Best CHEAP milking machine?

[Elizabeth2]

I never even thought about milking machines because I never wanted to milk very many does. Now I am milking four, which wouldn't be bad except two are first fresheners with tiny teats. So far it's not hurting my hands, but the milk squirts everywhere! Mostly into my sleeve. And it's very hard to milk them out completely. So, my husband wants to buy me a machine. What if I buy the absolutly cheapest one I find? Will I hate it? Do I have to spend a lot? Where do I find a milking machine for a good price? I have Caprine Supply catalogue, and it looks like I'd have to spend well over $1,000, which we just can't do: the vacuum source is $885, and cheapest bucket assembly is $296 (and that's plastic--uggh--in stainless the cheapest is $475).
Please tell me where you all bought yours and if you bought new or used, what to look out for in a used one. Caprine Supply sells "caprine" style, "european" style, and the new "vanguard" style claw assembly--which is best and why? I hardly know what a claw is!
Please give me advice,
Thanks,
Elizabeth

[Vicki McGaugh TX Nubians]

Elizabeth, Cottoneyeddoes on our forum, Chris (and I think the info is in the goatkeeping101 section) found a guy who sells the machine part of the system for under $200 with shipping. You can then put together the can, lid, lines, pulsators etc...for under another $200. We put one of these together for our show equipment. It easily runs our buckets milking 2 does. Check him out or ask Chris, I know there are at least 5 of us on the list who now have them and some are using them fulltime, not just for shows. The machine isn't much larger than a big loaf of bread either! Chris has cool photos of hers hooked up also. dairygoatinfo.com Vicki

[Jillis]

Perhaps a less expensive solution for this poster's problems might be the Udderly Easy milker thingie?

See this thread:

Udderly EZ Hand Operated Goat Milk Pump

[Elizabeth2]

I thought the Udderly EZ thing sounded neat when I first read about it, but then someone was selling theirs, saying it had damaged her does udder, I think-this was a few weeks back. Or did I get that wrong? I have had very little time to read and study, plus I wasn't really interested before last week when all four of my does kidded within 24 hours!
Elizabeth

[Jillis]

That would be worth knowing, indeed!
Anyone?

[DocM]

Okay, I've searched and can't find the information Vicki is referring to above, anyone have luck and a link for me?

[fordson major]

Originally Posted by DocM

Okay, I've searched and can't find the information Vicki is referring to above, anyone have luck and a link for me?

me neither doc! bucket milkers on ebay seemed too be running $20. last time i looked, don't know if that was with shells or not! have set them up for sheep milking and have tried milking nigerians (shells we had were too big) vac source was the biggest obsticle , have heard of people using the intake side of an air compressor but have not seen it done. have seen a vac pump turned into an air compressor though, just reversed the line and added a pressure shutoff.

[T.Miller]

Try this link for what Vicki was talking about.
http://www.freewebs.com/cottoneyeddo...rownmilker.htm

[DocM]

Originally Posted by Mama_pygmy

Try this link for what Vicki was talking about.
http://www.freewebs.com/cottoneyeddo...rownmilker.htm

Thank you.

[Elizabeth2]

Thanks Vicki; I had really hoped to buy a setup already put together because it seems so complicated to build one, especially since I don't understand how they work, but there's no way I can afford what they cost in the catalogues. I think someone could do well building these and selling them to people like me!
Elizabeth

[DocM]

Here are some links I have. The basic parts of the milker are pretty expensive, that's why the end product is. If you can buy a used pump (watch the auction sales), the rest of the parts are pretty cheap, $300 or so.

Hanby Dairy Supply - http://www.hambydairysource.com/ Sells used, rebuilt parts and supplies - set ups from $1200
LHR Portables - http://www.geocities.com/lhr_systems/index.html Complete systems from around $1000, pumps are about $800 or so.
Parts Dept - http://www.partsdeptonline.com/parts to "build your own", complete set ups from $1100

[moonspinner]

A friend has the Udderly EZee milker for her nigerians and absolutely loves it. I'm wondering about how and why that poster's doe udder was damaged by this machine? Would like to know if it was just an anomoly or perhaps not fitted correctly or a machine flaw.

