Patent Description:
On an animal farm, it is important to keep the animals healthy in order to enhance milk/ meat production. On a dairy farm, for example, it is very important to inseminate animals at an optimal moment in order to successfully fertilise the cow. It is important to find the right moment to inseminate each individual animal in the farm, for efficiency reasons. In case the animal is not successfully inseminated, milk production is affected.

Several biomarker measurements may be made on the animal, such as e.g. measuring levels of progesterone, LDH (Lactate Dehydrogenase), BHB (Beta-Hydroxybutyrat) and urea. Thereby important information concerning e.g. heat detection and/ or pregnancy of the individual animal may be made (based on measured progesterone level), as well as mastitis (based on LDH) and ketosis (based on BHB). Also, the energy balance may be estimated (based on urea).

Thereby, a farmer/ operator is provided with important information concerning each individual animal. However, to perform and analyse biomarker measurements of all individual animals at a farm is time consuming for the farmer. It also put high demands on administrative skills on the farmer to distinguish biomarker measurements from different animals; as well as high demands on cleanliness for not allowing a biomarker measurement of a first animal to be contaminated by biological matters of another animal.

<CIT> discloses a related test strip device providing an immunochromatographic method for detecting a substance in milk of a livestock animal using an antigen-antibody reaction.

It would for these reasons be advantageous for the farmer, if the taking of biomarker measurements on milk samples of different animals could be automated, and thereby minimising or at least reducing the manual work effort of the farmer.

It would be desired to find a way to assist the farmer in analysing his/ her animals and enhance production at the farm.

It is therefore an object of this invention to solve at least some of the above problems and facilitate for an operator to measure a biomarker value of a milk sample of an animal.

According to a first aspect of the invention, this objective is achieved by a dry stick arranged to indicate at least one biomarker value of a milk sample of an animal, by a lateral flow test. The dry stick comprises a sample pad, comprising a reagent, configured to indicate at least one biomarker value of a received milk sample of an animal by changing colours when exposed for milk comprising the biomarker. Further, the dry stick comprises a porous membrane, configured to create a capillary flow of the milk sample, from the sample pad through the porous membrane. In addition, the dry stick also comprises an absorbent pad, comprising an absorbent configured to absorb superfluous milk from the porous membrane; and a porous desiccant, configured to absorb moisture from environmental air. The dry stick comprises a carrying tape, upon which the sample pad, the porous membrane and the absorbent pad are arranged and is individually packaged on the carrying tape. The individually comprised dry stick may be packaged between a bottom film and a top film, embracing the dry stick, sealed together by a welded seam between the bottom film and the top film.

A biomarker, or biological marker, generally refers to a measurable indicator of some biological state or condition of the animal. The biomarker value measurement may be associated with pregnancy/ reproduction of the animal.

An advantage of the porous desiccant is that moisture of the environmental air could be absorbed. Thereby, by absorbing moisture, the risk of moisture affecting the functionality of the dry stick is reduced.

In a first possible implementation of the dry stick according to the first aspect, the absorbent of the absorbent pad of the dry stick comprises cellulose fibres impregnated with the porous desiccant.

In a second possible implementation of the dry stick according to the first aspect, or according to the first possible implementation thereof, the porous desiccant of the absorbent pad comprises silica gel.

In a third possible implementation of the dry stick according to the first aspect, or according to any previously disclosed possible implementation thereof, the porous desiccant of the absorbent pad comprises activated clay.

In a fourth possible implementation of the dry stick according to the first aspect, or according to any previously disclosed possible implementation thereof, the porous desiccant of the absorbent pad comprises molecular sieves.

In a fifth possible implementation of the dry stick according to the first aspect, or according to any previously disclosed possible implementation thereof, the dry stick comprises a top film, applied on the sample pad, the porous membrane and the absorbent pad, configured to keep the sample pad and the porous membrane, and the porous membrane and the absorbent pad in contact with each other.

In a sixth possible implementation of the dry stick according to the first aspect, or according to any previously disclosed possible implementation thereof, the porous membrane comprises a nitrocellulose membrane, cellulose, a polymer, glass fibre, woven fibres, non-woven fibres, a chromatographic gel membrane, diatomaceous earth, silica gel, silicium oxide, or kieselguhr.

In a seventh possible implementation of the dry stick according to the first aspect, or according to any previously disclosed possible implementation thereof, the sample pad may comprise a porous structure.

