Milking Machines

KevinS · #1 12/10/08, 08:04 PM

Hi all!

I've been reading for a while, never posted before. I moved my family onto our homestead in May. We have acquired quite a menagerie of animals since our arrival including a Jersey heifer and Nubian doe.

The Nubian should freshen in May with the Jersey following a year later. I have started looking at milkers that could be used for both.

Has anyone her tried the System one by Caprine Supply? They have several bucket options that will milk one cow or two goats.

We are planning to milk the Nubian by hand for the 1st year. I figure by the time the Jersey starts producing DW will be ready for a machine as long as it is simple to operate and keep. The machines look like they may be more work than hand milking for one goat and one cow.

Experienced input would be welcome.

Kevin

Trisha in WA · #2 12/10/08, 08:13 PM

Hi Kevin. Depends on your cow. For just one goat, hand milking is the way to go. If your cow has nice sized teats and doesn't give TONS of milk, then hand milking is not bad there either. I have done both machine and hand milking on both my cows. I have also hand milked a couple of goats a couple of times. The goats were a breeze by hand. My first cow wasn't too bad by hand but my second cow is a challenge to milk by hand. Her hind teats are very small and her teat sphincters are really tight making it so I have to squeeze harder. Cleaning the machine takes 10 minutes or so and is kind of a hassle. So, I would say, if you are able to hand milk them both, save yourself the big investment.
Blessings,
Trisha in WA

francismilker · #3 12/11/08, 03:33 PM

I'm not sure what kind of timeframe your chores take you now, but if you have the flexability, I'd suggest hand milking with just two critters. That is, unless you have hot water in the barn. If you don't, it sometimes becomes a royal pain in the backside to tote a 5 gallon SS milk bucket inside and track through the kitchen to give it a good cleaning. If the bucket is not sanitized properly, the milk will have an "off" taste. Besides, not too many folks have kitchen sinks deep enough to handle a large container in.
I'm not saying not to get a bucket. I'm just saying it's a lot of work to keep clean. When I've got mine in operation, it takes longer to clean it properly than to use it. While some will say that it's OK to just rinse it, I disagree. The milk residue on the inside of the inflations and hoses will build up and cause you problems and bad taste.

farmmaid · #4 12/11/08, 05:27 PM

I only have Nubian goats, but milking time is my favorite time of the day on the homestead.....

KevinS · #5 12/11/08, 08:08 PM

Thank you for the replies. We have some time to figure this out. If we go with a milker, I was planning on the smaller 3 gallon bucket setup. DW plans to hand milk the goat. I'm not sure if hand milking the Jersey will be an option depending on teat development. She is only 6 mos old now.

Cleaning the bucket, claw, hoses and inflations looks like a time killer. The barn does have hot water available.

The Caprine Supply System 1 looks like nice little portable milker. I was curious if anyone here uses it.

Thanks again!

K

sungirl · #6 12/11/08, 08:33 PM

KevinS,

I would reccommend you post on the goat fourm for use on both cattle & goats. A few members keep both.

Patty.

Judith · #7 12/12/08, 01:15 PM

If you only have one animal milk by hand. You lose allot of time cleaning so it balances out. You really need hot water to clean the equipment. Cold water sort of sets the milk into a lovely slime on the pails. it only takes about 10-15 min. to milk out your cow.

**Ross** · #8 12/12/08, 01:34 PM

I will use a machine to milk accepting the added cleaning time as a due cost to save my arthretic hands the task of milking. time vs pain, there's not much room for debate!!

Judith · #9 12/12/08, 02:23 PM

You forgot to mention the arthritis ( Or I didnt read it or?) LOL nope you do not want to be hand milking. It is really hard on the hands/wrists. When I first started milking I thought I would die! Granted I milk 150 cows twice a day. Even with the machines my wrists were on fire LOL Over a year later, I have triceps of steel, hands that can open any jar and a back that can fling a 60 pound bale of hay without complaint! Milking is a work out don't let anyone tell you anything differently LOL