# Anyone still milking by hand?



## Beekissed (Aug 15, 2008)

Anyone here still milking by hand?  Do you make your own butter?  What kind of dairy cow do you have?  Do you sell your butter and cheeses?


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## wynedot55 (Aug 15, 2008)

we milked cows for 27yrs.an always used milking machines.now we would hand stripp the cows to check their milk.


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## Farmer Kitty (Aug 16, 2008)

There are people who milk one or maybe two cows by hand yet. They are the exception and I think in most cases someone who is just starting with cows. I know I responded to a thread on BYChickens that someone was milking a jersey by hand that they had just bought.


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## wynedot55 (Aug 16, 2008)

most people do milk a family cow by hand.


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## Farmer Kitty (Aug 16, 2008)

wynedot55 said:
			
		

> most people do milk a family cow by hand.


Or buy/make a small vacuum pump and unit. I know of one that used a canister vacuum cleaner for their vacuum pump. They had the regular stallcox for the pulsation though. Don't ask me how they did it though. I had heard the rumors of it and then DH ask one of the customers at the feedmill if he knew of it, thinking if someone was going to try it this guy would, and he was the one that did it.


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## wynedot55 (Aug 16, 2008)

i remember seeing the lil rascals use a vacum cleaner to milk a cow.but that was back in the 30s or 40s.


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## Beekissed (Aug 16, 2008)

wynedot55 said:
			
		

> most people do milk a family cow by hand.


Then I guess my next question should be "Does anyone here have and milk a family cow?"


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## Farmer Kitty (Aug 17, 2008)

Not here. We are a dairy farm.


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## wynedot55 (Aug 17, 2008)

we was a dairy to.


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## gotajersey (Aug 27, 2008)

I do, I have several Jerseys now.  All of them are milked by hand for the first month, then I get bottle calves to take over.  I will keep one milked for my own use on a weekly basis.  I make cheese, but only the easy stuff so far.  Are you thinking you want to try milking??  Cheese making seems like a chemistry project, but once you make the easier ones you develope  more confidence in the process.
Love my Jerseys!  My last cow to calf just gave me an adorable set of twins last night.  Sooo,,,milking her will be limited.  I do let my calves have the cream first.


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## Farmer Kitty (Aug 27, 2008)

Jerseys are so cute. We used to have some. I don't miss milking the short little cows but, I sure do miss their cute faces around here.


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## pokacow (Aug 27, 2008)

Beekissed I plan on milking my Dexter next summer when she calves, sharing w/the calf.  I want butter for sure & maybe cheese if I feel daring!  Are you on the bee forum too?  Jody


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## wynedot55 (Aug 27, 2008)

welcome youll like it here.


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## Beekissed (Aug 27, 2008)

We have a bee forum?


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## Farmer Kitty (Aug 27, 2008)

Beekissed said:
			
		

> We have a bee forum?


Not one of Nifty's. Backyardcows, Backyardchickens, The Easy Garden, Sufficentself.


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## NATIVO (Sep 1, 2008)

Hi everyone... 
I have been hand milking 2 cows but just bought a surge bucket!!...  I'm also the one that recently bought the Jersey that had mastitis in her rear qtrs.... It's all clear now but we are still having problems milking out the rear due to the short teats.  

I also hand milk my goats but have let them dry up so I could spend more time with the cows this summer.

By spring I will be milking 4 goats and 2 cows, so I think the surge bucket is a great investment....


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## kstaven (Sep 28, 2008)

What inflations are you using on the surge milker? Continental, vac saver, jet flo bodies? Narrow bore inflations will help with small teats.

I also found that the narrow bore "silicone inflations" work better for me with a jersey that has very small back teats.


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## chickennoodles (Oct 15, 2008)

gotajersey said:
			
		

> I do, I have several Jerseys now.  All of them are milked by hand for the first month, then I get bottle calves to take over.  I will keep one milked for my own use on a weekly basis.


I am curious about this- you milk your cow once a week for your cheese production?  Is this enough to keep her "tame" enough to milk, and in production enough to get enough milk for your needs?


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## miron28 (Oct 16, 2008)

i all ways wanted to start a diary farm we looked at buying one about a year ago but they are expense of! the cheapest one we found was $800,000.00. i wish i had the money just to start one! :/


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## chicken_boy_Kurt (Oct 16, 2008)

I'm hoping to get a cow next year and I will be milking her by hand.


