# Milk machine troubles



## Duckfarmerpa1 (Feb 19, 2020)

Hi all!  So, we’re still having issues with our one goat, Busty, making too much milk for her triplets.  She gets engorgEd, and is sometimes not able or willing to nurse.  I followed different advice on here...to just milk her a tad and then put the kids to her, to milk her out a lot twice a day, etc.  We ended kind of going with our gut right now based on her actions.  She hates it all.  We milk her as much as she will allow, and let the kids nurse.  She’s definitely feeding them without our help, but, she needs relief from the milk.  And they come scurrying over when we put her on the stand.   She lays down, she cry’s, etc.  yes, we feed her, etc.  Anyways.  We bought a milk machine.  A pretty cheap one on Amazon, but it said it was amazon’s choice.  It had the exact same description and picture as the more expensive ones.  Anyways.  We’ve used it three times.   We get her flowing first.   It seems like....at first..nothing happens.  Then, it’ll flow great...super for like, a minute.  Then peter out.  I’m too scared to do it by myself.  Chris basically massages her udder while its going to make the milk flow.  The whole time I’m on edge beca she’s not happy.  Nothing much comes out, after 10 minutes, we give up, hand milk and then let the kids nurse.  We always start the machine before we put it on now.  Th3 first few times we didn’t, and it was harder.  Any ideas?


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## Jesusfreak101 (Feb 19, 2020)

Are her teats wet when you start? And mimic what the babies do with your hand on head butting the utter. And are the teat cups the right soze?


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## Duckfarmerpa1 (Feb 19, 2020)

Jesusfreak101 said:


> Are her teats wet when you start? And mimic what the babies do with your hand on head butting the utter. And are the teat cups the right soze?


They’re not wet, but we can do that.  The cup size looks right.  Why the head butted, just to get her ready?


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## B&B Happy goats (Feb 19, 2020)

You got to bump the udder like the kids do so she will let her milk  down..watch them hit and give her a head bump or two before she feeds them....that's what you need to do too.


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## Jesusfreak101 (Feb 19, 2020)

Also watch as her udder empties with it if it sucks to much in it will hurt.


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## Duckfarmerpa1 (Feb 28, 2020)

Ok, so we’re still having issues with the dumb milk machine!!  We know the milk is IN there, and if we hand milk, it flows, but the machine is not doing it’s job.  Tonight Chris got so frustrated he dumped the 3tbs of milk on the floor after working on Busty for awhile.  So, should I return it and try a more expensive one, even though they all have the same write up?  Our goal is not to get milk for us, it’s to help the goats.  But it’s almost time to wean the kids, and I really should get to weaning Sugar in the other barn...she’s three mths now.  So, don’t I need a new machine to get their milk and put the milk in a bucket to teach the kids how to drink from a bowl?  Does anyone have a cheap one they like and I could convince a Chris to buy?  I could even secretly put in some of my own money...he’s just sooo stubborn!  BUT, his cheap ways have afforded us a beautiful way of life...for that, I am grateful!  But I still want a quali milk machine!!


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## Duckfarmerpa1 (Feb 29, 2020)

Duckfarmerpa1 said:


> Ok, so we’re still having issues with the dumb milk machine!!  We know the milk is IN there, and if we hand milk, it flows, but the machine is not doing it’s job.  Tonight Chris got so frustrated he dumped the 3tbs of milk on the floor after working on Busty for awhile.  So, should I return it and try a more expensive one, even though they all have the same write up?  Our goal is not to get milk for us, it’s to help the goats.  But it’s almost time to wean the kids, and I really should get to weaning Sugar in the other barn...she’s three mths now.  So, don’t I need a new machine to get their milk and put the milk in a bucket to teach the kids how to drink from a bowl?  Does anyone have a cheap one they like and I could convince a Chris to buy?  I could even secretly put in some of my own money...he’s just sooo stubborn!  BUT, his cheap ways have afforded us a beautiful way of life...for that, I am grateful!  But I still want a quali milk machine!!


Oh we bump the heck out her udder.  We even squeeze her side to help it flow.  I think it’s just just junk.


