Animal husbandry – Milkers
Patent
1995-05-19
1997-09-16
Swiatek, Robert P.
Animal husbandry
Milkers
119 1408, A01J 700, A01K 2900
Patent
active
056669038
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to the examination of a milk animal for cleanliness.
When milk is taken from a milk animal using a milking machine, that is by teat cups operated by vacuum pulsation and connected to a milk receiver, it is important to ensure that unwanted material from off the teats or udder does not enter the milk taken into the receiver.
Conventionally an operator looks at the teats and udder of the animal to check for dirt and cleans them if dirt is seen. It is also usual to check the teats and udder for injury. While washing the teats and udder before every milking appears to be an appropriate procedure there is evidence that a selective approach would be better, avoiding excessive washing and the possible spread of pathogens. Such an approach requires an effective examination technique which can be operated automatically.
It is an object of the invention to provides techniques which check for dirt, injury and other unwanted conditions. References herein to optics, light and image and the like are not limited to visible light, the term light including the range of infra red, visible, ultra violet and similarly effective wavelengths.
According to the invention there is provided a method of examining a milking animal presenting for milking including examining the animal with an optical (as herein defined) sensing device responsive to at least one characteristic significant in the acceptability of an animal for milking, assessing the response of the sensing device to determine the acceptability of the animal and controlling the continuation of the presentation of the animal in dependence on said determination.
According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a method of examining a milking animal presenting for milking including preparing an image reference record of an animal, subsequently preparing a further image record of an animal at a presentation for milking, comparing the reference and further image records, determining differences from said comparison and deciding from any said differences whether the animal presenting for milking is to be milked at this presentation.
The further record may be of the same animal as that from which the reference record was prepared. The reference record may be prepared directly from an animal. The reference record may be prepared to be typical of an animal presenting for milking.
According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a method of examining milking animal presenting for milking including providing an optical sensor specific to at least one material associated with an animal condition unacceptable when an animal presents for milking, operating said sensor upon presentation of an animal for milking, detecting the sensor output, assessing the output for the presence of an unacceptable material and controlling the continuation of the presentation of the animal in dependence on said assessment.
The assessment may include the step of deciding whether the indicated presence of a material associated with an unacceptable condition is sufficient to cause the ending of the presentation.
According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a method of examining a milking animal presenting for milking including providing a reference record of spectral characteristics of a clean teat, capturing the spectral characteristics of each teat of an animal presenting for milking, comparing the recorded and captured characteristics and applying the result of said comparison to control the continuation of the presentation of the animal.
The spectral characteristics may be taken directly from a teat or indirectly from an image of a teat.
The spectral reference record may be a generalised record or a record for the specific animal presenting for milking.
The material may be chlorophyll on at least one of a teat and udder of the animal. The sensor may be sensitive to the absorption wavelength of chlorophyll and directed to the area of the teats and udder of the animal.
The sensor may be receptive to the fluorescence of chlorophyll or other
REFERENCES:
patent: 4414566 (1983-11-01), Peyton et al.
patent: 4908871 (1990-03-01), Hara et al.
A1, 1720 602 (Voron Agricultural Institute) 23 Mar. 1992 & Soviet Patent Abstract, P1 Section, week 9307 Apr. 07, 1993 Derwent Publications Ltd. London SU-1720 602.
Bull Christine Roberta
Mottram Toby Trevor Fury
Spencer Diane Susan
Street Michael John
Tillett Robin Deirdre
British Technology Group Limited
Swiatek Robert P.
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