Goaty goat's milk

Since Estelle has had Walter, Walter has consistently been only drinking from one side, so I've had to milk her out on that other side each day. The first day I saved and froze, just in case, the second day she spilled it everywhere, third day went to the dogs and so on.

The day before yesterday, I collected milk which had a nice, smooth flavor and was nice and frothy when shook up hard (I looooove to shake milk before I drink it, I have no idea why). I have found her milk to be on and off in taste, some days very goaty, other days not so much. It's funny to say, really, because when I drink it, it reminds me of the smell of goats.

Has anyone else found this? I know what to expect with cows, and their flavor varies on occasion, but usually only because of butterfat content.

I found that goat milk and goat cheese tastes like the smell of goat.

Which is why I haven't tried it again.

It's not entirely detestable.

After years of having it dug into my skull the dangers of raw milk, yadda yadda, I always panic first. I now drink raw milk without issue. For the particular cow I milk, I know when it tastes off, I know when the colour is wrong, if she's sick I won't drink it and so on. However, I haven't learned that with goats yet, so I need to know where my baseline lies and then I'll be comfortable. I refuse to drink pasteurized milk at this point, especially UHT. I'll drink the occasional chocolate milk, but it's super rare now. Even since going back to having coffee every day with commercial cream, I've felt a difference sinus wise and whatnot.

Thanks for your response!

I cant remember if you have a intact buck but if so that can cause it if the doe is running with him
also alot has to do with what they are eating
are you straining it good and cooling it good before putting in the fridge?
Also are you using a Glass bottle to store it? as Plastic sometimes gives it a off Smell and taste
Before you milk her wash the Udder good also.
What we used on the Goat dairy was 2 gal. bucket of water with a couple drops of dawn and a couple drops of Bleach wash well and dry well with a clean paper towel (unscented)
if it is milked reight and cooled fast and served cold it should be Yummy

Everyone has told me the biggest thing with the goat milk is cooling quickly.

I ran across something recently you might be interested in. I dont honestly remember where, it even had photos, I will see if I can find it But it was someone milking into a bucket with a spalter screen on it like you use when frying food as a primary strainer. That way it is mostly strained already. They are also using those hard freezer packs and putting two or three in the bottom of the bucket so that as you are milking it is immediately cooling. Then, once back at the house, it is strained into glass jars and put into the fridge as it is really cool already from milking onto the freezer packs.


Edited:
Couldnt find it, but this is close:
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And to cut time straining you can milk into a jar with a metal coffee filter in the top of it so you are milking through that as a strainer.

Milking a Jersey, a Holstein, a goat, and having another Jersey due to drop a calf in two weeks, I dont have time to double handle the milk. I like it filtered right into the bucket!

Good Ideas Pfarms the only thing I see with useing the freezer pack is they are plastic and will retain stuff but another Idea would be to freeze ziplocks and put them in the bucket as they could be thrown away after each use

How about using a small bucket with the freezer packs in it that the jar sits in? Even a large coffee can with the jar in it!

That would work I am sure Pfarms
See how inventive you are.
You over worked yet doing the Chores

Cleanliness of your equipment, the goat and your hands is important. Immediate cooling is hastened if you toss a few ice cubes in with it when you set it in the fridge. The slight dilution from the melting cubes is no big deal. I've had goat milk that you could not tell was goat milk and I've had goat milk that made me spew. I fear it.

From milking the cows, there is one thing I'm good about if I (or any human) will be consuming the milk, and that's being clean. I wash the teets, both sides, using hot (but not too hot) soapy water and then dry her off with a clean cloth. I milk with clean hands (hand milk!), and very much make a point of keeping stray hairs (though freshly washed) away from the container as much as possible.

I milk into a glass corningware pot or mason jar and strain using a boiled, cleaned jelly cloth (going to get some wine mesh). Its then put into smaller quart jars and thrown in the lowest back point of the fridge to cool.

Uno, I don't keep ice around =/ As often as I think about it, the concept of buying ice is annoying and not earth friendly at all, and using the sedimenty water we have here makes me want to vomit at the thought of it, moreso than goaty goat milk.

I'm somewhat fine with the flavor, it's not a turn off, rather, an aquired taste, I just need to know it's not a stranger danger warning sign, you know? Today I milked her out and gave it to Sven who GUZZLES milk to the point it comes out his nose, so I have to try and control his speedy intake. I can't figure out how old he is, and we're rather worried he may be a pygmy goat, but time will tell I suppose.

Anywho, thanks for all the tips everyone, there's some things my books just haven't told me.

Not sure what breed you have, but we used to raise Reg. Toggenburg's and everyone said their milk was awful as a breed.

WRONG......Our does had delicious milk, all except one doe. Her milk was not good. That went to the kids, cats etc.

Her kids milk, when they grew up and were milking was fine?

Appway is right, glass jars, clean conditions, straining milk asap and into the fridge. Keep the bucks well away from the does.

Feed and care for them last.

Two ideas...one of which I know nothing about because I don't milk the goats.

1. A cold pack or water frozen in a plastic bag will cool milk without dilution.

2. Would milking more often yield less odiferous milk?

I found that the goats milk can have the goaty taste affected by what they are eating, being around a smelly buck, not being real fresh, and not being chilled quickly and kept cold..

Perhaps then, Sue, you are right. I only milk her out in the evening before bed. Perhaps an earlier rising time is warranted. I have decided just to milk into a pot until she gets more settled, and give the milk to Sven or the chickens/cats/dogs.

What about the proximity of the buck?

Back when we had pygmy goats, I remember my wife saying that the buck's smell got into everything around him.

We don't have bucks old enough. Sven is about a month old and Walter is, well, just over a week.