# Sudden "Bucky taste"in milk



## FairFarms (Mar 18, 2015)

I have been milking our ff Lamancha doe for 2 months and all has been great! In the past week when we milk the first day it tastes fine, the second morning you can taste it a little, but by that night it is horrible. it gets anasty "bucky" flavor(like I'm chewing on the goats beard). We checked our frig temp it was 39 deg. Fahrenheit. Her diet has not changed. She has been in a paddock adjacent to our buck, but he has no odor. And I haven't seen them trying to rub on each other through the fence. Any ideas what is causing the flavor? Solution?


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## Dayna (Aug 16, 2012)

Is she in heat?


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## Goat_in_Himmel (Jun 24, 2013)

Is this happening to the milk in the fridge after two days, or same-day milk as you've progressed through the week?


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## FairFarms (Mar 18, 2015)

She is not in heat that I know, and it is different jars of milk as they get to 2 days old. If she is in heat would that cause it?


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## FairFarms (Mar 18, 2015)

Just checked at milking time, she is not in heat


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## Dayna (Aug 16, 2012)

Being in heat can cause milk to taste off, I've noticed mine tasting "bitter".

Also if she has an early case of "pre mastitis" that can cause milk to go off too. 

If you don't get it cold quick enough that could be a bacterial "bloom" growing in the milk. If it's happening after 2 days, it would lead me to believe that either the milk is growing something you don't want it to, or it is leaching smell/flavor from the container.


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## FairFarms (Mar 18, 2015)

I store my milk in glass jars with the white plastic storage lids. If it is something growing in the milk do you think I should try to pasteurize it in order to rule that out? Thank you for your help


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

When was the last time she had a copper bolus?


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## FairFarms (Mar 18, 2015)

We bought her 2 months ago in milk, I don't know about before we got her, but we haven't giving her one.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Find out if they copper bolus. If they didn't, copper bolus her.


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## sassykat6181 (Nov 28, 2012)

I agree with the copper


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## FairFarms (Mar 18, 2015)

OK, I will try it. how often are they supposed to have it?


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## lovinglife (Jun 6, 2013)

Does she have good loose minerals free choice? I fine milk that turns fast is usually a mineral issue. I put loose minerals out constantly and also a cobalt block and now the milk is fantastic and lasts at least 10 days if not more.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Copper bolus frequency is not a set amount. You have to figure out what your farm needs. Generally 1 time per year to 4 times per year. Even with a good loose mineral, I have to copper bolus 4 times per year.


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## TDG-Farms (Jul 12, 2013)

A does milk will change throughout her lactation. She just maybe at the point where the amount of butter fat her body is putting into the milk has dropped. Id start giving her say a half a cup to a cup of baking soda a day if she will take it. Feeding her alfalfa may give her the extra to produce a better tasting milk again. If she is on pasture, something in the grass could have changed. If you are feeding her hay, then milking before you feed or keeping her away from feed for 4 hours before you milk at night may also help.


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## FairFarms (Mar 18, 2015)

OK I will put her mineral out free choice, I usually just sprinkle it over her food. I have to order the bolus of Amazon local feed site didn't have it. I will try these suggestions and let ya'll know how it turns out. Thank you!


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

Here was my journey on milk tasting off...http://www.thegoatspot.net/forum/f183/milk-tastes-bitter-salty-148778/


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