US 12,295,344 B2
Milking arrangement for animal health condition indication
John M Christensen, Tumba (SE); Claus Dallerup Rasmussen, Tumba (SE); and Mikael Højer Hansen, Tumba (SE)
Assigned to DeLaval Holding AB, Tumba (SE)
Appl. No. 17/779,419
Filed by DELAVAL HOLDING AB, Tumba (SE)
PCT Filed Nov. 26, 2020, PCT No. PCT/SE2020/051134
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date May 24, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/107851, PCT Pub. Date Jun. 3, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 1951360-5 (SE), filed on Nov. 27, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0408680 A1, Dec. 29, 2022
Int. Cl. A01J 5/013 (2006.01)
CPC A01J 5/0131 (2013.01) [A01J 5/0132 (2013.01); A01J 5/0133 (2013.01); G01N 2333/4713 (2013.01)] 33 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A milking arrangement, comprising:
a milking machine for milking an animal; and
a control unit, configured to:
obtain an identity of the animal in connection with milking of the animal;
obtain a reference point in time of a lactation cycle of the identified animal;
when a predetermined time period has passed from the reference point in time of a lactation cycle of the identified animal, take a milk sample of the animal;
obtain a Haptoglobin level from the milk sample;
carry out a comparison of the obtained Haptoglobin level with a Haptoglobin reference limit; and
indicate a health condition of the animal, based on the comparison of the obtained Haptoglobin level with the Haptoglobin reference limit,
wherein the control unit is further configured to:
take a further milk sample of the animal;
select a supplementary biomarker, distinct from Haptoglobin;
obtain a supplementary biomarker level from the further milk sample of the animal, of the selected supplementary biomarker; and
carry out a comparison of the obtained supplementary biomarker level with a supplementary biomarker reference limit,
wherein the health condition of the animal is indicated based on both the comparison of the supplementary biomarker level with the supplementary biomarker reference limit and the comparison of the obtained Haptoglobin level with the Haptoglobin reference limit, and
wherein the control unit is further configured to, when the obtained Haptoglobin level exceeds the Haptoglobin reference limit:
obtain the supplementary biomarker level of the supplementary biomarker that is distinct from Haptoglobin; and
carry out a comparison of the obtained supplementary biomarker level with the supplementary biomarker reference limit,
wherein the health condition of the animal is indicated based on both the comparison of the supplementary biomarker level with the supplementary biomarker reference limit and the comparison of the obtained Haptoglobin level with the Haptoglobin reference limit.