Device and a method for providing information about animals when walking through an animal passage

A dairy animal milking installation having an animal passage through which animals move, the dairy animal milking installation including a device for providing information about an animal as it moves through the animal passage, the device comprising:

• a sensor device that senses three-dimensional image data about an animal in the animal passage;
• a processor for receiving the three-dimensional image data from the sensor device;
• and
• an evaluation device for processing the three-dimensional data from the sensor device to identify the animal and to output counter pulses upon recognition of the animal.

A method for providing information about dairy animals as they move through an animal passage, the method comprising:

• detecting an animal;
• sensing data corresponding to the animal;
• producing a three-dimensional image from the data corresponding to the animal;
• and
• evaluating the three-dimensional images to determine a physical characteristic of the animal.