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## backforty (Nov 6, 2008)

I have a jersey cow I milked by hand. Shes dry now.  Although I only had her for 3 months and she was at the end of her lactation so wasnt giving much.  I Made some butter as well as ice cream.  I'd like to do more of that when she hopefully has her calf the end of jan.  I find hand milking to be relaxing, the cow must to sometimes she fell asleep and I'd hear her start snoring.


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## Farmer Kitty (Nov 6, 2008)

I'd say you have a relaxing technique!


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## Imissmygirls (Nov 16, 2008)

Cows these days are bred to have short teats.  Makes it tougher to milk by hand. 
I had a family milk cow for 2 years that I milked by hand.  When she went to the fair the first year, we didn't know if she would tolerate a milking machine!

When daughter brought home the city boy she was to marry, milking the cow was a rite of passage.  I hear those pics are blackmail material now.


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## hollybird (Dec 24, 2008)

we milk buy hand and my mom loves it for her arthritis.  i'm not fast enough and the cow runs out of grain before i'm done.  i only have one acre now on my home place.  i do need a lawn mower for my orchard though.


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## Yates Dairy (May 18, 2010)

Use to but we have over 500 milk cows now so we pretty much had to switch to machine. We have a mixture of breeds but mostly Holestein (sorry about spelling if it was wrong)


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## Rafter 7 Paint Horses (Jul 23, 2010)

I still milk by hand.

I'm only milking one goat right now. All the others are drying up and getting ready for breeding.

 My only milk cow, a Jersey,  is off to visit her new man for a little while to be bred.
We are having her bred to a Red Angus. We couldn't find a Jersey bull locally this year.

We were mostly using her for a nurse cow for raising some calves, but I did milk her between sets of calves.

I prefer the goat milk over the cows milk, though. 

Jean


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## animalfarm (Nov 14, 2010)

I have 3 jerseys and I milk by hand. Its really not that hard. Practice, practice, practice (which is hard to avoid). The feed I put into the cows comes out as feed for people, pigs, chickens , orphan calves, dogs cats...so I feel a milk cow is a good investment for a small farm even if one cannot sell her by-products. Yes we have cheese, butter, and cream in limitless quantities here, and now I am reading that raw milk makes great fertilizer for the fields so now even dumping excess milk is a value added activity.


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## michickenwrangler (Nov 14, 2010)

When I had goats I milked by hand. My neighbor always used a milking machine with her goats and the few times I goat sat for her and had to put the thing together and clean it, it didn't seem like that much of a time saver for 3 goats.


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## PattySh (Nov 17, 2010)

Milking 2 goats this year by hand. after being out of goats for several years.  Have 6 bred for Feb-Apr kids. Also raising a Jersey/Heifer calf for future milk cow. She is a year old will be ready to be bred  hopefully by spring  (haven't seen her in heat yet but she is vet checked  ok). Bought a refurbished surge milker this fall!I enjoy hand milking but with 6 and a future cow milking was sure I couldn't handle milking that volume. I haven't tried it yet other than plugging it in etc. Waiting for the spring surge of milk as I'm only milking once a day and getting 1/2 gal now.


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## cat1994 (Dec 10, 2010)

Im going to milk by hand. When my cow, a lil holstein dairy cow, is old enough


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## ohiogoatgirl (Jan 20, 2011)

this is a good topic!
my parents had a small dairy goat herd for about 8 1/2 years.
we milked 7 does twice a day by hand. i used to hate it! the does we had were the worst!!! i still remember having to milk stinky with my shirt over my face... she really deserved her name!

now i'm building my own herd and i can't wait to start up an get some real milk! 

that rite of passage bit is great!
we always had people over and new people were always interested in how you milk a goat so they always looked real close. and if you've been milking a while then your aim gets good and you can get someone head to toe in one squirt! 
       

i remember when my little sister's boyfriend came over the first time during milking... i got him great! head to toe with both teats and he'd been talking so he got a lot in his mouth...   
he was so mad! he went runnin into the house and told on me to my parents and they just laughed at him... he didn't know what to do!


