WO2020236067A1

WO2020236067A1 - Rotating platform for milking sheep and goat

Info

Publication number: WO2020236067A1
Application number: PCT/SE2020/050490
Authority: WO
Inventors: Eric Crespo; Martin Wiedemann
Original assignee: Delaval Holding Ab
Priority date: 2019-05-17
Filing date: 2020-05-13
Publication date: 2020-11-26

Abstract

A milking system (1) comprises a rotary moving arrangement (10) having a centre point (10a), about which it is adapted to rotate during operation, and an essentially circular periphery (10b). A plurality of peripherally distributed milking stalls (12) is arranged on the rotary moving arrangement for housing milking animal (14) during milking thereof and having an opening towards the periphery (10b), wherein each of the milking stalls is provided with a milking arrangement (12a). A plurality of milking stall dividers (16) having an upper edge, each divider separating two adjacent milking stalls, is provided so that the dividers extend along a line (L), which crosses the periphery (10b) at an angle (a) to the normal (N) of the periphery at the crossing point. This design, together with providing the upper edges of the dividers at a level below the head of the milking animal (14), allows the milking animals to look backward towards the periphery of the moving arrangement, facilitating movement in an exit section of the milking system.

Description

ROTATING PLATFORM FOR MILKING SHEEP AND GOAT

Technical field

[0001 ] The present invention relates generally to dairy farming and particularly to a milking system with a rotary moving arrangement.

Background art

[0002] Fully or semi-automated external rotary milking systems are known, in which a plurality of milking stalls are radially provided on a moving arrangement in the form of a rotating platform. Each of these stalls is provided for housing a milking animal. In each of the stalls, teat cups are arranged, which in a semi- automated system, which is the most common situation, are attached to the teats of the milking animal by a human. In fully automated rotary milking systems, an automatic teat cup attachment arrangement is provided (replacing the human) to fetch the teat cups at default storage positions and attach the teat cups to the teats of the milking animal present in the milking stall prior to the milking thereof.

[0003] Generally, the rotary milking system is divided into several sections, comprising an entrance section, where the milking animals moving forward enter the milking stalls as the rotating platform rotates, one or more milking sections, and an exit section, where the milking animals leave the milking stalls and the rotating platform during backward movement of the milking animal.

[0004] The above described system provides for an efficient automated or semi- automated milking of dairy animals. However, some animals may experience difficulties when exiting the milking system, since the backward movement is not natural to them. This is particularly true for sheep, which are gregarious animals which are accustomed to move forward as a group. Summary of invention

[0005] An object of the present invention is therefore to provide a milking system of the kind initially described, wherein the drawbacks in connection with the animals leaving the exit section are eliminated or at least mitigated.

[0006] The invention is based on the insight, that it could be advantageous toencourage gregarious milking animals, and particularly sheep, to look backward toward the opening of the stalls of a rotary milking system in association with exiting, thereby starting to turn their bodies already in the stall. In this way, the movement of the milking animals in the exit section is facilitated.

[0007] According to the invention, there is provided a milking system comprising a rotary moving arrangement having a centre point, about which the moving arrangement is adapted to rotate during operation, and an essentially circular periphery; a plurality of peripherally distributed milking stalls arranged on the rotary moving arrangement for housing a milking animal during milking thereof and having an opening towards the periphery, wherein each of the milking stalls is provided with a milking arrangement; and a plurality of milking stall dividers having an upper edge, each divider separating two adjacent milking stalls; the milking system being characterized in that each of the dividers extends along a line, which crosses the periphery of the rotary moving arrangement at an angle to the normal of the periphery at the crossing point, and in that the upper edges of the dividers are provided a level below the head of the milking animal. This design allows a milking animal to turn its head and front part of its body to look backward towards the periphery of the moving arrangement, facilitating the movement to leave the milking stall in an exit section of the milking system. With the low profile of the dividers, the milking animals can pass their heads above the dividers to initiate the rotation movement of their bodies while moving away from the milking stall.

[0008] In a preferred embodiment, the milking animal is a sheep or a goat.

Especially a sheep is a gregarious animal, which unwillingly moves in a direction which is not in sight. This is particularly true during a backing movement. [0009] In a preferred embodiment, the angle is between 10 ° and 20 °, and more preferably essentially 15 °. These angles allow the milking animals to look towards the periphery of the rotary moving arrangement while still using the space in an efficient way.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment, the upper edges of the dividers are provided at a height of 450-650 mm, e.g. about 0,5 or 0,55 m. This height is suitable when sheep and goats are the milking animals, since it allows the animals to extend their heads above the dividers during exiting the stall. This also makes it possible to have a milking system for sheep and goats together, which is advantageous from a cost and management point of view.

