Milking parlor and method for controlling a milking parlor

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for controlling a milking parlor which has at least one milking stall (4) for milking a milk-producing animal (10), wherein the at least one milking stall (4) comprises a milking cluster which is coupled to a vacuum line via a controllable vacuum valve. The method has the following steps: closing the vacuum valve in order to interrupt a vacuum supply to the milking cluster of the at least one milking stall (4); detecting an event associated with the animal (10) entering the at least one milking stall (4) at a first point in time; and opening the vacuum valve after a specified blocking time period (tB), starting at the first point in time, has elapsed at a second point in time. The invention also relates to a milking parlor having at least one milking stall (4) and a control device for carrying out such a method.

Description

[0001] Milking parlor and method for controlling a milking parlor

[0002] The invention relates to a method for controlling a milking parlor having at least one milking stall for milking a lactating animal. The invention further relates to a milking parlor with at least one such milking stall for milking a lactating animal, with which the method can be carried out.

[0003] Milking parlors provide at least one milking stall, and usually several, for milking dairy animals. They include the equipment necessary for milking, as well as for preparation and follow-up work. Some components, such as milking equipment with milking cups, are located separately at each parlor.

[0004] Milking parlors can have milking stalls in different geometric arrangements, for example, side by side or one behind the other, which is also known as a row milking parlor. A milking parlor can also be designed as a rotary milking parlor, which is a platform that rotates around a central point and on which multiple milking stalls are arranged.

[0005] A milking carousel is described, for example, in publication WO 2009 / 093 964 A1. The milking stalls are typically arranged in a ring around the outer circumference of the carousel. The milk-producing animals, such as cows, but also buffalo, goats, or sheep, enter the milking carousel at an entrance, where they are guided to one of the milking stalls. They remain at the stall while the platform rotates and are milked during their time on the platform.

[0006] Milking in a milking parlor can be semi- or fully automated. In semi-automated milking, milking cups are attached to the animals' teats by hand; the rest of the milking process, including the removal of the milking cups, is then usually automated. In fully automated milking, the attachment of the milking cups, also called the milking unit, is also carried out automatically by a milking robot.

[0007] In both cases, whether milking is semi- or fully automated, a cleaning and / or care program for the animals' teats is usually performed before the actual milking process. During this cleaning and / or care program, care products are applied which, to be optimal, should remain on the teats for a certain period of time before milking begins. The application of these products, which typically occurs after cleaning, also stimulates the teats, causing them to swell, which in turn leads to a better fit of the milking cups during milking. In rotary milking parlors, but also in other milking systems, the cleaning and / or care steps are often automated, even if, in semi-automated milking, the milking cups are subsequently attached manually.

[0008] Studies of semi-automated milking systems show that the optimal contact time after cleaning and / or care procedures is frequently not observed. Often, milkers attach the milking cups to the teats too early, preventing the care products from having their full effect and increasing the risk of the cups, which are held in place by a vacuum, falling off because the teats are not yet sufficiently swollen. The motivation for frequently attaching the milking cups too early is the perceived need to increase the milking parlor's throughput.

[0009] In fact, attaching the milking cups earlier, for example in a milking carousel, does not lead to an increase in throughput, as the animals are often milked dry before their round on the milking carousel is finished, so that the supposedly saved time before the start of milking is wasted after milking.

[0010] It is an object of the present invention to provide an operating method for a milking parlor and a milking parlor suitable for carrying out this operating method, in which premature attachment of the milking cups in a semi-automated milking process is prevented.

[0011] This task is solved by a process or milking parlor with the features of the respective independent claim. Advantageous designs and further developments are the subject of the dependent claims.

[0012] An inventive method for controlling a milking parlor comprises the following steps: First, a vacuum valve, through which the at least one milking stall is connected to a vacuum line, is closed to interrupt the vacuum supply to a milking unit at the at least one milking stall. Subsequently, an event is detected at a first time point, wherein the event is related to an animal entering the milking stall. The vacuum valve is then reopened at a second time point after a predetermined blocking period has elapsed, starting from the first time point.

