Milking equipment

Abstract

Verschaft is a milking system with milk cups. The milk cup comprises a cup housing and a teat liner, which define a pulsation chamber and a teat chamber with a teat opening and a cup milk drain opening. The milk cup has a chamber for milk-air separation, which extends downwards from the cup milk drain opening, and has a chamber milk supply opening and a chamber milk drain opening, as well as a separate chamber air drain opening above the chamber milk drain opening. The milking system furthermore has a milk collection vessel for the temporary storage of a single milking, with a vessel milk supply opening and from there a milk hose to the chamber milk drain opening, and with a vessel air drain opening, and a vacuum device for setting a pulsation vacuum V at the pulsation chamber, a milk vacuum V at the chamber, and a transport vacuum V at pmt the milk collection vessel. In this case, V ≤ V < V . Due to the milk-air separation in the chamber, the milk vacuum pmt is easily controllable.As a result, the pulsation vacuum can be selected smaller than or equal to the milk vacuum, preventing bulging and vacuum leaks at the teat liner.

Description

The present invention relates to a milking a dairy animal with teats in a milking with a pre-milk phase, a main milking phase and a post-milking phase, comprising at least a milk cup for apply to one of the teats, which milk cup comprises a cup housing, one in the cup housing fitted nipple liner which a teat space immediately teat opening and a surrounds the cup milk drainage opening, whereby it is situated between the teat liner and the cup housing a pulsation chamber immediately containing a pulsation opening, a room equipped for milk- air separation, which chamber itself during mentioned milking flui'dum connected from the beaker drain opening extends downwards, whereby said chamber is connected with the cup milk feed opening fluid-connected chamber milk supply opening and a includes a room milk drain opening, as well as a separate room air exhaust opening which is located above the chamber milk drain opening during said milking, whereby the Furthermore, it includes a milk collection tank designed for the temporary storage of the milk from a milking with a vat milk supply opening and one between the chamber milk drain opening and the vat milk supply opening connected to the milk hose, and with a vessel air discharge opening, a vacuum device designed for setting a pulsation vacuum VID to the pulsation chamber, a milk vacuum Vm to the chamber and a Transport vacuum Vt at the milk collection vessel. A similar one is known from U82020084994A1. In this The document provides no further explanation regarding the setting of the various vacuum levels. In practice, it proves not always possible to reliably control the milking. to ensure it proceeds smoothly and in an animal-friendly manner. It is therefore an objective of the present invention to a to provide of the type indicated above, which is a reliable, can ensure smooth and animal-friendly milking. To that end, the invention provides a according to claim 1, where, at least during the entire main lactation phase, it holds that V|D s Vm < Vt. The invention is based on the insight that the milk-air separation such as known in itself from U82020084994A1 ensures that the milk vacuum in the chamber, and so of the directly connected weaning area, easily manageable and, if desired, is very constant. In itself, this already constitutes a contrast to the usual milk cups, where the milk vacuum is a result of the on the milk hose applied milk transport vacuum and the instantaneous milk flow through that milk hose. After all, with a conventional milk cup, both milk and air are removed from the teat area. discharged via the same milk tube. This means that the effective, and therefore teat-side, milk vacuum can be much lower with a large milk flow than when there is no or a is a small milk flow. In the latter case, there is, after all, in principle a direct connection. between the teat space and the milk tube where the transport vacuum prevails. The milk vacuum, or at least the transport vacuum that this milk vacuum must ultimately generating in the weaning room is therefore set to a value corresponding to a average milk flow. The pulsation vacuum cannot be selected too low, because that pulsation vacuum the teat liner even at a low milk flow, such as at the beginning or at the end of the milking, it must be able to open for the milk stroke. Therefore, it becomes pulsation vacuum always chosen higher than the intended milk vacuum, for a average milk flow. In itself, it is known from EP225214ZB1 to reduce the pulsation vacuum. to below the milk vacuum upon detecting bimodality in the milk flow, to creep up to prevent the milk cup from pulsating. The pulsation vacuum, as well as the milk vacuum, is