Control system and a method for milking members in a milking parlour

A control system for milking members in a milking parlour, comprising:

• a local control unit (23, 26) in each of a plurality of milking stalls (3, 4), each milking stall (3, 4) comprising
• i) a milking member (14) attachable to an animal (1) present in the milking stall (3, 4), the milking member (14) receiving a vacuum pressure based on a position of a vacuum valve (27),
• ii) a storage device (25, 29) holding the milking member (14) in a storage position when the milking member is not in use for milking the animal, and
• iii) a cleaning unit (18) arranged to clean the milking member (14),
• wherein, when the milking member (14) is moved from the storage position for a milking operation, the local control unit (23, 26) automatically prepares the milking member (14) for the milking operation by setting the vacuum valve (27) from a closed position to an open position to provide the vacuum pressure to the milking member (14);
• and
• a control unit (11, 12) connected to at least two of the milking stalls (3, 4) to set the at least two milking stalls (3, 4) in a pre-cleaning mode while the milking operation is in progress in at least another of the milking stalls (3, 4),
• wherein, when the at least two milking stalls (3, 4) are set in the pre-cleaning mode and the milking members (14) are then moved from the storage position, the local control unit (23, 26) of at least two milking stalls (3, 4) automatically prepares the milking members (14) of at least two milking stalls (3, 4) for a cleaning operation by maintaining the vacuum valves (27) in the closed position until the cleaning operation of the milking members (14) is started.