Milk flow meter for a milking system having a substantially stable vacuum level and method for using same

A system comprising

• a conduit positioned between a milk claw and a pipe line for transporting in a selected direction at a selected slope to assist by gravity the passage of a continuous milk flow varying in height up to a maximum height within said conduit wherein said maximum height is less than the height which would occlude said conduit;
• a first sensor having a predetermined cross-sectional area defining an opening for passing a milk flow therethrough and being located at a predetermined location in said conduit, said predetermined cross-sectional area being greater than the cross-sectional area of a milk flow passing therethrough for determining the height of a selected section of a continuous milk flow at said predetermined location as a function of said predetermined cross-sectional area enclosed by the selected section if said continuous milk flow at said predetermined location and the conductivity of milk;
• a second sensor having a cross-sectional area substantially equal to the cross-sectional area of the first sensor and being spaced in said conduit in the selected direction and a known distance from first sensor for determining the height of said selected section of the continuous milk flow at said known distance as a function of said predetermined cross-sectional area enclosed by the selected section of a said continuous milk flow at said known distance and the conductivity of milk;
• a conductivity sensor located in said conduit and positioned to be in substantially continual contact with said continuous milk flow for measuring conductivity of milk forming said milk flow in the proximity of said first sensor and second sensor;
• and
• a processing device operatively connected to said first sensor, said second sensor and said conductivity sensor for deriving the cross-sectional area of a said milk flow from the varying height of said selected section of the continuous milk flow determined by said first sensor, determining an elapsed time for said selected section of the continuous milk flow to traverse said known distance between said first sensor and said second sensor and for calculating milk flow rate through said conduit based on integrating a selected number of selected sections of milk flow compensated for variances of milk conductivity measured by said conductivity sensor.