Abstract: A robot milking device includes a milking site, an animal identification device, robot milking means, a feeding device for providing feed to the dairy animal during the milking based on a feed allowance, and a controller for the robot milking system and for updating feed allowance. The method includes selecting a future time period, determining a free capacity C of the robot milking system, determining a sub-group of the dairy animals for which the controller may continue to provide feed after the milking, milking and feeding the dairy animals which visit the milking system, and additionally feeding a dairy animal from the sub-group depending on the determined free capacity C, if the dairy animal still has a feed allowance for milking.

Abstract: A method for milking and managing a herd of dairy animals by at least attributing an insemination suitability status, the method includes, for each dairy animal, milking the dairy animal by means of a milking device, with a controller. By means of the controller, using a measuring device, determining at least one parameter value PVi related to the milking. By means of the controller, calculating an index value V of the dairy animal with respect to the herd of dairy animals on the basis of PVi and an average parameter value PVhi for the herd of dairy animals, which index value V indicates a value ranking order in the herd, and if the index value of the dairy animal fulfils a predefined criterion, automatically by means of the controller attributing to the dairy animal the insemination suitability status “inseminate no longer”.

Abstract: A method, and milking system, for managing a herd of dairy animals including N groups, wherein N?2, and the method includes: A) determining a content of a substance in the milk for a group of dairy animals, and B) performing an animal-related operation for the group, based on the content of the determined substance.

Abstract: A method for monitoring oestrus of a cattle animal, for example a cow. The method includes: a) collecting activity data of the animal, b) computing a current activity level based on the activity data, c) deciding whether to generate an oestrus attention signal by comparing at least one current activity level to a corresponding baseline activity level. The computing b) further includes b1) detecting travelling movements of the animal and b2) correcting the baseline activity level for detected travelling movements.

Abstract: Monitoring activity of an animal in a system for housing freely moving animals including a plurality of animal ID stations, includes the steps of a) recording a first visit of said animal at a first of said animal ID stations, b) recording a subsequent second visit of said animal at a second of said animal ID stations, and c) determining a distance covered by said animal as the distance between said first animal ID station at said first visit and said second animal ID station at said second visit. With such simple means, parts of which are already present in e.g. most robot dairy stables, important information about activity of animals can easily be gathered.

Abstract: A method, and milking system, for managing a herd of dairy animals including N groups, wherein N?2, and the method includes: A) determining a content of a substance in the milk for a group of dairy animals, and B) performing an animal-related operation for the group, based on the content of the determined substance.

Abstract: A method for monitoring oestrus of a cattle animal, for example a cow. The method includes: a) collecting activity data of the animal, b) computing a current activity level based on the activity data, c) deciding whether to generate an oestrus attention signal by comparing at least one current activity level to a corresponding baseline activity level. The computing b) further includes b1) detecting travelling movements of the animal and b2) correcting the baseline activity level for detected travelling movements.

Abstract: A method for estimating a greenhouse gas emission from a ruminant in a loose housing environment, and in a predetermined time period from T0 to Tdesired, the method including: determining a model emission rate function EM(t) for the ruminant determining the moments of eating feed by the ruminant, at least during the predetermined time period, as a series of points in time {T1, T2, T3, . . . , Tn} constructing the estimated real emission rate function ER(t) on the basis of the model emission rate function and the moments of eating feed, and integrating ER(t) from T0 to Tdesired. Also provided is a greenhouse gas emission estimation device, arranged to perform this method. In the device and method, use is made of the insight that knowing the eating moments can fine-tune calculations for establishing greenhouse gas emissions from the animals.

Abstract: Monitoring activity of an animal in a system for housing freely moving animals including a plurality of animal ID stations, includes the steps of a) recording a first visit of said animal at a first of said animal ID stations, b) recording a subsequent second visit of said animal at a second of said animal ID stations, and c) determining a distance covered by said animal as the distance between said first animal ID station at said first visit and said second animal ID station at said second visit. With such simple means, parts of which are already present in e.g. most robot dairy stables, important information about activity of animals can easily be gathered.