How to install an ATO

[RedHogs]

I've made the mistake of buying cows before I am ready for them.... We have two that are going to calf in a month of so, the rest will be in the early winter and later......

I have purchased a lot of the necessary components of a pipeline system, but have not built the barn.....I want to use my new 7 gallon bucket milker that I have now and hook in the automatic take off gismo.... I know this makes the bucket milker not portable but is this possible, My vaccum line is mounted permanent now with alot of vaccum.... but will this work????

I want to do this to learn the system the way I'm going to be using it in the fall.

[DaleK]

Depends what kind of ATO you have. I'm not sure I'd want to use one with a bucket milker, particularly with cows that might not be used to it. I find cows not used to ATOs tend to paw at the milker more when it's being taken off and I think they'd be a lot more likely to spill the bucket with an ATO than with a human operator right there.

[sammyd]

As long as the orientation of the milk hose doesn't affect proper sensor operation you shouldn't have a problem. You might consult with a dealer for your brand and ask how a fresh cow bucket will affect your particular model. Is your ATO a portable unit? If not then I wouldn't worry since low line operation is routine.
If your bucket is placed right and your ATO mounted securely I don't think pawing would be a problem. Since the claw hose is seperated from the bucket hose by the ATO.

[francismilker]

RedHogs,
You mentioned pipelines, barn, and an ATO unit. Are you starting a commercial operation?

[RedHogs]

I want to have 20 in milk by spring and try to double that number by the next spring...There is so much ag money available for start-ups, that I can't justify not making the plung now....I have so much of the equipment necessary and feed about the same feed to sows as lactation cows get now, so It will be alot different, but alot of the same.