Milking and arthritis

[mzgarden]

We will be breeding our girls this Fall and hope to be milking by Spring.
I need some help sorting out best options for milking.
We have two Nubians and hopefully will be milking both once a day.
I have some issues with my hands - arthritis and some previous finger breaks that cause me not to be able to fully clench my left hand.

I've been looking at milking machines, etc. but the options are wide and a little confusing.

If we only plan to have two full size does to milk for our own use and will plan to milk once a day -- what types of milking machinery would you suggest I be looking at?  I want to get this settled in my mind now so I can make sure to save the money and order the unit and commonly needed replacement parts in advance.

Thanks, Michele

[Deleted]

I have one of these. I've modified it just a bit by adding a pulsator.

www.udderlyez.com/ultimate_ez_milker.php

[mzgarden]

Excellent. thanks!

[manygoatsnmore]

May 22, 2015 12:09:32 GMT alice said:

I have one of these. I've modified it just a bit by adding a pulsator.

www.udderlyez.com/ultimate_ez_milker.php

Whatever you do, don't put the plastic bottle part to your UdderlyEZ in the dishwasher, even in the top rack.  It will instantly turn it into a DudderlyEZ as the plastic will warp and ruin the seal.  Ask me how I know this.

[mzgarden]

Manygoats - thanks. We actually don't have a dishwasher at the moment, but it's good to keep in mind.

[manygoatsnmore]

My dishwasher is currently not working and acts as a drying rack for hand washed dishes.

[Wendy]

I am so going to get that electric one!

[Deleted]

Do make sure that whatever milker you get, it pulses. If it puts constant pressure on the teats, they'll eventually blow out.

[mzgarden]

yikes, no blown teats please. Thanks for the watchouts and suggestions. Working our way to a decision.

[Deleted]

I have one of these. I've modified it just a bit by adding a pulsator.

I may need to get one of these some day due to arthritis in my hands. No goats yet though, just getting ideas ready to go. How do you add the pulsator? If you order one from somewhere, does it give the instructions with it or did you have to jimmy-rig it?

[Deleted]

I have tested some milking equipments due to 1. carpal tunnel and 2. beginnings of rheumatoid arthritis I do know what you mean by not being able to fully make a fist.
maggidans milker worked well for me for several years, actually exercised the muscles of the hands but the last one I got didn't last very long so I wanted to try something else. www.maggidans.com/milker.htm
Segal milker worked well enough but I was having to finish/strip out the girls and was getting quite a bit of milk, plus the tubes did not work well in the cold. www.segelmade.com/TwoGoatMilkingSystem.html
Dansha farms milker is good I did go with the battery operated one, used it through one milking season, did have to replace the battery once(can find that at walmart in the canning section)nothing really wrong with this system still have to strip/finish the goats off by hand, and was getting quite a bit that was left. www.ebay.com/itm/like/200949480777?lpid=82&chn=ps
My recent purchase of an actual electric pump milker www.ebay.com/itm/goat-milking-machine-2-gallon-electric-AC-powered-/271892462305?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f4e0dbae1
I was milking 5 goats in a 30 minutes that included strip time. My main issue with this is
1) I still want to add a pulsator right now I sit and watch to make sure I don't get ruptured teets.
2) the hoses are large and stiff and can be frustrating so am looking for food grade silicon which would be more flexible.

[willowgirl]

I have really bad carpal tunnel, too, so Numb built me a two-teat milking machine for our cow! The parts were less than $100 and it works really well -- we used it through the last half of Marianne's last lactation. It would work fine for a goat, too. He drew up the plans for it in a thread on our forum if anyone is interested: www.hearthandgardens.com/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=861