[0011 ] In a preferred embodiment, each of the milking stalls comprises a manger and a headlock for locking the head of the milking animal during milking, wherein the headlock extends at essentially right angle to a longitudinal extension of the milking stall. This headlock is preferably adapted to lock a neck of the milking animal at a height of between 450 mm and 550 mm. By providing a headlock, preventing the animals from extending their heads across the dividers when locked, the animals do not disturb animals in the adjacent stalls during milking, while the advantages in connection with exiting the stall are maintained.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment, the milking stall has a length of between 850 mm and 1100 mm and/or a width of between 350 mm and 450 mm. These dimensions are suitable when sheep and goats are the milking animals, keeping the dimensions low for making efficient use of space while at the same time allowing the milking animal to start turning when exiting the stall.

Brief description of drawings

[0013] The invention is now described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is an overview from above of a rotary milking system according to the invention; and Fig. 2 is a detailed view of part of the rotary milking system shown in Fig. 1 showing three milking stalls.

Detailed description

[0014] The most common type of rotaries for cows and goats are so-called external rotaries, where the animals enter and exit from the outer circumference of the rotary platform. The animals then have to exit during a backward movement, i.e. back out of the milking stall. Flowever, some animals experience severe difficulties when exiting an external rotary milking system, since the required backward movement is not natural to them. This is unpleasant for the animals and also causes problems in that slow/fussing animals slow down the milking process, possibly requiring human interference to get the animals to leave the platform.

This reluctance to backward movement is particularly true for sheep, which are highly gregarious animals which are accustomed to move forward as a group. Therefore, milking of sheep typically requires customized, so-called internal rotaries, where the animals instead enter from the inner circumference of the rotating platform, via a bridge, and then exit at the outer circumference of the rotating platform during a forward movement. Although internal rotaries work much better for sheep than external rotaries, the extra equipment in form of bridges and gate arrangements drives cost, as well as requires that the animals walk a longer and more complicated path in order to enter the rotary. Although internal rotaries may also be used for goats, the internal entering is not required for goats, since these typically have no problems in backing out of an external rotary.

With this said, it would be practical and economical to have an external rotary solution that worked well both for sheep and for goats.

[0015] Further, in order to understand the solution described herein, it should be noted that milking stall dividers for sheep and goat rotaries (as opposed to for cow rotaries) typically are opaque and so high that the animals cannot look, reach or stretch over them. This is common practice in order to keep the animals, especially goats, from disturbing animals in adjacent stalls, e.g. biting their ears, and thereby negatively affect the milking. Sheep are not as prone to disturbing their milking stall neighbors as goats are, and cows do not show this behavior.

[0016] In the following, a detailed description of a milking system according to the invention will be given. Fig. 1 shows an automated or semi-automated rotary milking system, generally designated 1 , comprising a rotary moving arrangement in the form of a rotating platform 10, which has a centre point 10a, about which the moving arrangement is adapted to rotate during operation. The rotating platform 10 has an essentially circular periphery 10b, which delimits the extension of the rotating platform.

[0017] A plurality of peripherally distributed milking stalls 12 is arranged on the rotary moving arrangement 10 for housing a milking animal 14 during milking thereof. Each milking stall has an opening towards the periphery 10b of the rotating platform, allowing the milking animal to enter the milking stall in an entrance section and to exit the milking stall in an exit section, as will be described below. Each milking stall is provided with a milking arrangement (not shown in Fig. 1 ) comprising teat cups to be attached to the milking animal prior to milking thereof.

[0018] Each of the milking stalls 12 is defined by two milking stall dividers or bails 16 extending towards the periphery 10b of the rotating platform. This means that each divider separates two adjacent milking stalls 12. Each divider has an upper edge which is at a level preventing the milking animals from moving from a milking stall to an adjacent milking stall. The level of the upper edge of the dividers is normally fixedly adapted to the kind of animal of the intended use but may optionally be adjustable. Furthermore, it is preferred that the dividers extend essentially down to the platform 10 so that smaller animals are prevented from slipping below the divider. [0019] The rotary milking system of Fig. 1 is divided into six sections A-F, comprising an entrance section A wherein the milking animals 14 enter the milking stalls 12 in a serial order as the rotating platform rotates in accordance with the arrow 10c, a pre-milking teat treatment section B wherein the teats of the milking animals 14 present in the milking stalls 12 are treated prior to the milking thereof, a teat cup attachment section C wherein teat cups of the milking stalls 12 are attached to the milking animals 14 present in the milking stalls 12, a milking section D wherein the main milking takes place, a post-milking teat treatment section E wherein the teats of the milking animals 14 are treated subsequent to the milking thereof, and an exit section F wherein the milking animals 14 leave the milking stalls 12 and the rotating platform 12. The traffic of milking animals 14 into and out of the rotary milking system 1 is indicated by arrows A’ and F’,

respectively. The functions of the different sections B-E are known to the skilled person and will not be described further herein.

