Post by melwynnd on May 26, 2006 16:21:42 GMT -5
I thought putting this here would make it easier to find.
Sherry
A Milking Machine for Just One Cow? You Bet!!
I was a stay at home mom when I coaxed the ten month old heifer we named Daisy down a pile of straw bales from the back of a truck. I had plenty of time to milk, make cheese, butter, and all the other lovely fruits that come from the labor of milking a cow. I looked with satisfaction at this new member of our family, who would improve our ability to be self-sufficient, even as she proceeded to crawl through every fence we had.
Of course, life never stays still and by the time Daisy had her first calf I was working full time. My job was the night shift at the local convenience store and milking twice a day was impossible for me. Since my husband is quite a city boy and has as little to do with the animals as possible, we had to come up with another option. So two orphan calves made their home with us and were put with Daisy and her calf during the day. She took them without question, but this was her first calf and she didn’t know any better. My husband would bring them all in the evening and lock the calves up. I would get up and milk in the morning and drive them all into the pasture. I continued this for about three months until Daisy May was well broke to milk, and then left the calves on her all the time. This was not what I had in mind when I bought a milk cow.
By the second calf, I had taken a pay cut to work at the county library as the children’s librarian. The hours were great for milking but I would be very pressed for time, especially in the morning. I still really wanted the milk cow, but something would have to be done. A fellow cow milker suggested looking for a Surge belly milker on E-bay. I quickly found a seller who specialized in rebuilt milkers and after a little discussion, my husband and I decided that the $550 purchase price would be worth the time and peace of mind I would gain.
The milker arrived in two large boxes. The first contained the vacuum pump, the most expensive and heavy part of the system and the surcingle, a blue plastic belt that goes over the cow with a metal rod that goes under her for the milker to hang. The second contained the milker itself, a large round pail and the lid with its various alien-looking attachments, the pulsator that fits on the lid, and an odd corkscrew brush to clean it all with. Also in this box was the precious owner’s manual, from which I’d learn to use this miracle of modern science.
I’m sorry to say, the owner’s manual fell a little short. It carefully instructed me on the putting together of the machine, the importance of waiting for letdown before putting it on the cow, and the taking apart and cleaning of it. However; it did leave out a few little things, for instance, how to put the inflations on the cow, and how to get them back off again. I suppose in dairy country these things are so widely known, no instruction is necessary. But this is Wyoming, where when I mention I milk a cow, I get that look of pity that is usually reserved for people who wear their underwear on the outside of their clothes.
I learned to use the machine by trial and error on my very patient cow. I’m sure there are other ways to do it, but this is what works for me. The machine not only saves me a lot of time, but my milk is much cleaner since dust and other debris cannot get in it while it is sealed.
There are 11 rubber pieces to the machine. Four inflations fit inside the metal teat cups and provide the milking action. The inflations fit over stems in the lid that are cut on a sharp diagonal. This allows the machine to stay sealed when the teat cups are hanging down, but breaks the seal when they are picked up. Four short hoses go from the metal teat cups to the pulsator that controls the vacuum action of the machine and makes it milk. A large seal fits under the lid to keep the pail sealed, and a tiny wedge shaped seal sits on top of the check valve to keep the vacuum pressure in the pail. A word of advice, paint some bright nail polish on the check valve rubber and also have a spare check valve. This thing was just made to fall off and get lost in the milking shed. You can still use your machine without it, but there is no room for error since the valve keeps the suction in the pail. The last rubber piece is a small o-ring that fits between the pulsator and the lid. I would recommend replacing all your rubber pieces each year, especially the inflations as they get soft and don’t milk as quickly.
The machine basically works by alternating suction between the inside and outside of the inflation by the action of the pulsator. When the suction is outside the inflation, but inside the metal teat cup, the teat is pulled further into the inflation. When the suction is inside the inflation, the inflation is pushed in and provides the milking action. If you shove your thumb in the inflation while the machine is working, it feels just like a calf sucking on your thumb.
Since the owner’s manual covers putting the machine together and taking it apart very well, I’ll leave all that out. I will just run through my own milking routine to give an idea of how things work for me. Since I am also working full time, I’ve tried to make milking a quick and efficient as possible so I actually have time to make cheese and butter.
First I put my milking machine together on the counter where it has been air drying. I grab my milk bucket (even with the machine there is still some hand milking) and put them both into my wheelbarrow that is waiting outside the door. Not only is it nice to be able to carry more things with the wheelbarrow, but I’ve found it impossible to carry a full milking machine back to the house without slopping it all over me.
