Patent ID: 8505482

Claim:
A method for controlling milking by a milking machine, comprising the steps of: monitoring a milk flow rate of milk provided by a milking animal by a milk flow measuring device; and during an initial stimulation phase of milking in which a teat of the milking animal is stimulated to cause the milk to initially flow from the teat of the milking animal, increasing a milking vacuum for said milking gradually from a first selected milking vacuum level ( 1 L) to a second selected milking vacuum level ( 6 L) by controlling a vacuum pump connected to a milking device that is connected to the milking animal to improve teat stimulation and decrease the risk of a second milk letdown after a first milk letdown, the vacuum pump controlling a flow of air from the milking device via a first vacuum conduit to increase the milking vacuum, wherein the milking vacuum is increased gradually during the initial stimulation phase at a first vacuum level rate of change during a first part ( 1 P) of said increase and at a second vacuum level rate of change during a following second part ( 2 P) by the vacuum pump, changing from said first vacuum level rate of change to said second vacuum level rate of change when the milk flow rate exceeds a first selected threshold value ( 1 TH), the changing being a function of the monitored milk flow rate monitored by the milk flow measuring device, said second vacuum level rate of change being higher than said first vacuum level rate of change.