A system for milking a group of milking animals, in particular cows, wherein the system comprises: - an accommodation space for the milking animals , - a plurality of milking stations each arranged at a fixed location and next to each other, wherein the milking stations each comprise an entry opening for entry of a milking animal from the accommodation space to said milking station , and wherein each milking station at a head end thereof comprises a neck lock device , which can be moved by means of an actuator device between a locked state in which a milking animal in said milking station can be locked at the neck by the neck lock device , and an open state in which a milking animal in said milking station is free to move its head in and/or out of said neck lock device , - a control system which is actively connected to the actuator device of each neck lock device , wherein the control system is configured to control the actuator devices , and - an automatic milking system for automatic milking of milking animals present in the milking stations , wherein the milking system is configured to milk a milking animal which is locked at the neck in a milking station by means of the neck lock device of said milking station on condition that said milking animal fulfils a predefined milking criterion, characterized in that the control system is configured to determine, for each milking station , whether a milking animal in said milking station has a position and/or attitude which is suitable for locking said milking animal at the neck by the neck lock device of said milking station , and to control the actuator devices such that each milking animal which enters one of the milking stations and then assumes said position and/or attitude, irrespective of whether said milking animal fulfils the milking criterion, is locked at the neck in said milking station by movement of the neck lock device of said milking station from the open state to the locked state. - an accommodation space for the milking animals , - a plurality of milking stations each arranged at a fixed location and next to each other, wherein the milking stations each comprise an entry opening for entry of a milking animal from the accommodation space to said milking station , and wherein each milking station at a head end thereof comprises a neck lock device , which can be moved by means of an actuator device between a locked state in which a milking animal in said milking station can be locked at the neck by the neck lock device , and an open state in which a milking animal in said milking station is free to move its head in and/or out of said neck lock device , - a control system which is actively connected to the actuator device of each neck lock device , wherein the control system is configured to control the actuator devices , and - an automatic milking system for automatic milking of milking animals present in the milking stations , wherein the milking system is configured to milk a milking animal which is locked at the neck in a milking station by means of the neck lock device of said milking station on condition that said milking animal fulfils a predefined milking criterion, characterized in that the control system is configured to determine, for each milking station , whether a milking animal in said milking station has a position and/or attitude which is suitable for locking said milking animal at the neck by the neck lock device of said milking station , and to control the actuator devices such that each milking animal which enters one of the milking stations and then assumes said position and/or attitude, irrespective of whether said milking animal fulfils the milking criterion, is locked at the neck in said milking station by movement of the neck lock device of said milking station from the open state to the locked state. <EOS>