System and method for controlling and monitoring the operation of an automatic milking system

A system for controlling and monitoring the operation of an automatic milking system (1), wherein milking animals are allowed to enter, in order to be milked, a milking area (2) at will, and wherein a central processing unit (8) is arranged to receive signals from peripheral hardware units (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, R) and to process the signals for obtaining hardware status related information or milking animal status related information, and wherein an interface (9, 10, 11, 12, 13) is arranged for communication between the central processing unit and an operator, wherein the interface (9, 10, 11, 12, 13) includes means for understanding and interpreting vocal instructions from the operator given by the operator directly inside a stable room including the milking area, and for translating said vocal instructions into machine understandable instructions, and the central processing unit (8) includes means for controlling or regulating at least one of said peripheral hardware units (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, R), or for providing status related information in vocal form as a response to said vocal instructions.