Milk machine troubles

[Duckfarmerpa1]

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?

 

[Duckfarmerpa1]

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.

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!

 

[Jesusfreak101]

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.

 

[farmerjan]

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.

 

[Jesusfreak101]

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

 

[farmerjan]

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.....

 

[Jesusfreak101]

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.

 

[Mini Horses]

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