Milking system with central utility system

A milking system comprising:

• two or more milking devices for extracting a milking from a dairy animal;
• a central utility system that is connected with each milking device in the milking system, the central utility system comprising:
• a cleaning unit for cleaning the milking devices and milk-carrying parts of the central utility system, wherein the cleaning unit comprises at least one fluid transporting line for transport of cleaning fluid, wherein each of the milking devices is in fluid connection with the fluid transport line,
• a buffer unit for receiving and temporarily storing extracted milk, wherein the buffer unit is in fluid connection with each of the milking devices through a milk line, and
• a control unit for controlling of at least the central utility system;
• and
• a milk transport line that connects the buffer unit with a bulk milk storage device, and
• wherein the cleaning unit cleans each of the milking devices and respective milk lines individually during a cleaning cycle, wherein at least one of the milking devices is available for extracting milk from a dairy animal during the cleaning cycle,
• wherein the buffer unit comprises a first and a second buffer tank, a first and a second buffer line and two or more valve units, wherein a first valve unit provides in a first mode a first fluid connection between a first milk device and the first buffer tank, and in a second mode the first valve unit provides a second fluid connection between the first milk device and the second buffer tank, and a second valve unit provides the first and second fluid connections between a second milk device and the respective first and second buffer tanks, and
• wherein during the cleaning cycle the first valve unit for the first milking device is in a first position wherein a first valve of the first valve unit opens a first fluid connection between a first milk line of the first milking device and the first buffer tank, and a second valve of the first valve unit closes a second fluid connection to the second buffer tank such that cleaning fluid is collected in the first buffer tank, and wherein for the second milking device the second valve unit is in a second position wherein a first valve of the second valve unit closes the first fluid connection between a second milk line of the second milking device and the first buffer tank and a second valve opens the second fluid connection between the second milk line and the second buffer tank, such that extracted milk is collected in the second buffer tank.