# Milking machine



## LSP Farm (Dec 4, 2011)

I'm thinking about buying this one. Anyone have this one? Likes/dislikes ?

http://www.perrysmilkers.com/PRODUCTS2.html


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## NPgoats (Mar 18, 2010)

I've never seen the one you posted before. 
I bought the Caprine Supply two goat bucket assembly with a 7 gallon stainless steel bucket, "caprine style", inline filters (so that the milk is filtered as it goes into the bucket), and the System One Vaccum Source. I love my machine! Linda


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## Tim Pruitt (Oct 26, 2007)

I don't have that one but in my opinion there is no better machine than the Capra-lite

http://www.capralite.com/


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## Goat Town (Nov 20, 2010)

I've looked at the site and there isn't very much information about the milker and the components used. Just compare it to the site Tim posted. Before I bought such a system, I'd ask a bunch of questions. For example, What brand of vacuum pump? What pulsator? How big a motor drives it? Just on a personal note, I would not follow their recommended cleaning procedures.


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## LSP Farm (Dec 4, 2011)

Would you consider the Capra lite an "industal" milker? In the future we want to start a dairy an I would prefer to get something with a big enough pump to last for a while. I agree there is not enough info on the site. 
Might just make a list of questions and call him tomorrow. 
I do like the Capra lite though, the quiet part is very appealing!


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## fmg (Jul 4, 2011)

I think my friend has the capra milker, or one very similar. It is real quite, but I wouldn't really think of it as "industrial" I guess. It is more like a smaller milker. She has the one that does one goat at a time though. It is pretty lightweight I think, so would be easy to transport to shows.


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## Goat Town (Nov 20, 2010)

The Capra milkers use GAST rotary vane vacuum pumps. Hoeggar uses GAST pumps too. I also milk on GAST pumps and I can tell you they are reliable. My main pump was built in the 1950s. The big difference between the pumps Capra uses and the ones Hoeggar and I use is that Capra uses non-lubricated pumps. While non lubricated pumps do not use oil, they depend on wear of the graphite vanes to lubricate the pump. When graphite dust becomes mixed with condensation (or, heaven forbid milk) it can stop the rotor and break the vanes. I have rebult two such pumps for friends who did not have adequate moisture protection on the inlet side of their pumps.


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## LSP Farm (Dec 4, 2011)

Ok, I called an talked to them.. He said the motor is "heavy duty gast" and it is the one w/o oil.. Basically from what I understand they buy these motors And finish them out.


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## tlcnubians (Jan 21, 2011)

I love my Caprine System One milking machine . . . bought it second hand from a friend maybe five years ago. I just have to remember to oil the engine about once a month or it ends up having to go to our local machine shop to have the bushings (or bearings?) replaced. However, it is really loud in our cement-floored milk room and my husband ended up building a closet for it to go in with its own ventilation system so it wouldn't get too hot. The noise of some of these machines is certainly something to keep in mind as well as the oil fumes that some of them exhaust (ours is not an oil-cooled machine so no exhaust).


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## IndyGardenGal (Jun 11, 2009)

LSP Farm said:


> I'm thinking about buying this one. Anyone have this one? Likes/dislikes ?
> 
> http://www.perrysmilkers.com/PRODUCTS2.html


I am only milking one girl by hand right now, but I bought this setup from PerrysMilkers and it's a nice, solid system.


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## Tim Pruitt (Oct 26, 2007)

You can get one with a six gallon pail or three gallon. Also you can get it set up to milk two goats at a time. 

The capralite is so quiet and works flawlessly. It is light enough to take to the shows if you want. 

If I was going to milk 50-100 goats though I would want something different. Possibly a bulk milk tank with a pipe line that flows right into it.


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## Goat Town (Nov 20, 2010)

Ask them what model GAST pump they use and I can tell you it's specifications and capabilities.


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## LLB101 (Sep 29, 2009)

Great thread, thanks for posting! 

As I've said before, I'm going to be needing a machine really soon, my damaged hands are not going to able to handle the milking I've got coming in the next 1-2 months. 