Then it’s to the barn, where Daisy is waiting in the corral. I park the wheelbarrow at the door and carry the milking machine and my pail to the cupboard where the vacuum pump sits. The milking machine goes on top of the cupboard and the pail on the floor next to it. Then I put the hose on the machine and turn on the pump. I’ve found a bit of pressure downward on the pulsator helps the machine to seal and soon the rhythmic swishing sound of the milker tells me it’s ready. I let it run a few seconds more while I scoop some grain into Daisy’s dish and put a few tablespoons of range mineral in too. I switch off the pump as I walk past to open the door for Daisy. She’s waiting by the door by this time and it’s important to get out of her way since she’s pretty determined to get to the grain in the stanchion.
I grab the brush and give Daisy a quick going over to tell her it’s time to let down. Baby wipes are kept in the cupboard and I give her udder a good washing with one or two. I turn the pump on again before I give three or four squirts from each teat into my strip cup to check for any signs of mastitis. By now, she knows it’s time to milk and has usually let down her milk.
I drape the surcingle over Daisy’s back with the rod away from me and reach under her to grab the rod. The rod is bent at the end and hooks into one of the holes on the other side of the surcingle. I’ve learned by trial and error that hole three is best for Daisy. The rod will flex as the machine gets heavy with milk. If it goes too low, it pulls the inflations off her udder, which she does not like. The machine should be far enough forward that the weight of it keeps the inflations from going too high on the teats and cutting off the flow of milk.
I put the inflations on one at a time. I’ve found the easiest way is to pinch the hose of the inflation firmly and lift the inflation to the teat. I push the teat end about halfway in with my thumb before I slowly let off on the hose and let the machine pull the teat the rest of the way in. I attach the front and then the back. Then I walk around to the other side and do the same thing. I feel each hose to make sure the milk is flowing freely and sit back and wait. My machine takes about three minutes to milk 5 gallons of milk.
When Daisy’s udder begins to shrink to the point that I know she’s soon to be finished, I begin feeling each hose for the milk to stop. There are clear lids available so the milk can be seen, but they are expensive. When the teat folds in on itself and the milk flow stops, I squeeze the hose firmly and gently break the seal between the inflation and the teat by pushing with my thumb. I drop the inflation to hanging position before I let go of the hose to keep any dirt from getting sucked into the machine. I do this in turn with each teat until the machine is hanging free. It is then lifted off, placed on the counter, and the pump is turned off. I hang up the surcingle, then strip Daisy the rest of the way out into the pail with a coating of Bag Balm on my hands. This is particularly important as it works out any congestion caused by the suction of the machine.
Daisy is petted and released from her stanchion. I usually have to prod her a bit to get her to leave the milking shed, which seems to me a good sign. If she didn’t enjoy it, I doubt she’d want to stay. When she’s sure she isn’t getting any more treats from me, she heads for the pasture.
I then lug my full, and very heavy, milker to the wheelbarrow along with the empty pail. I give the strippings to the cats since I don’t need any more cream anyway. A short trip to the house and the milk is quickly strained and put in the refrigerator to cool. The machine is pulled apart and washed in hot soapy water and set out to air dry. Once a week I rinse it with bleach water. I also clean and oil the pulsator once a week.
All of this takes me about half an hour, including the washing. It has made it possible for me to continue milking Daisy, even though my life hasn’t turned out just as I’d pictured it when I bought her. My milk keeps over a month in the refrigerator since it’s never exposed to any barn air. We all enjoy the cheese, milk, and butter that I wouldn’t be able to make without it.
So what do I say when people ask, “a machine for just ONE cow?” I just smile and ask, “Oh?... How many cows do you milk?” Anyway, Daisy had the sweetest heifer calf this year………. I think we’re going to keep her!
A Note About Raw Milk
Raw milk from a healthy, pasture fed cow is a safe and delicious food. It bears little resemblance to its cooked cousin from the store. However; here are some important tips to ensure the best taste and keeping quality from your raw milk.
I have Daisy tested for Brucellosis and TB every year shortly before she freshens. She is almost never exposed to other cows, so her chance of actually contracting any of these is miniscule, but the tests give us all peace of mind.
Cleanliness is very important when handling raw milk. The very fact that it is so nutritious for us also makes it good food for bacteria. I do not, however; treat it as toxic waste. I simply wash everything with hot water and regular dishwashing detergent as quickly as possible and allow it to air dry. Once a week I use a bleach water rinse to kill any nasties that might still be hanging around. Raw milk has its own good bacteria and living enzymes that kill most foreign bacteria as soon as they enter the milk.
I only use glass containers with good lids for my milk. Milk takes on any smell or taste it is exposed to. That includes the taste of a plastic container or the odor of that onion in the refrigerator.
I get my milk from the cow to the refrigerator as quickly as possible. Raw milk is a living food, which means it begins to change as soon as it leaves the cow. Quick cooling slows this change. Raw milk that is left out does not spoil like pasteurized milk, but turns to thick, sweet smelling clabber. I often allow the milk to do this and we eat it with fruit like yogurt, or cook it to make cottage cheese. Try doing that with storebought!
