Milking machines

Cheribelle · #1 04/12/12, 09:29 AM

Please talk to me about milkers?
Our cow is on her 7th or 8th month lactaion, giving about 4 gallons a day. I milk by hand twice a day. I am having problems with my hands going numb, not just when milking, but anytime, even asleep. I have had the cow about 6 weeks.
My partner bought a Surge milker from a guy, but the vacuum pump doesn't seem to be enough? We need to know, basically, Anything you can tell us!
How much motor? How much vacuum? How does the pulsator work? Etc., etc. Total newbies!
Thanks.

linn · #2 04/12/12, 10:10 AM

I have a Surge belly milker. It works great with a portable vaccuum pump

Milking machines - Cattle

Contact the guy at Portables Milkers.

portablemilkers@yahoo.com

Or

By phone at (989) 693-6542 Between the hours of 8am and 4pm EDT.

Here are a couple of downloads that might help:

http://www.hambydairysupply.com/manu...rgemilker1.pdf

http://surgemilker.com/instructions.html

Cliff · #3 04/12/12, 10:16 AM

Ot, but do you need 4 gallons of milk a day? You could slow her down and milk once a day...

Cheribelle · #4 04/12/12, 11:02 AM

Not really.....
The morning milk is feeding some baby goats that "could" be weaned by now. The evening milk I keep for the house and in-laws, etc. I just really Do Not want to screw up a good cow.

TroutRiver · #5 04/12/12, 11:19 AM

You won't screw her up by cutting down to once a day. When she freshens next year she will still have a ton of milk! She is far enough into her lactation that her production should be dropping anyway. Is she pregnant?

I have very similar problems with my hands and wrists, a milking machine can be a saving grace, let me tell you!

Do you have a mechanical pulsator, or electric?

We keep our vacuum power at around -16 psi.

Cliff · #6 04/12/12, 11:23 AM

You won't screw up a good cow by slowing down her milk production. We did it for years with ex dairy Jerseys who made twice the milk that yours does when encouraged

If you slow her down it won't alter her ability to make her full potential on a next freshening or anything if that's what you are afraid of. You can also get them to pick back up some during the same lactation after you slow them down if that's what you need.

We usually took them down to a reasonable amount for us which was anywhere from 1/2 to one gallon a day. Easier in the long run on the cow, us and our pocketbook lol.

Cheribelle · #7 04/12/12, 03:54 PM

She is bred back, to a Holstein, for a July calf.
I have been careful to milk her out every time, didn't want mastitus.
The milker is a Surge just like the picture. What is that vacuum pump?

sammyd · #8 04/12/12, 03:57 PM

you need to have a vacuum pump capable of 4 or 5 cfm at 15 inches vacuum. Although with a bucket you can get by with less than 15 inches of vacuum while actually milking. The old timers set it at 15 and that was considered fine but over time it has been found to be better to keep it around 9 or 10 on the teat ends while in full flow. I set mine at 11 inches.
I've seen 3/4 HP units that will handle a bucket.
Then you need to be sure your vacuum controller is working properly to keep the vacuum stable while milking.
I got tired of messing around with those old mechanical pulsators and redid everything to run an electronic one. Much happier with that....

Cheribelle · #9 04/12/12, 05:09 PM

Sammyd, please keep talking! what is the electric pulsator and where do I find one? I think the pulsator we have is air controlled, but we don't have enough air to make it work.
I really need Basic stuff.... never done this before!
Thanks!

sammyd · #10 04/12/12, 09:33 PM

sounds like the first thing you need to do is figure out what you have for vacuum does your system have a gauge? If not you need to get something. This isn't the place for guessing.