# Nigerian milk tasting off???



## DesertBounty (May 16, 2011)

Helloooo,
My Nigerians are on milk test and we are in the "0" category, my milking hygiene is great, milk tasting goaty but bucks are in a separate pen 2 ft away from girls pen, but parallel. I never had a problem with my Nubians having the buck this close, but maybe Nigies are different? I don't want to move this pen, could this be more of a Cobalt/Vit B deficiency thing? I do use SweetLix Magnum Milk, Copper Bolus 2x year. Did I mention I really don't want to move the buck pen??

Thanks for any info!
Carrie


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## canyontrailgoats (Jan 4, 2014)

What are they eating? Have you tested for mastitis? If it tastes goaty then I'm guessing your buck needs to move farther away...do they get a loose mineral mix?


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Many times it is a copper deficiency or some other mineral deficiency.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

My boys share a fenceline with my does... never a bucky/strong flavor to the milk.
I would say there may be a mineral lacking in their diet.... that and if they've decreased their water consumption. Leave a salt brick where they can access it and try to get a mineral that isn't all salt.


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## InTheCrookedPinesFarm (Mar 20, 2014)

I too am experiencing this! I added more minerals and the milk really improved...but then it started tasting a little sour....
What is a milk goat for if you can't drink the milk? Lol


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## Amyhis (May 4, 2013)

I had this same problem, added nutritional yeast to their diet and it fixed the problem! (cobalt deficiency)


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## DesertBounty (May 16, 2011)

Thanks everyone. Like I posted, I already have great minerals and copper on a regular schedule that keeps the symptoms of deficiency from raising their ugly head and my milk is already sent to the lab once a month due to being on test. My girls are only fed alfalfa and organic grain with extremely little molasses. They get a tremendous amount of water due to the fact that we live where it is over 100 degrees for 7 months out of the year. My girls milk actually tastes better when they are in heat, go figure. Thanks for all of the suggestions.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Just because you have great minerals doesn't mean they are utilizing them well and they still could be a little deficient.


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## DesertBounty (May 16, 2011)

Thanks Karen, I wondered that especially due to our extreme heat, you never know how things are metabolized. But already giving copper at 1gm per 22lbs twice a year, isn't that a lot? I don't want to swing the pendulum back in the opposite direction and wind up with too much copper?


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Depends on a lot of factors. I have to copper bolus at least 3 times a year and I have a very good loose mineral.


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## DesertBounty (May 16, 2011)

Should I have a blood assay run first? Do you copper at the same dose I do?


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## scubacoz (Nov 7, 2013)

How do you know if they need a copper bolus?


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S&K Hilltop Farm and Ranch
Registered mini-Nubians and Nigerian Dwarfs


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## DesertBounty (May 16, 2011)

I live in a very deficient area. Many herds around here had copper related problems a few years ago, until the vet ran tests and recommended supplemental copper. The things I notice first are losing color in their coats, fur off the end of their tail and problems controlling parasite loads ( I run fecals).


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## scubacoz (Nov 7, 2013)

Do you do your own decals and if so how? That is something I would like to do myself.



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S&K Hilltop Farm and Ranch
Registered mini-Nubians and Nigerian Dwarfs


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## scubacoz (Nov 7, 2013)

Fecals not decals. LOL I have no idea if we are copper deficient or not, will it hurt them to give them extra copper if we are copper deficient? Also I have been thinking of getting some selenium but don't want to overdose them. 


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S&K Hilltop Farm and Ranch
Registered mini-Nubians and Nigerian Dwarfs


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## highpockets (Jan 30, 2014)

My buck ran with does milked and it tasted great. Go figure.


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## DesertBounty (May 16, 2011)

Thanks highpockets, I'm not moving that buck pen yet! Scubacoz, you can definitely run your own fecals and if you live in a climate with high parasite levels, it could save you quite a bit of money. I homeschool so I already had the microscope, but this time of year there are quite a few "used" available on ebay. There are tutorials out there on many of the goat boards to walk you through the process and also the one I used years ago on Fiasco Farm's website.


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## scubacoz (Nov 7, 2013)

I have a really good microscope so that won't be a Problem. My husband works from home and works with some tiny electronic parts so he has a very good microscope. I live in Texas and we have a lot of bugs so I assume we have problems with wormwood. I routinely deworm my goats since there is no way I could pay for 27 fecals to be done. That's why I want to do my own fecals. 


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S&K Hilltop Farm and Ranch
Registered mini-Nubians and Nigerian Dwarfs


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