1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of milking an animal by using a milking machine having at least one teat cup with a teat cup liner therein for receiving a teat of the animal, a pulsation chamber being defined between the teat cup and the teat cup liner. There are means for subjecting the pulsation chamber to a pulsating pressure varying between a first pressure and a sub-atmospheric second pressure, which is lower than said first pressure. Each pulsation of said pulsating pressure includes a pressure decreasing phase, during which the pulsating pressure decreases from said first pressure to said second pressure, and a pressure increasing phase, during which the pulsating pressure increases from said second pressure to said first pressure. Means are provided for subjecting the interior of the teat cup liner to said sub-atmospheric second pressure for extracting milk from the animal's teat. The milking of the animal includes in sequence an initial massage period, during which the milk flow begins, a main flow period, during which the milk flow first increases to a main flow and then amounts to said main flow, a flow decreasing period, during which the milk flow at first for a short while amounts to said main flow and then decreases, and a flow terminating period, during which the milk flow ceases.
2. Description of the Prior Art
When milking mechanically it is desirable that the milking of each animal, such as a cow, takes place rapidly, so that the milking machine is efficiently utilized. However, the more rapid the milking operation is carried out, the more rest milk will remain in the udder at the end of the milking operation. Said rest milk must be extracted by manual manipulation of the milking machine, which is labour consuming. Alternatively, the rest milk is simply left in the udder until the next milking occasion, which results in a reduction of extracted milk. In addition, a more rapid milking has the consequence that the teat periodically, especially at the end of the milking, is treated ungently, which may give rise to injuries to the teat and deteriorated udder health.