In an eigth possible implementation of the dry stick according to the first aspect, or according to any previously disclosed possible implementation thereof, the reagent of the sample pad comprises particles prepared with antibodies reacting on the biomarker.

In a ninth possible implementation of the dry stick according to the first possible implementation, the bottom film and the top film comprises polyethylene.

An advantage with using polyethylene for the bottom film and the top film, at least for the layers of the films adjacent to the dry stick, is that creation of the welded seam around the dry stick is facilitated.

In a tenth possible implementation of the dry stick according to the first possible implementation, the bottom film and the top film of the carrying tape comprises a respective aluminium foil.

The aluminium foil functions as a moisture barrier, blocking liquid and moisture from reaching the dry stick, thereby keeping it dry and unaffected from being soaked.

Thanks to the described aspects, by determining biomarker values of milk samples of animals on the farm, various states, e.g. related to reproduction of the animals, or various deceases or other anomalies may be determined. By keeping the dry stick on a tape in a cassette and automate the testing of the biomarker, costs, maintenance and work intensity of the operator may be minimised or at least reduced.

Other advantages and additional novel features will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying figures, in which:.

Embodiments of the invention described herein are defined as a plurality of dry sticks, which may be put into practice in the embodiments described below. These embodiments may, however, be exemplified and realised in many different forms and are not to be limited to the examples set forth herein; rather, these illustrative examples of embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete.

Still other objects and features may become apparent from the following detailed description, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings are designed solely for purposes of illustration and not as a definition of the limits of the herein disclosed embodiments, for which reference is to be made to the appended claims. Further, the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale and, unless otherwise indicated, they are merely intended to conceptually illustrate the structures and procedures described herein.

<FIG> illustrates a scenario with an animal <NUM> which may be comprised in a herd of dairy animals at a dairy farm.

"Animal" may be any arbitrary type of domesticated female milk producing and/ or meat producing mammal such as cow, goat, sheep, horse, camel, primate, dairy buffalo, donkey, yak, etc..

Milk of the animal <NUM> may be extracted by a milking equipment <NUM> such as e.g. a milking robot or other milking arrangement, and provided to a service module <NUM>.

The service module <NUM> may be releasably inserted into the milking equipment <NUM> in some embodiments. Thus, there may be an interface between the milking equipment <NUM> and the service module <NUM> for providing milk and possibly electricity via the milking equipment <NUM> to the service module <NUM>.

The service module <NUM> comprises various electronics and equipment such as a camera, one or several pumps, a tube element for attachment to the interface to the milking equipment <NUM>, motors, a communication unit etc..

A cassette <NUM> may be detachably inserted into the service module <NUM>. The cassette <NUM> comprises a tape with dry sticks, configured to indicate a biomarker value of a milk sample of the animal <NUM>. The cassette <NUM> may in some embodiments be configured to be detachably inserted in the service module <NUM> and held in place by a fastening means such as a snap lock, a magnet, a screw, etc., and a door of the service module <NUM> may be closed for enclosing the cassette <NUM> within the service module <NUM>, thereby further fixating the cassette <NUM> in the position.

Thereby, a milk sample of the animal <NUM> may be extracted from the animal <NUM> by the milking equipment and provided via the service module <NUM> to one of the dry sticks on the tape of the cassette <NUM>. The dry sticks may react on presence and/ or amount of one or several biomarkers, e.g. by changing colours, or intensity of a colour. The camera in the service module <NUM> may capture an image through an opening <NUM> in the cassette <NUM>. The captured image of the dry stick may then be analysed by a control unit, and based on the intensity of the colour, presence and/ or quantity of the biomarker in the milk sample may be estimated.

The measured biomarker may be e.g. progesterone, glycoprotein, oestrogen and/ or Gonadatropin-Releasing Hormones, or any other similar biomarker associated with reproduction of the animal <NUM>, in different embodiments.

Progesterone is a hormone that regulates several physiological functions of the animal <NUM>. Progesterone may prepare the uterus for pregnancy, maintain the pregnancy if fertilisation occurs, and inhibit the animal <NUM> from showing signs of standing oestrus and ovulating when pregnant. Progesterone levels, for example, may rise at the beginning of the pregnancy, and be kept at a high level throughout the pregnancy of the animal <NUM>. Progesterone levels in milk samples may be used to monitor pregnancy, oestrous cycles (heat detection) and/ or postpartum ovarian activity. For these reasons, progesterone levels of animals <NUM> at the farm is interesting for the operator to detect and keep track of.

