[Lesley Silvester]

I managed to get half a pint from her today using the smaller cups and massaging her udder throughout. It did take about half an hour though. I'm not sure if she's not letting down properly or I need to short the length of tubing so the milk doesn't have to do loop the loop as it is backing up a bit. She did seem a lot more comfortable having the smaller cups on though. I just wish she wouldn't lean so hard when she rests her head on my shoulder. 


Thanks for your comment, Debbie. I would rather avoid injecting her with anything without being absolutely certain of the problem. I guess it's just a case of persevering.

[plumseverywhere]

Today must be the 4th/5th time I've  used mine (I'm only milking once a day) and I would say I've taken about 5 times as much as on the first day. perhaps its a case of everyone just getting used to it (mainly the goat!)
I know what you mean about the tubing, Tony's first (and only comment lol) was "I think I need to reduce the tube for you..."

Today I really used the motor each time the milk started to slow and was very pleasantly surprised at how quickly the flow went in the jar! I'm worrying now though about the jar being too small for an entire milking when vanna reaches her usual 9 pints 

[fiestyredhead331]

we have 3 five gallon plastic beer kegs things so when they are all getting milked we can decant into that as we go 

[Lesley Silvester]

Did Tony reduce the tubing? I wondered whether it needed to be that length for some reason (not a technical person, me). I also find that the jar keeps falling over and I'm sure that's to do with the length of the tube. Can you just cut it with scissors?


FRH, I have my milking bucket on standby but I only got a quarter pint tonight. She still feels quite hard, although not as hard as before. I just don't know if the kids are feeding from both of them or not. Pom only gave half a pint tonight instead of her usual two. I've seen them suckling her but not from their mother for a few days. I don't want to be trying to get milk that isn't there although it does seems to be flowing very slowly. She's very relaxed about it all if a tad fed up with having to stand still so long.

[plumseverywhere]

no, he didn't.

I've been putting the jar in my old milking bucket, lying the bucket on its side and putting it as low as poss. Its working fine with the tubing as long as it is so long as I do this. savannah was still quite hard on one side of her udder until yesterday when it really seemed to just 'kick in'.  Are your goats teats allowing a good flow of milk? there's not a blockage over the teat is there? sometimes vanna gets a little plug that restricts flow.

[Lesley Silvester]

I've not tried in on Pom as I want to keep hand milking as long as I am able. Beeducked visited today and she thinks shortening the tubes a bit will help. A lot of the trouble seems to be that Cloud is not letting the milk down properly but it is flowing. It just trickles for a bit then stops. The kids are taking from her as well but I suspect they take more than I get. I don't think it helps that the fishtail teat doesn't get such a good seal.


I'm going to have a word with my vet tomorrow and ask his advice. With both goats feeding the babies and Cloud not parting with much, I'm only getting about three quarters of a pint a day. It may be that oxytocin will be the answer.

[Dogwalker]

How old are the kids?

I've been seperating mine overnight for the last couple of weeks and having the morning milk.

Their starting to eat alot more creep now and have mums during the day.

[fiestyredhead331]

I'm splitting mine at night now too and mum has a nice big udder in the morning so I get a litre or so and the kids get the rest, the biggest issue I'm finding at the mo is that the small teat cups have a small nozzle and the flow is too fast so the milk is getting backed up the syringe but her teats aren't big enough for the large syringes but its still better than the finger and thumb 

[Lesley Silvester]

I don't have the facilities to separate them at night unfortunately.


The milking machine is working well but I still don't get a lot - more of a trickle than a flow - so I think that, even though she feels full - she actually has very little milk left. I did shorten the tubes and find that makes it easier.

[fiestyredhead331]

I am going to have to grow an extra hand I think, doing one side at a time is just taking too long, she's eaten her breakfast and ready to go by the time I get to the 2nd teat. Just aswell the school hols start soon, child labour may be required 

[Dogwalker]

I don't have the facilities to separate them at night unfortunately.


The milking machine is working well but I still don't get a lot - more of a trickle than a flow - so I think that, even though she feels full - she actually has very little milk left. I did shorten the tubes and find that makes it easier.

Could you put a hurdle or something across the corner of the shed to seperate them?
Mine have a pen in the same shed they don't need to be right away.
How old are the kids?  Mine are 8weeks and starting to get the hang of creep feed and going into the pen for their supper.

[fiestyredhead331]

hurdles are soooooo handy!

I've put my oldest 3 kids in a seperate shed, they can still shout at mum in the morning but after a couple of night, they happily trotted in for their supper and off to bed

[Lesley Silvester]

I am going to have to grow an extra hand I think, doing one side at a time is just taking too long, she's eaten her breakfast and ready to go by the time I get to the 2nd teat. Just aswell the school hols start soon, child labour may be required 

My OH is press-ganged into standing by and pressing the button to start the motor. Once the teat cups are on I can manage but he still needs to be there to stop her from twisting round. My dear friend who is a carpenter is going to adapt the milking bench so that there is a head restraint.


Dogwalker, they're five weeks old today. I did think about putting hurdles across the shed. I just need to work out how to fix them in place. Think I need some hooks screwed into the walls.

[tattycat]

Hiya all. Really interesting as I'm looking at getting a milking machine. Does anyone use a pulsating machine? Im sure I've read somewhere that the Vacuum Milkers can damage the teats over time. .anyone else had this?

[Beeducked]

Been ponding your milking machine having seen it MGoM. Been thing int of a way you could make it a 1 person job without the OH to press the button when you're ready. If you put a three way tap at the Y between the 2 tubes to the syringes that go to the teats then you could attach 1 to the teat while the three way tap attachment to the other is closed and then place the other onto the teat and flip the switch to include both.


Not sure I have explained my idea well and it might not work but worth a go maybe.