[Vicki McGaugh TX Nubians]

Yeah but Paul and partsdepartmentonline.com also sell parts, with the machine guts being the most expensive part. I got my Delavla can for $40 on ebay, you can use a cheaper $20 surge, but I milk alot of goats and lifing that huge teakettle when you have breasts dead off the ground and pouring it? No thanks. Lids are maybe 20$. Of course use them to buy your inflations and shells, and if up north silicone tubing, but the rest is Home Depot and Ebay stuff.

Elizabeth contact the guy for the motor/vacume pump part, have him but the balast tank on for you. I would be happy to put the rest of it together for you...start with the surge pulsator and milking one goat, then upgrade to a better delaval lid with a interpulse pulsator, claws and milking two goats. Tell you, you will never go back to hand milking, and you will be like me and use it with even the first doe who kids for the year I even milk out colostrum with it, as soon as you can jump up on the milkstand. The whole "it takes too long to clean" is simply not true. You will love having a machine...and like a computer, if you came down, brought hubby, used it with me once, you would go...dang! Until you use a computer or a milking machine you can't see in your mind what anyone is talking about and how easy they are to put together on your own.

Chris on our list dairygoatinfo.com is a wizz at all this, she not only builds her own milking machines but her milking stands, mineral feeders and everything, she puts me to shame! Vicki

[Jan in CO]

Ok, I'm the one who posted about the EZ milker problem with one of my first fresheners. I do believe, now that it was MY error, and that when I put the flange deal over her teat, I wasn't aware that the hole where the vacuum sucks was against the center of her rather large teat. She ended up with a huge, swollen, and bruised teat. It was very cold, although the goats are in the barn during the night and bad weather, but with the circulation damaged, her teat got frostbite, according to the vet. The skin blackened, sloughed off, and eventually the teat stopped functioning. I treated her teat with Today and Tomorrow (products for mastitis prevention and treatment, for those who don't know about them). She is continuting to raise two little doelings on the remaining side, which functions just fine.

I loaned the EZ milker to a friend who had a Boer doe that had just freshened, and has tiny teats. She said it worked like a charm, but was aware of the problem I had and has been careful with it. I'm about to use a human breast pump on one of my ewes that has a huge udder, and see what happens there. Good thing she is tame!

Jan in CO

[Jan in CO]

Ok, this may be back on the old Countryside forum, but I remember someone on the goat forum who ordered from a woman who sold milking machines which were made for goats, gave great customer service, etc. Seemed like they ran about 650.00 or so. I'm thinking maybe it was Westwood? Or the gal who lived not too far from him? Anyone remember who that might be? I know it was a lot less than one from Hogger, etc. If I have time to do some searching through the old archives, I'll post what I find if no one remembers. Jan in CO

[Elizabeth2]

I remember that Westwood was building and selling machines a year or so back, but thought he wasn't any more?
Vicki, I will PM you later about your offer!
Jan, thanks for the feedback on the EZ milker. That makes sense. I may give it a try, since the does I want the machine for have those tiny teats (although in a week's time they've already gotten easier to milk!)

[Sbrock]

Originally Posted by Jan in CO

Ok, I'm the one who posted about the EZ milker problem with one of my first fresheners. I do believe, now that it was MY error, and that when I put the flange deal over her teat, I wasn't aware that the hole where the vacuum sucks was against the center of her rather large teat. She ended up with a huge, swollen, and bruised teat.

Jan in CO

You can put a Silicone liner in the teat cup now, just like in a standard milker. They have them sized (and comparably priced) for both large teaters and little teaters.

[moonspinner]

I swear, I learn something every day at this forum. Silicone liners! Stacy, have you used this milker?

[DocM]

I remember the entire thread on the ez milker - has anyone actually used it (with the new silicone liners?). It seemed like it got off track and onto another brand, but after looking at their website, I'm specifically interested in how what goat owners have to say about it.

[Sbrock]

I have it, but haven't used it yet... I'm also trying to make an adapter for it so I can hook it up to a large milk pail rather than have the bottle right under the goat.