Abstract: A method for serving animals, such as milking dairy animals, allowed to go loose in an enclosed area, with animal stalls with a robot. The stalls have entrance and exit gates that are controlled. A service area includes at least three stationary animals stalls around a robot to form a central robot inner area. The robot is associated with the controller for the gates and is capable of moving to and serving each one of the animal stalls. A strolling area is arranged between the outer border of the enclosed area and the central robot area with animal stalls that is divided into subareas in various ways by the use of separators that may include controlled one-way passing gates for the animals.

Abstract: A cow indexing and positioning system comprising a first and second actuating systems where the first actuating system repositions a cow brisket bar assembly in the horizontal plane to index the cows located in a stall to be milked. When the cows are finished being milked the first actuating system then disengages from the cows' briskets and the second actuating system vertically raises the cow brisket bar assembly to allow the cows to pass thereunder.

Abstract: A cleaning device for cleaning the exterior of a milking parlour by means of a cleaning fluid. The milking parlour comprises a milking robot and a bottom on which an animal to be milked can stand. The milking robot is provided with a rinsing device for cleaning the interior of the milking robot by means of rinsing fluid. The cleaning device for cleaning the exterior of the milking parlour is constituted by an automatic cleaning device.

Abstract: An arrangement for managing a herd of freely walking animals includes an area (1) for receiving the animals, a milking station (2) and a plurality of waiting station (3) leading from the receiving area (1) to at least the milking station (2). The waiting station (3) is arranged to receive one animal and comprises one identification device (7) for identifying the animal entering the waiting station (3). The arrangement comprises a memory device (8) arranged to provide a value of a parameter related to the milk production of an animal identified by the identification device (7) and present in the waiting station (3) and by an analyzer (9) for analyzing the parameter and determining if the animal is to be milked in response to the value.

Abstract: Device for performing an animal related treatment on an animal. The device is provided with a box (2), the box (2) being provided with a floor (4), which lies substantially in the horizontal plane, on which floor the animal can stand. The device is provided with a device (9) for moving the entire floor (4) up respectively down substantially in the vertical direction. The device is provided with a position-determining device (10) for determining the position of a part to be treated of the animal, said position-determining device emitting position signals with the aid of which the lifting device is controlled. Alternatively or additionally, the floor (4) is provided with a wobbling device for providing a wobbling movement on at least a part of the floor (4), the device is provided with a presence detector (12) for detecting the presence of an animal in the box (2), and for emitting a presence signal, and the wobbling device is at any rate at least partially controlled by means of the presence signal.

Abstract: A method for recognizing and determining the position of at least one teat of a milking animal, including the steps: moving a scanning head including a light source to a region containing the teat or teats, capturing at least one image formed by said light, evaluating the image or images so as to determine if each image describes said teat or teats. The scanning head (1) is moved to a fixed initial position (A) in the room which is under the animal and clearly in front of an udder and thereby the teats of all known relevant animals, thereafter the scanning head is moved in determined steps (A-J) under the animal: upwards towards the animal, downwards, backwards towards the udder, upwards, downwards etc., while carrying out the scanning procedure. The invention also concerns an apparatus carrying out the process and a milking robot including such an apparatus.

Abstract: A method of controlling ammonia levels and soluble phosphorus generated from the animal waste in milking parlors comprising applying to the parlor floor an acidic aluminum salt liquid. The treatment effective amount is effective to reduce phosphorus solubility in the manure; reduce phosphorus runoff and/or phosphorus leaching from fields fertilized with manure; inhibit ammonia volatilization from the manure; flocculate solids in the manure; reduce pathogens in the manure; increase the nitrogen content in the manure; and/or reduce acid rain associated with the manure.

Abstract: The invention refers to a device for at least one milking stall (3) with a milking position (4) for an animal and with at least one milking equipment comprising a milking member arranged to be attached to said animal for milking thereof. The milking stall (3) is defined by at least one wall arrangement (5) and a floor (6), and extends between a fist end (7) and a second (8) end in such a way that when an animal is present in said milking stall (3) in said milking position, the front portion of said animal is adjacent said first end (7) and the back portion of said animal is adjacent said second end (8). The device comprises a cabinet-like structure (1), which has a longitudinal axis extending in a substantially vertical direction and which defines an inner space and which forms a building element of said milking stall (3). The invention also refers to a parlor (2) comprising a plurality of milking stalls (3) and the cabinet-like structure (1) forms a building element of said parlor (2).

Abstract: Milking parlor stalls (22, 24, 26) are provided with lights (62, 64, 80, 82, 84, 90, 92, 98, 100, 102) directly illuminating the cows' udders (34). The lights are spaced from the udders along illumination paths including rectilinear paths unblocked by the cows' body above the udder.

Abstract: A milking parlor (70) has a flushing channel (122) along a zigzag rump rail (124) for flushing cow manure (108) therealong. The rump rail is a continuous tubular conduit having upper portions thereof (146) cut-out (148) at end segments (132, 134, 136) to provide open-top gutter channels (138) receiving manure therein and interdigitated with closed-top flow channels (140) in side segments (126, 128, 130) conducting and passing the manure.

Abstract: A vacuum transfer system for transferring food grade products. A biased ball in a cage with a substantially uninterrupted cage wall is utilized as a check valve. The ball may be biased by a weight to float in a predictable orientation relative to the cage. The biased ball assures that a certain portion of the ball will consistently engage with and aperture. The biased ball also minimizes chattering of the ball in the cage under high flow conditions.

