Automated monitoring of milk meters

Automated monitoring might be an alternative for periodic checking of electronic milk meters. A computer model based on Dynamic Linear Modelling (DLM) has been developed for this purpose. Two situations are distinguished: more milking stands in the milking parlour and only one milking stand in the milking parlour, e.g. in case of robotic milking. In the first case the model is based on a comparison per milking session of the average per stand with the overall average over all stands. The model calculates a stand deviation factor per stand after each milking session. In the second case the model is based on a comparison of the measured milk with the total collected milk. The model calculates a separation term and a deviation factor after each collection to the milk. The measured milk yields of two experimental farms, one with and one without a milking robot, were used to test the model. It was possible to fit the stand deviation factor with the model for the comparison of milking stands. This factor can be interpreted as the relative error per milking stand and per milking session. The results correspond globally with routine control results. The results of the model at the milking robot farm for the comparison of measured and collected milk were hampered by unknown separations. The conclusions of this research are: Automated monitoring of milk meters by a comparison of the average per stand with the overall average is possible. Validation on more farms is wanted. The measured milk yield should be corrected by the stand deviation factor if it is used for management purposes. Automated monitoring of milk meters on milk robot farms by a comparison of the measured milk with the collected milk seems possible, provided that separated milk is recorded properly.