[0013] In the method according to the invention, the vacuum supply to the milking unit at the at least one milking station is interrupted for a specific period of time, thus preventing the milking unit from being attached to the teats of the lactating animal. Only after the minimum period of time, hereinafter also referred to as the "blocking period" and which begins from the first point in time, has elapsed, is the vacuum supply to the milking unit at the respective milking station renewed, so that it can finally be attached to the animal's teats to start a milking process.

[0014] Advantageously, the blocking time should last at least as long as the duration of a teat cleaning procedure, a teat care procedure, a teat application time, or a pre-milking period. This ensures that the waiting time is sufficiently long to achieve optimal milking results.

[0015] The advantage of this approach is that it can be implemented independently of any existing milking parlor control system. This allows an existing milking parlor to be retrofitted without modifying its control system. For example, in a state-of-the-art milking parlor, a start button at the milking stall can be pressed before the milking unit is attached. This button opens a vacuum supply valve already present in the parlor and assigned to that milking stall. According to the state of the art, the milking unit could then be attached prematurely.

[0016] In accordance with the inventive method, the signal output by the control unit to the valve, as required by the prior art, can be linked via a logical "AND" operation with a control signal, which is time-controlled according to the inventive method, in order to prevent the milking process from starting before the specified blocking period has elapsed. It can be provided that the vacuum valve is only opened when the predetermined blocking period has expired and a starting device is manually activated or was activated during the expiration of the blocking period. In another embodiment, an additional vacuum valve can be used, which can be connected in series with an existing valve in the vacuum line. Only when both valves are activated—one according to the invention after the specified minimum time period, the other controlled by the existing milking parlor control system—can the milking process begin.

[0017] In an advantageous embodiment of the method, the event can be the detection of an animal entering at least one milking stall. This entry can be recorded directly, for example, optically, e.g., using a camera recording, an infrared motion sensor, or a signal from a light barrier located at the milking stall.

[0018] In a further advantageous embodiment of the method, the event can be the detection of an identification number assigned to the animal. The identification number can, for example, be stored on an RFID chip with which the animal is fitted, with the detection comprising reading the RFID chip. Often, a milking parlor for recording milk data by a farm management system already has a recording device for an animal-specific identification number. The signals or data provided by such a recording device can then also be used within the framework of the method according to the invention. Such a recording device can be arranged directly at the respective milking station. However, it is also conceivable that such a recording device is arranged at an entrance area, for example, of a milking carousel or another milking parlor.In this case, the time of entering the milking area is not directly recorded, but a time correlated with the entry is.

[0019] If the milking parlor is a rotary milking parlor, in a further advantageous embodiment of the method, the vacuum valve can be opened at the earliest when the milking stall has reached a predetermined rotational position or when the milking stall has completed a predetermined arc since its initial position. In both embodiments, the rotational movement of the carousel itself is advantageously used as a timer for the blocking time. As soon as a milking parlor has reached a specific rotational position or completed a specific arc, it is ensured that at least a certain time has elapsed. Without requiring additional time measurement, the vacuum blocking at the respective milking stall can be released at the rotational position or after the arc has been completed.

[0020] In a further advantageous embodiment of the method, the event is the detection of movement of an entry gate assigned to at least one milking stall. By detecting the movement of an entry gate, which is typically present at each milking stall in row milking parlors, for example, it is also possible to indirectly infer that an animal has entered at least one milking stall. Often, the entry gates are already equipped with appropriate sensors to detect their open or closed state, so that the start signal required for the method can also be generated easily in this way.

[0021] A milking parlor according to the invention comprises at least one milking stall for milking a dairy animal and a control device. It is characterized in that the control device is configured to carry out a previously mentioned method. The advantages described in connection with the method result from this.