However, the measured biomarker may in some embodiments comprise LDH (Lactate Dehydrogenase), BHB (Beta-HydroxyButyrat), urea, and/ or somatic cell count; or other biomarker related to status of the animal <NUM>. In some embodiments, a plurality of the above enumerated biomarkers may be measured. Alternatively, in some embodiment, the operator may subscribe to a cassette <NUM> comprising a certain dry stick on the tape configured to measure a biomarker, or a set of biomarkers, as selected by the farmer; and/ or different cassettes <NUM> comprising dry sticks on the tape configured to measure different biomarkers, or sets of biomarkers, during different periods of time of the year.

In some embodiments, a dosing module <NUM> may also be detachably inserted into the service module <NUM>. The dosing module <NUM> may comprise for example a needle, and/ or one or several pumps. A diluent container with diluent may be external to the dosing module <NUM>.

<FIG> and <FIG> depict general overviews of the provided solution, without going too much into details, in order for the reader to get a rough overview. Sublime examples of details of the involved entities, in particular the cassette <NUM> and the tape, and how they interact with each other, and how the dry sticks may be arranged may be fully enjoyed in <FIG>. The dry stick is depicted in <FIG>.

<FIG> illustrates a scenario illustrating a service module <NUM>, a cassette <NUM>, and a dosing module <NUM>, according to an embodiment. The service module <NUM> comprises electronics and equipment such as e.g. a camera <NUM>, a tube element <NUM> for attachment to the milking equipment, a motor, a communication unit <NUM>, etc., to be used for determining a biometric value of a milk sample received from an animal <NUM>. In some embodiments, the dosing module <NUM> may comprise one or several pumps configured to act on the tube element <NUM> for advancing the milk sample through the tube element <NUM>.

In the illustrated embodiment, the dosing module <NUM> may comprise a needle <NUM> for applying the milk sample to a dry stick 180a, 180b, 180c on a tape <NUM> in the cassette <NUM> through an opening <NUM> in the cassette <NUM>. The camera <NUM> may then align the needle <NUM> with the dry stick 180a, 180b, 180c on the tape <NUM> of the cassette <NUM>.

The camera <NUM> of the service module <NUM> may capture an image of the dry sticks 180a, 180b, 180c of the carrier tape <NUM> through the opening <NUM>, and based on these images, a cassette external motor may adjust the tape <NUM> for positioning a new dry sticks 180a, 180b, 180c, on which a new test is to be made, in relation to the needle <NUM>.

The communication unit <NUM> may communicate via a wired or wireless communication interface, with a control unit <NUM>, a database <NUM>, and/ or an output unit <NUM>.

Such wireless communication interface may comprise, or at least be inspired by wireless communication technology such as Wi-Fi, 3GPP LTE, Bluetooth (BT) to name but a few possible examples of wireless communications in some embodiments.

The camera <NUM> of the service module <NUM> is configured to inspect one dry stick 180a, 180b, 180c on the tape <NUM> of the cassette <NUM>, through the opening <NUM> of the cassette <NUM>. The camera <NUM> may also assist in alignment of the needle <NUM> and the position of the dry stick 180a, 180b, 180c on the tape <NUM>, by adjusting the tape <NUM>.

Further, the service module <NUM> also comprises a tube element <NUM> configured to receive the milk sample of the animal <NUM> via a milking equipment and provide the milk sample to a needle <NUM>, i.e. the needle <NUM> comprised in the dosing module <NUM>.

The dosing module <NUM> may in addition comprise at least one pump in some embodiments, configured to act on the tube element <NUM> for providing the milk sample to the needle <NUM>. The pump may thus act on the tube element <NUM> to get the milk sample to propagate through the tube element <NUM>, to reach the needle <NUM>; or the mixing chamber <NUM> of the needle <NUM>. The mixing chamber <NUM> may alternatively be external to the needle <NUM>.

The dosing module <NUM> may also comprise a liquid evacuator or drainage <NUM>, which may collect liquid that has been output by the needle <NUM>. The liquid, when comprising merely milk, may be returned back to the milk line in some embodiments. In other embodiments, when the milk has been mixed with diluent, the liquid may be conveyed away from the cassette <NUM> in order not to soak or contaminate other, unused, dry sticks 180a, 180b, 180c of the tape <NUM> on the cassette <NUM>.

