Milking cluster for milking an animal

A milking cluster for milking an animal, the milking cluster comprising:

• a plurality of teat cups connected to a clawpiece, each teat cup comprising a head, a discharge passageway for discharge of milk from the teat cup, and a barrel portion between the head and the discharge passageway, the head and barrel portion for receiving a teat of an animal to be milked, wherein the clawpiece comprises a plurality of milk inlets that are connected to the plurality of teat cups via respective milk tubes,
• wherein:
• the plurality of milk inlets discharge into a clawbowl of the clawpiece,
• each discharge passageway, milk tube, and corresponding milk inlet collectively form a milk flow passageway beginning at the barrel portion of the teat cup and ending at the clawbowl,
• a valve system is present within each milk flow passageway, each valve system comprising a first pressure-actuated valve which is configured to open in response to a pressure difference greater than a first threshold being applied across the first pressure-actuated valve in a first direction along the milk flow passageway, to allow milk to flow through the first pressure-actuated valve and along the milk flow passageway in the first direction,
• each valve system further comprises a second pressure-actuated valve connected in series with the first pressure-actuated valve,
• the second pressure-actuated valve is configured to open in response to a pressure difference greater than a second threshold being applied across the second pressure-actuated valve in the first direction along the milk flow passageway, to allow the milk to flow through the second pressure-actuated valve and along the milk flow passageway in the first direction, and
• the first pressure-actuated valve is rated to open at a lower pressure differential than the second-pressure actuated valve, the second pressure actuated valve being downstream of the milk flow from the first pressure-actuated valve.