I recently purchased a used bucket milker. I think it may be a 60# one. It came with the claw, pulsator, hoses and inflations. (all the rubber needs replacing, but the bucket is in excellent shape.) My question is this. What size (rpm, cfm, hg, etc) vacuum pump do I need to operate the milker? Someone told me that I could use a 6 foot piece of 3" pvc pipe capped at the ends to use as a vacuum tank. Any help you can give me will greatly be appreciated as I am just starting with the milkin' business. I have one jersey that I'm trying to milk by hand and two holstein heifers due to calve this summer. I know there is NO WAY I can hand milk 3 haha! Thanks, Tim

-- Tim Duckworth (tsduck@bellsouth.net), April 30, 2001

Answers

Response to Need advice on a vacuum pump for a bucket milker

Tim have got the complete set up you want to make. Have forgotten the size pump. We used to milk 6 4 holsteins and 2 jerseys and I personally can hand milk them all before I could clean all the equipment.Have you figured out how to clean the milk lines? You also need a vacum guage because the wrong pressure will cause masttitis and if the pressure flucuates it can cause masstitis. I can give you complete details if you want all of the ins and outs. You can e-mail me.

-- jd-tx (inkina@cctc.nt), May 01, 2001.

JD, I tried to send you an email, but it came back. Please email me with details on what you have and how much you want for it. thanks, Tim

-- Tim (tsduck@bellsouth.net), May 01, 2001.

As far as a Vacuum pump, any dairy Vac. pump will work for one or two milkers that is in running condition. If its for milking cows, it will have enough power to run just one bucket easy. I have even run off gasoline engine intake manifold in a pinch. Any way I can help email me. Don

-- Don (dairyagri@yahoo.com), May 06, 2001.

Anything up to about 4 or more cows I would just make do with a wooden stool and a steel bucket! Cleaning dairy equipment is a real drag. Besides if your girls are on pasture and of docile disposition you might be able to milk them right out in the fresh air, saves on cleaning the stall too!

-- john hill (john@cnd.co.nz), May 06, 2001.

Having used the Surge milkers for a time, I didn't find a problem in cleaning as they don't use a milk hose. There the problem as you can't scrub them. I used a small brush made for inflations to clean them quickly. Total time to wash a Surge setup, maybe 2 or 3 minutes. Others such as Deleval used the 6 ft hose and after a few rinses with just water you get buildup in hose. Don

-- Don (dairyagri@yahoo.com), May 07, 2001.

Tim They make a brush and cable that's made especialy for cleaning milk line. works very well. I beleive Caprine Supply handles it. I will check it out and get back to you with the infomation. Nathan

-- Nathan Harris Sr. (barnyard_mini@yahoo.com), May 07, 2001.