My priorities are QUIET, healthy for goats vs the non-pulsator ones, minimal hoses for the milk to travel in (just a weirdness about me, milk in hoses grosse me out), and cleaning and connections that I can handle with my damaged hand, which is hard for anyone out there to assess, LOL. I can't do the "pinch" motion with my non-operational thumb, so anything I have to squeeze using my thumb tip is a problem. Things that are round, like tool handles, I can hold those ok, its squeezing with the thumb and fingertips that I can't.

I guess I should really care about these durability issues as everyone seems to talk about having to rebuild this or that component...

I emailed this new-to-me Perry place to see if I can get the cleaning instructions to look at. The pics look like just a big mess of the dreaded hoses but its hard to tell for me. I need to spend more time with those using milking machines! But they are all at least an hour drive away that I know of... I want to wave a magic wand and have the perfect milk machine just appear! :biggrin


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## LSP Farm (Dec 4, 2011)

I e-mailed them for a brochure on the milker, it's gonna have all the specs.
So I am curious if this milker and the Capra lite have the same pump and what the major differences will be.. At most I personally plan on milking is 20 tops... Jesus help me if I ever get up to 50-100! =) 

As soon as I get the info I will post it for you Goat Town.

LLB101, I feel ya on the "wave the magic wand"! 

I did call a dairy south of here that has used this system for a few years, they are pleased with it... I want to say they are who told me about this guy to start with.

Just out of curiosity, do they make a milker that does not use the hoses for milk flow? Like I have a pump that puts milk directly in the baby bottles and the lines are just for suction. Makes for very little clean up.. Would that be the belly milkers??

Thanks everyone for all the wonderful input!!


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## Rambar Ranch (Oct 25, 2007)

Hoegger makes a system that the inflations go directly into a pail with no hoses. Similar in design to the old surge belly pail systems for cows. You can go look in their catalog or online to see it. Not sure how quiet it is but I know alot of people like the ones they have for ease of clean-up. I don't think it would work very well for 20 goats as that would be alot of emptying of the pail.

Ray


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## buckrun (Mar 7, 2008)

I used the Hoegger belly pail for milking 19 full sized Nubians and it was about half the time of hand milking and is reasonably quiet. Just the pulsator counting time...It took only a minute to pour each harvest which I did while does finished their grain as well as rinsing inflations for the next doe. It was such an improvement over the misery of milking 20 by hand I never looked for any more of an improvement. I really like having a tare on the pail set on my scale and then just weighing the pail for each doe before pouring into a tote. Easy to track lactation curve and production rates per animal.
They have not changed price much and hold value for resale as well. I had people lined up begging for mine when I took a year off from breeding. It really is an ingenious little workhorse of a system and we have one of the first few they built doing all the SS welding right there and have only replaced oil filters and inflations and tubing. They are very nice about answering questions and walking you thru a serious dismantling cleanup which we do once a year when the does are dry. Certainly has saved my overused hands much pain.
Lee


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## LLB101 (Sep 29, 2009)

Sounds promising!

I went to site to look at it http://www.hoeggerfarmyard.com/xcart/The-Hoegger-Deluxe-Belly-Pail.html

Blurb says "effortless to clean" :biggrin

Significant investment in $


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

Lacia, watch a utube video of it, with your mini's exactly where are you going to put the can?


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## tlcnubians (Jan 21, 2011)

Gregory Anderson purchased my Hoegger belly-pail milker from me and used it to milk his herd of Nigies. He loved it. I hated it for the Nubians because the inflations wouldn't reach my tall does with high, tight udders. It was really quiet though. Now that Gregory has sold all his Nigerians, he's redesigned the machine somehow so it doesn't sit right under the goats.


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## LLB101 (Sep 29, 2009)

Vicki McGaugh Tx Nubians said:


> Lacia, watch a utube video of it, with your mini's exactly where are you going to put the can?


You're saying they might be too short? 
Ok, I'll try to remind myself to look at the video, I'm afraid it will crash my computer if I try right now, too much open and only have 5 more mins before I have to leave... 
Good point though that videos might help me decide.

Caroline, any chance you can get a pic from him?