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## mrssmitho (Oct 5, 2011)

I can't wait!!! I will have the first calf around Dec 1st, 2011 and will start milking 1x per day after a week...never done it before, so who knows?
I will be making my own butter, cheese, yogurt, etc...this spoiled girl is going to save me from the Wal-mart completely!!!!! All I go after is dairy products...OOHHHHH, I can't wait!!
My girl is a Jersey/Holstein and bred to a Mini Herford. They call a Jersey momma bred to the mini Herford calf a "Hershey"...so mine will be a "Hershey w/Almonds"


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## manybirds (Oct 5, 2011)

I hand milk goats


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## animalfarm (Oct 5, 2011)

You might need to be flexible on that 1x day at one week plan.

  If your cow is a heavy milker and both Jerseys and Holsteins are, the x should also be. There is no way a one week old calf will take enough milk out. You may end up lowering production and run a high risk of mastitis. I have never been able to go to 1x a day in less then 6-8 weeks and its usually around 8 weeks. I have a jersey who fed 3 calves and still had to be milked out for a month. You should be so lucky. If your cow is older, then maybe your plan is more likely to work.

 For the first 2 weeks the calf is most likely to get more than it wants from just one teat. It might go to 2 after that.  You may not have a problem, but just be aware and check that udder diligently 2x day till you are sure the calf is holding up its end of the bargain and you are not losing all the good stuff you are looking forward too. So, other then milking 2x a day for longer then planned and maybe getting more then you thought you would, its all good.

The calf should be nice with breeding to the Herford for some beefy hardiness.


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## zzGypsy (Oct 12, 2011)

manybirds said:
			
		

> I hand milk goats


me too.
and sheep, but they're tougher.


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## codymax2 (Oct 12, 2011)

I will be hand milking  Getting our family cow this friday. She's just a baby so it will be awhile.


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## sawfish99 (Oct 13, 2011)

We are hand milking 3 goats.  We have discussed getting a milker since we know a goat owner nearby who wants to sell a used one for $1500.  It just seems hard to justify when it will only save 15 min a day.  I can milk out the does faster than they can eat the grain.


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## zzGypsy (Oct 13, 2011)

sawfish99 said:
			
		

> We are hand milking 3 goats.  We have discussed getting a milker since we know a goat owner nearby who wants to sell a used one for $1500.  It just seems hard to justify when it will only save 15 min a day.  I can milk out the does faster than they can eat the grain.


got a friend who machine milks 6 dairy goats, he says it doesn't save them time... the time they get back on speed of milking is used cleaning the milker.  for them it makes sense, since the time is is the same, but it allows any of their older kids or the parents to do the milking with consistent clean milk handling, and the kids don't have the stamina for milking 6 producing goats.

we bought a milker this year, but it's for our sheep which are much harder to milk.  I may use it for milking goats while the sheep are in production since I'll have it set up and have to clean it anyway, but I'll probably hand milk the goats when the sheep are out of production.  

I've found I've got hand-milking stamina for 4 goats + 4 sheep... but i'm losing speed on the last 2 or 3 sheep from hand cramps.  if I'm going to have more than 4-6 goats in production, I'll probably go to a machine process just because I don't have the stamina for efficient milking past that.

we paid $600 for our used milker.  shop around, you can buy a new system for less than $1500... depending on what you want.


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## 5Jerseygirls (Oct 13, 2011)

I have been milking by hand for years. It only takes me about 8 minutes to milk 2.5 gallons. I love my Jersey's. Milking time is very relaxing. I love to feel the warmth radiate from the cow, hear the milk hit the pail and listen to her chew her grain and then belch.  That lets me know everything is in working order. I am fortunate mine have nice handles. I only milk one at a time. It is nice to have a back up when one is dry. When a new calf is born I will have to milk that cow for awhile until the calf gets big enough to take it all.  I make cheese, butter, cottage cheese, and ice cream. It is for the family. I give lots of cheese to family for Christmas and I know they appreciate it. I have never tried a machine, it seems it would be more work to clean than a bucket. I planned on having only ONE milk cow. CALP attack (Cows Are Like Potato Chips....you can't just have one) Now there are 7!


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## RareBreedFancier (Nov 6, 2011)

I'll be hand milking. (Hopefully soon if my does ever decide to kid.  )

I watched a lady milking with a machine and it seemed to me that it took just as long or longer to use the machine. It sure was more work to clean up.