Sherry
A Milking Machine for Just One Cow? You Bet!!
I was a stay at home mom when I coaxed the ten month old heifer we named Daisy down a pile of straw bales from the back of a truck. I had plenty of time to milk, make cheese, butter, and all the other lovely fruits that come from the labor of milking a cow. I looked with satisfaction at this new member of our family, who would improve our ability to be self-sufficient, even as she proceeded to crawl through every fence we had.
Of course, life never stays still and by the time Daisy had her first calf I was working full time. My job was the night shift at the local convenience store and milking twice a day was impossible for me. Since my husband is quite a city boy and has as little to do with the animals as possible, we had to come up with another option. So two orphan calves made their home with us and were put with Daisy and her calf during the day. She took them without question, but this was her first calf and she didn’t know any better. My husband would bring them all in the evening and lock the calves up. I would get up and milk in the morning and drive them all into the pasture. I continued this for about three months until Daisy May was well broke to milk, and then left the calves on her all the time. This was not what I had in mind when I bought a milk cow.
By the second calf, I had taken a pay cut to work at the county library as the children’s librarian. The hours were great for milking but I would be very pressed for time, especially in the morning. I still really wanted the milk cow, but something would have to be done. A fellow cow milker suggested looking for a Surge belly milker on E-bay. I quickly found a seller who specialized in rebuilt milkers and after a little discussion, my husband and I decided that the $550 purchase price would be worth the time and peace of mind I would gain.
The milker arrived in two large boxes. The first contained the vacuum pump, the most expensive and heavy part of the system and the surcingle, a blue plastic belt that goes over the cow with a metal rod that goes under her for the milker to hang. The second contained the milker itself, a large round pail and the lid with its various alien-looking attachments, the pulsator that fits on the lid, and an odd corkscrew brush to clean it all with. Also in this box was the precious owner’s manual, from which I’d learn to use this miracle of modern science.
I’m sorry to say, the owner’s manual fell a little short. It carefully instructed me on the putting together of the machine, the importance of waiting for letdown before putting it on the cow, and the taking apart and cleaning of it. However; it did leave out a few little things, for instance, how to put the inflations on the cow, and how to get them back off again. I suppose in dairy country these things are so widely known, no instruction is necessary. But this is Wyoming, where when I mention I milk a cow, I get that look of pity that is usually reserved for people who wear their underwear on the outside of their clothes.
I learned to use the machine by trial and error on my very patient cow. I’m sure there are other ways to do it, but this is what works for me. The machine not only saves me a lot of time, but my milk is much cleaner since dust and other debris cannot get in it while it is sealed.
There are 11 rubber pieces to the machine. Four inflations fit inside the metal teat cups and provide the milking action. The inflations fit over stems in the lid that are cut on a sharp diagonal. This allows the machine to stay sealed when the teat cups are hanging down, but breaks the seal when they are picked up. Four short hoses go from the metal teat cups to the pulsator that controls the vacuum action of the machine and makes it milk. A large seal fits under the lid to keep the pail sealed, and a tiny wedge shaped seal sits on top of the check valve to keep the vacuum pressure in the pail. A word of advice, paint some bright nail polish on the check valve rubber and also have a spare check valve. This thing was just made to fall off and get lost in the milking shed. You can still use your machine without it, but there is no room for error since the valve keeps the suction in the pail. The last rubber piece is a small o-ring that fits between the pulsator and the lid. I would recommend replacing all your rubber pieces each year, especially the inflations as they get soft and don’t milk as quickly.
The machine basically works by alternating suction between the inside and outside of the inflation by the action of the pulsator. When the suction is outside the inflation, but inside the metal teat cup, the teat is pulled further into the inflation. When the suction is inside the inflation, the inflation is pushed in and provides the milking action. If you shove your thumb in the inflation while the machine is working, it feels just like a calf sucking on your thumb.
Since the owner’s manual covers putting the machine together and taking it apart very well, I’ll leave all that out. I will just run through my own milking routine to give an idea of how things work for me. Since I am also working full time, I’ve tried to make milking a quick and efficient as possible so I actually have time to make cheese and butter.
First I put my milking machine together on the counter where it has been air drying. I grab my milk bucket (even with the machine there is still some hand milking) and put them both into my wheelbarrow that is waiting outside the door. Not only is it nice to be able to carry more things with the wheelbarrow, but I’ve found it impossible to carry a full milking machine back to the house without slopping it all over me.