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

A LaMancha udder on a doe who has been only miniaturized via cobbed down cannon bones? Most are certainly not just a LaMancha version of a very dairy ND! All my minilamancha's milked like full sized does, had udders and teats like full sized does, they were just short. By the time they were 5 you weren't fitting a hoegger milking pail underneath them to hand milk into, let alone a hoegger belly pail milker. Same with big deep bodied Nubians. Now our second round putting a lot more LaMancha back into them, yes, a smaller dairy doe with adequate bone length. Most of my mini's by 5 barely cleared the milkstand with a standard inflation under them, I milked from behind so the inflations simply pointed backwards.


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## LLB101 (Sep 29, 2009)

Hmmm... I've wondered about that... Would comparing heights of our girls shed light on the probability of me having the same problem, or is that info long gone for yours? I know mine are not large my MM standards...

Clearly I need to spend some more time with actual milking machines. "Seeing" them like I did in the past wasn't enough with the questions I have now. And its getting urgent, LOL! I have another one kidding this week!

Probably good idea to see what ND breeders are using... 

So ND folks, what do you use?

Any ND breeders out there, using milking machines within a 2 hr drive of Seattle that I could come visit?


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

Perhaps measuring from the floor of an udder to the floor of a milkstand, with 12 hours of milk in it and compare it with someone else who is using the same milking machine set up? From my inflations clinking together on my high percentage mini because being small her teats were further together than a standard doe, to her udder floor was closer to the milkstand than the length of the inflations...even with her udder floor well above her hocks.....hocks and knees are closer to the floor of the milkstand simply because I would bet most mini's have shorter cannon bone measurements than some ND mature does do. Especially the high percentages. 

We showed against Twin Creeks many times and it was of particular note to me how it wasn't just that her ND held their udders up high between their thighs, my ML had excellent udder attachment also, but with the cannon bone the same length or longer than the ulna, and not sure what the other long bone at the top of the rear leg is called......their does udder floors were higher because of genetics....although you could tell just by looking that my girls outmilked her ND. No way with continueing the idea of breeding 50/50 down to purebred, could the girls be milked with a hoegger setup.....if your going to continue this breeding path, than I would look into sheep inflations on a regular machine.....and with your hose phobia simply have your can on a rolling cart like I do mine so you can tuck it right behind the milk stand, with hoses that are just 10 inches long or so, so you still could milk two at a time....just lengthen the airhose from the machine itself to the lid of the can (which doesn't hold milk).


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## LLB101 (Sep 29, 2009)

Great stuff Vicki, thanks!

I'll have to digest it, not sure I follow it all about the bones and the 50/50 vs ND's at first reading, but I need to eat and look at it again... and find someone within driving distance to see in person.

Is there a name for hose phobia besides "nutso"? :rofl
We all have our stuff....


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## tlcnubians (Jan 21, 2011)

Lacia - maybe check with Gianiclis Caldwell at Pholia Farm in Oregon . . . she probably has an inline system since they're commercial, but she's incredibly knowledgeable about all things dairy. Http://pholiafarm.com.


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## LLB101 (Sep 29, 2009)

ooohhh. she is... at her class at NWODGA conference a few weeks ago, people were all over the floor, lining the walls, craning necks at the door... there were at least 5x as many people as wanted to see her class as there was room for. I heard it was great.

probably right that she has a bigger system, but she might have started with something smaller.

I feel people like that must get a zillion questions, and who am I that I should bother them or get an answer? But it can't hurt to ask I suppose.

I need to see some within driving distance... 2 hrs from Seattle in any direction...


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## linuxboy (Oct 26, 2009)

Gianaclis uses sheep inflations, which would work fine for minis. It's not a huge system, 4 at a time. Unless she upgraded, it's not inline.


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## LSP Farm (Dec 4, 2011)

Goat Town said:


> Ask them what model GAST pump they use and I can tell you it's specifications and capabilities.


Got the brochure, this is what I got. Not sure if all the brochure downloaded or not. The "HP" is greek to me. =)

Our DP120 and DP60HD25" HG MAX. VAC., 13.2 CFM OPEN FLOW
10 PSI MAX. PRESSURE, 13.5 CFM OPEN FLOW 
1/2 and 3/4 hp

The milking bucket and everything that is part of the milking bucket is new. This is our heavy weight, one-bucket model. This unit is a DeLaval style system with a more heavy duty pump. This unit is "just nice". It is more heavy duty and easier to use. The pump is rebuilt. Our rebuilt pumps are in great shape and will perform as well as a new pump. This system is priced right and is the easiest to use.

