# what kind of milking machine for small herd



## creekmom (Aug 6, 2010)

Hi,

I have 5 Nigerians who will be kidding in March. I have always milked with my one good hand (with the exception of last year I used the Henry Milker) and that hand is becoming more painful to use. I am seriously looking into getting a milking machine but with only a small amount of goats to milk do you have any opinions on which one would be best? Is it silly for me to be even thinking about a machine with such a small herd?

I have been using a Henry Milker this past year but with my limited knowledge was wondering if it would do any damage long term to the udder since it doesn't pulse, just uses pressure.

Thanks for any thoughts.


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## swgoats (May 21, 2010)

I like the Henry Milker for hard to milk teats on first fresheners, but after a few days or weeks, I find I just start hand milking. We are still in the process of building our machine like this -
http://www.freewebs.com/cottoneyeddoes/buildingyourownmilker.htm

We want to buy a new digital pulsator from Hamby Dairy Supply. We tried to rebuild an old one, and never got it working right. Building one isn't cheap, but still way cheaper than any ready to go set up I've seen.


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## lorit (May 10, 2010)

I got the Caprilite machine last year and love it - and really appreciate the EXCELLENT customer service. I know folks build their own, but I am not mechanically inclined and the ease of this ready to use unit outweighed the cost factor.

It is/was a splurge - but when I think of the money wasted on other things and that it is a TOOL I use twice daily, more than any other tool on the property, it was worth it. 

I have a small herd too - when I bought the machine only had 3 in milk. Even with clean-up I saved time and am thankful for the relief in my hands.


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

Elizabeth don't let anyone tell you, you don't have enough goats for a milking machine!!!! It's like anything else, once you use one a few times you won't ever want to hand milk. It is so much easier on the doe than hand milking, and so much easier on our backs and hands.

If anyone in your family is mechanically inclined it is worth it to go visit anyone's farm that has a milking machine. It's nothing more than a vacum pump ran by and electric motor. A can with lines and inflations that complete the vacum all the way to the teat. A pulsator on the top of the can that breaks the suction so it doesn't harm the girls teats like the Henry Milker eventually will. If anyone with the least bit of snap uses or sees a milking machine working, you can figure it out. Vicki


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## hmcintosh (Jan 8, 2013)

I don't think you ever have to small a herd for a milking machine :biggrin I am trying to get my milking machine going right now and I
only have one doe in milk.


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## creekmom (Aug 6, 2010)

All the comments make me feel much better. I thought I might be kinda crazy for wanting a milking machine for only milking 5 nigerians. :crazy Getting one is going to make my mornings go so much better. Thank you all for the encouragment.


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## swgoats (May 21, 2010)

The only requirement is that you don't want to hand milk any more.  I think hand milking is somewhat strenuous, just from having to maintain the position and the repetitive motion. I milk one handed, and my only excuse is I learned on a doe with one teat and never got used to doing both hands at once!


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## Fiberaddict (Jun 4, 2009)

I have CT in both wrists (left us worst), and the machine comes out when the 2nd doe freshens.


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## MF-Alpines (Mar 29, 2010)

We bought our machine from Hoeggers. Love it! I actually bought it for DH as I needed him to milk Saturday mornings because, at the time, I had to be at the market before 5am. I would look at those udders that night, and well, DH is not a good milker, even though he tries very hard. Best decision we ever made. No more hand cramps, does milk out well, cleaner than hand milking, even during right after they kid. And the most we've milked is 5.


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## doublebowgoats (Mar 6, 2008)

By all means, get a machine! I loved hand milking but can't anymore and I'm sure not giving up dairy goats. I just looked around until I found one I could afford. Got a used one with all its parts and bought new inflations for it. It is a very heavy SURGE bucket but it works good. ( I only had two does to milk last year.)


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## creekmom (Aug 6, 2010)

Thank you all so much.


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