An animal is milked by periodically alternating the milking of each teat between a first mode of operation (I), in which the liner on the teat is exposed to an exterior pulsating vacuum causing the liner to open and close in a series of pulsation cycles, and a second mode of operation (II), in which the liner is exposed to an exterior substantially constant vacuum, which is high enough to keep the liner in a substantially fully open state. The duration of the second mode (II) is at least as long as the duration of a plurality of pulsation cycles of the first mode (I).
The invention relates to a method and a device for milking an animal, which includes at least a pair of teatcups (2). A pulsator (12) is arranged, via a pulsation chamber (4) of each teatcup (2), to subject its liners (3) for a cyclically pulsating pressure from the outside, which pressure has a cycle with a time period T. The cycle includes a first opening phase (a), a second open phase (b), a third closing phase (c) and a fourth closed phase (d). When both the time periods of the second open phase (b) and the fourth closed phase (d) are less than the half time period for the total cycle, T the cyclically pulsating pressures of the respective pulsation chambers are controlled by a control (15) in such a way that a flow of milk between the two teatcups of the respective pair is prevented.
In a method for mechanically extracting milk, the pressure in the pulsator chamber of a teat cup is, with regard to the milking vacuum effective below the teat, controlled in such a way that, with due regard to a pressure which is required for folding in a teat rubber and which depends on the respective teat rubber used, a pressure difference between 5 kPa and 35 kPa will act on the teat in order to avoid pathological modifications of the teats.
A milking machine (1) comprises at least one teatcup (2) having a teatcup liner (4) and a pulsation chamber (5), a first pressure source (14) for generating a first pressure, a second pressure source (9) for generating a sub-atmospheric second pressure, which is lower than the first pressure, and conduit means (12, 15, 13) for transmitting the first pressure and the second pressure, respectively to the pulsation chamber (5). A pulsator (11) is provided for alternately connecting the first pressure source (14) and the second pressure source (9) to the pulsation chamber (5). Influencing means (26) is provided for influencing the transmission of at least one of the first pressure and the second pressure to the pulsation chamber (5) such that the efficiency of said pressure transmission is relatively high when the momentary pressure in the pulsation chamber (5) is higher than an intermediate pressure and is relatively low when the momentary pressure in the pulsation chamber equals to or is lower than said intermediate pressure.
A stimulation device is provided for an automatic milking device having a plurality of milking cups. A vacuum device generates a negative pressure needed for milking and for the stimulation device. The stimulation device can be controllable to vary the stimulation independent from the pulsator system. Another system for stimulating milk producing animals includes a mobile stimulation device.
The invention relates to a method for machine milking an animal, particularly a cow, according to which a stimulation phase precedes a main milking phase, whereby during the entire stimulation phase, essentially no milk is withdrawn, and the duration of the stimulation phase is determined according to the amount of expected cisteral milk and/or alveolar milk.
