Abstract: Apparatus for measuring a liquid's flow rate which includes a housing, a set of electrical sensors and a processing apparatus. The housing includes a separation wall which divides the housing into measurement and discharge chambers and contains a slot which allows the liquid to freely flow from the measurement chamber into the discharge chamber. The sensor apparatus includes a reference sensor and a common sensor positioned proximate to the floor, and a set of measurement sensors positioned within the measurement chamber. The measurement sensors are spaced apart in a generally vertical stepped continuum stretching from the floor to a height substantially equal to the top of the separation wall. A processing apparatus processes the data according to a preprogrammed process. Processing includes measuring an electrical parameter of the liquid proximate to the floor of the apparatus and at various levels of the liquid and normalizing the results.

Abstract: Apparatus for measuring a liquid's flow rate which includes a housing, a set of electrical sensors and a processing apparatus. The housing includes a separation wall which divides the housing into measurement and discharge chambers and contains a slot which allows the liquid to freely flow from the measurement chamber into the discharge chamber. The sensor apparatus includes a reference sensor and a common sensor positioned proximate to the floor, and a set of measurement sensors positioned within the measurement chamber. The measurement sensors are spaced apart in a generally vertical stepped continuum stretching from the floor to a height substantially equal to the top of the separation wall. A processing apparatus processes the data according to a preprogrammed process. Processing includes measuring an electrical parameter of the liquid proximate to the floor of the apparatus and at various levels of the liquid and normalizing the results.

Abstract: A system for marking a cow with a visible marking indicative of a treatment to be carried out on the cow, comprising an identification tag located on the cow and bearing a unique identity code for remotely identifying the cow, and a database containing for each cow in a herd a corresponding identity code and a treatment code relating to a treatment to be carried out on the cow. The cow passes through a paint spray station en route between a milking parlor and corral and is interrogated for determining in respect of each cow its corresponding unique identity code, and the database is accessed so as to extract therefrom the corresponding treatment code. The paint spray station is coupled to the database access means and includes a plurality of different colored spray guns which are responsive to the treatment code for marking on the cow a visible marking uniquely identifying the treatment code.

Abstract: A method for investigating an electrical conductivity of milk from an individual cow, comprising the steps of measuring at least one electrical conductivity of at least one daily milking on each of a plurality of successive days and storing the respective electrical conductivities or computed functions thereof. An average value of the electrical conductivities or of functions thereof is then computed and stored for the preceding x days but excluding the previous y days where y<x, and at least once each day any deviation between the electrical conductivity or function thereof and the average stored value is determined. The deviation is stored and/or displayed and serves as an indication of the onset of mastitis. A system for carrying out the method is also disclosed.

Abstract: A milking system includes at least one milking cluster arranged for engagement with a cow's udder during milking, a milk collection conduit, and a backflush fluid conduit. There is provided a disinfecting arrangement including a milking valve assembly which is operative selectively to couple the milking cluster either to the milk collection conduit or to the backflush fluid conduit. The disinfecting arrangement also includes a connection pipe interconnecting the backflush fluid conduit and the milking valve assembly and apparatus for supplying a disinfectant to the backflush fluid at a location along the connection pipe adjacent each milking cluster.