[0022] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to an exemplary embodiment and the accompanying figures. The figures show:

[0023] Fig. 1 shows a schematic representation of a milking carousel at a first point in time;

[0024] Fig. 2 shows the milking carousel of Fig. 1 at a second time;

[0025] Fig. 3 shows a schematic representation of a group milking parlor and

[0026] Fig. 4 shows a flowchart of a method according to the invention.

[0027] Figures 1 and 2 each show a schematic top view of a milking carousel 1, which is suitable and configured for carrying out a method according to the invention and represents an example of a milking parlor according to the invention. The figures show the milking carousel 1 in two different rotational positions and thus at different times. In all figures, identical reference numerals denote identical or equivalently functioning elements. For the sake of clarity, not every element in the figures is provided with a reference numeral. By way of example, the milking carousel 1 in Figures 1 and 2 is used by animals 10, here cows. In other embodiments of the milking carousel 1, it can also be configured for the automated milking of other milk-producing animals, for example, buffalo, sheep, or goats.

[0028] The milking carousel 1 has a rotating platform 2 that rotates around a pivot point 3, with the rotation in the illustrated case being counterclockwise. A plurality of milking stalls 4 are arranged along the outer circumference of the milking carousel 1. In the illustrated example, the rotating platform 2 is annular in shape, with the inner part of the milking carousel 1 being stationary. Alternatively, the rotating platform can also be circular with a rotating inner section.

[0029] In the illustrated example, milking carousel 1 is a medium-sized milking carousel with 40 milking stalls. This number is purely exemplary. A method according to the invention can also be implemented with a milking carousel with a smaller or larger number of milking stalls. The method according to the invention can also be implemented with a different arrangement of milking stalls than the annular arrangement in milking carousel 1. For example, the method according to the invention can also be implemented in a row milking parlor in which a number of milking stalls are positioned next to or behind each other in a row arrangement.

[0030] The milking stations 4 of milking carousel 1 are designed as manual or semi-automatic milking stations, where a milking unit (not shown separately here) is manually attached to the teats of the animals 10. The subsequent milking process can be automated and is usually also automatically monitored. This monitoring includes, for example, tracking the milk flow to determine when the milking process is complete. Milking is preceded or followed by a cleaning and / or care process for the teats of the animals 10 and usually also by a final grooming treatment, which is carried out manually or automatically. In addition, a cleaning process for the milking unit is usually included, which is also carried out manually or automatically.Outside the rotating platform 2, there is an entrance area 5 where the animals 10 are guided individually towards the rotating platform 2 by means of appropriate barriers, for example, gates. The depicted milking carousel 1 is a so-called "external milking carousel" in which the animals 10 stand on the milking stalls 4 with their heads oriented towards the pivot point 3. The milking stall 4 is appropriately limited in the head area so that the animals 10 are stopped as soon as they have reached the desired milking position on the milking stall 4.

[0031] In entrance area 5, the milking stalls 4 are initially open to the outside, allowing the animals 10 to enter the next milking stall 4 from entrance area 5. Shortly before entering milking stall 4, a reading device 6 is positioned in entrance area 5. This device reads an identification number assigned to the animal 10, which is stored, for example, on a chip attached to the animal's ear. Such a reading device can also be installed in other positions, for example, on the milking stalls 4 or hanging close to the heads of the animals passing by on the milking carousel 1. The read identification number is sent by the reading device 6 to a control unit of the milking carousel 1 and, if necessary, also to a higher-level farm control system. The chip can, for example, be an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) chip, and the reading device can accordingly include an RFID reader.Alternatively, one or more cameras can be used as the detection device 6, directed towards the entrance area 5 or the associated milking stall 4. Using the camera(s), preferably with the aid of automatic, possibly AI-based, evaluation, the entry of an animal 10 into the milking stall 4 in the entrance area 5 can be detected.

