Sprayer with articulated arm and sensor system

A dairy milking platform comprising:

• at least one animal bail;
• and
• a dairy animal teat treatment apparatus, wherein the apparatus comprises:
• a spray inlet configured for connection to a source of teat treatment fluid;
• a spray nozzle to spray teat fluid therefrom;
• a flow path extending between the spray inlet and the spray nozzle;
• at least one optical animal sensor positioned generally behind and towards the platform animal bail configured to sense the presence of an animal in the platform animal bail;
• and
• a controller configured to actuate spraying of the animal's teats from spray nozzle extension and retraction in response to a signal received from the optical animal sensor detecting the presence of an animal in the platform animal bail;
• wherein the dairy milking platform is stationary.

A method of detecting and causing spray actuation of a dairy animal teat treatment apparatus, comprising the steps of:

• providing a dairy animal teat treatment apparatus comprising:
• a spray inlet configured for connection to a source of teat treatment fluid;
• a spray nozzle to spray teat fluid therefrom;
• a flow path extending between the spray inlet and the spray nozzle;
• an animal milking platform comprising at least one animal bail;
• at least one optical animal sensor positioned generally behind and towards an animal bail configured to sense the presence of an animal in the animal bail;
• and
• a controller configured to actuate spraying of the animal's teats from spray nozzle extension and retraction in response to a signal received from the optical animal sensor detecting the presence of an animal in the animal bail;
• moving an animal into the animal bail and, movement of the animal causing the at least one optical animal sensor positioned generally behind and towards the animal bail, to sense the presence of the animal as the animal enters the animal bail;
• and
• the controller then actuating spraying of the animal's teats from spray nozzle extension and retraction in response to the signal received from the optical animal sensor detecting the presence of the animal in the animal bail;
• wherein the at least one optical animal sensor is two or more light beams that are emitted from points generally behind an animal bail, and wherein the sensors are mounted side by side when more than one sensor is provided, generally about each side of the apparatus or spray nozzle and directed towards the animal bail.

A dairy milking platform comprising:

• at least one animal bail;
• and
• a dairy animal teat treatment apparatus, wherein the apparatus comprises:
• a spray inlet configured for connection to a source of teat treatment fluid;
• a spray nozzle to spray teat fluid therefrom;
• a flow path extending between the spray inlet and the spray nozzle;
• at least one optical animal sensor positioned generally behind and towards the platform animal bail configured to sense the presence of an animal in the platform animal bail;
• and
• a controller configured to actuate spraying of the animal's teats from spray nozzle extension and retraction in response to a signal received from the optical animal sensor detecting the presence of an animal in the platform animal bail;
• wherein the platform comprises a series of bails side by side that the cows are located in during milking;
• wherein the apparatus is conveyed on a track and, in doing so, moving the spray nozzle between the platform animal bails;
• and
• wherein movement of the apparatus from one platform animal bail to another platform animal bail via the track is random, moving from one animal bail to another animal bail located somewhere else along the track length and not necessarily the immediate adjacent animal bail.