# Goat milker



## sydneyjd

Hello everyone,
I have a question.If I bought 2 of these to milk 2 goats at a time, http://i01.i.aliimg.com/img/pb/402/045/391/391045402_234.jpg How many cfm would i need to run them both well?
Thanks for your answer,
Sydney


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## Goat Town

The bucket pictured in the ad would handle two goats at once by simply adding another set of inflations to the open port on the lid. To run one bucket milking two goats at once I recommend at least 6 cfm.


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## sydneyjd

If I hook another set of inflations to the other port on the can,where do i hook the hose that comes from the vacuum pump?Is there a port on the jug that I don't see?


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## Goat Town

The vacuum line attaches to the back of the pulsator. The machine as pictured is not set up correctly.


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## sydneyjd

Is there a inlet on the back of the pulsator? I have seen a couple pulsators and i don't remember seeing any port on the back of them.Unless I am wrong.


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## Goat Town

The pulsator pictured in the ad seems to be a BRK which is the generic version of Interpulse. Those pulsators have a rubber adapter which allows them to be used on bucket milkers. That's where the vacuum line connects. There is something funny about the lid pictured. It seems not to have the bracket which holds down the pulsator. I suggest you go to either Hamby's or Partsdept and look at their two goat bucket milkers and I think you'll see what I mean about the lid and how the milk lines are connected to it.


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## WindmillFarm

Yep, Goat Town is correct. You really need 6 cfm to make life easier for you and the goats.


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## sydneyjd

Thanks for that info. Can any of you tell me what kind of pump will work well? I am very mixed up on what to get. There are so many options,and I want something that will last a long time,yet that is not over 400 dollars. Will this work well? http://grandrapids.craigslist.org/bfs/4422432509.html Thanks for all your help!!


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## Goat Town

Yes the GAST 1023 series pumps will work well with bucket milkers. Of course you're buying the pump only and not the rest of the stuff to make it work. You will need a regulator, stall cock, and vacuum gauge to start with. I have serviced one pump of this series and will add you must have a moisture trap on the inlet side of this pump. The pump I serviced did not have the moisture trap and moisture was sucked into the pump causing vane breakage. A set of vanes for this pump runs around $180.00 whereas a moisture trap is about $55.00. The pump is also loud so I would add a muffler to it.


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## sydneyjd

Ok;yes I know it is just a vacuum pump.  Thanks!! I have been doing some studying,and I am wondering if I could use a air compressor,but use the vacuum side of it,to create suction.Does anyone know if that would work? The aircompressor has a 20 gallon tank on it,and that might come in handy as a trap. 
Thanks!!


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## Goat Town

I have never seen a compressor converted to a vacuum pump nor do I know anyone who has done it.


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## sydneyjd

What are the black things on the bottom of the milking shells and inflations? http://i01.i.aliimg.com/img/pb/402/045/391/391045402_234.jpg Are they some sort of shut off? I got the air compressor yesterday,and so far it seems to be working ok as a vacuum pump.  Thanks for all your help Goat Town!!


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## sydneyjd

Also what kind of goat claw should I go with for milking 2 goats at the same time? something like this:http://hambydairysupply.com/xcart/product.php?productid=436&page=1 or something with a claw like this? http://www.partsdeptonline.com/GOAT-CLAW-W_SHUT-OFF/productinfo/64532/  thanks!!


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## sydneyjd

I am thinking of going with this bucket. http://www.partsdeptonline.com/COMP...TS-70-W_62997-CLUSTERS/productinfo/962685G-2/ Should i go with silicone hose?


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## Goat Town

The two goat milker from Parts Dept is the way to go. To answer your first question, the black things are the rubber bumpers on the bottom of ITP 205 semi automatic claws. Yes they are a form of shutoff, but not complete shutoff. There is a lever on the left side of the claw. When it is moved forward facing the udder it is in the milking position. When the inflation is attached to the teat the claws opens, but when removed from the teat the claw closes, but not completely. There is also a tiny air port which acts like a vent and allows milk to flow down the line. When the lever is moved backwards towards the milk line the claw is completely opened which allows you to suck water through it during cleaning.

A 70 pound bucket is pretty big, holding almost nine gallons of milk. That's a lot of weight to be moving around. You might consider a 35 pound bucket instead. Also you don't want those rubber milk and airlines. You want all silicon on the milk lines and all vinyl on the air lines. The only place you want to use rubber is the line from the stall cock to the back of the pulsator.


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## sydneyjd

Ok,Thanks for that info Goat town!! I would buy a wagon to set the 70 pound one on if i bought it. Do you know if the ITP205 is a good option to go with?,And if it will last a long time,or is it called" a piece of junk". Thanks!!


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## Goat Town

The ITP claw is not a piece of junk. It's the only claw I've milked on for 12 years. They are subject to breakage due to rough handling. The plastic bodies tend to break where the lever goes through them. I replace mine annually as I replace milk lines.


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## sydneyjd

Goat Town,I did not mean junk in a rude way,I was just wondering if they would hold up for a long time.How many goats are you milking currently? And Thanks for all your help!!  Is there anything else I need to know about the ITP205 or the milking assembly?


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## Goat Town

The sweet spot for me is to have six to eight girls fresh as it allows me to meet market demands for raw milk sales and kid sales. That has been working well until 2013 when breeding seasons became staggered and does had two sets of kids in a calendar year. I milked through the winter for the first time since 1999. The milk output was dismal but I had kids for sale at a time when very few others did and I sold them all. Spring kidding season started with three miscarriages and finally a single doe kidded in March. Another doe kidded this week and I expect two more does to kid by the end of the May. My buck has been showing interest in the does who miscarried and may breed them soon so they might kid before the end of the year. Frankly I'm finding the logistics of handling the year round milking and baby care challenging. It's beginning to take a toll on my health. I suffered some minor frostbite to my feet last winter, but the biggest affect is to my attitude. Since November of 2013 I've only had ten days' break where all I had to do was feed and water.


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## sydneyjd

Goat Town,Wow,that sounds busy.Just don't ruin your health over your goats.


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## sydneyjd

Thanks for all your help Goat Town!! The air compressor running backwards works great!! Also the milker is just what I needed!!


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