[0032] Contrary to the direction of rotation of the milking carousel 1, an exit area 7 is located adjacent to the entrance area 5, where the animals 10 can leave the rotating platform 2. The milking stalls 4 in this exit area 7 are also open to the outside. The animals 10 back out of the corresponding milking stall 4, which takes more time than entering the milking stall 4 in the entrance area 5. For this reason, the exit area 7 is wider and, in this case, spans the width of three milking stalls 4. To prevent the animals 10 from falling backward out of one of the milking stalls 4 while riding on the rotating platform 2, the milking carousel 1, with the exception of the entrance area 5 and the exit area 7, is surrounded by a railing 8.

[0033] Figure 1 shows, by way of example, the milking carousel 1 at a first time t = 0, where an animal 10, shown in hatched detail, has just passed the detection device 6 and entered the milking station 4 in front of it.

[0034] The milking carousel 1 rotates continuously in the described counterclockwise direction.

[0035] Figure 2 shows milking carousel 1 at a second time point. At this second time point, the hatched animal 10, which entered the first milking stall 4 at time t = 0 in Figure 1, has moved six places further on milking carousel 1. During the movement between Figure 1 and Figure 2, the hatched animal 10 has undergone the manually or automatically performed cleaning and / or care procedure for its teats, as well as a waiting period in which the care products could take effect and, due to the stimulation, the teats of the hatched animal 10 have swollen to an optimal size for the milking process. Pre-milking can also take place, if necessary. In total, at least a predetermined blocking time tß has elapsed since entering the rotating platform 2; for the second time point, t > tß applies accordingly.

[0036] During this blocking period tß, according to the inventive method, the milking unit of the milking parlor in which the hatched animal 10 is located is not pressurized with vacuum, so that the milking unit cannot be attached and the milking process cannot be started. The blocking period tß thus specifies a minimum dwell time on the milking stall 4 before milking can begin. Only after the minimum dwell time on the milking stall has elapsed, is the valve switched according to the invention so that a vacuum is applied to the milking unit and the milking process can be started.

[0037] In the depicted milking carousel 1, the minimum dwell time means that the vacuum for a milking stall 4 is only released once a certain rotational position of that stall 4 has been reached. In Figures 1 and 2, the circular segment where the vacuum is blocked is indicated by an arc arrow, representing the blocked segment 9. The vacuum at the milking unit of a milking stall in the milking parlor is typically generated by a vacuum pump, which supplies vacuum to all milking stalls 4 of the milking carousel 1 via a common vacuum line. An electrically controlled vacuum valve, hereinafter also referred to as a vacuum valve, is typically arranged between this shared vacuum line and the milking unit of a milking stall 4. This valve is controlled by a control unit of the milking carousel 1.For example, there could be a button at each milking station that a milker can use to request that the milking unit be vacuum-charged before attaching the milking cups to the teats of animal 10. This vacuum valve can also be used to ensure compliance with the blocking time tß.

[0038] For this purpose, a control unit of the milking carousel 1 can be configured to execute the method according to the invention. Alternatively, a separate control unit for the method according to the invention can be provided, the output signal of which is then linked via an "AND" logic gate to the control signal for the vacuum valve of an existing control unit, so that the vacuum valve opens if and only if both the separate control unit and the original control unit of the milking carousel release the vacuum for the corresponding milking stall 4. If intervention in an existing control unit is not desired or possible, or if an electrical "AND" logic gate of the control signals for the vacuum valve is not feasible, a second vacuum valve can also be provided in series with an existing vacuum valve for each milking stall 4.Each vacuum valve is controlled by one of the two control devices mentioned, so that vacuum is present at the corresponding milking station 4 only when both control devices issue a release signal for the vacuum and both vacuum valves connected in series are open accordingly.

[0039] After the milking process is complete, the end of which is determined, for example, by monitoring the amount of milk dispensed, the vacuum on the milking unit is switched off so that the unit can be removed and cleaned. This occurs at the latest in the exit section 7 of the milking carousel 1. Since, at the latest from this rotational position for a milking stall 4, there is no longer a vacuum on the milking unit, the blocked segment 9 extends to the beginning of the exit section 7. It is advisable not to reactivate the vacuum in the exit section 7 until the end of the blocked segment 9 has been reached. In the milking carousel 1, the rotational speed is usually fixed, so that the required blocking time tß can be translated into a specific angular range of rotation. Therefore, regardless of the detection device 6, a specific rotational position can be used as a trigger for reactivating the vacuum valve.This is a special feature of milking carousel 1, where the dwell time on milking carousel 1 and thus on one of the milking stations 4 correlates with the rotational position of this milking station 4.

