Milking and the expense of equipment.

[r4eboxer]

I have wanted a family milk cow for a while. I am looking into how I am going to milk her. While I work full time and don't think I can spend 30 min every morning and night hand milking I am looking into an automatic milker. Good Heavens the price of the milkers and the cleaning kits are VERY high. If I have to purchase these items I don't think I will be saving any money buy getting my own cow.

Are these things necessary? What can I get by with minimally? I will look in our local CL or trade paper for used ones and I'd like to know what I REALLY need and what are perks and unnecessary.

I am lactose intolerant too so the milk is for my family but I am hoping that with raw milk I will be able to digest it but that is another topic.

 

[animalfarm]

You can buy the milker, but as you noticed, it will cost. It will also still take time to go out to the barn, feed the cow, clean the stall, and clean the udder whether milking by hand or machine, and then you still have to clean the machine. How much time do you think this will take? Cleaning a milk bucket only takes a few minutes. I couldn't tell you how long the machine takes.

The real question is.....once your learning curve for hand milking is over and you can milk your cow in under 10 min, who will be willing/able to milk that cow by hand when you cannot. When you leave the calf with the cow, you can let the calf take over for a milking; but only when its old enough to drink enough milk to keep the cow comfy.

Once the calf is 2-3 weeks old, you can lock the calf up at night separate from mamma and milk her in the morning. You then leave the calf with the cow all day and you don't have to milk the cow at night so you only need to milk the cow 1x day. Perhaps that will help with your decision.

To get a machine or not, is also an issue that I have been mulling over for some time. I am now milking 2 jerseys by hand. 2 freshen in spring and 2 in fall. Come next spring/fall that number will rise to 3. I will probably have to get a machine, because eventually I will be selling family milk cows and they need to be able to go either way for inexperienced owners. Also, my Hubby does not enjoy the milking experience and he will not be happy milking all those cows if someone shoots me in the hand; pretty safe to say it won't be him.

 

[r4eboxer]

I'm glad you mentioned the time to clean the milker. I wasn't considering all those tube that are going to need washed out and sanitized EVERY time I use it. So if I hand milk I am only going to need a stainless bucket and something to clean her udder with? Also where do you put your milk after milking? Do you store it right away in containers and put it under refrigeration? Do you pasteurize?

I am not planning on pasteurizing mine and really the 12 gallons a day I have read that dairy cows produce is way too much for my family. I plan on making butter and cheese but I might be biting off more than I can chew. It is illegal in my state to sell unpasteurized milk.

I think it's wonderful that you plan to teach newbies how to milk the cows you sell. I hope I get that lucky when I make my purchase. My plan is a Jersey cow right now as I think a Holstein will produce way too much milk for me.

 

[animalfarm]

I'm glad you mentioned the time to clean the milker. I wasn't considering all those tube that are going to need washed out and sanitized EVERY time I use it. So if I hand milk I am only going to need a stainless bucket and something to clean her udder with? Also where do you put your milk after milking? Do you store it right away in containers and put it under refrigeration? Do you pasteurize?

I think it was a person in the goat section of this site who made an instructional video for cleaning her milking machine. It didn't look too difficult, but for me, it wouldn't be the deciding factor for buying a milking machine. I use a stainless steel bucket without seams or rivets. I use warm soap and water and a clean cloth to wash the udder, and then I apply bag balm which softens the teats and makes it easier to milk. Any udder cream will work. I use cheap dish cloths and hand towels which I later wash. I also keep a stiff horse brush in the milking area to brush any gooblies/loose hairs off the cows side and belly before milking and minimize anything falling into the bucket.

I have another 4 gallon stainless milk can with lid into which I pour the milk from the first cow, before moving to the 2nd cow. When I am finished milking, I take the milk to the house and strain it through a clean cotton sheet into a storage container and place it into the fridge. The next day I skim the cream for butter, and either make cheese or feed the milk to the pigs and chickens; either fresh or clabbered. If there is ever such a thing as too much butter, I put some out for the free ranging chickens, dog and cats to dig into.

