Importance

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Abstract

An apparatus for milking animals, such as cows, which includes a milking robot for automatically connecting and disconnecting teat cups to and from the teats of an animal, and a milking machine for automatically milking the animal. Sensors for detecting contamination of the milk are installed in each discharge line from a teat cup, in the claw or a jar which receives the individual lines from the teat cups, in the discharge from the claw or jar, and in a milk conduit connected to a three-way valve which selectively conveys milk to a bulk milk tank or to a rinsing fluid reservoir. The latter is in a recirculation system for cleaning the teat cups, the claw or jar which receives the discharge lines from the teat cups, and the discharge line from the claw or jar, there being a recirculation pump in such discharge line. The sensors send data to a computer as to the degree of contamination which they individually sense at their various locations. When a pre-programmed maximum degree of contamination is sensed by one of the sensors, the computer controls the valving and recirculation pump to initiate cleansing and rinsing of the milking system.

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First Claim