then gradually increased again. However, this concerns conventional milk cups, where the milk vacuum cannot be determined very accurately. Additionally, it is precisely in the case of bimodality (temporary drop in milk flow during the transition from cistern milk to alveolar milk) already such that a full vacuum prevails under the teat, and that vacuum has not been reduced by the milk flow. According to the present invention, it is precisely better to during to have a pulsation vacuum throughout the entire main milking phase that is lower than the milk vacuum The milking is divided into three phases: the pre-milking phase, the main milking phase. and the after-milk phase. In the present invention, the foremilk phase refers to the phase in which foremilk is collected and the milk flow starts, with the head milk phase the phase in which the most milk is produced, around the peak milk flow, and with the after-milk phase, the phase where the milk flow clearly drops and usually also the The milk vacuum is being phased out. The main milking phase can be chosen somewhat freely in this regard, but A commonly used definition is one in which the main flow is the period when the milk flow at at least a predetermined percentage of the maximum milk flow Lies, as at least at 25% of the peak milk flow. For the sake of clarity, it is noted here that "a higher vacuum" in this application means "a higher difference with ambient pressure", in other words therefore a lower absolute pressure. Furthermore, it will be clear that from the vacuum device a pulsation line shall be provided to the pulsation opening, a milk vacuum line to the chamber milk drain opening, and a transport vacuum line to the vessel air- drain opening. Via the milk collection vessel, this transport vacuum is transferred to the milk hose However, this implies that the effective milk vacuum in the teat cavity at a high milk flow is clearly lower than the pulsation vacuum. If the milk vacuum is lower than the pulsating vacuum, this has negative consequences for the milking. First of all the higher pulsation vacuum pulls too strongly on the teat liner, causing it to push outwards bulges (ballooning). As a result, the nipple liner does not fit as well against the teat, and the teat can move unintentionally in the milk cup. Air can also pass the nipple lining leaking, specifically from the head space, in the upper part of the milk cup. Consequently, an undesirably excessive negative pressure will prevail there, such that a exerts suction on the upper part of the teat, where there is, among other things, a ring of veins is located. The negative consequence of this negative pressure is the swelling of the ring of veins, and in general a constriction of the milk duct in the teat. As a result milking is hampered and the teat is subjected to unnecessary strain. The inventor has realized that the meIk air separation in the room of the milk cup according to the invention, and according to U82020089449A1, which ensures a more controllable and, if desired, constant milk vacuum under the teat, thereby can also ensure an optimally adjusted pulsation vacuum. After all, precisely because it effective milk vacuum does not change, at least not much, as a result of variations in the milk flow, it is quite possible to adjust the pulsation vacuum accordingly. According to the invention this takes place through the pulsation vacuum VID less than or equal to the to select milk vacuum Vm. Note here that the teat itself, due to the volume and the its elasticity, as well as the properties of the nipple lining itself, can ensure that even with a pulsation vacuum that is (slightly) smaller than the milk vacuum, the teat liner still opens during the milking stroke. However, it is important that this also ensures that the nipple liner remains properly fitted to the nipple at all times, and that no air will leak along. Special versions are described in the dependent conclusions, as well as together with their benefits in the following part of the description. According to the invention, the chamber extends during said milking. flui'dum connected from the cup drain opening downwards. Here is noted that this implies that the shape and orientation of the room are such that during milking the room air exhaust opening will remain above the room milk discharge opening, and that the former shall not be blocked by milk collected in the room. The room is therefore essentially non-rising. As already indicated above, the pulsation vacuum is according to the invention smaller than or equal to the milk vacuum, i.e. below the teat. In this case, it applies that "the pulsation vacuum" the vacuum is that prevails in the pulsation space during the b- or Suction phase of the pulsation. During the d- or rest phase, a (much) higher level naturally prevails. pressure / lower vacuum, such as