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## Queen Mum (Nov 7, 2011)

I've been hand milking since I was a teenager.  Takes me just a few minutes to milk out a dairy goat.  Takes me a little longer to milk a cow.   I like it.  I came from a small farm in the US where we didn't have machines.  Our cows were hand milked.  The milk was hand cranked to separate it and butter was hand churned. Cheese was made the old fashioned way.  Food was canned in jars.  The fields were tilled by hand.   

I remember when I was a teenager I went to a big dairy farm in Denmark and the farmer asked me if I knew how to milk cows.  I said, "Yaw!"  I went out to the barn and he handed me this 'thing' with all these dodads hanging down.  I knew what it was but didn't know how to use it.  I got kicked repeatedly trying to put it on.  He said,  "I thought you said you could milk cows."   I got a pail and showed him.   He took me to the 'other part' of the barn with the "problem cows".   I stripped his 8 problem cows in NO time.  No kicking, no dirty milk.  That was my job for the rest of the summer.  He said his cows liked my soft touch.  LOL!  It was the first time in forever anyone ever said my hands were ladylike.   (I have big square hands.)  I never did tell him that I had only hand milked a cow one time but I had watched my Papa do it HUNDREDS of times.  I knew all of his tricks and I was a great observer of animals.


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## johnsons-r-us (Nov 9, 2011)

I don't even have my goats yet...that's why I'm here to learn, BUT I fully intend to milk them by hand.  And teach my daughters and hubby to do it because afterall, I can't be home 100% of the time.


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## Little One (Nov 19, 2011)

johnsons-r-us said:
			
		

> I don't even have my goats yet...that's why I'm here to learn, BUT I fully intend to milk them by hand.  And teach my daughters and hubby to do it because afterall, I can't be home 100% of the time.


I can't wait to get my first goat! I'm here to get more information before I jump in, also. And I will be milking her by hand.


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## 77Herford (Nov 19, 2011)

I hand milk some of our goats but mostly I have the machine to all the work.


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## Cornish Heritage (Nov 23, 2011)

I milk our cow every day. She is a sweetheart - only have to milk her once a day. She is a Jersey /Holstein cross. We have the new herd of Milking Devons that we want to start milking & once we get that up & running we will probably get a portable machine maker but time will tell.

We make a lot of ice cream with the cream she produces. I have made butter in the past but Lady's milk doesn't seem to make very good butter so haven't done it in a while. Hope to get back to it with the Milking Devons as I love homemade butter. 

Liz


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## PotterWatch (Dec 8, 2011)

I've only had animals for milk for a few years, but it's all been done by hand.  We used to have mini-manchas and I milked those for a couple years.  Then we sold those and I was milking a Holstein.  The Holstein had a calf and we switched to a Jersey for milk and let the Holstein raise calves for sale.  The Jersey is not a great cow to milk and I just stopped milking her a couple weeks ago.  I now have to buy milk until we get dairy goats again.  Can't wait!

I made cheese from the goat milk but never butter.  The cow milk was regularly made into butter, cheese, and yogurt.


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## SmallFarmGirl (Dec 23, 2011)

I don't have any cows, But I have goats and I milk one by hand right now. I hop to have 2 milkers in the future!!!


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## peteyfoozer (Dec 29, 2011)

We have a Jersey cow, but I use a belly milker cuz its so much easier, faster, and cleaner. I make butter every couple of days as she gives me 3 gallons plus 1/2 gal of heavy cream every morning, milking OAD. Also make our own mozzarella, ricotta, sour cream, buttermilk, cream cheese and other stuff. Hard cheeses I haven't nailed yet. A few turned out ok, but I'm not satisfied yet. Need a better cheese press for one thing. I can't imagine ever not having a cow again. I have Nubians also, but mostly use their milk for making soap. :bun


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## Beekissed (Dec 29, 2011)

Could you post a pic of your belly milker and the approx. cost of such an apparatus.  For us aging and on the go working moms, an individual milker that can accomplish in a few minutes what would take me quite a few more minutes would be a big plus to have and use.