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## Mini Horses (Feb 29, 2020)

I see no gauge to monitor pressure.  It could be too much pressure and uncomfortable for her.  Also, see no pulsator....which helps with pressure as when sucking by kids.   

I use a hand controlled pressure pump, with gauge, so I am able to control pressure and intensity.   mine decreases pressure and I pump by hand to alter length and intensity.

Yes, kids butt to tell her to "give it up".   She will.


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## Jesusfreak101 (Feb 29, 2020)

I had one doe the milk machine would work for the other nope it would milk her half way and stop i would finish her by hand. Her teats were much smaller then her sister both in length and width the smallest cups i had didn't work on her when she was half way. The machine would start to suck in to much. Mine didn't have a pressure control. Dansha farm milker is the one i had https://danshafarms.com/product/brute-milking-kit/. I still have just need to take a part and fix it from lack of use and order new hoses and cups for it.


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## farmerjan (Feb 29, 2020)

I am no expert on goats.  But there may be a problem with her own body not producing enough oxytocin  to cause and sustain the milk letdown.  It happens in cows.  Not seen often, but does happen, and seems to be hereditary.  Had one cow on the dairy I used to milk on that would let down about a gallon  (8-10 lbs) then just quit.  Gave her 1 cc of oxytocin and she would milk another 4-5 gallons (40-50 lbs.) of milk.  Her daughter inherited this defect. 
Perhaps that is why the goat is not "getting milked out" and why she is fighting it so  much.  I don't know.  I would think that 1/4th cc of oxytocin in the muscle of the rear leg, wait about 1-2 minutes, then see if the milk flow  gets more and better.  We also use it to make sure an animal that has mastitis  has complete milk letdown and gets totally milked out.  Sometimes that is better than anything to prevent a mastitis flareup if the udder on the cow is harder than normal when they come in for a milking before any clinical signs of mastitis actually show up in the milk. 
Also I agree with the butting of the bag.  Have you ever watched goat kids or lambs go running up to their mother and butt the living daylights out of them,  to actually lift them off the ground?  It is to get the milk flow and the release of oxytocin which gets the milk letdown going.  
There are also some animals that just don't like being milked.  They need to be culled.


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## Duckfarmerpa1 (Feb 29, 2020)

farmerjan said:


> I am no expert on goats.  But there may be a problem with her own body not producing enough oxytocin  to cause and sustain the milk letdown.  It happens in cows.  Not seen often, but does happen, and seems to be hereditary.  Had one cow on the dairy I used to milk on that would let down about a gallon  (8-10 lbs) then just quit.  Gave her 1 cc of oxytocin and she would milk another 4-5 gallons (40-50 lbs.) of milk.  Her daughter inherited this defect.
> Perhaps that is why the goat is not "getting milked out" and why she is fighting it so  much.  I don't know.  I would think that 1/4th cc of oxytocin in the muscle of the rear leg, wait about 1-2 minutes, then see if the milk flow  gets more and better.  We also use it to make sure an animal that has mastitis  has complete milk letdown and gets totally milked out.  Sometimes that is better than anything to prevent a mastitis flareup if the udder on the cow is harder than normal when they come in for a milking before any clinical signs of mastitis actually show up in the milk.
> Also I agree with the butting of the bag.  Have you ever watched goat kids or lambs go running up to their mother and butt the living daylights out of them,  to actually lift them off the ground?  It is to get the milk flow and the release of oxytocin which gets the milk letdown going.
> There are also some animals that just don't like being milked.  They need to be culled.


We definitely butt the bag!!  I need to get oxytocin for my mini pig...I suppose it’s worth a try on Busty?  But, when I used the machine on Stormy...same issue.  When I milked Busty by hand this morning, she didn’t love it, but it flowed great.  Didn’t take long at all.  But, my back and arm gets sore...I don’t mean to complain and sound like a wimp...but I don’t want to wear myself  out doing things a machine could..and I can do the real work!  You know?


