DE19900274B4 - Method for adapting the milking installation to a herd of animals - Google Patents

Abstract

method for adapting the milking installation to a herd of animals, characterized in that for each Animal a minimum vacuum is determined to withdraw milk, taking Each teat before milking so long applied with increasing vacuum is until a milk withdrawal takes place and then each animal individually with a vacuum level is milked, which is determined on the basis of the evaluation of the minimum vacuum becomes.

Description

The The invention relates to a method for adapting the milking plant a herd of animals.

milking equipment are used in a wide variety of dairy herds. The However, individual animals are individually different, which is the milkability or teat molding. Especially the vacuum level applied for milking is crucial for the Milkability. usual Practice is that the vacuum level for the Milking vacuum set by the installer according to his estimate without more specific basics becomes. However, excessive vacuum can cause significant damage and mastitis to have.

In the DE 41 13 699 A1 discloses a method for driving a milking machine, in which an increased pulsator frequency is set at the beginning of milking. After a predefined time is then gone back to a lower clock frequency and the ratio of the clock frequency and the milking and pulse vacuum level adjusted so that only milk is milked as much as the animal provides in accordance with the determined flow rate per unit time.

The is called, This method is based on the actual milk flow during milking.

The EP 0 584 890 A2 discloses a milking system which is operable in principle according to the above-described manner and in which milk parameters associated with each of a teat during milking can be determined.

at both documents an intervention in the control of the Milking plant or the determination of milk parameters during the Milking. However, in this method, no animal-specific, parameters detected before milking.

One Another problem is that often a not suitable for the herd Teat rubber size used becomes. This has the major disadvantage that too tight teatcup liners constrictions occur on the teat, which impede the Ausmelkgrad; the episode are milk decline, Mastitis or long milking times.

at too big Teatcup liners fall off the milker too easily, which is also strong the milk delivery bothers and causing problems. Furthermore climb too big Teatcup liners and cause pinch on the teat base. Known are simple templates for determining the teat size, the but provide unsatisfactory results through a narrow measuring bridge.

In contrast, lies The invention has for its object to provide a method which allows, to operate a milking system with high efficiency.

These The object is achieved by a method having the features of the patent claim 1 solved. According to the invention is at every teat of a single animal the minimum vacuum is determined that for Dairy withdrawal is required. This is done by means of a dairy control device, each teat with slowly increasing vacuum is applied until a milk withdrawal takes place. This results in the minimum milk removal vacuum for each Time of measurement. Dependent on this will be the vacuum level when milking each teat of the individual animal adapted. This is special in automatic milking systems feasible.

This Can be done with a massage teat and without massage.

The Control is advantageously carried out at different times in the distance to the milking times, z. A control before milking, one in the middle of the intermediate milking time, two hours after Milking.

Besides that is it possible also the milk removal vacuum depending on the lactation stage determine.

Also is a determination of the minimum milk withdrawal vacuum during the Milking possible. Thus lets an adaptive vacuum level also for them Duration of milking, depending from udder internal pressure and minute-milking, with.

All Data is stored and then provides a basis for the determination of the optimal milking vacuum for the animal. As a result, the animal is milked with optimal vacuum level.

Especially valuable are the data for a breeding Evaluation, z. B. can Even animals with too low sphincter resistance can be detected. (Animals that run the milk in the interim milk time an increased Exposed to infection risk.)

One Another advantage is that in control measurements on animals also deviations be registered, which indicate injuries, such as Legs Kick injury to the teat with an internal mucosal tear, which significantly worsens the milkability, but not from the outside must be visible.

If at larger milking parlors an adaptation of the vacuum to the individual animal too expensive seems, it is possible to divide the animals into groups that require approximately the same milking vacuum. This can be done automatically in detection systems via selection gates.

Also without grouping can be determined by determining the average vacuum for the Dairy withdrawal of all individual animals of the herd an unnecessary burden of the teats by excessive vacuum be avoided.

A Particularly advantageous combination is when the animal at optimal Milking vacuum is milked with the correct teat cup size. According to the invention this is achieved by a device that scans the individual teat over a large area and stores the values.

A another possibility is the application of a device with sampling pads that ring around the Teat shape are arranged and in the measurement preferably with Compressed air or liquid to ensure uniform and accurate adaptation of the Cushion to ensure the teat. Of the Value can then be recorded by means of strain gauges or volume measurement become.

A another possibility is an optical detection of the teat via a measuring scale, preferably attached in the background of the teat.

Based the determined values of 'minimum milk extraction vacuum' and, more defined Teat size 'can be the milking plant in important points objectively to the existing herd adjust and thereby improve udder health and profitability.

Claims (11)

Method for adapting the milking installation to a herd of animals, characterized in that for each animal a minimum vacuum is determined to withdraw milk, each teat being subjected to increasing vacuum prior to milking until milk is removed and then each animal is individually milked with a vacuum level, which is determined based on the evaluation of the minimum vacuum. The method of claim 1, wherein the minimum vacuum additionally is determined and stored at different times. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the differences of the minimum vacuum measured on the teat of the same animal and evaluated. Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein as an indicator for the Dairy withdrawal, a resistance measurement between the two Electrodes are used. Method according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein as an indicator for the Dairy deprivation serving a light glass below the teat. Method according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the determination the minimum vacuum is carried out with cyclically massaging teatcup liner. Method according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the determination the minimum vacuum without massaging teatcup liner takes place. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the teats sizes each Individual animals are recorded and stored. The method of claim 8, wherein the sampling of Teat preferably annular and as large as possible. Method according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the sampling the teat is made by means of pillows, which are preferably pressurized become. Method according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the detection the teat size visually he follows.