The UDDERLY EZ MILKER™ is the safest and most effective large domestic and exotic animal milk and colostrum collection device available. It can be used on horses of all sizes, ponies, donkeys, sheep, goats, llamas, alpacas, zebras, camels, cows and water buffalo. It is easy to use for people of all ages and experience, and even easier to clean!
The Milk or Colostrum Extraction Process
- Always clean the udder area, using the UDDERLY EZ WIPES provided in your kit, to remove any accumulated dirt and bacteria.
- Gently remove the wax plug from the end of the teat if the animal hasn’t delivered yet, so it does not drop into the bottle.
- Manually strip each teat at least twice to get a good flow of colostrum/milk started & it clears out any bacteria that may be internally present. This also helps the animal start to let their milk down. Dampen the teat with water, colostrum, milk or a small amount of olive or cooking oil.
- Place the #2 cylinder with the correct size of Silicone Inflation directly over the teat and pump it two to three times and the vacuum will lock onto the teat while at the same time, gently lifting the EZ pump unit up against the udder (like a baby would bunt its mother). Let the gravity work for you and let the unit settle downward.
- Squeeze the handle at least 2-3 more times; this will start the vacuum seal process, locking the unit onto the mother’s udder. (You may want to hold the bottle with your free hand until sealed).
- As soon as a good milk flow starts, stop pumping! When the flow slows down you can start pumping again. You may need to repeat this sequence 3-4 times. When the flow stops, or you have collected an appropriate amount of liquid, stop and go to the next teat.
- To release the vacuum on the pump, push the bottom of the bottle backwards toward the hand trigger to release the vacuum lock. Do not pull the pump off the udder!!.
- The first milking of Colostrum will generally collect between 8-12 ounces, although this may vary with each animal species or breed. It is always a good idea, after you finish milking that you use some sort of disinfectant like Fight Back to help protect against Mastitis and it also closes the teat opening to help restrict bacteria from entering.
- If the mother does not let her milk down immediately, you may have to massage her udder gently to get the flow started. (In the case of Mares, The Stableizer® is a great help in getting them to relax and let their milk down. Not to mention the safety of the handler!)
- Do not overfill the collection bottle; only fill to the indicated line on the bottle. Never tilt the pump backwards. This will allow the milk or colostrum to run into the air intake hole and damage the diaphragm in the pump.
Using the Bottle to Feed
If you’re going to feed the animal the Colostrum immediately, unscrew the bottle off the extractor tube and insert the nipple and you’re in business. You do not need the screw on type as the nipple fits securely in the bottles.
If you have a Silicone Insert inside the #2 Extractor Tube you must either take it out or unscrew the bottle from the pump before pouring out the milk or colostrum as it will run into the pump and may damage the diaphragm or (umbrella valve) in the pump. Never screw the bottle onto the tube while it is attached to the pump, always attach the bottle to the #2 Extractor Tube first and then attach it to the pump!!
Attach the nipple supplied in the kit to bottle feed the baby; or, pour the collected milk or colostrum into the extra collection bottle and apply the white cap with a seal top for freezing. Be sure to label with the mother’s name and date collected, or other storage information as you may find appropriate. Frozen Colostrum is good for over a year.
The final instruction! Elevate the baby’s head and chest area and give it that liquid gold! MOTHER’S FIRST MILK!
Thawing Frozen Colostrum
Never use a microwave oven to thaw out frozen colostrum, as it will destroy the antibodies. Place the colostrum bottle in a basin of warm water or leave it out in the air with the cap off and allow it to thaw slowly.
As Easy to Clean As It Is to Use!
Clean out the pump in case you draw milk/colostrum into the inside of the pump. If any milk or colostrum runs down the outside of the pump or on your hands, you have inadvertently pulled milk into the pump. You may finish milking then follow these easy steps:
Cleaning the Udderly EZ Hand Milker
- Remove the extractor and clip from the pump as shown in the photo.
- Place the Udderly EZ in warm soapy water and add 5 tablespoons of Baking Soda to water, submerse the pump and pump the handle several times, working the soapy water thru the pump, leave the pump full of water and let set in water for at least 15 minutes, then pump the water thru it again.
- Be sure and hold the back end of the pump down and pump out the soapy water, pump out and shake out very well.
- Stick the pump in clean, clear warm water and do the same function again only you don’t have to leave it sitting in the water for 15 minutes. Pump the clear water through it several times and shake out again. If you got a great deal of debris out of the pump you may want to repeat step #2: again, and then rinse it again also. In the final rinse cycle, you may add a small amount of vinegar in the final rinse water.
- Shake out all the water you can and leave it to dry overnight if possible.
Cleaning the Ultimate EZ Electric Milker
- Fill your sink with hot, soapy water.
- Make sure all of your vacuum lines are closed/shut off.
- Turn the motor on and wait until the pressure is built and the gauge reaches the arrow.
- Take 2 of your hoses and open them, sticking them into the hot, soapy water at the same time. You should see the hoses pull the soapy water through.
- Do this a few times until the hose is empty, shut them off, and move on to your next 2 hoses. Repeat this until you have washed all of your hoses.
- If using the bucket milker, release the air from the bucket and rinse the bucket out with warm water.
- Reconnect the lid and build pressure again in the bucket/hoses.
- Fill your sink with warm water and a small amount of vinegar (DO NOT USE BLEACH).
- Repeat steps 2-4 to rinse each hose with the warm vinegar water.
- Disconnect and hang all hoses/inflations to dry.
Note: That little red or orange umbrella valve on the bottom of the pump should not be taken out except to replace it and they usually last at least a year with normal use. NEVER USE ALCOHOL TO CLEAN OFF THE PUMP!! IT WILL WEAKEN ITS PLASTIC PROPERTIES.
Horses, ponies, camels, llamas, donkeys, etc.
If an animal to be milked appears to become agitated or uncooperative with her handler during the extraction procedure or refuses to let her baby nurse, we recommend the use of The Stableizer® Restraint and Training System®, originally developed for horses.
This restraint system allows the animal to calm down humanely, providing a safer environment for both handler and baby. The calming effect will also aid the mother in letting her milk down. The Stableizer® is available through EZ Animal Products. Visit our STABLEIZER® page for full details.
Remember: the UDDERLY EZ MILKER™ is great for horses of all sizes, ponies, sheep, goats, cows, miniature cows, llamas, alpacas, camels and certain exotic animals such as zebras, etc.
