Milking arrangement and method for guiding animals through a milking arrangement

A milking arrangement (11), comprising:

• at least a first (12) and a second (13) milking system for milking animals;
• a common entrance lane (14) configured to allow a plurality of animals to enter the milking arrangement;
• and
• a guiding structure (15) configured to guide each of the plurality of animals to either one of the first and second milking systems to be milked therein, the guiding structure comprised of a smart gate arrangement (61) that includes
• an entrance configured to permit animals to enter the smart gate arrangement,
• an animal identifier that identifies each animal having entered or is to enter the smart gate arrangement, and
• at least two separate exits, through which, in a first operating mode of the smart gate arrangement, each animal which has entered the smart gate arrangement is selectively guided to exit the smart gate arrangement after having been identified, thereby to be guided to a respective one of the first and second milking systems depending on the identity of the animal,
• wherein the smart gate arrangement is further configured to operate, in accordance with one or more selected periods of time, in a second operating mode where, in the event that an animal has entered the smart gate arrangement during one of said selected periods of time, the smart gate arrangement operates in such a manner as to guide the animal out from the smart gate arrangement and into a single one of the first and second milking systems irrespective of the identity of the animal,
• wherein the one or more selected periods of time are determined as periods of time during which utilization of the milking arrangement meets a selected criterion.