Comes with New Bucket, New lid, New pulsator, All new milk hose, New claws, New inflations, New shells, All new rubber, New milk tubes, New gauges, New relief valve, all new fittings- Rebuilt pump.


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## Goat Town (Nov 20, 2010)

The "DP" classification refers to the different models Perry's Milkers has available. They still did not tell you what model pump they use. 25 in/hg max vacuum is pretty much standard, but if it offers 13 cfm open air flow, it'll offer somewhere around 8 cfm at a milking vacuum of 12 in/hg. So, in short, it'll certainly handle one bucket milking two goats, and may, if properly set, handle two buckets or four goats.


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## Tim Pruitt (Oct 26, 2007)

We had a "two goat" milker. It is doable. There were more hoses to twist and mix up. There were 4 inflations to watch instead of two - as you don't want them climbing up on the teat when it is empty. The pump was noisy and had to stay in another room as you couldn't hear yourself think. The goats spooked because of the noise and wouldn't come in to be milked if it was on. There were 4 inflations instead of two to wash. 

For our dozen or so milkers - the Capra-lite works well. It is quiet. Easy to clean. The inflations are not heavy -pulling on the goat's udder and attachments. Other people who had them at the nationals that we talked to said that theirs lasted for years with little or no maintenance. You might want the 6 gallon pail but really the 3 gallon is not that hard to empty when 12 or so goats. 

Like I said, If I was milking a huge number of goats then I would want a pipeline system.


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

I keep my lines together all the way to the claws/shells/inflations via these blue S straps they sell, before that I used zip ties, but during the summer the cut off edge would scratch my legs. So although you do have two sets of inflations to deal with, keeping the milk and air lines together, is easy. Any good machine that will efficiently milk out one doe can have the lines split at the top of the pulsator to milk two goats. It's cumbersome to use anything new, I even sort of feel that way the first times I use it each year, but it quickly become routine and milking two out at once goes back to my analogy of the small clippers shaving a whole goat, sure you can do it but get a pair of Listers......well anyone who has done it knows what I mean!

I just don't want anything said to deter anyone from getting a milking machine if you can, or moving to milking two goats instead of one! You will never be sorry. Vicki


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## Goat Town (Nov 20, 2010)

I've been having "fun" with my new two goat cluster. When I first used it I called it the octopus. Now I'm joking with my landlady about "how the octopus and I wrestled 22 pounds of milk out of the does this morning."


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## Horsehair Braider (Mar 11, 2011)

Does anyone have an opinion on the horse power needed in the pump? I notice the one with the specs listed says "1/2 and 3/4 HP". But I've seen milkers selling with 1/4 HP pumps. Is that sufficient? 

Also seems like a lot of these pumps have a balance tank... but then I've also seen some that have no balance tank. I would guess a person could add one, because I thought a balance tank was kind of important?


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## Goat Town (Nov 20, 2010)

It's not really about the horsepower of the motor driving the pump but rather the amount of airflow the pump will deliver at a vacuum of around 12 in/hg. I have a back up pump with a 1/4 hp motor that will run 1 bucket. I use a pump with a 1/3 hp motor as a pump for cleaning, but the pump I use for milking is driven by a 3/4 hp motor.

Balance tanks are easy to make. I use an old portable air tank as a balance tank. It has a 7.5 gallon capacity. Last year we lost power while milking and there was enough reserve air to keep a milker running for a full minute.


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

And my balance tank is nothing but a 3 inch PVC pipe  Is it really a balance tank, or ballast (or is that just in a boat) ?


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## Horsehair Braider (Mar 11, 2011)

Vicki, did you have to add the balance tank? That sounds easy...  

I sold a horse, so I am shopping for a machine milker. I've found one I really like but was worried about the power of the pump. Thanks for the response!


