HELP..GOATY goat MILK!! :(

[username taken]

Epona is right, goat milk shouldnt have a goaty taste. Buuut, there are a few people (not many) who will swear to you they can taste the goat in it.

Chris, Toggs were originally developed for cheese making only, so their milk had a very strong and distinct flavour. Since then they have been developed for drinking milk as well, with a more favourable flavour, and the majority (including yours) now have very milk milk, but there are a few strains that still have that strong milk, and I'd be willing to bet my goats that the original poster has does from one of those strains.

As I said, its always just soooo important to taste the milk of a doe before you buy her.

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

did the milk taste change suddenly??? or it was always a little wonky for you?

here are some things that i learned (i milk a sanaan and a la mancha):

* kids will think anything new is gross...so that could explain some of it. i cant believe the ADULT people who have run screaming from the goat milk or the goat products!

* hay hay hay - i'm still shocked at the difference the hay makes! i found an immediate difference between the grass hay i buy down the road....and the lush, green, sweet smelling heavenly alfalfa i have to way to buy from the ONE guy in the county that cuts it. the better the hay the better the milk.

* i've heard that some weeds will make milk taste funny

* i dont use the goat milk in my coffee - thats the only time i taste the goatiness...and i found out its when you heat it that the goatie overtones set in. but i dont taste it in any of the stuff i cook with. do you pasteurize????

* we love the cheeses, yogurts, etc! and i can make a good 'goat-pucino' using cold coffee and kinda frozen goat milk.

* nothing beats ice cold goat milk and oreos

sorry this isnt living up to what you thought - i turned out to be a 'goat LIKER' not a goat lover... so if you want to commiserate PM me and we can groan about it together... i think i'm secretly a cow person - maybe you are too??
;-)

ps you're giving the extra milk and the whey to your poultry, right!?! mine LOVE it!!

 

[midwestmilkmaiden]

Ohhh.. so many suggestions and things to think about!.. THank You!
To answer some questions.. I am giving them a mixed grass hay right now.. and last year I was giving alfalfa and it seems their milk wasn't as strong... but honestly, it was strong enough to make my husband and I not drink it!.. THe grain I'm giving is just a mixed grain. Yes, my pasture could use a little work!.. it's full of cocklebur (burdock) and wild parsnip, which they don't eat, but is a pain in the rear for us!!!
I may try to milk my does seperately.. because now that I'm hearing about this certain strain in Toggs, maybe my one girl has that because her milk is the strongest!
I wish I would've done more research when I got them.. because now I'm attached!

WE've been contemplating getting a cow since my daughters have turned their nose up at it. But I do love the cheese and I'm sure I'd love the milk if it didn't taste like the barn!... I don't know, I'm torn
Also, I bought my goats as kids, and you can't taste milk then.. if their mamas milk is good, does that mean their kids milk will be good as well???
Well, thanks for all the input everyone!!! My head is still spinnning, but thank you!

 

[username taken]

Quote:
its an indication, but its not foolproof

keep your girls as milk - for -cheese producers, buy another 1 or 2 adult does already in milk, for drinking, and taste before you buy

I think being sensitive to flavour you would prefer saanen milk the best

Good luck with whatever you decide

 

[calgal98]

If there is anyone around that raises Nigerian dwarfs, try to sample their milk. It is so sweet and rich. My grandkids love it. I do feed alfalfa to my does, they are on a grass pasture and are also fed grassy alfalfa. My milkers get purina goat chow on the stand. Try the milk. I can't taste anything goaty in it. Now my sis in law says it tastes like goat milk to her, but she is the only one that says that. I think its in her head as most folks can't tell any difference between that and the milk they are used to except for the richness. You could keep your toggs as pets and get a different milk goat. Nigis are wonderful.

 

[citrusdreams]

Ok, I have cows and I have goats, and the taste of the milk is very similar with these differences:

Jersey milk is much creamer and richer than Holstein milk. Jersey milk is a lot like Nubian milk, just a little creamier and richer. I would compare the Holstein milk to the Saanen, LaMancha and Alpine milk. I don't have a Togg or an Obi. However, I have never had goatie milk from goats. So I think it's unfortunate that some of you have and think that's the way it should be

Many things affect the taste of milk inluding heredity as some people mentioned, but pasture also has a LOT to do with it. It's great that your bucks are kept separate from you does. But if you doe can smell your buck while he's in rut *at all*, then her milk *will* pick it up and contribute to a goatie taste.

Also, where do you milk your goat? Is it enclosed? Is it well ventilated? Does it smell in there? If there is an off smell there, then the taste of the milk will pick up odd smells where you milk.

If your milk really is off and your buck is sufficiently distanced from your doe and where you milk is odor free, then I would highly recommend dry lot feedind them until you have your pasture under control (no onions, no weeds that can make the milk taste off - you'll have to research what weeds do that). Feed them good grain, and good mixed hay. Goats really don't like grass and much prefer browse.

Also, some goat's milk can get a bit strong if they have too much alfalfa. I know everyone pushes alfalfa, but sometimes that makes the goat milk taste strong. If you're opposed to dry lot feeding, *try* to give your goats only a handful of alfalfa per milking, the rest grain. I like to add a handful of beet pulp myself, to each milking. Try that and see if there is a difference in the next few days. But try to eliminate the alfalfa (hay too), and see if that's not what's making it taste off. I know it's nuts but believe me, there is a difference.

Now I don't know a thing about Toggs, but if it's true about their milk, you may just have to switch to another breed. Nubian milk is the sweetest and richest IMOHO. But Saanen, Alpine, LaMancha and crosses of these are also great.

Please keep us updated

 

[username taken]

the other thing that hasnt been mentioned is wormy goats will go of their flavour, but its usually a noticeable change - ie fine taste to start with, suddenly yucky tasting

 

[calgal98]

Thanks for that bit of info. Not that my goats are wormy or that the milk is off tasting, but its a good bit of info to tuck away!!

 

[jvls1942]

only read posts 2 thru 10..

I fed my goats, stock molasses to help with the goaty taste..

certain weeds will taint the milk.
I do not know which weeds. taste the weeds and if they are bitter, they most likely will be the ones to get rid of..

Milking in an enclosed odorous barn or shed can flavor milk..

wipe down the bag and surrounding area of the bag before milking.. hair etc that falls into the bucket can make the milk taste off.

mythbuster:
no one type of goat has better milk than another breed..

 

[ruth]

Our Nigerian goat's milk is absolutely delicious - sweet and creamy. Everyone who has tried it thinks we are tricking them and that it's really store bought cow milk. Our goats are in a grassy pen with no brush. We cut sweet gum trees and wild jasmine bushes to feed them along with hay, alfalfa, sweet feed and goat feed.

As soon as I milk her, I put it in a glass mason jar and put it in a small fridge that is used only for the milk - set for super high cool to get it as cold as possible as fast as possible - which is the "trick" I read and have followed.