The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Goats => Topic started by: ballingall on December 18, 2009, 11:48:16 pm
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Does anyone here use one?
We haven't ever used one, but have just bitten the bullet so to speak and ordered one. Wanted to be sure and order it before VAT goes back up! We are kidding 8 goats this coming spring, plus still have one milker running through the winter, so with 9 milkers will definitely need it come April!
If you have used one, whats the verdict? How hard are they to get the goats used to? And how time consuming is it to use and clean?
Will post up some pictures of us attempting to use it when it arrives.
Beth
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Personally I haven't used a portable one on goats but we have a milking machine for the cattle and they are essentially the same machine but with a different cluster. Quick and simple to clean - we just put extremely hot water in a three gallon bucket and run it through the machine by switching it on and the dropping the cluster into the bucket so all the water gets pulled through the machine. You could add dairy cleansing chemicals to this water if you wanted to.
The biggest advantage to using a machine is that if you need to go away at any point anyone can milk your goats for you. It doesn't have to be someone who can hand milk.
They might kick a bit to start with, but perseverance usually does the trick. We have one cow that is a sod to milk for the first three weeks after she calves, but then she settles down and milks like a dream for the rest of the year.
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The machine arrived today, very quick delivery. I unpacked it, unfortunately haven't found any instructions for putting it together yet, although they are operationing instructions with it!
The cluster holes are quite small, I definitely don't think we'll be able to milk one of my Anglo-Nubian's with it sadly.
Beth
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What do you do with the milk from 8+ goats? I am very interested, just starting with goats and keen on making cheese (for family only) and possibly soap (once mine have kidded in spring hopefully).
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I have never used a machine on the goats - always done it by hand, as most I have milked at once is three. I did wonder about the size of the clusters holes,thinking of some of the bigger dairy goats I have had.
I cannot see my OH letting me have a milking machine - he will say I can carrry on the old fashioned way.