Apparatus and method for monitoring a milking process

An apparatus for monitoring a milking process of a dairy animal, in particular a cow, comprising:

• at least one milking cup,
• a milk line connected to the at least one milking cup,
• a monitoring unit designed as an intermediate element between two parts of the milk line and having a flow element arranged in a flow path of the milk and a sensor with a detection area assigned to the flow element, and
• a control unit,
• wherein the position of the flow element is changeable,
• wherein said flow element is located inside the detection area of the sensor without the influence of flow-induced forces, and is located outside the detection area of the sensor with the influence of flow-induced forces,
• wherein the monitoring unit is suitable and intended to detect the absence of the flow element in the detection area by means of the sensor and to measure the duration of the presence of the flow element in the detection area, and
• wherein the sensor has a signaling connection to the control unit.

A method for monitoring a milking process of a dairy animal, in particular a cow, in which a milking cup is attached to a teat of the animal for the removal of milk, the milk is extracted from the teat through the milking cup and a milk line connected thereto, harvested milk flows through a monitoring unit which is designed as an intermediate element between two parts of the milk line, wherein a milking vacuum is applied in the milk line and in the monitoring unit during the milking process in order to remove the milk, comprising the following steps:

• providing a reference duration,
• detecting, by means of a sensor, two position states of a flow element arranged in the monitoring unit such that its position is changeable,
• measuring the duration of the time period in which the flow element remains in at least one of the position states,
• comparing the measured duration with the reference duration in an evaluation unit,
• sending a signal to a control unit if a predefinable difference between the measured duration and the reference duration is exceeded.