Milking machines

[purplepear]

Hello all - happy new year.
I am looking for a milking machine for my two cows to save my poor rhummy hands. Does any one know of a supplier in Australia or have any information / experience with small scale milking
regards Mark

[minnie]

Hi Mark,

We bought a single milking machine from a fellow that has sold a lot off ebay.

He's in Brisbane and originally from a dairy farm so knew about milking machines. He gets them made in China but... he's not drop shipping, he has stock and has been there to tell them exactly the way he wants them built.

They're about half the price of the other imports and all the parts are the same so you could buy parts here or, he keeps parts as well.

His names Russell and it's Crawford Imports 0404 448 711, DH picked up from Brisbane and met him when we got ours.

Now after all that, we are yet to use the machine... long long story it's more about our setup and time, but it will be used because we have to milk before selling any cows and they will be sold as house cows and that's impossible if we don't milk. I know the people on the dairy farm up the road saw the machine and thought it looked good.

Vicki

[childoftheearth]

Hi Mark,

I have been looking around to see what is available (not much) and found the following supplier http://www.daviesway.com.au/new_products.php.

They have a mobile milker in single and double units, and I have just noticed a "bubble" in the add for the milkers that says they have small cream separators too.

Don't have any more info. than that I'm afraid, but perhaps if you find out about pricing and anything else of interest you could put in back on the post.

Good luck with the search
Elaine

[purplepear]

Thanks guys - I will follow those leads and see how I go - Thanks so much.

[purplepear]

Both contacts were very helpful but in the process of investigation I came across a machine locally that was no longer being used and though it needs some work , may be closer to my price range. Now I just have to get the cows to accept this contraption.

[minnie]

Not having done it... but of course with lots of advice...

Slowwwwly...

Let me know how you go...

Vicki

[purplepear]

The machine is in and working well. Bella jumped when I first turned it on and was a bit fidgity for the first week but she is now a pro at it. Her mother, Shirley, who was due last Tuesday will be more used to the noise I guess. We will have to wait and she how she takes the machine but as she came from a small dairy some years ago it should be alright.
It is amazing the increase in volume from hand milking. I used to be quite happy with 3 liters a day doing it by hand but now I get between five and six and that is when I try to leave plenty for the calf. I just have to make more cheese. I may need a bigger cave soon. LOL

[minnie]

Hi Mark,

How do you leave some for the calf?

A few older dairy women have said they strip three quarters and leave one full quarter for the calf, as the cream comes last.

If you do it this way how does the machine go with one cup hanging?

I noticed the huge difference with amount and thickness of cream with a cream separator too, instead of skimming.

Vicki

[Heidi]

Hi,
So how are you finding the portable milking machines? Not having one myself, I often wondered if the washing up afterwards was worth it just for one or two house cows. How long do they take to clean up afterwards and how long do you take to milk out?
Bye for now,
Heidi

[countrylife]

Hi, I was a hand milker for years and thought I would never get a machine... Famous last words. About 3 years ago my fingers and hands would go numb and tingley and painful whilst milking. Could have been the start of RSI. When I told my husband he immediately began looking for a 2nd hand milk machine. Within a week my son installed it. Needless to say I have never looked back. All my previous concerns and worries were unfounded. It hardly phased my girls.

I think Vicki asked about milking 3 quarters in ordered to leave 1 for the calf. Our machine came with 4 bright orange plugs that can slip into the cups. One of our heifers has a blind quarter so when we milk her we put the plug (not sure of it's real label) in the cup corresponding with her blind quarter. Voila!!
I had been warned about the massive clean up with a machine. But in reality it is nothing, 15mins max. One plus is not having to wash up my huge 20 litre s/s milking bucket in my kitchen sink each day. Mind you the kitchen floor doesn't get mopped up each day now.
Happy milking everyone.

[purplepear]

Sorry - I dropped out for a while there guys.

Leaving some milk for the calf is a matter of removing the machine when I have enough. The Jersey milk is too creamy for cheese and we get plenty without the strip out at the end. I guess I will milk them out when I finally get around to using my seperator.

Cleaning is not such a chore and is now an easy part of the routine. I guess the milking takes as long as it did by hand but the time is now used in cleaning up and not in milking. My hands do appreciate the break too. I do do some hand milking from time to time just for fun and to keep the cow used to it.

Shirley had a phantom pregnancy and has not delivered a calf, but when back into season for one week, went to the bull and is now not cycling again but I will be getting a test soon as it is very disapointing to wait the nine months for no reason. But by the same token I am not sure what I do about it if she will not come into season then she will not fall pregenant - will she?

Cheesees are doing great - about one Colby a week and getting eaten faster. I will move to camembert soon - now that I have confidence with the daily cheese.
Using whey in ferments is the next step as Kate goes past preserves to bread making.

Gotta go - stay well and I hope to be back soon
Mark

[minnie]

Hi Mark,

Do you have any trouble with calves scouring with more cream than milk?

Always a dilemma with cows going into calf at the times we want. Do they know, and say 'hey I'll trick him this time'?

Our neighhour had our dexter bull run with his last year hoping for all his heifers to go into calf with him rather than the brahman the other side, all did, but one cow went to the brahman (not sure how) and one cow who's had 3 calves just isn't going into calf. She's had the dexter, he's put the brahman it's funny! Everyone thought it was because the dexter couldn't reach (but he reached the other tall heifers) and he put the brahman twice so he's got fingers crossed.

Good luck with the Camembert, look forward to hearing... good time of year, rather than when we seem to choose which is too hot.

Vicki

[Heidi]

Hi Mark,
What's your Colby recipe? Since you are making it regularly, do you have any tips or tricks that may come in useful to a novice?
Bye for now,
H.

[purplepear]

Hello guys
Minnie - I have never had any problem with scours in the calves but will be sure to watch out for it in future - thanks.
Hiedi - I just use Ricky Carols reciepe but have learned two things that may be of help.
1. When cooking the curd and you need to raise the temp by 1 degree each five minutes to 39 degrees, I find that keeping the water bath at 42 with bursts for fire from the gas wok burner on our stove gives a good even raising that brings it in on time. ( I will look to a simmerstat in the future maybe or go to the electric frying pan but for now I like the idea of not using electricity to do this.)
2. Turning the cheese after waxing is important. The middle cheeses (not the early ones) have been a little uneven in texture and I think this is due to my being slack with the turning once they are in the cave so I try to turn more regularly. (three times daily for the first week) (not too sure what the book says though as I tend not to look at the recipe any more. All cheeses are edible but not necessarily can be called a colby.
Stay happy - regards Mark