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## Goat Town (Nov 20, 2010)

This is why a balance tank is important. It is my theory based on observation. If you connect a bucket milker directly to a vacuum pump the empty bucket becomes the balance tank. You'll notice a large vacuum fluctation as the bucket fills with milk. I think the reason the fluctation occurs is that there is less volume available as the bucket fills. Adding the balance tank keeps the vacuum consistent. Consistent vacuum is important for efficient milking and udder health. Now the size of the tank is not as important as is it's ability to provide stable vacuum. Vicki and others choose to use three or four inch PVC while I used an old air tank that happened to be sitting in the barn. Both solutions meet the same goal: providing a stable vacuum.


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

Yes I had to add mine, it is part of my mechanical wall, it contains the regulator, the vacume guage and the nipples in which air comes in etc...this is mounted on the side of an armoire then my machine which is an OLD welch (which is a motor, vacume bump belt driven) is all incased in pretty blue. I have a spare also which is a motor, vacume bump belt driven that is just the 3 parts we put together on a dolly.

Something I asked Nicole in private but if money was of little option, what system would you buy, something that easily milks two goats. Vicki


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## Horsehair Braider (Mar 11, 2011)

Thank you for the answers about the balance tank. One of the systems I'm looking at has a balance tank.

It's been hard for me to find *everything* I want in *one* milking system. If money were no option, I'd probably buy separate parts and put together a Frankenstein system. One system might be OK but I don't like the bucket (too small) or perhaps I don't like the milk lines (black, as opposed to clear) or the pump is good but you have to oil it etc.

For example this one: http://www.portablemilkers.com/catalog/item/1586842/8981296.htm has black milking lines. But the pump has a balance tank, and I can choose this bucket if I like: http://www.portablemilkers.com/catalog/item/1586842/1586886.htm.

I'll probably have to call some of these guys and talk to them on the phone.

This year I'll only be milking one goat, but *next* year it will be five. Since I have the money now, I feel I ought to think ahead (and learn to use it when I only have one to do) and be prepared for next year.


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## Laverne (Apr 4, 2010)

At the Perry Milker website under, 'frequently asked questions', it says that the lines and bucket take only 5 minutes to clean, probably with practice.

I was wondering if a medical aspirator would work with a balance tank, it has an adjustable knob and gauge for pressure. This one is 2.5 amps http://www.ebay.com/itm/SCHUCO-VAC-...=260975238847&ps=63&clkid=7026934552021806596 This one looks cruddy but has a closeup of the label. There are others that go for around 50.00.

This thread is making me want to put something together.


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## Goat Town (Nov 20, 2010)

To answer a few questions. Jacquee, I bought a complete system from portablemilkers six years ago. The pump I still use as my cleaning pump. I think they are now marketing those NuPulse systems from someone else, and I think that pump may be underpowered.

Vicki asked me on private about a turn key system. If I were going to buy a new milker, this is what I'd buy:
http://www.partsdeptonline.com/cgi-...duct=175&cart_id=5406033.15913&exact_match=on

PartsDept offers some nice portable pumps with all the accessories. They use Conde pumps which are known for their reliability. Here's one:

http://www.partsdeptonline.com/cgi-...duct=175&cart_id=5406033.15913&exact_match=on

Laverne,

The cleaning instructions on the Perry's website only talk about running a bleach water rinse through the lines and bucket. I don't feel that's enough cleaning. I run a detergent rinse followed by an acid rinse, followed by a bleach water rinse. I take the lid gasket out, wash it and clean the inside of the rim. Doing all that takes about 15 minutes on my two goat cluster. I don't know about a medical aspirator. I doubt it would have the duty cycle necessary for milking.


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## Horsehair Braider (Mar 11, 2011)

Thanks Nicole. I appreciate the information. And at least the pump is still working so that is a plus! 

I've just gotten a line on a used Caprine Supply System 1 pump. It sounds like it might have issues, but as I understand it, I can get parts for it, and maybe even add an extra balance tank to it. (Sounds to me like there might be a slight leak in the system, from what the guy says.) 

I am the sort of person who takes things apart for a fun pastime... I read the wonderful article on the Cotton Eyed Does website (thanks for that) and feel like I would be able to work on a milking system without too much trouble. 