The control unit <NUM> is configured to determine a biomarker value of the milk sample of the animal <NUM>, based on an analysis of the image, captured by the camera <NUM>. The control unit <NUM> may be comprised in the service module <NUM> in some embodiments; or be external to the service module <NUM>.

The database <NUM> may store measured biometric values of the animal <NUM>, associated with an identity reference of the animal <NUM> and/ or a time stamp of the measurement. Other measurements and/ or data related to the animal <NUM> may also be stored in the database <NUM>, such as milk yield, e.g. measured by the milk flow meter, activity, breed, parity, rumination, lactation, resting, feed intake, energy balance, Days In Milk, milk production, age and possibly other similar animal status related parameters.

The output unit <NUM> may be e.g. a cellular mobile telephone, a stationary or portable computing device, a computer tablet, a display, a pair of intelligent glasses, a smart contact lens, an augmented reality device, a smart watch or similar device having a user interface and wireless communication ability.

Via the output unit <NUM>, an operator may take part of the result of the biomarker measurement of the milk sample. The operator is thereby able to analyse the status of the animal <NUM>, such as e.g. if the animal <NUM> is in heat, in case progesterone is measured.

When a deviation, exceeding a first threshold limit, is detected between the outcomes of the biomarker measurement and the corresponding reference value, an alert may be outputted to the operator. The alert may comprise e.g. visual information, an audio message, a tactile signal or a combination thereof, encouraging the operator to further investigate the reasons for the detected deviation in result. In case a plurality of people is working with the herd, a broadcast may be made to the plurality of operators and their respective associated output units <NUM>, in some embodiments.

<FIG> illustrates a tape <NUM> according to an embodiment. The cassette <NUM>, which may be releasably inserted into the service module <NUM>, comprises the tape <NUM>, which in turn comprises a plurality of dry sticks 180a, 180b, 180c.

The dry sticks 180a, 180b, 180c may be arranged with an inclination α in relation to an axis <NUM>, orthogonal to a longitudinal axis <NUM> of the tape <NUM>. The inclination α may for example be <NUM> degrees or there about, or e.g. <NUM>-<NUM> degrees in some embodiments.

An opening 190a, 190b, 190c, may be arranged between at least some of the drysticks 180a, 180b, 180c, on the tape <NUM>, or on a bottom film of the tape <NUM>, i.e. between the welded seams 181a, 181b, 181c of at least some of the dry sticks 180a, 180b, 180c on the bottom film. The opening 190a, 190b, 190c is configured to convey liquid away from the dry sticks 180a, 180b, 180c during cleaning, or before applying the milk sample to the dry stick 180a, 180b, 180c.

Milk of a first animal <NUM> may contaminate a milk sample of another, subsequently tested animal. To avoid contamination, or carry over, the tubings and the needle <NUM> may be flushed with milk of the animal to be tested before the milk sample is applied to the dry stick 180a, 180b, 180c. For avoiding that the flushed milk of the animal to be tested soaks and/ or contaminate other unused dry sticks 180a, 180b, 180c, the flushing may be made through the opening 190a, 190b, 190c of the tape <NUM>, e.g. by lowering the needle <NUM> through the opening 190a, 190b, 190c, and capture the flushed milk with a liquid evacuator <NUM>. The liquid evacuator <NUM> may then via a tube convey liquid away from the cassette <NUM>.

The tape <NUM>, or the bottom film of the tape <NUM> may further comprise a reference mark 185a, 185b, 185c, configured to assist a camera <NUM> in finding the dry stick 180a, 180b, 180c. The reference mark 185a, 185b, 185c may comprise e.g. a hole, a colour mark, a barcode, a simple geometry, or similar.

The reference mark 185a, 185b, 185c may also assist the camera <NUM> in determining the advancement of the top film reel, to peel off the top film of the dry stick 180a, 180b, 180c, enough to enable application of the milk sample to the dry stick 180a, 180b, 180c, while not peeling off the top film of the next dry stick 180a, 180b, 180c.

Further, the tape <NUM>, or the bottom film of the tape <NUM> may comprise a first group <NUM> of advancement apertures <NUM>, arranged at a first edge <NUM> of the tape <NUM>; and a second group <NUM> of advancement apertures <NUM>, arranged at a second edge <NUM> of the tape <NUM>, or the bottom film of the tape <NUM>.

