Milking Machines

[babsbag]

Oh, and I was milking two goats at a time. The stands were close enough to each other so I could reach both goats at the same time. Even when milking in the parlor I have to occasionally pull down on the inflations, just depends on the goat, but I am milking 4 at a time so it can get a little crazy. I seldom strip them at the end but I have a few that don't milk out all the way with the machine so I do finish them by hand. Clear shells are a must in my opinion, can't imagine milking with stainless ones where I can't see the teat. When I get rich I will change out all the milking clusters in my parlor to GEA Capri-twin and if I was bucket milking again I would go with the GEA top flow.

https://www.gea.com/en/products/milking-cluster-topflow.jsp

 

[Mini Horses]

So this is not electric and has no pulsator? I mean, there are several vac systems out there, hand op. Have heard various comments about whether or not it "damages" the udder, teats, etc.

Any comments, from anyone ?

 

[Fullhousefarm]

I personally wouldn’t go with anything non pulsating unless it was for very occasion use- like relieving a doe after birth twice or something.

I’ve been using a Surge bucket milker that has been refurbished for the last 4 years. Got all new hoses and inflations this year. I’ve rebuilt the pulsator once. (Super easy!)

I milk two goats at once. I bought mine from a friend of a friend who got it refurbished off eBay for her dairy cow but ended up putting calves on her instead and didn’t need it. $350 with the vacuum pump set up for a cow. I had to buy a set of Nigerian inflations and she already had the longer hoses for the goats. I milk 6-14 every morning year around. Sometimes use it at night and sometimes hand milk since Inisually have less a night due to some on OAD milking and some with babies nursing during the day.

I’ve loved it and can’t complain.

 

[Mini Horses]

Hmmmm....at least they are the smaller gals -- still a LOT of milk each day!

 

[Fullhousefarm]

Hmmmm....at least they are the smaller gals -- still a LOT of milk each day!

Not all small.
Right now I'm milking 3 LMs, 1 FF Saanen, and 7 Nigerians. Just dried up 2 Nigerians, sold one, and sold a LM. I was getting 3ish gallons in the AM at peak. And a lot of times that was a 10 hour fill not 12.

 

[babsbag]

@Fullhousefarm Can I see the vacuum pump? I am looking for a used one for a friend and not giving up my portable one in case of a catastrophic failure and I have to milk 50 goats with it some morning. (Heaven forbid)!!!!!!! Just curious as to what you have.

 

[Mini Horses]

For those of us who do not understand all the parts & processes of milking machines, here's a link that helps explain and has pictures


http://ansci.illinois.edu/static/ansc438/Mastitis/milkmachine.html

 

[Southern by choice]

For those of us who do not understand all the parts & processes of milking machines, here's a link that helps explain and has pictures


http://ansci.illinois.edu/static/ansc438/Mastitis/milkmachine.html

Thanks @Mini Horses that article is fantastic!

I will be saving that link! What a great resource!

 

[Mike CHS]

That was informative even for me who no longer has the desire to have dairy critters.

 

[Wehner Homestead]

I’ve come up with another question for y’all... do milk machines have the ability to measure individual production? I know that some cattle systems can but it’s a computer process...