atmospheric pressure in particular. In particular, the vacuum device configured such that VID < V. Thus, it can be properly ensured that the teat liner always fits snugly against the teat. For example, is the vacuum device such that VID - V = a constant, where the constant is for example between between 1 and 10 kPa, in particular between 2 and 5 kPa. In this range, the intrinsic elasticity is of teat and teat liner still sufficient to also ensure that the teat liner opens during the milk stroke. This depends on the characteristics of the material and the shape of the nipple lining, and also somewhat of the physical characteristics of the teats of the type of dairy animal to be milked. The design of the chamber for collecting the milk for the milk- |air separation, is not particularly limited, apart from extending downwards. For example, the chamber can be a flexible pipe section. With advantage, however, the chamber is dimensionally stable and unitarily connected to the cup housing. The dimensional stability means, for example, that the shape does not change substantially during normal use, and that consequently no unwanted pressure fluctuations will occur in the room. Moreover, all are any components provided in the room, such as a sensor, better protected against damage caused by, for example, a kick from the dairy animal. For example, the room has the same stiffness as the cup shell, and in particular are the chamber and the cup shell manufactured from the same material, although other materials are of course also possible. In implementation forms, the one or more sensor devices designed for measuring vacuum values ​​of at least the pulsation vacuum VID and the milk vacuum V, where the vacuum device is configured for regulating at least the pulsation vacuum and / or the milk vacuum VM based on the measured vacuum values. Even though it is in principle possible to the control based on venNachte vacuum values, especially since due to the milk- air separation in the chamber little fluctuation in the milk vacuum will occur, will the provision of said vacuum sensors, and the ability of the control system additional regulations of the said vacuums offer more and better possibilities for odd night to be able to correct fluctuations quickly. In particular, it includes also a sensor for measuring the transport vacuum VT and the control is also configured for regulating the transport vacuum VT based on the measured vacuum values. It is not necessary for the control system to have any vacuum value in this case. regulates based on any other vacuum value. In implementation forms, it includes an animal identification device. for determining the animal identity of the dairy animal to be milked, whereby the The vacuum device is configured to set the pulsation vacuum and / or the milk vacuum depending on the specific animal identity. This provides the possibility to the to adapt milking to the dairy animal, which can be beneficial because not every dairy animal imposes the same requirements on the milk vacuum and possibly on the pulsation vacuum. Thus can the values ​​of one or more of these vacuums be adjusted, or the course during milking, or even during an individual pulsation. Naturally, the nature remains that VP s VM, but according to the invention, with milk-air separation in the chamber therefore directly under the teat, is primarily the milk vacuum, and partly because of that the pulsation vacuum, more controllable. according to one of the preceding conclusions, whereby the The vacuum device is configured to set the milk vacuum VM per milk cup in dependency related to the milking of the teat of the dairy animal parameter, in particular at least one of an absolute milking speed, a relative milking speed relative to a, particularly historically speaking, maximum milking speed of the dairy animal, and a quantity of milk milked during milking. Since there will usually be differences between the teats of a dairy animal, such as left and right, but certainly front and back, and of course because the teats are not entirely will be milking simultaneously, it is desirable to be able to determine the milk vacuum per teat. set. Useful parameters. The parameters mentioned to control this are the mentioned parameters, although others are not excluded. A high absolute, or relative, milking speed offers the possibility to adjust the milk vacuum. For example, the milk vacuum can be increased, because the dairy animal apparently produces a lot of milk quickly and perhaps can do so (even) faster be milked, or the milking vacuum could actually be reduced to the load to lower the teat while there is still a even with that lower milk vacuum an acceptable milking speed will be achieved. This could, for example, play a role play if the occupancy rate is not high at that moment, and there is enough time for that longer