# My Goats milk looks weird



## CountryGirl14 (Jan 29, 2013)

Ok I know this sounds gross, but my goats milk looks like its molding after it sits in the fridge for about an hour (uncovered in a plastic cup). Her milk is 10 days old (her kid was born the 22nd of Jan) and I milk her to relieve her, and I tried her milk and thought it tasted okay. So I put the milk in the fridge that I didn't drink, and it sat for about a day, and it had barely started to get a moldy look to it (really thick like cottage cheese) and I milked my goat this evening and put it in the fridge (not strained yet) and watched a movie. I went to get a glass of my milk after the movie, and I went to strain it and everything, but it looked moldy. I strained it anyways along with the other glass that wasn't as bad (which had already been strained the day before), and the gross stuff stayed in the strainer, and it looked like cottage cheese, or molding milk or something. Is it normal for it to be like that after sitting? Is it just because her milk is too colostrumy still, or because I had it in an un-covered container? Thanks!!


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

You should strain it first before putting it into the refriderator. I would also put it in a glass container like a mason jar. I've never seen that before so I'm thinking that it may be from being in the fridge uncovered.


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## CountryGirl14 (Jan 29, 2013)

okay thanks! If I don't have a jar, could I put it in a good plastic glass with saran wrap over it? or put it in a milk jug that I emptied of distilled water (I have it in that now w/ lid on)


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Honestly, glass is the best thing to put it in. I know there was someone else with a similar problem and it turned out to be the plastic they were using.


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## clearwtrbeach (May 10, 2012)

I agree with Karen. We do drink it raw, but it's milked quickly strained with proper filter, into a mason jar (they aren't expensive and you can buy the plastic lids), then into an ice bath (to cool it quickly) then into the refrig. Are you using a strip cup to check it first for any off color, stringy or smell?


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## CountryGirl14 (Jan 29, 2013)

No, I'm just milking, straining, and putting in the fridge. Since I started putting the milk in a milk jug with the lid on its not getting a mold look to it anymore. I got some plastic jars before I knew to get glass, so I now need to know if those will work?


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## Arkie (Sep 25, 2012)

Could this possibly just be the cream separating to the top??

Bob


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## CountryGirl14 (Jan 29, 2013)

I don't know. I am new to goat raising. I only got my goat in September, already bred. I wanted her for milking purposes, so if there is anything wrong with her milk, I'd need to know lol


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

Is it "flaky"? That could be cream bits. How does it taste? Any pics? Is her udder hard, swollen, red?


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## CountryGirl14 (Jan 29, 2013)

No it's not flaky, it's kinda creamy looking and thick. And her udder looks fine. Since I started putting milk in closed containers it's only done it on the lid?


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

There is some cream that comes to the top. While goat milk is naturally homogenized, there is a little cream separation. That is probably what it is.


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## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

If you scrape the white thick stuff (creme) off, after a week or so, you can make butter out of it. (if you have enough).
I just shake the glass milk bottle real well and re-suspend it in the milk, it tastes fine.


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## KarmakeeFarm (Jun 3, 2012)

Ditto what bob said-cream rises to the top :] esp if super rich!


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

What you are describing to me is the way an uncovered jar of milk will look as it sits...the cream does come to the top and because the air hits it makes it look that way...thick and chunky due to the skin that forms.

Milk your doe and immediately strain the milk into a wide mouth canning jar, I use these because it's easier to skim the cream to freeze for future buttermaking, after the milk is in the jar put a lid on it and set it in an ice water bath to chill then into the fridge.
I personally do not like to use milk jugs or other beverage containers because of the way the cream comes up and sticks to the top of the bottle...it does not come back together well even if shaken and if you don't use that milk within a couple days, that stuck on cream ages and gives the milk a flavor that most don't care for. Wide mouth jar with room to skim solves that problem for me


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## FarmerJen (Oct 18, 2012)

I strain my milk into a mason jar right away. There is a SMALL amount of cream at the top after it's sat a few days in the closed jar... but that's all. I just shake it before I use it. However, if I leave any milk in the fridge uncovered (say if my filters are all in the wash), the goat milk does develop a "skin" rather quickly. I've also noticed this in my lattes and cocoa - once the milk changes temp, a thin film is created. It's nasty when it hits my lips - just a texture thing. I'm guessing this is what you're experiencing. Especially if the milk hasn't been strained yet, this film can have bits of hair, etc in it giving it maybe a "moldy" appearance. But yes... best to strain right away to get impurities out of the milk. Otherwise you're letting them sit in there and spread bacteria.


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## Macyllehub (Jan 6, 2013)

What kind of strainer do you recommend?


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

I use the round disk filters for milk...tractor supply carries them, you can place the filter into a small stainless strainer over the jar and slowly pour the milk into it...best to strain almost as soon as it comers from the goat because chilled milk doesn't filter too quickly.


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## Di (Jan 29, 2008)

I save all my glass jars (jelly jars, spaghetti sause, etc), with lids and wash. They make great "milk jars". I always strain the milk immediately and put in glass jar (mark with sharpie-date and doe). Put the glass jar of milk into another container (plastic coffee container), with ice, put back in fridge, milk is quickly cooled. 

I agree that what you are seeing is the cream rising to the top of the container. I have a cream separator, but, you can put a silicone "hose" into the container and syphon the milk out from under the cream.


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## CountryGirl14 (Jan 29, 2013)

Thanks yall! I've been milking her regularly and her milk looks normal now, so I guess it was having something to do with colostrum or the container I was keeping it in!


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## lottsagoats (Dec 10, 2012)

Thats just the cream floating to the top and drying a little bit. As you said, when you put a lid on it, it doesn't dry out so it doesn't look gross. Mine does this when I leave it in the container for the dogs or chickens.


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