The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Cattle => Topic started by: chickens on August 04, 2008, 07:16:08 am

Title: Milking machines
Post by: chickens on August 04, 2008, 07:16:08 am

Hi

We have recently bought a jersey cow who has given us a wonderful calf and we are milking her by hand but we seem to keep getting tummy ache so evidently we are doing something wrong or our hygiene is not up to scratch.  (Although we are very careful we wash her udders down, use clean stainless steel receptacles, sieve milk through filters and put in to rinse plastic bottles in the fridge within the hour) so we are now thinking maybe we will have to buy a milking machine (we didn't really want to cos of cost and we like milking our cow it gives us time with her)
but on  the off chance does anyone in france know where we can get a cheap small milking machine please?


Thank you

chickens

Title: Re: Milking machines
Post by: Rosemary on August 04, 2008, 11:13:06 am

Why will a milking machine help with the problem? Do you know what is causing the tummy ache ie what bacteria? If it is something in the milk, then it will still be there if you use a milking machine. And your hygiene practices will have to be spot on with the machine to make sute it is clean.

Maybe pasteurisation would be a solution.