Machine milkers

[Skye]

Anyone out there use a machine milker? What is it like? Is it really easier than hand milking?

[Up North]

We have one adult run 4 milkers simultaneously. Takes about 2 hours and 15 minutes to milk 50 cows. Are they easier than hand milking?...YES!

However, if only milking one cooperative cow, the cleaning and maintanence of milking machines may skew the balance in favor of hand milking.

[francismilker]

I agree with UpNorth, if you're doing it for one cow, it's probably not worth the time unless you have a physical impairment that keeps you from handmilking. I'm milking five and it's worth it (barely).

[Skye]

I only have one that I am hand milking but she gets impatient with me and before I finish she starts kicking. It takes me one hour more or less depending on her mood. I also have a one year old angus/ jersey cross I hope to milk in the future.

[sammyd]

An hour to milk one cow?
I'd get impatient too.

[Up North]

Skye - if we might examine some of the actual practices that are occurring perhaps we can guide you to a more reasonable situation.
Do you have prior experience with cows?
Are you washing cow with warm water/towel to stimulate milk letdown?
Do you have a disability whereby you can only milk with one hand?

I suspect you have read or been told that a cow has to be completely milked out or they will get mastitis. This is true -* but* most cows continue to produce new milk continually, so there is no reward in milking till absolutely zero milk will come from the udder. When milk flow is down to a trickle (about 3-5% of milk in udder remaining in udder) cow is done and you can quit.
Just for reference milking machines average 7-8 minutes on-time per cow.
I would expect hand milking to take a little longer. Hopefully you can share info so folks can help you.

[Tango]

There's that new milker called the udderly eze or something like that which now comes for cows (used to be for goats, sheep, horses, etc.) It isn't more than $150 and entirely portable. Based on suction rather than electricity from what I understand. Somedays a person can use a little help. Right now (and unfortuately again! ) I have a fractured finger on my right hand and I hurt a finger on my left hand a week ago. A little help milking may be in order once in a while.

[JeffNY]

If I was milking one cow, I would use a machine (but thats me). Machine would be faster, cleaning is what takes most of the time. You will need enough hot water to wash out the claws. More or less a detergent wash, then a rinse to get all the detergent out. Then rinse the bucket out with cold water, and hang it upside down to keep dust out. Takes longer to wash, than milk. However you dont spend an hour milking. With washing/prep/milking, probably a half hour, which is a lot better than an hour.



Thing is, what do you want to spend? If your time is worth more than hand milking, then get a machine. However if you dont mind milking for that long, then stick with hand milking. Personally, I like a machine, get a good clean milking.


Jeff

[Skye]

I had a milk cow last year that I had to sell due to the drought and a hay shortage. I really like my new girl but when she starts kicking I get nervous. I tried the rope around the belly trick and that backfired on me. When she tried to kick she lost her balance and nearly fell over on me. That was a little scarry. I hand milked the last cow until I sold her it took me quite a while but that was because she wouldn't let her milk down unless her baby was sucking. This cow lets down beautifully. I HAVE been trying to milk her until all the milk is out out of concern for not wanting to give her mastitis. I am glad to know that isn't necessary. I am just thinking the machine might be less moody. The cleaning time depends on me and not on the mood or patients of a 1000 pound cow. I also think it might be easier to find a substitute milker when I need to go somewhere. Is there increased risk of mastitis with a machine? Will her milk production suffer?

[Up North]

If milking machine is maintained(vacuum level properly set, pulsation properly set, and inflations changed on schedule) as well as proper sanitizing of milker, you would have equal or less chances of mastitis.
Production would not suffer.
I suspect if you can eliminate overmilking, cow will be much more cooperative, less likely to kick, and milking will again be an agreeable task.
Best of luck.

[sammyd]

If you overmilk with a machine though it causes a bit more damage.
You can actually leave more milk in the udder than you would think, but you have to be consistent in what you do. The cow will adapt.
I've set up PATOs to suck em dry and to leave them a little wet....again the cow will adapt if you are consistent and mastitis shouldn't be a problem as long as everything else is being done correctly.

If you can pick up a decent old vac pump and bucket for cheap why not do it.
I know I'm looking for stuff for when my cow freshens and she isn't even bred yet.

[Rickydink]

We use a Surge bucket milker and vacuum pump. It takes 2 of us less than 30 minutes to prep, milk and clean our single cow. I was willing to pay for the conveniance of a machine and it was worth it.

[Skye]

Thanks for all the imput. I appreciate the help.

[cjg24]

I bought one of the hand milkers Udderly EZ for use with my goats. I had milked goats for a few years prior and quit due to a bad shoulder. I tried that stupid thing 4 times and could not get it to work. I could get the suction up but it didn't produce any milk. I would not recommend it. Just didn't work for me.

[Donna from Mo]

I started using a bucket milker when I had several cows, and still used it when I was down to one. When I thought I was done milking forever, I sold it really cheap; I didn't know how much I was going to miss those sweet Jersey faces and eyes. So I guess in a couple of years when Secret freshens, I'll be hand-milking.

[goldspur]

I too ordered one, it works great on my goats, 5 min and I'm done, trick, the bag must be wet, and the top of the rolled flange for a good connection, also holding onto the top of the bottle helps, must have black rubber stop on neck of bottle wet, and tight. remember if you pull out on the bottle, suction will be released automatic, without even noticing you did it, love mine no dirt or dust and no yuck if they kick, best thing I ever invested in, esp if you have hand problems, took me a few tries to figure it out, but worthwhile, can't wait ontill my cow freshens. oh dont forget to strip her bag a couple of times first before putting it on, gets the milk flowing and gets rid of any little plug their might be. Connie