Then it’s to the barn, where Daisy is waiting in the corral. I park the wheelbarrow at the door and carry the milking machine and my pail to the cupboard where the vacuum pump sits. The milking machine goes on top of the cupboard and the pail on the floor next to it. Then I put the hose on the machine and turn on the pump. I’ve found a bit of pressure downward on the pulsator helps the machine to seal and soon the rhythmic swishing sound of the milker tells me it’s ready. I let it run a few seconds more while I scoop some grain into Daisy’s dish and put a few tablespoons of range mineral in too. I switch off the pump as I walk past to open the door for Daisy. She’s waiting by the door by this time and it’s important to get out of her way since she’s pretty determined to get to the grain in the stanchion.
I grab the brush and give Daisy a quick going over to tell her it’s time to let down. Baby wipes are kept in the cupboard and I give her udder a good washing with one or two. I turn the pump on again before I give three or four squirts from each teat into my strip cup to check for any signs of mastitis. By now, she knows it’s time to milk and has usually let down her milk.
I drape the surcingle over Daisy’s back with the rod away from me and reach under her to grab the rod. The rod is bent at the end and hooks into one of the holes on the other side of the surcingle. I’ve learned by trial and error that hole three is best for Daisy. The rod will flex as the machine gets heavy with milk. If it goes too low, it pulls the inflations off her udder, which she does not like. The machine should be far enough forward that the weight of it keeps the inflations from going too high on the teats and cutting off the flow of milk.
I put the inflations on one at a time. I’ve found the easiest way is to pinch the hose of the inflation firmly and lift the inflation to the teat. I push the teat end about halfway in with my thumb before I slowly let off on the hose and let the machine pull the teat the rest of the way in. I attach the front and then the back. Then I walk around to the other side and do the same thing. I feel each hose to make sure the milk is flowing freely and sit back and wait. My machine takes about three minutes to milk 5 gallons of milk.
When Daisy’s udder begins to shrink to the point that I know she’s soon to be finished, I begin feeling each hose for the milk to stop. There are clear lids available so the milk can be seen, but they are expensive. When the teat folds in on itself and the milk flow stops, I squeeze the hose firmly and gently break the seal between the inflation and the teat by pushing with my thumb. I drop the inflation to hanging position before I let go of the hose to keep any dirt from getting sucked into the machine. I do this in turn with each teat until the machine is hanging free. It is then lifted off, placed on the counter, and the pump is turned off. I hang up the surcingle, then strip Daisy the rest of the way out into the pail with a coating of Bag Balm on my hands. This is particularly important as it works out any congestion caused by the suction of the machine.
Daisy is petted and released from her stanchion. I usually have to prod her a bit to get her to leave the milking shed, which seems to me a good sign. If she didn’t enjoy it, I doubt she’d want to stay. When she’s sure she isn’t getting any more treats from me, she heads for the pasture.
I then lug my full, and very heavy, milker to the wheelbarrow along with the empty pail. I give the strippings to the cats since I don’t need any more cream anyway. A short trip to the house and the milk is quickly strained and put in the refrigerator to cool. The machine is pulled apart and washed in hot soapy water and set out to air dry. Once a week I rinse it with bleach water. I also clean and oil the pulsator once a week.
All of this takes me about half an hour, including the washing. It has made it possible for me to continue milking Daisy, even though my life hasn’t turned out just as I’d pictured it when I bought her. My milk keeps over a month in the refrigerator since it’s never exposed to any barn air. We all enjoy the cheese, milk, and butter that I wouldn’t be able to make without it.
So what do I say when people ask, “a machine for just ONE cow?” I just smile and ask, “Oh?... How many cows do you milk?” Anyway, Daisy had the sweetest heifer calf this year………. I think we’re going to keep her!
A Note About Raw Milk
Raw milk from a healthy, pasture fed cow is a safe and delicious food. It bears little resemblance to its cooked cousin from the store. However; here are some important tips to ensure the best taste and keeping quality from your raw milk.
I have Daisy tested for Brucellosis and TB every year shortly before she freshens. She is almost never exposed to other cows, so her chance of actually contracting any of these is miniscule, but the tests give us all peace of mind.
Cleanliness is very important when handling raw milk. The very fact that it is so nutritious for us also makes it good food for bacteria. I do not, however; treat it as toxic waste. I simply wash everything with hot water and regular dishwashing detergent as quickly as possible and allow it to air dry. Once a week I use a bleach water rinse to kill any nasties that might still be hanging around. Raw milk has its own good bacteria and living enzymes that kill most foreign bacteria as soon as they enter the milk.
I only use glass containers with good lids for my milk. Milk takes on any smell or taste it is exposed to. That includes the taste of a plastic container or the odor of that onion in the refrigerator.
I get my milk from the cow to the refrigerator as quickly as possible. Raw milk is a living food, which means it begins to change as soon as it leaves the cow. Quick cooling slows this change. Raw milk that is left out does not spoil like pasteurized milk, but turns to thick, sweet smelling clabber. I often allow the milk to do this and we eat it with fruit like yogurt, or cook it to make cottage cheese. Try doing that with storebought!