[0020] Reference is now made to Fig. 2, showing an enlarged view of three of the milking stalls 12 comprised in the milking system of Fig. 1. As was explained with reference to Fig. 1 , each of the milking stalls 12 is defined by two milking stall dividers 16 extending generally towards the periphery 10b of the rotating platform 10. The dividers 16 are preferably made of plastic or a metal alloy material. It is preferred that the dividers are of the free hanging type, i.e. , there is no support in the radially outer portion of the divider. Also, in order to save space, the dividers 16 are preferably slim, with a width of no more than 60 mm. The design of these dividers will be further described detail below.

[0021 ] The milking stall 12 preferably has a length of between 850 mm and 1100 mm and preferably a width of between 350 mm and 450 mm. In Fig. 2, milking animals 14, preferably sheep or goats, are shown occupying three milking stalls 12. The milking animal to the right is stationary with its head being locked by a headlock 20. The center animal has just initiated the process of backing out of the milking stall, partly turning its head so that it extends above the divider 16. Finally, the animal to the left has partly backed out of the milking stall, as indicated by the arrow.

[0022] Each of the milking stalls 12 comprises a manger 18 and a headlock 20 for locking the head of the milking animal during milking, wherein the headlock extends at essentially right angle to the longitudinal extension of the milking stall 12. It is preferred that the animals cannot bother adjacent animals during milking and the headlocks 20 accomplish this. The headlock 20 is preferably adapted to lock a neck of the milking animal 14 at a height of between 450 mm and 550 mm. Preferably, the headlock mechanism is adjustable so that the headlock 20 can be adapted to neck widths of between 90 and 140 mm. Each of the milking stalls 12 also comprises a milking arrangement including a milking controller 12a.

[0023] The design and function of the milking stall dividers 16 will now be explained in detail. Each of the dividers 16 extends along a straight line, designated L for one of the dividers, which crosses the periphery 10a of the rotating platform at an angle a to the normal N of the periphery at the crossing point. It will be appreciated that the divider itself does not have to extend all the way to the periphery 10b, but the imaginary line L along which the divider 12 extends crosses the periphery 10b at this angle a. A most preferred angle a is essentially 15 °, but other preferred angles a are in the range of 10 ° to 20 °.

[0024] As mentioned above, the milking stall dividers 16 have an upper edge which is at a level preventing the milking animals 14 from moving from a milking stall 12 to an adjacent milking stall 12. This means that they must not be too low, allowing the milking animal to step or jump across the divider 16. However, according to the invention, the divider must not be so high that it prevents the milking animal from looking backwards towards the periphery of the rotating platform, as the left milking animal of Fig. 2 does. This means that the upper edges of the dividers 16 are provided at a level below the head of the milking animal 14. This level may depend on the intended used of the milking system 1 , i.e. , the kind of milking animal. For animals like sheep and goats, this, the upper edge of the dividers 16 may be provided at a height of 450-650 mm, e.g. about 0,5 or 0,55 m.

[0025] A preferred embodiment of a milking system according to the invention has been described. It will be realized that this can be varied within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the inventive idea.

Claims

1 . A milking system (1 ) comprising a rotary moving arrangement (10) having a centre point (10a), about which the moving arrangement is adapted to rotate during operation, and an essentially circular periphery (10b); a plurality of peripherally distributed milking stalls (12) arranged on the rotary moving arrangement for housing a milking animal (14) during milking thereof and having an opening towards the periphery (10b) of the rotary moving arrangement, wherein each of the milking stalls is provided with a milking arrangement (12a); and a plurality of milking stall dividers (16) having an upper edge, each divider separating two adjacent milking stalls; c h a ra c te ri z e d i n t h at each of the dividers (16) extends along a line (L), which crosses the periphery (10b) at an angle (a) to the normal (N) of the periphery at the crossing point, and in that the upper edges of the dividers (16) are provided at a level below the head of the milking animal (14).

2. The milking system (1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the milking animal (14) is a sheep or a goat.

3. The milking system (1 ) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the angle (a) is between 10 ° and 20 °.

4. The milking system (1 ) according to claim 3, wherein the angle (a) is essentially 15 °. 5. The milking system (1 ) according to any one of claims 1 -4, wherein the upper edges of the dividers (16) are provided at a height of 450-650 mm e.g. about 0,

5 or 0,55 m.

6. The milking system (1 ) according to any one of claims 1 -5, wherein each of the milking stalls comprises a manger (18) and a headlock (20) for locking the head of the milking animal during milking, wherein the headlock extends at essentially right angle to a longitudinal extension of the milking stall.

7. The milking system (1 ) according to claim 6, wherein the headlock (20) is adapted to lock a neck of the milking animal (14) at a height of between 450 mm and 550 mm.

8. The milking system (1 ) according to any one of claims 1 -7, wherein the milking stall (12) has a length of between 850 mm and 1100 mm.

9. The milking system (1 ) according to any one of claims 1 -8, wherein the milking stall (12) has a width of between 350 mm and 450 mm.