[0040] It may be possible to make the length of the blocking time tß adjustable so that it can be adapted to the cleaning and / or care procedures performed or the necessary contact time of the care products used. Furthermore, it is conceivable to provide a different length of the blocking time tß for each individual animal, since the swelling times of the teats after the stimulating effect of the cleaning and / or care procedures vary for different animals. Individual adjustment of the length of the blocking time tß can be achieved, for example, based on the identification number detected by the detection device (see detection device 6 in Figures 1 and 2) when an animal enters a milking parlor.

[0041] In milking parlors other than rotary parlors, a timer for the blocking time tß may be started as soon as an animal enters the milking stall. A detection device similar to the detection device 6 shown in Figures 1 and 2 can be used for this purpose, if the milking parlor is equipped with one. Many milking parlors have gates or gates at the milking stalls that close as soon as the animal enters the stall. In this case, a signal that detects the closing of the gate or gate can be used as a start signal for the blocking timer tß, linked to the start or end, or any other designated point in time, of the manually or automatically performed cleaning and / or care procedure for the animal's teats.

[0042] Figure 3 shows a schematic top view of a group milking parlor 11 as a further example of a milking parlor in which the patented method is implemented. The group milking parlor 11 has two groups 12, each with a plurality, specifically 9, of milking stalls 4. Within each group 12, the milking stalls 4 are arranged side by side in a row. With regard to the arrangement of the milking stalls 4, the group milking parlor 11 shown here is therefore a two-row milking parlor with milking stalls 4.

[0043] Each group 12 is assigned an entrance area 5 where animals 10 can gather. Each entrance area 5 narrows towards an entrance gate 13, with the aid of railings 8, forming a passage that can only be entered by one animal 10 at a time. The entrance gate 13 separates the entrance area 5 from the respective group 12 of milking stalls 4.

[0044] Between the two groups 12 there is a milking passage 14, in which milkers stand to be able to attach milking equipment to the animals 10 in the milking stations 4.

[0045] In the group 12 shown on the right in Figure 3, all milking stalls 4 are already occupied by animals 10 and the entrance gate 13 is closed. In the group 12 shown on the left in Figure 3, the milking stalls 4 have just been vacated by animals that have already been milked, and the entrance gate 13 has reopened to admit animals 10 ready for milking.

[0046] It may be provided that each milking stall 4 is equipped with a further gate, not shown here, to guide the entering animals 10 so that the milking stalls 4 are successively occupied from the side of group 12 opposite the entrance gate 13. Alternatively, it may be provided that the milkers located in milking aisle 14 guide the animals 10 to the milking stalls 4, unless the animals 10 occupy the milking stalls 4 themselves in the intended order.

[0047] In the group milking parlor 11 of Figure 3, each of the two inlet gates 13 is assigned a detection device 6 for animals 10 passing through, the function of which corresponds to the detection device 6 of Figures 1 and 2. It detects animals 10 passing through and thus provides a start signal for the timer for the blocking time of the milking stalls 4. Alternatively, the opening or closing of the respective inlet gate 13 can be used as the start signal for the timer for the blocking time of the milking stalls 4. If the individual milking stalls 4 are equipped with separate gates or with separate detection devices 6 that detect when an animal 10 occupies the respective milking stall 4, signals emitted by these animals can also be used as a start signal for the timer for the blocking time tß.Another alternative is to use one or more cameras as a detection device. The camera(s) is / are aimed at the entrance gates 13 or the milking stalls 4. Using the camera(s), preferably with the aid of automatic, possibly AI-based, evaluation, it can be detected when an animal 10 passes through one of the entrance gates 13 or when an animal 10 occupies a milking stall 4.

