This looks like an old cream separator for cow's milk. The window is used to show the cream separation line and it has a valve to drain the milk from it. It really isn't going to do much for goat's milk because it doesn't actually manually separate the cream from the milk. We have dairy goats, but no cream separator…yet. I have noticed different yields of cream just from letting the milk set in the fridge. My Nubian's milk would have an inch of cream on a quart jar in just a day or two of sitting. My LaMancha and LaMancha/Nigerian Dwarf goats just barely get a really skinny cream line at the top of the jar.  I've only got one of each type of goat, so not really in a position to make any across the breed based claims, but that's what I've observed with my goats.

Here's a link to a page all about old cream separators. Some good info about the old styles.

http://dairyantiques.com/Cream…..ors_1.html

~Jenny~

That seperator on the Craigs list is what they called a gravity seperator. It is made more for cow's milk. It wouldn't do to much more with your goats milk than just pouring it in a wide, shallow bowl and letting it sit, then skimming cream.

We have Alpines and I have made butter, cheese, etc. and it is wonderful. You can let your milk set a day or so and skim off the bit of cream that rises, freeze it in a container and continue to add each days cream until you get enough. It takes awhile but I have done it.

I purchased a Delaval centrifuge (bowl type) seperator off of Ebay and it does work well, however, my bowl needs to be re-tinned. If you do buy one just make sure all of the cones are there and it turns freely. Sometimes you have to replace a gasket-seal and make sure it has oil.

Best of luck to you.