Automated rotary milking system

Abstract

A milking system comprises a rotary milking platform having a plurality of milking stalls, a milking device configured for attachment to the teats of a dairy livestock located in a corresponding milking stall of the rotary milking platform, a robotic device operable to attach the milking device to the teats of the dairy livestock, and a controller. The controller controls the operation of the robotic device based at least in part upon a milking log that stores information regarding the amount of time that has elapsed since the last time the dairy livestock was milked and whether an amount of milk collected from the dairy livestock during a previous time period is less than a predefined threshold associated with the dairy livestock.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A milking system, comprising:
 a rotary milking platform having a plurality of milking stalls;   a milking device configured for attachment to the teats of a dairy livestock located in a corresponding milking stall of the rotary milking platform;   a robotic device operable to attach the milking device to the teats of the dairy livestock; and   a controller that controls the operation of the robotic device based at least in part upon a milking log that stores information regarding the amount of time that has elapsed since the last time the dairy livestock was milked and whether an amount of milk collected from the dairy livestock during a previous time period is less than a predefined threshold associated with the dairy livestock.   
     
     
         2 . The milking system of  claim 1 , further comprising a second robotic device operable to prepare the teats of the dairy livestock prior to the attachment of the milking device. 
     
     
         3 . The milking system of  claim 2 , wherein preparing the teats of the dairy livestock comprises:
 applying a sanitizing agent to the teats of the dairy livestock;   cleaning the teats of the dairy livestock; and   stimulating the teats of the dairy livestock.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2 , further comprising a third robotic device operable to apply a sanitizing agent to the teats of the dairy livestock subsequent to the removal of the milking device from the teats of the dairy livestock. 
     
     
         5 . A method, comprising:
 attaching a milking device to the teats of the dairy livestock using a robotic device while the dairy livestock is located in a milking stall of a rotary milking platform; and   controlling the operation of the robotic device based at least in part upon a milking log that stores information regarding the amount of time that has elapsed since the last time the dairy livestock was milked and whether an amount of milk collected from the dairy livestock during a previous time period is less than a predefined threshold associated with the dairy livestock.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising preparing the teats of the dairy livestock located in a milking stall of a rotary milking platform using a second robotic device prior to attaching the milking device. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein preparing the teats of the dairy livestock comprises:
 applying a sanitizing agent to the teats of the dairy livestock;   cleaning the teats of the dairy livestock; and   stimulating the teats of the dairy livestock.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising applying a sanitizing agent to the teats of the dairy livestock using a third robotic device subsequent to the removal of the milking device from the teats of the dairy livestock. 
     
     
         9 . A method, comprising:
 positioning a robotic device proximate to a rotary milking platform, the robotic device operable to attach a milking device to the teats of a dairy livestock while the dairy livestock is located in a milking stall of the rotary milking platform; and   controlling the operation of the robotic device based at least in part upon a milking log that stores information regarding the amount of time that has elapsed since the last time the dairy livestock was milked and whether an amount of milk collected from the dairy livestock during a previous time period is less than a predefined threshold for the dairy livestock.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising positioning a second robotic device proximate to the rotary milking platform, the second robotic device operable to prepare the teats of the dairy livestock prior to the attachment of the milking device. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein preparing the teats of the dairy livestock comprises:
 applying a sanitizing agent to the teats of the dairy livestock;   cleaning the teats of the dairy livestock; and   stimulating the teats of the dairy livestock.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising positioning a third robotic device proximate to the rotary milking platform, the third robotic device operable to apply a sanitizing agent to the teats of the dairy livestock subsequent to the removal of the milking device from the teats of the dairy livestock.