[0048] Figure 4 shows an embodiment of a method according to the invention in a flowchart.

[0049] In a first process step S1, a vacuum valve, which is arranged between a vacuum line and a milking unit of a milking parlor, is closed.

[0050] In a second process step S2, an event is detected that is related to an animal entering a milking parlor. This event could, for example, be the recording of an identification number assigned to the animal by a corresponding recording device. In other milking parlors, the closing of an entrance gate to the milking parlor could be considered such an event.

[0051] In the next process step S3, based on the detection of the event in step S2, a timer is started that waits for a predetermined duration, the blocking time tß, before the process continues with a step S4 in which the vacuum valve is opened so that a vacuum is available at the milking station to start the milking process. Reference numeral

[0052] 1 milking carousel

[0053] 2 rotating platforms

[0054] 3 pivot point

[0055] 4 milking stalls

[0056] 5 Entrance area

[0057] 6. Recording device

[0058] 7 Exit area

[0059] 8 railings

[0060] 9 blocked segment

[0061] 10 Tier

[0062] 11 group milking parlor

[0063] Group 12 (of milking places)

[0064] 13 entrance gates

[0065] 14 milking

[0066] S1-S4 Process step

Claims

Claims 1. Method for controlling a milking parlor comprising at least one milking stall (4) for milking a milk-producing animal (10), wherein the at least one milking stall (4) comprises a milking unit coupled to a vacuum line via a controllable vacuum valve, comprising the following steps: - Closing the vacuum valve to interrupt a vacuum supply to the milking unit of the at least one milking stall (4); - Recording an event that is related to the animal (10) entering at least one milking place (4) at a first time; - Opening the vacuum valve after a predetermined blocking time (tß) has elapsed, starting from the first time point to a second time point.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the event is the detection of the animal (10) entering the at least one milking place (4).

3. Method according to claim 2, wherein the entry into the at least one milking stall (4) is optically detected.

4. Method according to claim 3, wherein the entry into the at least one milking stall (4) is detected by means of a camera recording.

5. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the event is the detection of an identification number assigned to the animal (10).

6. Method according to claim 5, wherein the identification number is stored on an RFID chip with which the animal (10) is provided, wherein the detection comprises reading the RFID chip.

7. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the milking parlor is a milking carousel (1 ) and the vacuum valve remains closed at least until the milking station (4) reaches a predetermined rotational position.

8. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the milking parlor is a milking carousel (1 ) and the vacuum valve is at least as long as remains closed until the milking stall (4) has completed a predetermined arc path since the first time.

9. Method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the event is the detection of a movement of an inlet gate associated with the at least one milking stall (4).

10. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the blocking time (tß) lasts at least as long as the duration of a cleaning procedure for the teats of the animal (10) and / or a care procedure for the teats and / or an exposure time for care products applied to the teats and / or a pre-milking.

11. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the vacuum valve is opened when the predetermined blocking time (tß) has elapsed and a starting device is manually actuated or was actuated during the elapsed blocking time (tß).

12. Milking parlor with at least one milking station (4) for milking a milk-producing animal (10) and a control device, characterized in that the control device is configured to carry out a method according to one of claims 1 to 11.

13. Milking parlor according to claim 12, wherein the control device also controls further functions of the milking parlor, wherein for each milking station (4) a vacuum valve controlled by the control device is provided to couple the corresponding milking station (4) with a vacuum line.

14. Milking parlor according to claim 12, wherein the control device is designed separately from a further control device which controls further functions of the milking parlor, wherein for each milking stall (4) two vacuum valves arranged in series are provided to couple the corresponding milking stall (4) with a vacuum line, and wherein one of the vacuum valves is connected to the control device for actuation and the other of the actuated vacuum valves is connected to the further control device for actuation.

15. Milking parlor according to one of claims 12 to 14, designed as a milking carousel (1 ).

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