milking. The invention will be explained in further detail below by means of a non- restrictive execution example, as well as the drawing. It shows: - Figure 1 very schematically a 1 according to the invention; - Figure 2 in detail a milk cup 5 of 1 according to the invention; and - Figure 3 schematically shows some details of another part of the according to the invention Figure 1 shows a very schematic representation of a 1 according to the invention. The 1 here comprises a robot 2 with a robot arm 3 and a gripper 4, as well as a milk cup 5 and a vacuum device 6 with a pulsation line 7, a milk vacuum line 8 and a transport vacuum line 10 to a milk glass 11. With 9 is a milk hose is indicated and a control unit with 12. A milk line 13 pumps via a milk line. milk pump 14 milk to the milk tank 15 or via the three-way valve 16 to the sewer 17. Furthermore is a part of a dairy animal 100 shown, with teats 101, and an ID tag 102 that is readable by a tag reader 103. The 1 shown here is a robot, which is capable to milk a dairy animal 100, such as a cow, entirely independently. The variant shown grabs milk cups 5 one by one to attach them to the teats 101. Alternative the robot arm 3 carries all milk cups 5 detachable without gripper, as in the Astronaut® system from Lely Industries. However, the invention also applies to conventional and without robot 2, where a human the milk cups 5 applies to the teats 101. For the sake of clarity, there is only a milk cup 5 here displayed, where the actual number is usually four, or two for example. goats. The mead animals 100 carry an ID tag 102 which serves to identification. In robots, that ID tag 102 is readable by a tag reader 103, and with conventional and either readable by an equivalent tag reader or readable by a human. Thus, the dairy animal can be made 12 by the control system. linked to a file containing animal-related information linked to it. The The controller can then set the 1 according to that information. The vacuum device 6 comprises at least a vacuum pump, and provides various vacuum lines a vacuum, such as a pulsation vacuum on the pulsation line 7, which creates the inherently known pulsation vacuum in the pulsation chamber of the milk cup 5. The pulsator that switches the pressure is not shown here, but sufficiently known to the craftsman. Furthermore, the vacuum device 6 provides a milk vacuum at the milk vacuum line 8, a milk transport vacuum at the transport vacuum line 10 and thus to the milk glass 11 and furthermore to the milk hose 9. In milk glass 11, the milk from a milking is collected. After milking, the milk collected by the milk pump 14 via the milk pipeline 13 to the bulk milk tank 15 pumped, or, if the milk does not meet the requirements for human consumption, via the three-way valve 16 pumped to sewer 17 or another destination. Figure 2 shows in detail a milk cup 5 of 1 according to the invention. The milk cup 5 comprises a cup housing 20 and a teat liner 21 which a surrounds teat space 22 with a teat opening 23 and a cup drainage opening 24. A pulsation chamber 25 with a pulsation opening 26 is connected to the pulsation line. 7. A chamber 29 is connected to a chamber milk supply opening 27 via a connector 28. connected to the cup-meIk drainage opening 24, surrounds a meIk reception space 30, and has a room air exhaust opening 31 and a room milk exhaust opening 32, as well as a milk level meter 33 with electrodes 34 and a lower electrode 35. The milk vacuum line 8 is connected to the room air exhaust opening 31, and has a milk vacuum sensor 37. The milk hose 9 is connected to the chamber milk drain opening 32, and has a proportional milk tip 39 for regulating the discharge of the milk 40, and a milk flow meter 41 for measuring that milk flow. The milk cup 5 receives a teat through the teat opening 23 in the teat chamber 22. In the pulsation chamber 25, an alternating current is supplied via the pulsation line 7. vacuum applied, which subjects the teat liner 21 to a pressure alternating in pulsations apply to the teat and simultaneously seal the teat off from the milk vacuum. The milk vacuum, which serves to milk milk from the teat, prevails in the teat area 22. The milk vacuum is provided via the milk vacuum line 8, the milk collection area 30 of room 29, the room milk supply opening 27, the connector piece 28 and the cup drain opening 24 to below the teat (not shown). It is noted here that the milk, which gushes out of the teat, is at most briefly fill the cup drain opening 24, and thus the direct connection of the the milk vacuum line to the teat area will also be blocked only temporarily at most. Most of the time, the milked milk 40 is located at the bottom of the milk collection room 29 of the room 30, and there is a direct open connection between the milk vacuum line 8 and the teat space 22. This means that the