# Goaty milk?



## sbaker (Nov 11, 2012)

I have been milking my Saanen for about a week now, and her milk is super creamy and sweet. It's so good, that my two year old calls it "milkshake"! Until today. I just poured me a glass and almost spit it out. It was TERRIBLE! I changed her feed a a few days ago to a better feed for milkers- her previous owners had her on 12% sweet feed- and she gets alfalfa hay. She is getting some browse, but not free ranging in our pasture yet because she's not tame enough to let me catch her yet. So, She really didn't eat much out of the ordinary. Could it be this better feed?


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## Curious (Feb 6, 2013)

I probably won't be much help but I'll put up my two cents. What is the flavor like? Goaty? Bitter? Rancid? Is it possible that she got into any strong flavored weeds like onion grass or garlic weed? There are tons of weeds that can make milk taste funny. Is the feed sour or moldy? What ingredients are in the new feed that are different from the old feed? Maybe the lack of molasses changed the way the milk tasted. Has the weather suddenly changed from cool to warm? That could make it harder to cool the milk down quickly enough and result in goaty tasting milk. Do you thoroughly her udder before you milk, and your milking equipment after each milking? That can also make milk taste bad. Hope some of this helps a tiny bit.  I'm sure someone with more experience will come along if I can't help you.


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## sbaker (Nov 11, 2012)

The flavor is very goaty! I'm thinking she may have just ate some bad weeds... how long after they eat something would you taste it in the milk?


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## Curious (Feb 6, 2013)

As long as it takes her body to get rid of the nasty milk, usually a day or so. Goaty flavor is usually caused when the milk isn't cooled down quickly enough. How do you handle the milk? Most people I know have a cooler filled with ice and water that has some of the quart mason jars that have filters on them in it, and they immediately pour the milk into the jars after milking until they can get to the house.


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## sbaker (Nov 11, 2012)

Well, I pasteurize right now, and so I milk, bring it straight inside and pasteurize immediately. It's done within 5 minutes of milking. Should I be cooling it before pasteurizing?


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## Curious (Feb 6, 2013)

From what I've read, yes, it is supposed to be cooled to 40 degrees before and after pasteurization as quickly as possible to keep it fresh tasting. It said to put a thermometer and stir the milk 'til it gets cool enough. None of the people I know pasteurize their milk though so the internet could be lying to me.


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## sbaker (Nov 11, 2012)

I do use an ice bath after pasteurization, and it gets chilled to 40 or below in little to no time. I'll have to do some more research on the before part I guess! I don't really think that's the problem though, because I'm not doing anything different, and I've not had a flavor issue before this.... Oh well! If she ate something strange when I tied her out to browse, I may never know what caused it!


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## Curious (Feb 6, 2013)

She must have gotten into something hehe. Those crafty little caprines love to make us scratch our heads. Good luck with the milk!


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## sbaker (Nov 11, 2012)

Thanks! I'm sure it will just be a passing thing... like I said, her milk was SOOOO good before now! Hopefully I will be able to figure out what she got into, 'cause I really don't want to have to dump milk on a regular basis!


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

If her feed is the only changes..then yes...I would think that did it...also as soon as goats milk leaves the udder the natural enzymes begin to multiply..the longer it is warm the stronger the flavor..( goatie) You can add a handful of pine needles to settle the PH of the milk and help the flavor. We milk, strain and pour the fresh milk in quart size jars and put in the freezer for two hours...as the weather get hotter we will bring a ice bath out with us and add the jars to it for a faster cool...faster cool means fresher tasting milk..


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## sbaker (Nov 11, 2012)

Thanks for the suggestions!


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

I will also add, when my does are copper deficient, the milk tastes bitter. Also, my Lamancha just came down with a mild case of mastitis. I noticed a difference in her milk immediately when I started treating her -- it was sweet again!


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## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

I do all my chores first, then milk and take the milk directly to the strainer and then into the pasteurizer. After it is done, it is cooled quickly in an ice bath and 
put in the 'fridge. I have never cooled it down before pasteurization. It is sweet and I've never had a problem.


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## sbaker (Nov 11, 2012)

Goats Rock said:


> I do all my chores first, then milk and take the milk directly to the strainer and then into the pasteurizer. After it is done, it is cooled quickly in an ice bath and
> put in the 'fridge. I have never cooled it down before pasteurization. It is sweet and I've never had a problem.


That's exactly what I am doing.  It must have been what she ate, because her milk is back to tasting good. I'm just not putting her back out where she was, so hopefully she won't eat whatever it was that tasted so bad!


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## Curious (Feb 6, 2013)

Yay! I'm glad her milk is back to tasting delicious.


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## sbaker (Nov 11, 2012)

curious said:


> yay! I'm glad her milk is back to tasting delicious.


me too!


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## francismilker (Oct 22, 2011)

I can also suggest to keep a box of baking soda out in the trough at all times. It helps keep their stomach acid nuetralized and keeps the milk tasting fresh. 

As far as all those that go through the trouble to carry ice to the barn for immediate icing down of the milk, that's a LOT of trouble imho. I've been milking a goat for years and have never had to deal with icing it down to keep it from getting goaty and it gets pretty hot here in SE OK during the summer. 

If a goat is eating right and has plenty of baking soda out to eat free choice, the milk will be fine. I also agree on the copper deficiency comment above. It's very important to keep their minerals balanced. 

If you look into dairy feed additives, sodium bicarbonate is used in dairy cattle feeds all the time. It stands to reason that a ruminant animal would need some help keep their stomach calm.


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