Each dry stick 180a, 180b, 180c may be separately arranged on the tape <NUM>, or the bottom film of the tape <NUM>, by a welded seam 181a, 181b, 181c, and wherein the sealed dry sticks 180a, 180b, 180c are arranged on a distance from each other.

<FIG> illustrate a cross section of a dry stick 180a, 180b, 180c in an embodiment. The dry stick 180a, 180b, 180c is arranged to indicate at least one biomarker value of a milk sample of an animal <NUM> by a lateral flow test, which also may be referred to as a lateral flow immunochromatographic assay.

The dry stick 180a, 180b, 180c comprises a sample pad <NUM>, comprising a reagent, configured to indicate at least one biomarker value of a received milk sample of an animal <NUM> by changing colours when exposed for milk comprising the biomarker.

Milk, or a liquid mix between milk and diluent may be applied on the sample pad <NUM>.

Further, the dry stick 180a, 180b, 180c comprises a porous membrane <NUM>, configured to create a capillary flow of the milk sample, from the sample pad <NUM> through the porous membrane <NUM>.

The purpose of the porous membrane <NUM> is to absorb the milk that has been applied on the sample pad <NUM> by capillary force. The sample pad <NUM> may comprise a porous structure. The reagent of the sample pad <NUM> may comprise particles, such as e.g. gold particles, metal particles, latex particles, carbon, etc., prepared with antibodies reacting on the biomarker. Typically, gold nanoparticles, coloured or fluorescent latex beads dried onto conjugate pads may be used as labelling agents, resulting in high levels of variation due to instability and inconsistent release, according to some embodiments.

The biomarker value of a received milk sample may be determined by a camera taking an image of the porous membrane <NUM> of the dry stick 180a, 180b, 180c. The colour or colour nuance of the image may then be compared with a colour chart for determining presence and/ or amount of the biomarker value.

The porous membrane <NUM> may comprise a nitrocellulose membrane, cellulose, glass fibre, polyester, rayon, a polymer, glass fibre, woven fibres, non-woven fibres, a chromatographic gel membrane, diatomaceous earth, silica gel, silicium oxide, kieselguhr, or other filtration membranes in different embodiments. The porous membrane <NUM> may be designed to enhance capillary pumping speed of liquid through the dry stick 180a, 180b, 180c.

In addition, the dry stick 180a, 180b, 180c also comprises an absorbent pad <NUM>. The absorbent pad <NUM> comprise an absorbent configured to absorb superfluous milk from the porous membrane <NUM>. The absorbent pad <NUM> also comprises a porous desiccant, configured to absorb moisture from environmental air.

Moisture in the air, during transportation or operation, may affect the outcome of the test of the biomarker, i.e. a different result than the true value may result from the test, leading to erroneous conclusions of the milk sample.

In previously known solutions, a separate, pre-packaged desiccant has been provided in a package or plastic bag. A problem therewith is that the separate desiccant, which may comprise silica gel crystals etc., may cause mechanical damage to the sensible surfaces of the dry stick 180a, 180b, 180c. The functionality of the dry stick 180a, 180b, 180c may thereby be jeopardised. By instead applying the desiccant functionality to the absorbent pad <NUM>, it is avoided that the other surfaces of the dry stick 180a, 180b, 180c, i.e. the sample pad <NUM> and/ or the porous membrane <NUM> are damaged by the desiccant.

The desiccant is a hygroscopic substance that induces or sustains a state of dryness, i.e. desiccation in its vicinity. The desiccant may involve chemical bonding of water molecules in some embodiments.

In some embodiments, the dry stick 180a, 180b, 180c may be individually sealed on the tape <NUM>, by a welded seam 181a, 181b, 181c. Thereby, the dry stick 180a, 180b, 180c may be protected from liquid and humidity, which may affect the biomarker measurement. However, in case the sealing breaks, the desiccant of the absorbent pad <NUM> serves the important purpose of absorbing humidity from the environmental air. Thereby, a more reliable result of the biomarker measurement is achieved.

In some embodiments, the absorbent of the absorbent pad <NUM> may comprise cellulose fibres impregnated with the porous desiccant. The porous desiccant of the absorbent pad <NUM> may comprise e.g. silica gel, activated clay and/ or molecular sieves.