effective milk vacuum with which the teat is milked is very well manageable and in principle is not or hardly dependent on the milk flow or gushing of milk from the teat. With conventional milk cups, on the other hand the milk vacuum is provided via the same pipe with which the milked milk is discharged. This means that the milked milk fills that pipe correctly and consequently the provided vacuum does not act directly on the teat, so also that the effective milk vacuum at the teat can vary more or less strongly with the size of the milk flow from the teat. This variation makes it difficult or virtually impossible to easy to adjust nipple-side vacuum. With the according to the present with this invention, this is actually quite possible. The (teat-side) milk vacuum can be used for control. are measured with the optional meIkvacußen sensor 37. The milk collected at the bottom of the chamber 40 is discharged under the action of of a milk transport vacuum, which is provided via the milk hose 9. Note that this milk transport vacuum has little to no influence on the teat-side milk vacuum as long as there is enough milk 40 at the bottom of the milk collection room 39 to the to close chamber milk drain opening 32. This milk level can be measured with the provided milk probe 33. This measures, for example, the conductivity between each of the electrodes 34 and the lower electrode 35. The highest electrode with a conductivity that indicates the presence of milk indicates the milk level. Incidentally, the milk level meter 33 could also be implemented differently, such as with a series of photoelectric cells and detectors, or with an (optical) transmittance meter, etc. Room 29 is shown in this execution example as rigid and unitary. connected to the cup housing 20. This offers advantages in terms of protection of the sensors in the room, etc. However, it is also possible to the room on any to provide a distance of 20 from the cup housing, for example by the connecting piece 27 to be carried out as a flexible hose, as long as the flow of the milk after the cup drain opening 24 but is non-rising, so either partly horizontal, partly descending, either, and with advantage, continuously descending. Thus, the milk can also actually bags in the chamber, so that the milk vacuum can travel unimpeded to the teat area. Whether or not milk is sucked away through the milk tube 9 is regulated by the position of the proportional valve 39. Incidentally, it is also possible to have an "on-off" to take a valve, and let it control the milk flow using pulse width modulation, for example determine. The milk flow through the milk hose 9 can be measured with the optional milk streamer 41. In pulsation line 7, a pulsation vacuum sensor can optionally be present. provides which is equipped for measuring the pulsation vacuum and transmitting that value to the vacuum device. Thus, the latter can continuously provide a correct set the pulsation vacuum. Furthermore, an optional transport vacuum sensor have been provided, which is designed for measuring the transmit transport vacuums of that value to the vacuum device. This In principle, the transport vacuum sensor is not located in the milk hose, but either above in the milk glass 11 or, for example and in particular, in the transport vacuum line 10. The meIkvacußen 37 vacuum sensor is optionally provided for measuring the (teat-side) milk vacuum and transmitting that value to the vacuum device, so that it can adjust the milk vacuum if desired. Figure 3 schematically shows some details of another part of the according to the invention, with the milk glass 11, or the milk collecting vessel, with the air outlet opening 50 connected to it above via the tank transport vacuum line 10, and the one connected via the vat milk supply opening 51 milk hose 9. The vat contains milked milk 52, which can be pumped via the milking line 13. are to be discharged. Not shown are the tank milk supply openings for the others milk hoses, nor a valve to keep the tank closed during milking 11. The vat milk supply openings 51 are located almost at the top, so that the milk can flow downwards into the vessel 11 without a back pressure of milk 52 to experience. A transport vacuum prevails in the transport vacuum line 10, which via the vat air vent 50 also prevails in vat 11. This vacuum "pulls" on the milk in the milk hose 9, and therefore transports it via the milk hose 9 from the not here shown milk cup 5. Figure 4 schematically explains the advantages of the invention compared to of the state of the art, and to that end shows once again a milk cup 5 of a according to the invention. Similar parts have the same VenNijzing figures, as in the entire drawing. Additionally, at 21' there is a bulging teat liner 21, and a headspace indicated with 42. In the state of the art, values ​​for the milk vacuum, the