# milking machine comparisons



## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

Does anyone here have any experience with a Nupulse portable milking machine? I have only heard of Deleval and Surge. The Nupulse have the pulsator IN the claw. Do you think that would be a problem? I have seen what can happen to a milking claw when a cow gets a bit antsy...on the other hand - there is only one hose rather than two to deal with.

Any experience out there?


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## triple divide (Jan 7, 2010)

NuPulse in my opinion is the finest milker claw available for the money. 

The design and simplicity convinced us to switch from Surge Vacume line pulsators because the cows were getting stray voltage bleed-off.

Clean-up is good with not a lot of residual build-up, but be sure your rinse, wash, and sanitize cylcles aren't scalding hot. Milk tends to "bake" onto the plastic inside the claw easier than SS.

I'm rebuilding my bank barn now to reestablish the dairy again. I have a DeLaval pipeline and will add on NuPulse claws and meters.


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## topside1 (Sep 23, 2005)

Triple where are you located? Also any chance of adding it to your profile. You are a bundle of knowledge and it's nice to know what state your from...Heck you could be my neighbor!!!....Topside


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## triple divide (Jan 7, 2010)

I want to also add that before we switched to NP claws our SSC (somatic cell count) rocketed from a managable +/-200,000 to >1,000,000. After the change and clearing up some mastitis issues, our SSC never was >100,000.

Our time spent chasing after milkers kicked across the barn went down to zero as well. I believe these milkers are very gentle on the cows. They are definately lighter, and I know that has a lot to do with cow comfort, ie not having a heavy, faster pulsating claw suspended from her teats.

Topside, I'm in Pa. I'll get more info up, but it will probably take a while as I am working on a marketing plan and don't want to put the cart before the horse.


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

3x -
Many Thanks! I was worried that stepping on the claw would ruin the pulsator. I have someone that has a rebuilt unit - complete portable milking system - for $800. (includes the vacuum pump) with a 9 mo guarantee. 

Where do you get replacement parts? I think I need some of those too. I will just have one cow - count her! ONE - so my little operation isn't nearly like yours!!!

How do you know where to set the pulsation? Or does it do it automatically. That was the one thing I LIKED about this system.


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## springvalley (Jun 23, 2009)

Hey Callieslamb, I have never used the Nupulse, they must be ok if they sold them. I have always used the old DeLaval buckets, and my father milked with Surge buckets ,then Surge pipeline. I really like my old Delaval milkers, and have had great luck with them. Our ssc runs around the 70`s in summer and may bump up to 100`s in the winter. They have a very simple, small s.s. claw, light weight, and work well. I think the pilgrims may have brought these over on the mayflower, as they are getting hard to get parts for, I buy up all I can find when I find them. Sounds Like you have found a great deal, good luck with your cow, and milking. Thanks Marc


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

I am considering the Nupulse since it is the cheapest system I can find. I didn't realize it was just the pulsator/claw set up, but that makes sense. I found another portable system - all you need system EXCEPT the pump/vacuum part for $425. so the $800 sounds pretty good to me. My dad always used Delaval. He had a 90-cow operation for 40 years in So. Mo. If I had had an inkling my life was going in this direction, I would have kept my dad's bucket when he got out of the milking business. Hindsight! I used several claws over the years - the SS ones springvalley mentioned come to mind - as do the clear ones that you can see the milk flow through. 

My 'cow' is not quite a year old yet.....I have some time.


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## triple divide (Jan 7, 2010)

We used two differtent types of the NP claws one had a solid bowl (where the milk flows out the spout to the pipeline or milker) the other had a simple rubber vacume cut-off on a larger bowl. Both worked excellent, but we switched completely over to the second type mentioned because the larger bowl was superior for our higher production cows. Out of 125 head milking at our strongest, we had more than a couple cows that were producing over 35k pounds per year with a RHA normally around 22k (no rBST)and the larger volume bowls prevented a "overfilling" problem for those girls (high producers tend to let down fast).

Also, don't worry about setting the pulsation on the unit. It does it itself. That's the beauty of it's design. They are more rugged than they look, and I cannot recall replacing a bowl or claw due to being tramped on.


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

Thanks!! I wasn't too excited about trying to figure out how to set the pulsation! My heifer is a jersey/holstein cross - sure to give me lots of milk!


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## sammyd (Mar 11, 2007)

NuPulse is so 70's.
Replaced a lot of them in the 90's.


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

Replaced them with WHAT?


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## springvalley (Jun 23, 2009)

Hmmmm, Sam that makes me so from the 50`s maybe 40`s, man I`m so far behind, I see my butt coming before I get there. Later Marc.