The absorbent pad <NUM> may in some embodiments comprise a piece of paper having been treated with silica gel. Thereby, the desiccant paper of the absorbent pad <NUM> may offer high capacity adsorption within a semi-rigid structure. Millions of adsorbent particles may be comprised in a semi-rigid cellulose fibre matrix, which enables fast drying and extraordinary versatility in design.

Silica gel is an otherwise inert, nontoxic, water-insoluble white solid, which may be applied onto the absorbent pad <NUM>. However, other alternative embodiments may comprise a desiccant comprising activated charcoal, calcium sulfate, calcium chloride, and molecular sieves such as e.g. zeolites.

Furthermore, the dry stick 180a, 180b, 180c may comprise a carrying layer <NUM>, upon which the sample pad <NUM>, the porous membrane <NUM> and the absorbent pad <NUM> are arranged.

Additionally, the dry stick 180a, 180b, 180c may comprise a top film <NUM>, applied on the sample pad <NUM>, the porous membrane <NUM> and the absorbent pad <NUM>, configured to keep the sample pad <NUM> and the porous membrane <NUM>, and the porous membrane <NUM> and the absorbent pad <NUM> in contact with each other.

Thereby, capillary force between the different areas of the dry stick 180a, 180b, 180c is ascertained.

Further, the dry stick 180a, 180b, 180c may be individually packaged on the carrying tape <NUM>. The individually packaged dry stick 180a, 180b, 180c may be sealed by a welded seam 181a, 181b, 181c, and wherein the sealed dry stick 180a, 180b, 180c may be arranged at a distance from any other dry stick 180a, 180b, 180c.

<FIG> illustrates a cross section of a tape <NUM> according to an embodiment. The tape <NUM> may comprise a bottom film <NUM>, upon which dry sticks 180a, 180b, 180c are separately arranged. The bottom film <NUM> may thereby constitute the carrying layer <NUM>, in some embodiments. The dry sticks 180a, 180b, 180c may be configured to indicate at least one biomarker value of a milk sample of an animal <NUM>. Also, the carrying tape <NUM> may comprise a top film <NUM> configured to cover the dry sticks 180a, 180b, 180c, arranged on the bottom film <NUM>, and to be peeled off an individual dry stick 180a, 180b, 180c before application of the milk sample to the dry stick 180a, 180b, 180c.

The bottom film <NUM> of the carrying tape <NUM> may comprise a bottom layer, a medium layer and a top layer. The top film <NUM> of the carrying tape <NUM> may comprise a bottom layer, a medium layer and a top layer. The bottom layer and the top layer of the bottom film <NUM> and/ or the top film <NUM> may be made of plastic while the medium layer may be made of aluminium, in some embodiments.

The aluminium foil functions as a moisture barrier, blocking liquid and moisture from reaching the dry stick, thereby keeping it dry and unaffected from being soaked. However, the aluminium foil is typically very fragile, and in case the aluminium foil is teared or otherwise damaged, it is important to keep the desiccant at the dry stick 180a, 180b, 180c in order to maintain the dry stick 180a, 180b, 180c unaffected from moisture.

The reason for applying the top film <NUM> is that it is important that milk from a first animal <NUM> does not soak the dry stick 180a, 180b, 180c on which a subsequent animal is to use for biomarker test, as the milk from the first animal may contaminate the dry stick 180a, 180b, 180c of the second animal. For this reason, the cassette <NUM> may further comprise a de-sealer, configured to remove the sealing tape from the one dry stick 180a, 180b, 180c when the one dry stick 180a, 180b, 180c is adjusted into a position aligned with the needle <NUM>. The top film <NUM> may be thinner than the bottom film <NUM> in some embodiments, such as e.g. <NUM>% thinner, <NUM>% thinner, <NUM>% thinner, etc..

The bottom film <NUM> may comprise a bottom layer, a medium layer and a top layer. The bottom layer and the top layer may be made of plastic, like e.g. polyethylene, polypropylene, polyamide, polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene terephthalate polyester, polychlorotrifluoro ethylene, polyvinylidene chloride, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride and/ or polystyrene or similar material such as a thermoplastic polyester. In particular, the top layer may be made of polyethylene.

The medium layer of the bottom film <NUM> may be made of aluminium or an aluminium based alloy, and e.g. have a thickness between <NUM> - <NUM>.

The top film <NUM> of the tape <NUM> comprise a bottom layer, a medium layer and a top layer. The bottom layer and the top layer may be made of plastic, like e.g. polyethylene, polypropylene, polyamide, polyethylene terephthalate, polychlorotrifluoro ethylene, Polyvinylidene chloride, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride and/ or polystyrene or similar material. In particular, the bottom layer may with advantage be made of polyethylene.

