Method of and system for managing a group of dairy animals

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system and method of managing a group of dairy animals. More particularly, the invention relates to measuring one or more milk parameters, comparing this parameter to a criterion, and allowing an animal access to a pasture based on this comparison. The milk parameter is related to the composition of milk obtained from a dairy animal in as far as the composition is defined by at least one of the amount of protein and the energy intake of the dairy animal. The measured milk parameter is, for example, urea. Access to the pasture will be completely or partly blocked for a dairy animal having a high content of urea. This dairy animal is thus prevented from taking in an undesirably large amount of protein.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of managing a group of dairy animals, comprising the steps of:
 extracting milk from at least one dairy animal from the group of dairy animals;   measuring a value of at least one milk parameter which is related to the composition of the milk as far as said composition is defined by at least one of: an amount of protein intake and energy intake by the dairy animal;   comparing at least the measured value with a criterion;   allowing the at least one dairy animal access to a pasture with grass, depending on a result of said comparing.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , comprising measuring values of at least two different milk parameters, determining a ratio between the measured values, and comparing the ratio with the criterion. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one milk parameter is an amount of urea, protein, fat, or ketone per amount of milk. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising the step of adjusting the criterion on the basis of a factor which influences the composition of the grass in the pasture. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein the factor comprises at least one: a current season, a meteorological circumstance, and an amount of nitrogen present in manure which was spread per unit area over the pasture in a period of time preceding the extraction of the milk. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising adjusting the criterion on the basis of an individual characteristic of the at least one dairy animal. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein the individual characteristic comprises at least one of: the lactation period, the age, the weight and the type of dairy animal. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising adjusting the criterion on the basis of a parameter regarding the feeding history of the at least one dairy animal. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the feeding history parameter comprises at least one of: an amount of liquid intake by the at least one dairy animal in a period of time preceding the extraction of the milk, and time elapsed since the last feed intake of the at least one dairy animal. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising adjusting the criterion on the basis of a parameter regarding the milking history of the at least one dairy animal. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the parameter comprises a period of time between two successive extractions of milk. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising offering feed to the at least one dairy animal during the extraction of the milk, and adjusting the criterion depending on at least one of: a composition of the offered feed and an amount of feed actually consumed by the at least one dairy animal out of an amount of feed offered. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 1 , if no access to the pasture is allowed to the at least one dairy animal, then further comprising:
 leading the at least one dairy animal to an interior accommodation after the extraction of the milk,   waiting during a predetermined time, or until the occurrence of a predetermined event,   adjusting the criterion,   comparing the measured value with the adjusted criterion, and   deciding again, in dependence on said comparing, on whether or not access to the pasture is allowed for the at least one dairy animal.   
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the predetermined event comprises:
 offering feed to the at least one dairy animal in the interior accommodation, and wherein   adjusting the criterion depends on at least one of: a composition of the offered feed and on an amount of feed actually consumed by the at least one dairy animal out of an amount of feed offered.   
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein milk is extracted from a subgroup of a plurality of dairy animals and a decision on whether or not permission is given to enter a pasture depends on the measured milk parameter for said subgroup of a plurality of dairy animals. 
     
     
         16 . A system for managing a group of dairy animals, comprising:
 a milking parlour provided with at least one teat cup for extracting milk from a teat of a dairy animal;   a milk sensor for measuring a value of at least one milk parameter which is related to the composition of the milk as far as said composition is defined by at least one of an amount of protein and energy intake by the dairy animal;   a control unit, configured to compare the measured value with a criterion;   at least one passage for a dairy animal with a remotely operable closure; wherein   the passage for a dairy animal provides access from the milking parlour to a pasture, and   the control unit is configured to control the at least one remotely operable closure on the basis of the comparing of the measured value with the criterion.   
     
     
         17 . The system according to  claim 16 , further comprising an obligatory route for the dairy animals from an exit of the milking parlour, wherein route leads to the pasture and to an interior accommodation, wherein the at least one passage with the remotely operable closure is included in the route. 
     
     
         18 . The system according to  claim 16 , further comprising an interior accommodation and a first and a second animal identification sensor, wherein one of the remotely operable closures is provided in a passage of the interior accommodation to the pasture, the first animal identification sensor is provided near the milking parlour and the second animal identification sensor is provided near the passage. 
     
     
         19 . The system according to  claim 16 , comprising a plurality of passages for a dairy animal with remotely operable closures, wherein the control unit is configured to control the plurality of remotely operable closures on the basis of the comparing of the measured value with the criterion.