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## sammyd (Mar 11, 2007)

I worked for Universal at the time so I usually replaced them with what they were selling.
Which were individually controlled pulsators. There was a common power supply but the circuitry to make them work was right in the pulsator rather than on a central board like Surge DeLeval or BouMatic. Usually in a 60/40 ratio milk to rest and running 60ppm.
I Just got rid of my 40's and 50's stuff...which was a Universal pulsator mounted on a bucket and installed one of the newer pulsators for my goats. Still use the bucket though....
Currently Surge has a centrally controlled pulsator system that looks fairly robust and has quite a few variables you can play with.
Any older dual pulsation system works OK. Universal isn't made anymore and it may become hard to find parts. The next most robust system was Surge with the big black pulsators. Stay away from the round white ones even if someone is giving them away.
BouMatics were decent as well. Never like DeLaval much and their new pulsators are so lightweight and cheaply made I'd be scared to use them in a stall barn.


The biggest problem with the NuPulse is that it operated backwards. When the milk flow was on it would slow down because it needed the vacuum to pull the milk up the hose. With the modern portable takeoffs the ppms will shift up when the flow is on to milk out quicker and better but then they will shift back when the flow is light to prevent damage to the udder.


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## triple divide (Jan 7, 2010)

sammyd said:


> With the modern portable takeoffs the ppms will shift up when the flow is on to milk out quicker and better but then they will shift back when the flow is light to prevent damage to the udder.


Aren't you just talking about auto take-offs here? What does this have to do with NP claws and pulsators in a bucket/sending unit system?

Does anybody use auto take-offs with a bucket milker?


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## sammyd (Mar 11, 2007)

I was just pointing out that technology has moved on from the NuPulse idea.
Whether you use take-offs or buckets, the NuPulse is backwards and has not proven to be the best thing.


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## arcticow (Oct 8, 2006)

I am gonna split the difference between you fellers... IMHO, I would use a De Laval bucket system with vacuum pulsator. Dual pulsation, 60/40, 60 or 70 ppm. Plastic claw, De Laval or Bou-matic Flowstar. Several hundred head, 18 years. My two cents' worth.


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## 65284 (Sep 17, 2003)

I use 2 old Universal bucket milkers with lid mounted vacuum pulsators. I got them very cheap because those strange pulsator gaskets were shot and are not available anymore. I played around with several things before I discovered some large O rings that work perfectly. Of course I only milk a few cows, and only in the summertime, they probably wouldn't work well for a real dairy but are fine for limited duty homestead use.


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## sammyd (Mar 11, 2007)

Coburn usually has those vacuum pulsators think they are Interpuls and all the gizmos to get them atttached to bucket lids. Unfortunately they never have an adapter for Universal lids. If you have DeLaval lids they have all sorts of stuff. Never worked with them but after having looked at a few and talking with folks, they do seem to be pretty robust and a possible option. Just one that never comes to mind.
I do have a buddy that milks 20 with the old style Universal bucket pulsators. 
We hope to expand our goat herd so they weren't a viable option any more.

Either way these pulsators are different from NuPulse in that they don't rely on vacuum in the milk hose to run their pulsators.


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## triple divide (Jan 7, 2010)

sammyd said:


> I was just pointing out that technology has moved on from the NuPulse idea.
> Whether you use take-offs or buckets, the NuPulse is backwards and has not proven to be the best thing.


Oh, OK! I see what you're saying now. I was reading your post differently.

I probably have to agree. There are better systems out there today, to be sure. I have to look at it a little differently. cost+efficiency/investment return.

Considering your posts now, I'm kind of laughing reading how backwards we were/are, we took the black pulsators off our DeLaval bucket milkers and used NP claws on them for fresh and treated cows.

I still think the OP is getting a hell of a deal on an otherwise serviceable system.


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

I worry about that system being able to keep running. With one cow, it probably won't matter which sytem I use - I just want it to keep working. I am familiar with a bucket system with the air hose. I don't understand the the nupulse system and how it works. If it is from the 70's - what kind of spare parts are available? My supplier says he offers parts on all his rebuilt systems for cost, but what if he can't find what I need? I and beginning to think that I would be better of in that circumstance with a more traditional system. Even if that system cost me an extra $200. 

My supplier is in TN which is way too far for me to go to check out the system and see for myself how it works.

I greatly appreciate all the comments here - positive and negative. I need to hear both sides to get a better 'look-see' and all the ins and outs.


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## triple divide (Jan 7, 2010)

It is best to look around and investigate thoroughly. 

If you don't move on this system, would you mind forwarding the number for the guy that has it now? I might be interrested in it for a different project.


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

Triple D - I will gladly give you his contact info. This system includes everything and is guaranteed for 6-9 months. I am considering selling my heifer after she is bred and buying a milk cow then. Do I don't have to wait another year to have fresh milk!


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## JHinCA (Sep 20, 2003)

Don't have any where near as much experience as the others who have posted, but I have been using a NuPulse for our 4 cows for a couple years and am happy with it. I have no other milking machine experience to compare it to. DH is the mechanical one in the family and did research and picked it out. New parts are available. They are through a company called EZ Milk or something similar located in the east.

Jean


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