pulsation vacuum and transport vacuum selected that align as closely as possible with a fast but as animal-friendly as possible milking. However, in the first place is the Milk vacuum cannot be set separately from the transport vacuum. The milk vacuum is the resultant of the transport vacuum minus the reduction of the vacuum by inflow of the milk into the milk cup. Teat-side, i.e. directly below the teat, will the real milk vacuum can therefore vary considerably. The pulsation vacuum, on the other hand, is constant, or at least this is not actively controlled based on the milk flow or the Instantaneous teat-side milk vacuum. In principle, the pulsation vacuum always serves this purpose. to ensure that the teat liner can remain open, even if there is no or only a small amount (yet). is milk flow. Therefore, in the state of the art, the pulsation vacuum should be in the vicinity lying at the highest set transport vacuum. In a concrete practical example, for the Astronaut®A5 from Lely Industries, the set system vacuum is, for example, 42 kPa, or at least a value between 32 kPa and 42 kPa according to ISO standards. The The milk vacuum is therefore a maximum of 42 kPa in this case, but can become much lower. On average, during the milking of a cow with an average milk flow, the effective proves to be, teat-side milk vacuum to correspond to approximately 38 kPa. Hereby, noted that this milk vacuum is not set directly, but is merely the result of the set system vacuum in combination with the effects of the milk churns. This 38 kPa therefore concerns only an average value for various values ​​of the milk flow: in case of a milk flow that has not yet started, or for other reasons is low, the milk vacuum is higher, up to equal to the set system vacuum of 42 kPa. If, on the other hand, the milk flow is very high, the teat-side milk vacuum can drop sharply, down to as much as 30 kPa. However, the pulsation vacuum must at all times ensure that The nipple lining can open, and therefore must not deviate much from the highest point. occurring milk vacuum, so here not 38 kPa, but the system vacuum of 42 kPa. The consequence of all this is that the pulsation vacuum is often, and sometimes much, higher. is then the teat-side milk vacuum. This means that the teat liner more or less bulges strongly outwards (ballooning), that is to say away from the teat. This is shown in Figure 4 with the dashed lines of the bulged teat liner 21'. This results in the seal between the teat and the teat liner being too leaves something to be desired, and air can leak from headspace 42 to teat space 22. Thus, an undesirably excessive 'head vacuum' will prevail in headspace 42, which leads to results in the veins at the base of the teat swelling and thereby negatively affect milking, and that also otherwise negatively affect teat health can be influenced. In the case of the invention in question, this negative occurs no effect, or at least much less, because the teat-side milk vacuum can be much better be controlled. After all, milk is already entering the milk collection area of ​​the room. air separation occurs, causing the milk to lie at the bottom and only air above it. (at least a "vacuum") is. Via the room air exhaust opening 31 opening into that space the desired milk vacuum is set, which thus also prevails on the teat side, virtually independent of the milk flow. This, in turn, results in the Pulsation vacuum can be easily activated and adjusted to the teat side milk vacuum, and especially that it can be easily ensured that that pulsation vacuum in principle always during milking is less than or equal to the teat-side milk vacuum, so that the seal of the teat liner on the teat is ensured. In the Particularly noteworthy is that the pulsation vacuum is always (essentially) equal to the milk vacuum, so that the teat liner in principle always remains in place and yet can move as freely as possible. However, it is also possible to choose the pulsation vacuum slightly lower than the milk vacuum, for example 2 kPa lower, to allow the teat liner to lie slightly more firmly 13 on teat 101. In fact, the pulsation vacuum can always be adjusted to the requirements of the milking. After all, the desired, adjustable milk vacuum can vary during a milking, in accordance with any regulation known in the state of the art. The pulsation vacuum can then be adapted to that each time, for example with the same change, with a constant difference, or whatever. It is conceivable to the through the nipple liner 13 also to vary the pressure applied to teat 101 during milking, or depending of the requirements of the dairy animal. It is then very simple to the pulsation pressure to allow it to vary accordingly as a function of the milk vacuum. For the sake of clarity, it is noted here that in this application with a The pre-vacuum value refers to the