# Hand milking....preference in pails?



## Island Creek Farm (Jun 16, 2010)

I was wondering if anyone had preference on pails used for hand milking? I was looking at one of Hoegger's goat pails, but they are pretty pricey($50), but are they worth it? Right now I've got a great little 2qt stainless pitcher that I use, but it is rapidly proving too small, and I'd like to get something that I can use to milk both goats into instead of running to the house inbetween goats. I have some small stainless pails from jeffers, but they are too tall for one goat and super "tinny"...would like something with substance, and I like that Hoegger's pail is straight sided (harder to tip), but am not sure about if the opening is large enough for me to hit from my tall/small teated doe (I've got a short doe with large teats, and a tall doe with small teats...go figure!). 

Would love to hear your input! And BTW, am new here...and many thanks to Dave and Jen for helping me get started here in Alabama!


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## doublebowgoats (Mar 6, 2008)

Welcome. I use a 8-quart stainless stock pot. It is a little high for my shortest goat who is minimancha but all in all works well. It holds all the milk from my four milkers. (sometimes just barely) It is thin too though and someday i would like to have a "real pail".


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## buckrun (Mar 7, 2008)

We have several light stainless pails with lids that are in the garden catalogs as compost pails.
They work great and are single piece construction- no seams for bacteria to hide in. Very reasonably priced.
http://www.leevalley.com/US/garden/page.aspx?p=10025&cat=2,33140&ap=1


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## MF-Alpines (Mar 29, 2010)

Mine was pricy, too, I think, but it could definitely hold a couple of goats-worth of milk. I can't remember if it was from Hoegger's or Caprine Supply or somewhere else. I think the important thing is to have a pail WITHOUT seams. I really wanted the pail at Hoeggers with the half-moon lid, but I am just starting out and don't think I could aim that good. I also think, if I remember right, that that pail was larger than what I really needed.

Hope this helps.

Search and research.


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## Fiberaddict (Jun 4, 2009)

Our pails are from TSC and were...$9.99 each. They're 4 qt, I think, and fit nicely under my Nubians and Alpine. No seams.

I have a 5 qt tote from a guy on eBay that I pool the milk in - we are currently milking 3, and only use 2 buckets and the tote. No running to the house, no loud screams if one puts her foot in the bucket (we only lose her milk, not all of it)....it works for us.


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## Rose (Oct 26, 2007)

Tractor Supply does have nice buckets. Most of mine are from there. I have one EXPENSIVE big bucket, but I don't use it much. It's heavy.


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

The Hoegger pails are to die for, the old ones, I have heard tons of complaints about the newer ones, the half dome lid doesn't fit well etc... The old pail, half moon lid and the strainer are excellent and will last you a lifetime, mine is way over 25 years old, and the newer one I have is nice, but my husband (a sheetmetal worker) did have to fix the lid. But you really don't want to milk two goats into one pail, you want a milkbucket, but then you want a tote, something to tote your strained milk into the house, especially with Alpines! Vicki


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## Ashley (Oct 25, 2007)

I use these, 6 quart.

http://www.jefferspet.com/ssc/product.asp?CID=0&mscssid=3AU18WU94FH58L2JKF6HX2W58LQ22032&pf_id=16034


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## Sondra (Oct 25, 2007)

my favorite is a little flat bottomed stainless steel that was in our camping gear. 2nd favorite is those from TSC. I poured my milk after each milking into 1/2 gal glass jars sitting in ice water w/salt making a slush and then milked the next goat.


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## Faithful Crown Nubians (Dec 5, 2007)

I use a 2qt stainless steel pail to milk into then dump it into a 2gal. bucket.


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## Oat Bucket Farm (Mar 2, 2009)

We have the 4 quart seamles,stainless from TSC.


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## prairie nights (Jan 16, 2009)

I use buckets from Hoeggers and tote with lid to carry into the house. 

Jana


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## adillenal (Feb 6, 2009)

My favorite is a seamless bucket with a half moon lid that I bought 25 years ago from Caprine Supply. Can't get them anymore and it looks brand new except for the tiny dent in the lid from someones hoof. Super quaility back then.


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## Bernice (Apr 2, 2009)

Hi Amanda & Welcome! I have a pail from Hoeggers with the half moon lid and lid that goes over that and a strainer that I love, I've had it now for over 12 yrs and it's been through the war...believe me...and still holding up! I have Alpines too


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## Judys (Feb 19, 2009)

We use the ones from TSC but have one for each goat. If ones milk is off I want to know which one it is before its mixed together


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## Narrow Chance (Oct 29, 2007)

I got the strainer, bucket, half moon lid from Caprine also.. years and years ago. 
I never use the lid.. well.. sometimes when kids are milking. The strainer is a lifesaver.. and it fits the bucket part of the goat belly milker. When I don't use the milker.. I use it to strain in. 
I have other SS buckets.. to big or to little.. hardly ever use. One I do use about half the time is one that I got at Big Lots a few years ago.. was filled with BBQ stuff.. and cost me a total of $4. It goes to goat shows.. no expense if it sprouts legs and walks off.


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## Island Creek Farm (Jun 16, 2010)

Vicki McGaugh Tx Nubians said:


> The Hoegger pails are to die for, the old ones, I have heard tons of complaints about the newer ones, the half dome lid doesn't fit well etc... The old pail, half moon lid and the strainer are excellent and will last you a lifetime, mine is way over 25 years old, and the newer one I have is nice, but my husband (a sheetmetal worker) did have to fix the lid. But you really don't want to milk two goats into one pail, you want a milkbucket, but then you want a tote, something to tote your strained milk into the house, especially with Alpines! Vicki


Why especially with Alpines?


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## Caprine Beings (Sep 19, 2008)

Alpines PRODUCE! And i do mean produce. Our first milker was an alpine, she gave 13lbs a day and had we been on the right feed management I am sure she would have produced more. Our first daughter from her that kidded gave us 11lbs a day as a FF. Our new girls are from heavy milk lines, especially Lorelei, her granddam is Soldier-Mtn Lady Agatha and dam is Italian Ice. Tallie I do believe is projected at over 5000lbs this year. You just get alot of milk off an alpine

Well as usual I am a cheap cheap person. I am still using both SS buckets we purchased at our local livestock store, no lids so I use towels. I have a two gallon and a three gallon SS depending on the time of year. I also use a $1.25 plastic gallon bucket to milk into. 
Tam


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

You couldn't use the pail to milk, hold and tote to the house if you milked Alpines. I do have two Nubians, same bloodline, that rival Alpine amounts seen without special handling...but on the norm Alpines outmilk Nubians everyday. So simply the bucket can't hold it. Vicki


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## KJFarm (Oct 26, 2007)

The old Hoegger buckets are the best. The belly pails that come with the Hoegger milking machine are very nice too and they hold 6 qts.


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## Island Creek Farm (Jun 16, 2010)

Wow...that's a LOT of milk! We have a 2 year old FF from Sutton's lines, she's producing about 3 qts ( 7 1/2 lbs?) a day, and a Alpine doe we rescued from a BBQ goat place who was supposed to be dry, but in fact is producing...we think she was in the process of drying up, and is now recovering from sub-clinical mastitis and is giving about a quart a day...maybe she'll increase with freshening. Both stand SO well, and the milk is outstanding...couldn't be happier with the pair!


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