Building a Milk Stand

[MaryW]

Can someone tell if there is a place I can look at a milk stand to build? I sure do need to look at one so I can get one started. Any ideas from any of you that has a sure fire stand? I'm new at this so all the help I can get is accepted. Thanks, MaryW

[Cat]

Mary,

I could possibly get out and get a photo of the one we have in our barn which hasn't been used in probably 10 years. It is one of two that was built 30+ years ago by my father and still stands today! The other was taken down so we could put in a cow stanchion so we only have the one. There may well be better designs out there but this one is a long-lived model, that's for sure!

[rainedaze]

The following is a website address that my husband used to build our milking stand. He used an old weight bench that he cut apart and welded back together using the diagrams from the website. Good luck.

http://www.greatgoats.com/articles/milk_stand.html

[MaryW]

Originally Posted by rainedaze

The following is a website address that my husband used to build our milking stand. He used an old weight bench that he cut apart and welded back together using the diagrams from the website. Good luck.

http://www.greatgoats.com/articles/milk_stand.html

Thanks, rainedaze alot I need all the lot I can get. I'm new to goats and my doe is due anytime.

[Sondra Peterson]

DH built my milk stand similar to the one above. I would then get you a rubber mat even car mats work to attach to the floor as it can get slippery.

[lhopkins]

Do you want wood or metal? I prefer metal so the poop drops through the stand. I took the hoegger catalog to our local welding shop and said I want something like this. I gave them my measurements. They made the legs kick out at an angle so it is very sturdy but they will fold up flat for carrying. They made my head piece where I can remove it for travel and adjustable up or down depending on if we are working on babies or big girls. I love it!

Might consider this.

Good luck

Leslie

[BamaSuzy]

My husband built me a wonderful milking stand from heavy lumber about a month ago. He used instructions from a Mother Earth News from about 1980. I will be glad to e-mail you photos of that if you like because I already have them stored in the computer!

[trickham]

Originally Posted by BamaSuzy

My husband built me a wonderful milking stand from heavy lumber about a month ago. He used instructions from a Mother Earth News from about 1980. I will be glad to e-mail you photos of that if you like because I already have them stored in the computer!

Here are two milking stands from the Mother Earth News archives:

http://www.motherearthnews.com/arc/2072/

http://www.motherearthnews.com/arc/3348/

[MaryW]

Originally Posted by BamaSuzy

My husband built me a wonderful milking stand from heavy lumber about a month ago. He used instructions from a Mother Earth News from about 1980. I will be glad to e-mail you photos of that if you like because I already have them stored in the computer!

Would love to get the instuctions. MaryW doodlebug8152@bellsouth.net

[MaryW]

Originally Posted by trickham

Here are two milking stands from the Mother Earth News archives:

http://www.motherearthnews.com/arc/2072/

http://www.motherearthnews.com/arc/3348/

I don't know why I can't get the first one to come up. Got any idea why?

[Cavegirl]

Keep trying. It took me a few tries, but it eventually came up.

-Jen.

[JAS]

My hubby built mine. Looked at few designs and went out and did his own. The one thing I really like about it is he use some old tires off of our DR trimmer on one side so if I want to move it I just pick up the other end and go. Works great. I have pictures but would have to look for them. Let me know if you are interested.

[MaryW]

Originally Posted by JAS

My hubby built mine. Looked at few designs and went out and did his own. The one thing I really like about it is he use some old tires off of our DR trimmer on one side so if I want to move it I just pick up the other end and go. Works great. I have pictures but would have to look for them. Let me know if you are interested.

Jas soulds great! Yes that would be nice to have wheels on it too. Love to see it.

[bethlaf]

we just built a new one for this farm , our old "stand" was for my then herd of 20 , i used a 4x8 sheet of plywood, built a frame under that , and built uprigts with 2x4s , made the top of it with double 2x4s so there was room to move the mobile arm of the head holder, hook and eye bolt closures on top.... worked great in my old barn
this time we built a single stand, causei have no intention to get that large again , just 2-4 milking does is all so a single stand will be fine

i built a box with 2x6s ( its just what i had available, 2x4s would work fine )
2ft across by 4 ft long
then laid down my 2x6s across the top, spacing about 1/2 inch between each board, so it drys and drains when you spill the milk or someone pees, or you wash the stand
18 inch legs were solidly attatched to the platform
then the upright was made out of 3 2x4s the center one bolted at the bottom , so its mobile for opening and closing, measured my smallest doe, and put the feed tray level where it would be comfy for her , about 18 inches up from the floor of the stand , i made this out of a frame of 2x4s with rope underneath so it holds a ice cream pail, so you can wash the pail, otherwise wood feeders get dirty and sticky from the molasses in feed mixes.

hope this helps

[Freeholder]

I've built three milking stands over the years. The last one was a double, for milking two does at once (my two older daughters were still at home at the time). They were all similar to the bottom picture on that first website listed above, and they all worked great (as long as I remembered to latch the headgate shut!). Right now I'm only milking one little Kinder doe, and haven't built a new stand yet. (I probably will soon, though.) I tie up the two little does that share her pen, put the milker's grain down in a bucket, put the baby does' grain down in a pan, get down on my middle-aged knees, and milk. The first few times I had to tie her up short, as I'd just gotten her and she didn't want a new person milking, but now she just gets right into place and stands still until I'm done. I never thought I would be milking in the pen, but it isn't dusty, and there's always clean bedding on top of the pack, plus plenty of ventilation as it's a three-sided shelter. Of course, I don't want to be getting down on my knees to milk a little Kinder goat forever, but it's been working fine for now!

We've always had heavy wooden stands (that double needed two or three people to move it), but I think I'm going to try to make something lighter this time. I know I'm going to have to move it at least once, and probably more than that as we get things settled in our new home, and it would be nice to be able to move the milking stand by myself without killing my back. I like the wheels idea above.

Kathleen

[JAS]

Mind you, this is our first stand. The headgate doesn't fit our Angoras with their larger horns. We use this stand mostly for hoof trimming. The wheels are great though. The picture is kind-of dark. There is a ramp that folds up when moving it. We used an old shingle on the stand to help make it less slippery. That is Kitty, our 3/4 Boer, 1/4 Alpine doeling, posing for the shot.

[MaryW]

Jas like your milk stand alot. The wheels look great too. Hopefully I'll have mine fixed soon cause i'll need it. Thanks for the great idea.

[Sondra Peterson]

http://www.motherearthnews.com/arc/3348/
http://www.motherearthnews.com/arc/2072/
I like the first link best because of the built in seat.

[MaryW]

A friend built one for me and and took the first site and put one rail on the left side. On the right side he put one two rails. Sort of when she goes up and finished she just bends down and comes out the right side. Noticed that they don't want to back up so this made it better. He really made it nice for me. Bye the way I got little doe baby and she is just fine. Thanks for the pictures and it helped so much.

[westbrook]

Here is one made from PVC

http://sky.khemosabi.org/goat_milking_stand.htm

http://bouncinghoofs.com/bhm10.html



edited to add second link