Post by wyomama on Oct 4, 2008 10:34:22 GMT -5
Hi all...
I have a milking setup from Parts Department. (DeLaval bucket milker type) I don't know if it's not working right, or if I have unrealistic expectations.
I've never had anyone SHOW me how to milk. I've never SEEN it done. So could be that I've been doing it wrong all these years.
I perused the milking equipment section, and didn't see this addressed.
Anyway... when I put the milker on, it initially draws the milk well, responding to the let down, I assume. Then the milk slows down to a trickle. But the bottom of the udder obviously has milk "pooled" in it. I can put one hand on each side of the udder and massage in a downward motion and "squeeze" the rest of the milk out through the milking machine. I see this effect more on the back quarters than the front. It just seems to me that if the milk is at the bottom of the udder, the machine should be getting more of it out.
My vacuum pump is set at 14, and I don't notice a difference in pressure between the pump, the end of the vacuum hose, and the inflations, so I don't think I have a leak. I've held just the end of the inflations in a bucket of soapy water, thinking that I'd see suds if I had a pinhole in any of the vacuum tubes in the claw. I changed all the tubing about 6 months ago, just replaced inflations about 6 weeks ago. I'm using 01A inflations, they stay in place and don't slide down, so I don't think they are too big. I have this "pooled" milk effect on all the girls, some have short fat teats, some short narrow, some long narrow, some long fat, so I don't think it's an inflation size issue.
Per factory instructions, my pulsator clicks two times per second. I'm thinking I'll slow it down some today, and see if that makes a difference, but beyond that, I'm out of ideas.
Once I get to the "milk barely trickling stage" if I remove the milker and hand milk the rest instead of massaging it through the machine, I get between another quart to another half gallon.
Any suggestions? Or is this just the way they work and my expectations are unreasonable?
I have a milking setup from Parts Department. (DeLaval bucket milker type) I don't know if it's not working right, or if I have unrealistic expectations.
I've never had anyone SHOW me how to milk. I've never SEEN it done. So could be that I've been doing it wrong all these years.
I perused the milking equipment section, and didn't see this addressed.
Anyway... when I put the milker on, it initially draws the milk well, responding to the let down, I assume. Then the milk slows down to a trickle. But the bottom of the udder obviously has milk "pooled" in it. I can put one hand on each side of the udder and massage in a downward motion and "squeeze" the rest of the milk out through the milking machine. I see this effect more on the back quarters than the front. It just seems to me that if the milk is at the bottom of the udder, the machine should be getting more of it out.
My vacuum pump is set at 14, and I don't notice a difference in pressure between the pump, the end of the vacuum hose, and the inflations, so I don't think I have a leak. I've held just the end of the inflations in a bucket of soapy water, thinking that I'd see suds if I had a pinhole in any of the vacuum tubes in the claw. I changed all the tubing about 6 months ago, just replaced inflations about 6 weeks ago. I'm using 01A inflations, they stay in place and don't slide down, so I don't think they are too big. I have this "pooled" milk effect on all the girls, some have short fat teats, some short narrow, some long narrow, some long fat, so I don't think it's an inflation size issue.
Per factory instructions, my pulsator clicks two times per second. I'm thinking I'll slow it down some today, and see if that makes a difference, but beyond that, I'm out of ideas.
Once I get to the "milk barely trickling stage" if I remove the milker and hand milk the rest instead of massaging it through the machine, I get between another quart to another half gallon.
Any suggestions? Or is this just the way they work and my expectations are unreasonable?