value of the difference from atmospheric pressure. For example, a "vacuum of kPa" represents a pressure that is 42 kPa lower than the atmospheric (ambient) pressure. Likewise, a vacuum that is higher than another vacuum, therefore a differential pressure that is greater than the other differential pressure. The absolute pressure is therefore lower than the other absolute pressure. Incidentally, according to the invention, it also permits the to optimize milk vacuum for the dairy animal, because the desired value also can actually be adjusted to be stable. This desired value can vary from dairy cow to dairy cow, and can be set, for example, after reading the lD tag from the animal, and look up a corresponding value in memory using the controls. The milk vacuum to be supplied by the vacuum device can furthermore be controlled by the control system. are set depending on a value related to the milking, such as the milking speed or the milk flow. This can be in an absolute or relative sense, being a percentage of the historical maximum value of that milk flow. Some Dairy animals benefit from a higher milk vacuum when the milk flow is higher, that it makes no difference to other animals or even causes negative effects. Also the milking speed varies during a milking, and the milk vacuum can be adjusted to such an variation of the milk flow are adjusted, for example depending on a animal-dependent progression. Furthermore, it is possible to adjust the milk vacuum. to the amount of milk milked during milking. This amount is an indication of the progress of the milking, and thereby of the phase of the milking, such as start phase, plateau phase, or milking phase. Depending on the phase, the control system can be Set adjusted milk vacuum. It goes without saying that all of the above-mentioned Vacuum settings may apply per teat. The examples described are not intended to be restrictive. The The scope of protection of the invention is determined by the attached claims.

Claims

1. for milking a dairy animal with teats in a milking with a foremilk phase, a headmilk phase and a aftermilk phase, comprising at least a milk cup for attachment to one of the teats, which milk cup comprises: - a cup house, - a teat liner fitted in the cup housing that has a teat space with a surrounds the teat opening and a cup milk drainage opening, whereby between the between the teat liner and the cup housing a pulsation chamber with a pulsation opening is located, - a chamber equipped for milk-air separation, which chamber is located during said milking fluid connected extending downwards from the cup milk drain opening, where said chamber a fluid connected to the cup milk feed opening comprises a chamber milk supply opening and a chamber milk drain opening, as well as a separate room air exhaust opening located above the during said milking chamber milk drain opening is located, which furthermore includes: - a milk collection vessel designed for the temporary storage of milk from a milking with a vat milk supply opening and one between the chamber milk drain opening and the drum milk inlet opening connected to the milk hose, and to a drum air outlet opening, and - a vacuum device designed for setting a pulsation vacuum VID on the pulsation chamber, a milk vacuum Vm at the chamber and a transport vacuum Vt at the milk collection tank, where, at least during the entire main lactation phase, it holds that Vp S Vm < Vt.

2. in accordance with claim 1, where the vacuum device is such arranged so that VID < V.

3. in accordance with one of the preceding conclusions, whereby the Chamber is rigid and unitarily connected to the cup housing.

4. according to one of the preceding claims, comprising one or more sensor devices configured for measuring vacuum values ​​of at least the pulsation vacuum VID and the milk vacuum V, in particular also of the transport vacuum VT, where the vacuum device is designed to regulate at least the pulsation vacuum and / or the milk vacuum VM, in particular also of the transport vacuum VT, based on the measured vacuum values.

5. according to one of the preceding claims, comprising a animal identification device for determining the animal identity of the dairy animal to be milked, where the vacuum device is designed to control the pulsation vacuum and / or the milk vacuum in count depending on the specific animal identity. according to one of the preceding conclusions, whereby the The vacuum device is configured to set the milk vacuum VM per milk cup in dependency of a related to the milking of the teat of the dairy animal ameter, in particular at least one of an absolute milking speed, a relative k-speed relative to a, particularly from a historical perspective, maximum calving speed of the dairy animal, and a quantity of milk milked during milking.

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