595298 Disclosed is a rotary cow milking parlour (1) requiring reduced operator intervention and improved efficiencies. The milking parlour comprises at least first and second robotic manipulation devices (100, 200) and a plurality of milking stalls (5) provided on a platform (3) moveable relative to the robotic manipulation devices. The at least first and second robotic manipulation devices are so positioned as to be capable of simultaneously servicing neighbouring milking stalls on the platform. Each one of the at least first and second robotic manipulation devices is operable to attach, to the same animal in a milking stall, a subset of a total required number of teat cups to be attached to the teats of said animal in the milking stall, such that any particular animal has teat cups attached to its teats by at least two robotic manipulation devices. Where four robotic manipulation devices are provided, each one is operable to attach successively one teat cup to a teat of an animal in a milking stall as said stall moves past each robotic manipulation device upon movement of said platform. The arm of each robotic manipulation device is sufficiently extendable to provide each robotic manipulation device with a working range spanning the width of at least two stalls.