I am not planning on pasteurizing mine and really the 12 gallons a day I have read that dairy cows produce is way too much for my family. I plan on making butter and cheese but I might be biting off more than I can chew. It is illegal in my state to sell unpasteurized milk.

I don't pasteurize. I grew up on cows milk and I am planning to die from other causes contrary to what the government would have me believe. We cannot sell milk period, without a quota and unpasteuized would get me in the slammer even quicker.

The thing to remember is that a family milk cow won't produce as much as a dairy barn cow. Unless of course you feed her the same high quality, scientific diet they would.
There are exceptions, but it is unlikely you will get your hands on a superior producer unless she has been burned out on the dairy line and then it is no longer an issue. If you keep a calf on a Jersey and feed free choice alfalfa hay all day with a bit of dairy grain while milking (to have her waiting for you at milking time) you can usually expect to reap about 2-3 gallons a day tops; it will more likely be about 2 gallons.


I think it's wonderful that you plan to teach newbies how to milk the cows you sell. I hope I get that lucky when I make my purchase. My plan is a Jersey cow right now as I think a Holstein will produce way too much milk for me.

Jerseys are a good choice. Small enough not to be intimidating and they can be very friendly. Excellent butter, but can be hard keepers if they are heavy milkers. I am currently trying a Jersey/Galloway x to see if I can get a family cow of a more easy keeping (feedwise) nature, thicker hair coat so more hardy and a decent but not overwhelming amount of milk. Will know about that in another year.

 

[animalfarm]

One more note. If and when you decide to buy a milk cow, ask for pointers on what to look for and what to avoid. There are some good beef people on this site as well, and its all relevant.

 

[herfrds]

Ok I have a Surge milker. Only trouble I have with it is when it gets really cold it is hard to get going if you don't have the heater on it.

I use Dawn soap and scrub brushes to clean the bucket, inflators, claw and the rubber ring. i use a powder santitizer, but you can use bleach to sanitize it all, use a weak solution.
Roughly guessing it takes me about 20 -25 minutes to scrub everything up, but I am picky on my cleaning.
while the milker is going I am normally cleaning the barn. The time it takes to milk out the cow depends upon the cow.

here is my milking bucket.

 

[kstaven]

If cold is slowing it down on the pulsator side you are using the wrong oil on it or getting the leathers wet.

 

[animalfarm]

If cold is slowing it down on the pulsator side you are using the wrong oil on it or getting the leathers wet.

So the problem is fixable and won't be a problem in an unheated barn during the coldest part of winter?

 

[animalfarm]

Ok I have a Surge milker. Only trouble I have with it is when it gets really cold it is hard to get going if you don't have the heater on it.

I use Dawn soap and scrub brushes to clean the bucket, inflators, claw and the rubber ring. i use a powder santitizer, but you can use bleach to sanitize it all, use a weak solution.
Roughly guessing it takes me about 20 -25 minutes to scrub everything up, but I am picky on my cleaning.
while the milker is going I am normally cleaning the barn. The time it takes to milk out the cow depends upon the cow.

here is my milking bucket.
http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z79/Elimrvfc/IMG_6093.jpg

You willing to guestimate the slowest/fastest time for us? I promise to not come and beat you up if my cows are different. Do you think the machine is worth the investment?

 

[herfrds]

Yes I think it is worth the investment.
For me it roughly takes 20 minutes to milk my cow out. She is a little slower to milk out on one side then the other so
I hook up the inflators on that side first.
You need to remember that each cow is different so that time frame depends upon the cow being milked.

I bought my milking set up used and paid $800 for it all.
Had to get all new rubber and rebuild the pulsator. Also got a stripping cup.

kstaven it is not the pulsator it is the vaccum pump oil that gets cold and slow.