Automated system for applying disinfectant to the teats of dairy livestock

A system for operating a robotic arm, comprising:

• a controller operable to:
• access an image of a rear of a first dairy livestock located in a stall of a rotary milking platform;
• in conjunction with the stall of the rotary milking platform in which the first dairy livestock is located moving into an area adjacent a robotic arm, determine that a first milking cluster is attached to the first dairy livestock in the first stall of the rotary milking platform based at least in part upon the image;
• wait until the rotary milking platform rotates;
• and
• determine that a second milking cluster is not attached to a second dairy livestock in a second stall of the rotary milking platform;
• and
• the robotic arm communicatively coupled to the controller and operable to extend between the hind legs of the second dairy livestock in response to the controller determining that the second milking cluster is not attached to the second dairy livestock.

A method for operating a robotic arm, comprising:

• accessing an image of the rear of a dairy livestock in a stall of a rotary milking platform;
• in conjunction with the stall of the rotary milking platform in which the dairy livestock is located moving into an area adjacent a robotic arm, determining whether a milking cluster is attached to the dairy livestock based at least in part upon the image;
• extending a robotic arm between the legs of the dairy livestock if it is determined that the milking cluster is not attached to the dairy livestock;
• and
• discharging a substance to at least some of the teats of the dairy livestock if the robotic arm is extended between the legs of the dairy livestock.

A method for operating a robotic arm, comprising:

• accessing an image of the rear of a first dairy livestock in a stall of a rotary milking platform;
• in conjunction with the stall of the rotary milking platform in which the first dairy livestock is located moving into an area adjacent a robotic arm, determining that a first milking cluster is attached to the first dairy livestock in the first stall of the rotary milking platform based at least in part upon the image;
• waiting until the rotary milking platform rotates;
• determining that a second milking cluster is not attached to a second dairy livestock in a second stall of the rotary milking platform;
• and
• extending a robotic arm between the legs of the second dairy livestock in response to determining that the second milking cluster is not attached to the second dairy livestock.