in fluid connection with the fluid inlet and is arranged along at least part of the inner contour of the body.

The present disclosure relates to a spray head configured to clean a teat of a dairy animal, comprising a body comprising an inner contour at least partly enclosing a cleaning zone that is configured to receive the teat of the dairy animal; a fluid inlet; and at least one nozzle that is in fluid connection with the fluid inlet and is arranged along at least part of the inner contour of the body.

A teat dip fluid manifold and methods for distributing teat dip fluids, and including redundant valve sets and pressure monitoring between valve pairs to determine valve condition.