Patent ID: 8869747

Claim:
A system for monitoring teat cleaning and disinfectant procedures before a milking operation is started, the system comprising: a disinfectant solution source containing a disinfectant solution; a hand-held applicator having a housing volume within which one or more scrubbing elements are positioned for engaging a teat of the milk-producing animal having been inserted in the housing volume; a motor operatively connected to the scrubbing elements; a pump and conduit in fluid communication with the housing volume of the hand-held applicator and the disinfectant solution source; a controller, in electrical communication with the hand-held applicator, the motor and the pump, that is configured to initiate the actuation of the scrubbing elements and delivery of the disinfectant solution to the hand-held applicator as the scrubbing elements are actuated; wherein the hand-held applicator includes a switch mechanism in electrical communication with the controller and the controller is configured such that when the switch mechanism is actuated the controller activates the motor to actuate the scrubbing elements and the controller is configured to activate the pump to control delivery of the disinfectant solution to the applicator for a first time duration as the scrubbing elements are actuated; the controller further being configured to deactivate the pump at the end of the first time duration to discontinue the delivery of the disinfectant solution to the applicator and continue activation of the motor and actuation of the scrubbing elements for a second time duration without the disinfectant solution being supplied to the applicator; and, wherein the controller is further configured to monitor one or more teat cleaning parameters indicative of the number of milk-producing animals that have been cleaned in preparation for a milking operation.