Milking machines

[JDog1222]

Can anyone help by LMK how they clean their system to make it worth milking the cow by machine with one of these long hose claw machines???

I started out milking with a Surge milk system. The cow I was milking at the time had a nice small udder and everything went perfectly! I had to change cows due to a genetic fluke which caused the cows back teeth NOT to grind off properly when chewing. I seen it with my own eyes, the back tooth on both sides, the back half of it was about 1 inch taller than the rest of the tooth and caused sores in her mouth to the point she could no longer chew. The dentist told me the tooth would need worked on again after about 6mo. so I should fatten her up and move her down the road. I took her to the sale barn on killer day and told them this cow MUST be put down that I do NOT want her to become someone else’s problem.

My second cow was WOW a heavy producing cow. Her udder was HUGE. Her teats were way far apart and the older she got the worse it got. The way the surge milker is made, all the inflations are pointing in the same direction. After her last lactation her bag was so big, and she was so short, I could no longer fit the surge milker under her in order to milk. And her teats were too short to milk by hand, so I sold her.

NOW, in preparation for the future, I upgraded my milk system to a Delaval bucket and a claw that sits off to the side of the cow. I didn’t want it to be too close to the cow incase she moved, so I ordered LONG hoses for it. HOLY COW, this thing looks a little intimidating! I thought the surge was a pain to clean! I think this thing is going to take me upwards of a 1/2hr. to clean, for ONE cow. Now, mind you, I have not used it yet but I am thinking of giving it a try on my new cow with the teat injury.

I guess what I may be trying to say is, for one cow milkers who want to milk by machine, the SURGE may be just-the-thing. Price difference is also something to take note of!

[sammyd]

you only need about 4 foot of hose to reach from the bucket to the claw it's all we ever use.
Really not much difference other than 4 foot of hose and a claw.
We have had good results with just rinsing the unit then running a bucket of hot detergent water through it then a bucket of warm acid rinse (dumping out the detergent first of course) We dip the teat cups in and out of the water sort of like the air injector on a pipeline and may break the whole thing down on a weekly basis if we need to but usually this method works well enough.

[springvalley]

Jill; Your cow Pear is use to DeLaval milkers, and my hoses are only about 28 in long. I do have a milk house that I can spray all the milkers off and out then put a bit of sanitizer through it. I would never go back to a Surge milker after using the DeLaval. And the buckets are alot easier to clean than a Surge. Just take a bucket of soapy water with you when you milk and pump through the milker when done and rinse when you get back to the house. These milkers are wonderful, and easy to clean, I don`t know what kind of claw you have as they made many, I have the OLD style and they work great and are simple. Good luck > Marc

[JDog1222]

OK, so do you put the inflations in the buck and turn on the pump and let the detergent water suck through the claw, down the hose, and then into an empty tank? That is what I was thinking of doing. What do you use to make your acid wash?

[JDog1222]

Oh, just seen your post Marc. Thanks
Do I need a second empty Delaval bucket to get the inflations to create a vacuum so it will suck the water up? I think I'll shorten the 8' of hose I got. LOL

[springvalley]

Yes Jill that is what you do, you can use vinegar as your acid rinse. Or buy some at the farm store made for that. You should be able to get by with alot les than 8 ft of hose. Like I said mine are around three feet maybe a bit less. then you will have plenty for extra for later use. You do not need an extra bucket just empty your milk out and put the bucket back togeather and run your wash water through the unit. > marc

[JDog1222]

Use, the empty Delaval to make the suction work? Thank goodness I have 3!

[JDog1222]

OK, here’s a problem, I think I know what’s causing it, what does anyone think. When I held the claw right side up, the shells did not properly shut the air off. I got clear plastic shells because I thought it would be cool to see the milk going through the inflations (silicone see through kind). Yes, it’s cool but I think the plastic shells are not heavy to push the tip of the inflation down low enough to shut off the air. Because of this it makes it VERY hard to get the inflation to suck onto the teat. Any other ideas besides changing the shells?

I’m thinking this one merits a YouTube, DeLaval vs. Surge! Milking and cleanup! For the SINGLE cow milking family!

I’ll use the Surge in the morning to see which one works best on this cow and let everyone know which system I prefer.

I DID notice that the claw was about 1” from dragging the ground, so now I know this system would proly NOT have worked on my HUGE udder cow.

[springvalley]

When I was a young boy, my father had a old holstein cow in the heard that had a HUGE udder. He would set two Surge milkers one on each side of her and put the two front cups on her from the side, one cup on the front, one cup on the back. This was the only way you could milk this ole girl, and she would almost fill both 40lb buckets. That was the only reason he kept her around for awhile. We also have a neighbor that has a low uddered cow they milk in a parlor, they have taught the cow to stand up on a block so they can milk her. Jill I think you will like the DeLaval milker, I have used both and would never go back to Surge unless the DeLaval isn`t working. > Marc

[sammyd]

He would set two Surge milkers one on each side of her

we had one like that...

[JDog1222]

So far, for ease of carrying everything to the barn, putting on the system, bringing the milk back to the house, and cleanup. I'm going with the Surge, especially in the winter! I'm gonna use both for awhile to give them a fair shot before I do my YouTubes. I don't want to be bias without giving each system a fair shot.

Now for the big-wigs with a milk room in the barn that milk several cows, I would say MAYBE the DeLaval.

In this video I see that they only use their DeLaval on FRESH cows. Then use the Surge the rest of the time.

I LOVE the Pharmacy, Is that the best way to give minerals to the cows. Do they REALLY know what their body is lacking?

YouTube

My dairy nutritionist said they do NOT like free choice on the minerals. What does everyone here think. I always WAS a free choice FAN!

[MullersLaneFarm]

Originally Posted by JDog1222

So far, for ease of carrying everything to the barn, putting on the system, bringing the milk back to the house, and cleanup. I'm going with the Surge, especially in the winter!

Build yourself a wagon to carry everything and a sled in the winter .... always worked for us!

[sammyd]

If I have a feed mixed at the mill I will have mineral put in and I will also run a mineral block in the pasture.
If we are just feeding cracked corn I will throw some mineral on top of that in the trough plus the block in the pasture.