Abstract: A control system for milking parlors. The control system allows the neck rails move from an open position to a predetermined time period after the operator presses an open all gates button. The lowering of the neck rail is restricted or slowed such that the cow has time to exit the milking stall and any contact by the neck rail with the cow is gentle.

Abstract: An animal-milking system exceptionally suitable for the milking of large herds based on an animal-milking carrousel that can be configured to operate without human intervention. A rotating platform with animal-milking stalls disposed around the edge of the platform is provided. A teat-cup attaching area, equipped with one or more teat-cup attaching robots, is located so as to attach teat-cups to animals confined in milking stalls when the animals are brought into proximity with the robots. By allowing a plurality of animals to board the carrousel simultaneously, and by extending the time each stall is available for boarding, efficient use of the teat-cup attaching robots is possible. Using existing technologies a carrousel with 32 stalls can automatically milk a herd of more than 1100 animals.

Abstract: Groups of cows are transported by wheeled conveyances to and from a milking station in a dairy parlor. Cows are loaded onto the conveyances, and are discharged therefrom, at locations on either side of the milking station. This avoids having to herd cows into and out of the milking station, maximizing milking equipment utilization.

Abstract: A cow indexing and positioning system comprising a first and second actuating systems where the first actuating system repositions a cow brisket bar assembly in the horizontal plane to index the cows located in a stall to be milked. When the cows are finished being milked the first actuating system then disengages from the cows' briskets and the second actuating system vertically raises the cow brisket bar assembly to allow the cows to pass thereunder.

Abstract: A control system for milking parlors. The control system allows the neck rails move from an open position to a predetermined time period after the operator presses an open all gates button. The lowering of the neck rail is restricted or slowed such that the cow has time to exit the milking stall and any contact by the neck rail with the cow is gentle.

Abstract: An apparatus for automatically milking animals, such as cows, which comprises teat cups for connection to the teats of the animal to be milked and separate cups for connection to the teats of the animal for the purpose of cleansing, disinfecting or foremilking the animal. The apparatus is further provided with a switching device for alternately connecting the teat cups and the separate cups to the animal's teats. Each set of cups has its own compartment for being cleaned by a fluid spray. The process is controlled and recorded for each animal or groups of animals in a computer in association with an animal identification system. Robot arms separately move each set of cups to and from the animal's teats and to and from their respective cleaning compartments, and a further robot arm has a detector such as a laser, ultrasonic sensor or camera mounted thereon for locating the animal's teats so that the two sets of cups can be connected and disconnected therefrom.

Abstract: A voltage compensation circuit is coupled to a conventional milking system so that when a milk stream flows from a cow to a milk pipeline, a voltage compensation circuit makes contact with the milk stream. As a result, due to the voltage compensation circuit's output voltage, a current that might be generated by the electric potential difference between the cow and the milk pipeline is prevented from flowing within the milk stream. Accordingly, electric shocks to the cow are effectively prevented.

Abstract: A milking parlor assembly including a brisket rail therefor. The brisket rail is formed of sheets of steel that are bent into six-sided segments that are relatively easy to manufacture and, when assembled into the brisket rail, very easy to clean and maintain.

Abstract: A device for milking animals having at least two milking stalls which are each provided with a movable entrance gate, a movable exit gate and a first spurring device to drive the animals out of the milking stalls, and a passageway along the entrance gates and the exit gates. The passageway is provided with a second spurring device for spurring on the animals in the passageway so that the milking stalls are quickly accessible again for the following animals and so that the capacity of the device is increased.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for milking animals, particularly goats, wherein the animals are arranged side by side in two rows of milking compartments in a milking parlor. A robot arm construction is provided which is moved along the rear of the animals in the milking compartments of each row. Teat cups are provided behind each of the milking compartments which are retained in holders by a tension mechanism. A pair of rails are provided behind each row of milking compartments along which the robot arm constructions move supported via rollers which engage the rails. Each robot arm construction has an acquiring mechanism for grasping individually the teat cups and moving them forward and aft, pivoting them about a vertical pivot axis, and raising and lowering them.

Abstract: A freestall barn for dairy cattle arranged with a plurality of freestall resting areas with resting stalls, and a feed alley; has a feed drive through for a feed delivery vehicle, with feed alleys of the freestall resting areas adjacent and parallel to the feed drive-through. A cow lane crosses the feed drive through forming an intersection with it. The cow lane connects the freestall resting areas, and permits cows to proceed to and from a milking station. A four-way drive-through gate assembly has four horizontal gates disposed to pivot or swing on vertical axes at respective corners of the intersection. In a first position the gates block the drive-through but permit passage of cows along the cow lane. In a second position the gates block the cow lane but permit the feed delivery vehicle to pass through along the drive-through.

Abstract: An arrangement for performing an animal-related action on an animal includes a position determining component having a detector and a processing unit for determining the position of an animal part to be subjected to the animal-related action, and a performance component such as an animal handling unit or milking robot for performing the animal-related action. The position determining component is located at a first location including a station for housing an animal and the performance component is located at a second location including a station for housing an animal at a distance from the first location. A signal line is provided for transferring the coordinates of the position determined at the first location to the performance component at the second location in order to enable the performance of the action with regard to the animal part.