The layers of the bottom film <NUM>; and the layers of the top film <NUM>, respectively, may be laminated.

The medium layer of the top film <NUM> may be made of aluminium or an aluminium based alloy, and e.g. have a thickness between <NUM> - <NUM>.

Using a thin layer of aluminium foil, e.g. around <NUM>, for medium layer of the bottom film <NUM> and/ or the medium layer of the top film <NUM> has the advantage of allowing more (longer) tape <NUM> on the spools <NUM>, <NUM> of the cassette <NUM>. It is also cheaper than using a thick (i.e. around <NUM>) aluminium foil. However, using a thick aluminium foil for the medium layers makes the tape <NUM> less sensible to mechanical damage. A compromise may be to use a thick aluminium foil, such as about e.g. <NUM>-<NUM> for the medium layer of the bottom film <NUM> and a thinner aluminium foil (e.g. about <NUM>-<NUM>) for the medium layer of the top film <NUM>, in some embodiments.

The dry sticks 180a, 180b, 180c may be maintained between the bottom film <NUM> and the top film <NUM>, and be individually sealed. The individual sealing of each dry stick 180a, 180b, 180c may be made by welding the top layer of the bottom film <NUM> together with the bottom layer of the top film <NUM>. Thereby, the dry sticks 180a, 180b, 180c are very well protected from milk stain, or humidity that may affect the operation of the dry sticks 180a, 180b, 180c, when they are not in turn to receive the milk sample from the needle <NUM>. In order to facilitate the welding, the top layer of the bottom film <NUM> and/ or the bottom layer of the top film <NUM> may be made of polyethylene, as polyethylene is easy to weld.

The purpose of the medium layers is to provide firmness to the tape <NUM>, while yet allowing the tape <NUM> to be flexible enough to be rolled on the spools <NUM>, <NUM> of the tape <NUM>. For this purpose, the medium layers with advantage may be made of aluminium foil; or a foil made of an aluminium alloy.

The purpose of the bottom layer of the bottom film <NUM> is to protect the medium layer from humidity, but also from scratches and other undesired mechanical impact, as the medium layer, in particular when made of aluminium foil, is fragile and sensitive for scratches. The same may be said about the top layer of the top film <NUM>. The bottom layer of the bottom film <NUM> and the top layer of the top film <NUM> may with advantage be made of plastic as mentioned above. The plastic also has the advantage of low friction, which ascertain a smooth running of the tape <NUM> when being distributed between the spools <NUM>, <NUM> of the tape <NUM>.

The embodiments, or parts thereof, illustrated in <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>, and/ or <FIG> may with advantage be combined with each other for achieving further benefits.

The terminology used in the description of the embodiments as illustrated in the accompanying drawings is not intended to be limiting of the described dry stick 180a, 180b, 180c. Various changes, substitutions and/ or alterations may be made, without departing from invention embodiments as defined by the appended claims.

Claim 1:
A plurality of dry sticks (180a, 180b, 180c) arranged to indicate at least one biomarker value of a milk sample of an animal (<NUM>) by a lateral flow test, which dry sticks (180a, 180b, 180c) comprise:
a sample pad (<NUM>), comprising a reagent, configured to indicate at least one biomarker value of a received milk sample of an animal (<NUM>) by changing colours when exposed for milk comprising the biomarker;
a porous membrane (<NUM>), configured to create a capillary flow of the milk sample, from the sample pad (<NUM>) through the porous membrane (<NUM>);
an absorbent pad (<NUM>), comprising
an absorbent configured to absorb superfluous milk from the porous membrane (<NUM>);
a porous desiccant, configured to absorb moisture from environmental air; and
a carrying tape (<NUM>), upon which the sample pad (<NUM>), the porous membrane (<NUM>) and the absorbent pad (<NUM>) are arranged, characterized in that each of the plurality of dry sticks (180a, 180b, 180c) is individually comprised on the carrying tape (<NUM>) and is individually packaged between a bottom film (<NUM>) and a top film (<NUM>), embracing the dry stick (180a, 180b, 180c), and a welded seam (181a, 181b, 181c) is arranged to individually seal the dry stick (180a, 180b, 180c) together between the bottom film (<NUM>) and the top film (<NUM>).