Patent ID: 8127714

Claim:
A method for animal management in a milking system which includes a milking box provided with a milking apparatus for milking animals, an enclosed waiting area from which the animals are capable of entering the milking box, and a gate arrangement provided with an animal identification device, in which each of the animals is allowed to enter and pass said waiting area if the animal, after having been identified, fulfills a criterion, said method comprising: measuring a time related to a time an animal waits in said waiting area before being milked; determining a ranking for said animal based on said time related to the time said animal waits in said waiting area before being milked, said ranking being a measure of a hierarchic order of the animal among the animals milked in the milking system; and performing an action with regard to said milking system depending on said determined ranking, wherein the ranking of said animal is determined so that a higher value of said time related to the time the animal waits in said waiting area before being milked corresponds to a lower hierarchic order, and a lower value of said time related to the time the animal waits in said waiting area before being milked corresponds to a higher hierarchic order.