Post by sable on Jan 14, 2021 22:14:56 GMT -5
I have been using a Surge bucket milker for the past 12 years, and to be honest it has been a PITA. When I purchased it it was set up with long lines, but of course did not work well that way as there is not enough weight in the claw to milk a cow out. I would have to pull down on the inflations throughout the milking, which defeated the point of using a machine. I purchased the surcingle, but my cows vary greatly in size, from 700lbs to >1300lbs. It is tricky to get it positioned correctly on each of them, some have teats too close together and some are hard to keep on. Also, who wants to lift a 50lb bucket out from under a cow while hunched over?! The shape of the bucket just drives me nuts, it is so cumbersome. I'm sure it was a great innovation in the 50s, but seventy years later there has to be a better option.
I have been considering these two models, along with a DeLaval. The Westfalia looks like the sensible option, it appears sturdy, conventional in design, and spare parts are easy to find and quite affordable. However, the CIP is almost $300. The Nupulse is simpler as it has fewer hoses, supposedly easy to work on, and the CIP is cheaper than that for other claws (about $137 vs. $275+). If I ordered this one I would see if Parts Dept could substitute the 55lb bucket as the 70 is too big to lift full, and the 35lb would probably be too small. I asked my dairyman friend what he thought (he milks 600 head) as I was leary about an all-plastic claw around cows, but he said that the claws in his parlor are all plastic and it is simpler having the pulsator included in the claw. My other concern is that until my milk room is built I will not have anywhere to put the CIP, so it may need disassembling to clean, whereas I could use the "sucking up" method with the other two options. It is also the most expensive of the three. The DeLaval is the cheapest option, and used spare parts are cheap and readily available, but as old as it is I do have to wonder if there are better more modern options. Please help!
www.partsdeptonline.com/COMPLETE-BUCKET-FOR-1-COW-55/productinfo/62485C/
www.partsdeptonline.com/COMPLETE-BUCKET-FOR-COWS-WNUPULSE-CLUSTER/productinfo/62685C-NP/62685/
I have been considering these two models, along with a DeLaval. The Westfalia looks like the sensible option, it appears sturdy, conventional in design, and spare parts are easy to find and quite affordable. However, the CIP is almost $300. The Nupulse is simpler as it has fewer hoses, supposedly easy to work on, and the CIP is cheaper than that for other claws (about $137 vs. $275+). If I ordered this one I would see if Parts Dept could substitute the 55lb bucket as the 70 is too big to lift full, and the 35lb would probably be too small. I asked my dairyman friend what he thought (he milks 600 head) as I was leary about an all-plastic claw around cows, but he said that the claws in his parlor are all plastic and it is simpler having the pulsator included in the claw. My other concern is that until my milk room is built I will not have anywhere to put the CIP, so it may need disassembling to clean, whereas I could use the "sucking up" method with the other two options. It is also the most expensive of the three. The DeLaval is the cheapest option, and used spare parts are cheap and readily available, but as old as it is I do have to wonder if there are better more modern options. Please help!
www.partsdeptonline.com/COMPLETE-BUCKET-FOR-1-COW-55/productinfo/62485C/
www.partsdeptonline.com/COMPLETE-BUCKET-FOR-COWS-WNUPULSE-CLUSTER/productinfo/62685C-NP/62685/