Dairy Goats Plus

[Karen Jorgensen]

What makes milk "goaty"? And how does milk that is "goaty flavor" taste? The only thing I thought might be "goaty" is chevre that has been drained for 2 days at room temperature.

[MICHAEL W. SMITH]

Probably the most common problem with off-flavored milk is due to milking or what happens right after milking.

The goat must be milked into a clean pan - not something that "looks" clean, but IS clean. And the udder MUST be wiped off before milking. As soon as you are done milking, cooling the milk as fast as possible preserves freshness. In other words, after you are done milking, don't stop by the kid pen to watch the kids only to discover the feeder has been turned upside down, so you go in and upright the feeder, but notice something else.

Milk needs to be cooled as QUICKLY as possible after milking.

It should be strained and put into a clean sanitized container.

Sometimes milk can taste different because a doe just gives an off-flavored milk, or they are eating something different. But most times odd-flavored milk is due to poor milking practices, how quickly it's cold, or what's it's put in.
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Michael W. Smith in North-West Pennsylvania

"Everything happens for a reason."