A method of milking animals

Abstract: A method of automated milking and/or treating of animals, which method comprises a number of steps for milking and/or treating the animals, such as cleaning the teats and/or foremilking and/or milking and/or stripping and/or disinfecting the teats, etc., in which there are at least two variants for at least one step and in which for the at least one step a variant is chosen at random, e.g. by means of a random generator, or periodically, said variant subsequently being carried out.

Description: The invention relates to a method of automated milking of animals, which method comprises a number of steps for milking the animals, such as milking and foremilking and/or cleaning the teats and/or stripping and/or disinfecting the teats, etc., in which there are at least two variants for at least one step. Such a method is known from EP-A-0749682. In the known method an animal is allowed to be milked or not after a defined period of time has elapsed. Said defined period of time may be constant or may be determined on the basis of data concerning the physical state of the animal and/or the quality of milk. The invention aims at a method in which the animals are additionally stimulated during milking, in such a manner that milking is experienced as pleasant and an increased milk yield is to be expected. According to the invention this is achieved in a method as defined in claim 1. In this manner the animal is prevented from falling into a repeated pattern. It has appeared in practice that, when applying such a method, the animals feel better and will consequently produce more milk. It has appeared that some animals find it pleasant when one step is carried out periodically. Therefore, according to an inventive feature, for one variant the step is carried out periodically, while for another variant the step is carried out at random. A further embodiment of the invention is defined in claim 3. The advantage of milking the animals in this manner is that the teat and the pulsation frequency are additionally stimulated by an alternating, non-predictable release-suction phase ratio, so that a better milk secretion is obtained. Further embodiments of the invention are defined in claims 4 and 5. In this manner the animals are prevented from getting accustomed to the fact that e.g. a specific udder quarter is always the first to be milked or that a specific teat is always the first to be cleaned. Further embodiments of the invention are defined in claims 6 to 11.

Claims: A method of automated milking of animals, which method comprises a number of steps for milking the animals, in which there are at least two variants for at least one step, characterized in that for the at least one step a variant is chosen at random, e.g. by a random generator, which variant is subsequently carried out. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that for one variant the step is carried out periodically, while for another variant the step is carried out at random. A method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the method comprises automated milking of animals and in that the milking time is subdivided into periods of time and that per period of time there is defined a lower and an upper limit value for the pulsation frequency, as well as a release-suction phase ratio defined per pulsation frequency for the liner of a teat cup and in which by means of e.g. a random generator a value between e.g. 0 - 100 is chosen, which value corresponds to a pulsation frequency in a specific period of time, whereupon said pulsation frequency together with the pertaining release-suction phase ratio is set for that period of _time, whereafter the above-mentioned procedure is repeated for a next period of time. A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 - 3, in which method, for the purpose of connecting teat cups for milking an animal, teat cups are connected automatically to the teats of an animal by means of a milking robot, characterized in that , after the sequence in which the teat cups are connected to the teats of an animal has been determined by means of a random generator, the teat cups are connected to the teats by means of the milking robot. A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 - 4, in which method, for the purpose of connecting cleaning members for cleaning the teats of an animal, cleaning members are connected automatically to the teats of an animal by means of a milking robot, characterized in that , after the sequence in which the cleaning members are connected to the teats of an animal has been determined by means of a random generator, the cleaning members are connected to the teats by means of the milking robot. A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the method comprises cleaning the teats and/or the udder of an animal, in which, after a value for the cleaning intensity at which cleaning is effected has been determined by means of a random generator, this value is set with the aid of adjusting means for adjusting the cleaning intensity and subsequently the teats and/or the udder are/is cleaned with a cleaning device. A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 - 6, characterized in that the method comprises varying the force with which a teat cup is pulled during milking of an animal, while between a lower and an upper limit value for the force with which is pulled a value is chosen at random by means of a random generator, whereafter the teat cup is pulled with said force by means of e.g. a withdrawal member. A method as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that the estimated milking time is subdivided into periods of time and that per period of time there is determined at random a new value for the force with which the teat cup is pulled. A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 - 8, characterized in that the method comprises milking a teat of an animal and in that the position of a kinking place in a liner of a teat cup is altered during squeezing of the liner with the aid of means. A method as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that the positions of said kinking places are altered periodically with the aid of the means. A method as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that the positions of said kinking places are altered at random with the aid of the means.

Inventors: DE GROEN FRANCISCUS JOHANNES A, VAN DEN BERG KAREL, VAN DER LELY ALEXANDER, DE GROEN, FRANCISCUS JOHANNES ADRIANUS, VAN DEN BERG, KAREL, VAN DER LELY, ALEXANDER
Applicants: MAASLAND NV, MAASLAND N.V.
Application year: 1999
Main classification: A01J5
IPC codes: A01J7, A01J5