Milking
AssigneeDeLaval Holding AB
InventorLeif Lindholm
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A milk metering apparatus having a metering chamber 7 which is repeatedly filled and emptied many times in the course of milking an animal is provided with a probe 15 which extends down into the metering chamber 7 and which includes a sampling tube as well as conductivity and light absorption sensors. Milk samples can be taken and conductivity and light absorption measurements can be made during each filling and emptying cycle so that data from the sample analysis and the measurements over the whole period of milking can be compared with corresponding data from previous milkings of the same animal thereby providing valuable information for herd management purposes.
Claims57
A method of milking an animal comprising the steps of directing milk collected from the udder of the animal into a metering chamber which is repeatedly filled and emptied during the milking procedure, checking the quality and/or composition of the milk collected in the metering chamber, and counting the number of filling and emptying cycles of the metering chamber, characterised in that during each of at least several cycles of filling and emptying the metering chamber the number of respective filling and emptying cycle is recorded, a milk sample is removed from the metering chamber for analysis, and/or at least one property of the milk in the metering chamber is sensed and recorded, the at least one property including electrical conductivity, a light absorption characteristic and/or temperature.
A milk metering apparatus comprising a metering chamber into which milk from an udder of an animal is delivered in the course of milking the animal, the metering chamber having a milk inlet and a milk outlet for repeated filling and emptying of the metering chamber during the milking procedure, the number of filling and emptying cycles being counted for determination of the milk quantity, and a sampling duct communicating with the interior of the metering chamber for removal of milk samples from the metering chamber during respective filling and emptying cycles.
A milk metering apparatus comprising a metering chamber into which milk from an udder of an animal is delivered in the course of milking the animal, the metering chamber having a milk inlet and a milk outlet for repeated filling and emptying of the metering chamber during the milking procedure, the number of filling and emptying cycles being counted for determination of the milk quantity, at least one sensor in the metering chamber for sensing a property of the milk in the metering chamber, the milk property being electrical conductivity, a light absorption or transmission characteristic and/or temperature, and recording means which records values of the at least one property sensed for comparison with corresponding sensed and recorded values.
An apparatus according to claim, wherein the metering chamber has a milk collecting capacity not greater than 1 litre or 0.5 kg.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.