Does anyone have any strong feelings about the NuPulse pulsator? I gather most of you have Interpulse? The guy selling the pump told me there was no pulsator, so if I get that pump I'll have to buy one.


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## Laverne (Apr 4, 2010)

Here are instructions for a milking system using an aspirator. Interesting they don't think a pulsation is necessary or even good. Maybe a pulsator could be put on it. This may be something I could have for emergency milking that a relative could do. My one doe has sheep teats. http://handmilking.com/BIZyCart.asp?GROUP=LowCost&CLIENT=HandMilk&ACCOUNT=990


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## Goat Town (Nov 20, 2010)

I wouldn't want those two quart bottles hanging from my does' teats. Good grief I'd be changing bottles twice for every doe.


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

And all companies like Grainger etc...carry small pumps like this, they are used to veneer plywood, for lipo suction, for pulling moisture out of vacume lines in air condition and refridgeration, for freon in AC units in cars, for whole shop vacume lines to keep the dust from planeing wood, routering etc....and whole house vacume cleaner systems. As long as they are at least 3CFM they will milk one goat. Yes you have to add your own balance tank, and some we got you had to add your own guage to know how much it was pulling. This is the same exact unit on Chris's cottoneyedoes website, we all had them to take to shows, I have a photo of my old one up on photobucket I beleive. Vicki


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## LLB101 (Sep 29, 2009)

The brochure from the Perry milker folks said something about balance tanks not being needed if you get the right kind of pump... their kind of course is there point... no idea if its right or not, but that's what they say about balance tanks.


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## LSP Farm (Dec 4, 2011)

I'm gonna ask him to mail me something.. I really have so much to learn about milkers.. It is between the 2 goat P-M and the 2 goat C-L.. Now I really am wondering how loud the PM is, and I'm second guessing having to watch 2 goats at a time.. When I cook and clean at the same time it ends badly for the food  
Maybe next time I'm at your place Mr. Tim we can take a look at yours.


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## Laverne (Apr 4, 2010)

I think this is nifty for someone with a nigerian dwarf with dinky teats. I would want to put a pressure gauge, in line, on it.


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## fmg (Jul 4, 2011)

I'm sorry this is OT, but this video always cracks me up. The lady in it is too cute...maybe it's her accent. Lol. I don't sing to my goats when i milk them, but sometimes I turn the radio on and sing along.


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## LSP Farm (Dec 4, 2011)

fmg said:


> I'm sorry this is OT, but this video always cracks me up. The lady in it is too cute...maybe it's her accent. Lol. I don't sing to my goats when i milk them, but sometimes I turn the radio on and sing along.


I love this little video.. I thought about singing to my goats , but I'm pretty sure I would drop production by doing that! lol
My dad grew up on my G-grand-mothers cow dairy. One thing you didn't touch was the radio. She swore that her cows produced more milk with music.


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

A balance tank also keeps milk in it if you overflow your can....otherwise it heads straight for you vacume pump likely ruining it! I wonder sometimes if people selling this stuff actually have ever used one ??? Vicki


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## Goat Town (Nov 20, 2010)

Vicki McGaugh Tx Nubians said:


> A balance tank also keeps milk in it if you overflow your can....otherwise it heads straight for you vacume pump likely ruining it! I wonder sometimes if people selling this stuff actually have ever used one ??? Vicki


I overflowed the milk can once when I first started machine milking and spent the rest of the day taking apart and cleaning the vacuum pump. I've also rebuilt a vacuum pump for another breeder who used no inlet side filtration and no balance tank. She started using them after I replaced the vanes in her pump for $175.00


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## LLB101 (Sep 29, 2009)

Love those videos, thanks!

I'm down to the wire here for my poor hands... I have 2 more due to freshen this coming week, and no milker yet... so these are inspiring to try some of my crazy ideas. But yes, always with inline pressure gauge!!! I find milk flows nicely between 5 & 8 lbs with the hand pump one I adapted previously. Under no circumstances to I try to get it go above 10. At around 10, I'll start seeing red tissue on the teat, mostly goes away quickly, sometimes leaves sort of "hickey" and to me, that means its too much for the delicate teat tissue.


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