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Vacuum Milking a Small Farm Flock
A small flock farmer cannot afford an expensive vacuum machine to milk a little colostrum for a stressed lamb. Milking by hand is hard for many beginning flock owners. A vacuum milker costing hundreds to thousands of dollars is not possible to justify financially.
This is a simple home-made vacuum milker that even a novice farmer can use. This milker will only cost a couple of dollars and make milking easy.
When we wean lambs or have a ewe that lost their lambs, we milk the ewe for colostrum or milk to help in the current lambing season or another year. The saved and frozen milk are an investment that maximizes next year lamb crop.
Live Lambing January 28 to March 1, 2011
A vacuum is one of the key components to promoting milk flow. It has been shown repeatedly that higher milking vacuum will result in higher milk flow rates and lower labor time.
How To Make A Vacuum Milker
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50ml - 50cc Syringe
1. Purchase a syringe to fit the size of the animal you are milking. 50ml syringes are good for sheep and goats. Smaller syringes would be good for cats and dogs.
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50mL Syringe to convert into a sheep milker
2. Disassemble your syringe.
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50mL Syringe to with protective case
3. Cut the end off of the syringe.
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50mL Syringe to with end cut off
4. Use a knife to smooth the inside edge of the tube so the plunger can be inserted into the tube from the top.
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50mL Syringe sheep and milker
5. You now have a new sheep vacuum milker for less than $2.00. Simply place the vacuum milker over the animal's teat and seat softly against the skin. Now pull back slowly on the plunger and watch the milk flow.
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