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## Duckfarmerpa1 (Feb 29, 2020)

Jesusfreak101 said:


> I had one doe the milk machine would work for the other nope it would milk her half way and stop i would finish her by hand. Her teats were much smaller then her sister both in length and width the smallest cups i had didn't work on her when she was half way. The machine would start to suck in to much. Mine didn't have a pressure control. Dansha farm milker is the one i had https://danshafarms.com/product/brute-milking-kit/. I still have just need to take a part and fix it from lack of use and order new hoses and cups for it.





Jesusfreak101 said:


> I had one doe the milk machine would work for the other nope it would milk her half way and stop i would finish her by hand. Her teats were much smaller then her sister both in length and width the smallest cups i had didn't work on her when she was half way. The machine would start to suck in to much. Mine didn't have a pressure control. Dansha farm milker is the one i had https://danshafarms.com/product/brute-milking-kit/. I still have just need to take a part and fix it from lack of use and order new hoses and cups for it.


Yes!  Ours sucks itself so hard it flattens in...or else the opposite.  Chris has had it, and today didn’t even come in the barn.  Grumpy today..,ugh.  We’ve been only using one nipple..because it seemed to irritate her to both at once.  I should try the other tonight and see if it makes a difference?  Either way I think it’s junk!  I think it needs to go back!  I’ll look at the one you have now!  Thanks!


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## Jesusfreak101 (Feb 29, 2020)

I am not very experience with milk machines. However it worked well for us. I think it depends on the animal and how it works for them. Breast pumps work for some mothers others they don't. Breast pumps don't work well for me so i dont use them i just feed straight fro the tap.


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## farmerjan (Feb 29, 2020)

If the milk flows good when you are hand milking, how long can it take to milk out a goat?  Sure, you will get tired and sore at first, but in a week or 2 you will not even notice it.  Plus, when you add in the time it takes to clean the machine and all, hand milking is as fast or faster.  I honestly cannot see using a machine for one goat or one cow unless you are not going to be the one milking all the time, and will need others to fill in for you. 
 I went from milking 2 cows ,  to milking 4 cows twice a day when I purchased 2;  off a commercial dairy no less,  so they were making more milk at later in their lactation, than mine were at 60 days fresh.  The first 2 weeks were murder as I had more muscles in my arms and hands just screaming with the pain and exhaustion.  God bless the last cow, patience, when I got her done the first 4 or 5 days.  But I got used to it.  I get tired now when milking because I don't do it all the time, but as soon as someone comes fresh and I am back to it, my muscles will complain for a few days/week then do fine.  I cannot see where milking a goat that also has kids getting some, could be that bad unless she has tiny teats or the orifice is so little as to have a small stream of milk.


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## Jesusfreak101 (Feb 29, 2020)

Mostly hand muscles that hurt and depending on the size it can,be a pain as your hand to big for the rest lol


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## farmerjan (Feb 29, 2020)

Agree @Jesusfreak101 that hand and teat size can make a big difference.  But I have one that her teats are so short that I can only use thumb and 1 finger and that is a pain.  Luckily the flow is good.  You just adapt.  I don't have little goats and don't know how small the teats are on them.  But can't be much smaller than the ones on this cow.....


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## Jesusfreak101 (Feb 29, 2020)

Lol I have nubians i like large teats tiny goats are cute but with my large hands its not happening lol plus we need a large amount of milk them they generally produce.


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## Mini Horses (Mar 1, 2020)

Yes -- larger teats are better to milk from!   All the small goats here are gone or going.  Not into two finger squeeze.   Even the larger ones can be a pain and yes, sore for a while, then you adapt -- except those with issues like arthritis.   

I like my hand pump as I can adjust flow/pressure and MOSTLY  I like the milk directly into container without contamination.    The electric ones with pressure gauge & adjustable pressure, with pulsator also, is my desire.  But have always been very expensive.   I see some now in the 5-900 range that are looking good.   It's a "do I need this" to spend the money thing.   Clean up on what I use is easy -- just the  cups & 3' of tube.   Milk goes into 1/2 gal mason jars, which I cap & chill.   Any wide mouth jar will work...qt, pt, etc.

Mostly it's how many you milk and how much they produce -- by hand.   2 goats at 1 gal each milking is ok.   If I have 5 going, not as much fun.  LOL


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