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## peteyfoozer (Dec 29, 2011)

I've seen them go for anywhere from $450 and up for the whole she-bang. There is a belt that goes around your cow and the bucket just hooks onto it by the handle. The nice thing is that when the inflations hang down, it cuts the vacuum off to it, so you can milk 1-4 teats at once. My 2  yr old heifer I had to do her hind quarters separately from her fronts as they were so close together. I can do all 4 now that she has 'matured' a little more. I have also seen them sold on ebay in parts. It's not too hard to put them together. We bought vacuum hose at the home store. Having a Jersey, I use the silicone inflations, which I got through Hamby Dairy. There are kids for rebuilding the pulsators and all that jazz. I really like mine. It's pretty heavy, so I have a wagon I pull it out to the barn and back with. I am going to get some parts next spring so I can adapt it to milk the goats also.


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## Beekissed (Dec 29, 2011)

Thank you!  I had envisioned the older style single unit milkers I've seen in old mags...quite the new fangled item ya got there.  I've heard they are all pretty heavy.  Do your cows seem to mind the belly band and the bulk of the milker being so close to the udders?


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## peteyfoozer (Dec 29, 2011)

Actually its pretty old. i even found one here on the ranch that they used in the 1920's. My cows don't mind it at all, but they have real nice high udders. If you have a bad udder that hangs really low, you might want to either adapt it with longer lines and cut off valves or a different style of milker. I'll take a picture of it in action tomorrow.


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## Beekissed (Dec 29, 2011)

That would be great!  Thank you!


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## peteyfoozer (Dec 30, 2011)

As you can see, the bucket is only inches off of the ground and my girl has a pretty high udder. You CAN place the belt further forward to take up the slack I did that on her mother, but if you have a really LOW slung udder, it might be hard. You can always get the long hoses with cut off valves and keep the bucket in a wagon or something. I just haven't done it cuz this has been handy for me.


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## Beekissed (Dec 30, 2011)

Oh, thank you so much.... I so wish I had had that when I had my Jersey cow!  Do your cows ever kick at it?


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## peteyfoozer (Dec 30, 2011)

No, they both like it. Both cows kick like crazy if you hand milk, even if i just try to strip them, but they like the machine.


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## Beekissed (Dec 30, 2011)

I've read that the milkers are actually a lot easier and more gentle on them then milking by hand...could be why they prefer it.  Sure would be nice to have something like that for women who breastfeed and have to milk themselves before going to work.


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## peteyfoozer (Dec 30, 2011)

haha! Actually, our boss' wife had triplets and they did have some kind of milking machine she had to put on...she said it was pretty mortifying!  LOL


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## kelsey2017 (Jan 5, 2012)

How many gallons does the Surge bucket hold?  They look so small.  I have seen them recently on CL for $75 but that is just for the bucket and claw.  I don't know what all else you would need with it.  I have been planning on hand milking my heifer when she calves, but I have been tempted to use a machine.  If I can milk out in cow in under 10 mins I think I'll be good!  I know that will take practice but would hope I can figure it out.  I really wish I had someone to learn from or at least could try milking before my girl needs it twice a day.  I think I need a head gate and maybe a anti kick thing.  My neighbor has those he said I could have, but I will need to train her to stand in the head gate.  She hasn't kicked at me yet but I did see that nasty swinging kick and I do not want to be sitting down and catch one of those in the chest!


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## peteyfoozer (Jan 5, 2012)

It says the Surge bucket holds 5 gallons. Emma gives 3 1/2 each morning and its not completely full, but darn sure heavy. I can't imagine getting 5 gallons in mine at one time.  There are quite a few parts...the bucket, claw, shells and inflations, vacuum tubes, hose, pulsator gauge and pump. It would be a lot easier to get it put together if you have never used one. There are several on ebay for under $200 that just need the vacuum hose, gauge  and pump. If you shop around, you can find a deal on them, almost all are reconditioned as they pretty much last forever. The inflations should be replaced every year, I use the clear silicone ones as they are smaller and fit my Jersey cow well. Make sure if you buy one with shells, that the inflations you need will match the shells too.
One of the nice things for me using a milker, is being able to show someone what to do on the days that I have to go to town. It takes us 20 hours or so to grocery shop so SOMEBODY has to milk my cow.
They aren't the cheapest item you can buy, but for me, its a great investment. I will be setting mine up next year to use on both the goats AND the cow. They also resell well, as someone is always looking to buy one. I got parts for mine thru Hamby, but several places carry them, including Hoeggers, I think.


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