Patent ID: 6886492

Claim:
A device for automatically milking an animal, comprising: a milking robot; at least two teat cups; a common milk line for discharging milk coming from the teat cups, each teat cup being connected via a teat cup line to the common milk line; a milk-determining element for determining the teat cup from which milk present in the common milk line has come and for emitting a determination signal; a measuring device comprising a common sensor for performing measurements on milk obtained from the animal and for emitting a measurement signal, the common sensor being disposed in the common milk line; a valve disposed in each teat cup line between the milk-determining element and the common milk line selectively supplying milk from the individual teat cup lines to the common milk line wherein the valve is directly controlled by the milk-determining element; and a computer for receiving the measurement signal and the determination signal to determine from which teat cup comes the milk that is measured by the common sensor and controlling the operation of the device.