# Milking meat goats



## Honey21 (Jan 26, 2014)

My husband and I have a small herd of Boer cross goats. He wants to experiment with goat milk. We just sold off the kids and the moms udder are tight. Could we milk them and use the milk? Or is that only in dairy breeds? Can u make cheese from the milk also?


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## Honey21 (Jan 26, 2014)

Also a few are crossed with dairy breeds. I have never tried this before


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## Honey21 (Jan 26, 2014)

Bump


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## Heart of the Matter Farm (Dec 7, 2017)

I have milked my boers. I have ones that I need to be milk to help dry off because they make so much milk. And they have no dairy in them. To me it taste just as good as dairy goats.


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## Heart of the Matter Farm (Dec 7, 2017)

I have yet to make anything with goat milk. I want to. Just been to busy to try.


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## CountyLineAcres (Jan 22, 2014)

You can do whatever you want with boer milk. There’s nothing wrong with it.


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## Honey21 (Jan 26, 2014)

Thanks that is soo relieving. No we if I can get the girls to cooperatw. Any advice for a first time milker


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

You can milk any goat. Just a matter of how much milk and how long the lactation.


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## Heart of the Matter Farm (Dec 7, 2017)

Take your time. Might have to hobble the back legs.


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## Honey21 (Jan 26, 2014)

Can I store milk in fridge until I get ready to make cheese or do I need use it right away. I plan on doing it the next day just want to be prepared. Can u drink it raw? If not how do I pasteurize it?


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## Honey21 (Jan 26, 2014)

Can I store it in a milk jug that has been washed and sterilized in the fridge?


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## Iluvlilly! (Apr 6, 2019)

I milk my Boer/Pygmy girl every morning into a cottage cheese container then wait until it is cold to strain and at it to the other milk which we store in a glass quart jar, and we always drink it raw. But that is just what we do. I'm not quite sure how to pasteurize it since we have ever done that. This is what works for us, im sure everybody does it differently.


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## Honey21 (Jan 26, 2014)

Well any advice would be welcome. Since I have multiple goats I can milk do I keep the milk from each goat separate or can I combine it?


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## Iluvlilly! (Apr 6, 2019)

Honey21 said:


> Well any advice would be welcome. Since I have multiple goats I can milk do I keep the milk from each goat separate or can I combine it?


Okay!! Yes, im pretty sure you can combine it! Somebody can correct me if im wrong!


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## Iluvlilly! (Apr 6, 2019)

Do you have a milking stand? I find it very helpful to have one, and to let her eat feed, hay, or a little treat etc.. while you milk her so it keeps her occupied!
Also if you have a stainless bucket or something to milk her into that isn't plastic you would probably be better off I know a lot of people that use something stainless to milk into. The only reason we use plastic is 'cause we don't/haven't been able to find something better around here to milk into @Goats Rock Am I suggesting anything wrong here?


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## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

As long as your milk containers are really clean and sterile, plastic is ok. It just tends to hold bacteria in the scratches, etc. more then glass or stainless steel.


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## Honey21 (Jan 26, 2014)

Ok gotcha. I don't have anything stainless I might could find glass


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## Honey21 (Jan 26, 2014)

Omg I just tasted some fresh and it is really good


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## Honey21 (Jan 26, 2014)

I do have a stand I use it for feet but it is coming in hand for this


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## Iluvlilly! (Apr 6, 2019)

Honey21 said:


> Omg I just tasted some fresh and it is really good


Yeah it does!! Now you can make goat cheese and anything you want with goat milk(thumbup)(thumbup)


Honey21 said:


> I do have a stand I use it for feet but it is coming in hand for this


Okay that's good! You will find it much nicer!!


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## Honey21 (Jan 26, 2014)

Is it hard to make soap


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## CountyLineAcres (Jan 22, 2014)

Not at all. I’ve done both cold and hot process goat soap. It’s fun!


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## Honey21 (Jan 26, 2014)

I'm looking into getting a saneen/ nubian female and getting into dairy goats just for milk. I figured I would experiment first. Is there anyway to add flavor to the cheese through the milk before u curdle it?


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## Iluvlilly! (Apr 6, 2019)

How is everything going with milking your meat goats? Have you made much stuff with their milk yet?


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## Honey21 (Jan 26, 2014)

Iluvlilly! said:


> How is everything going with milking your meat goats? Have you made much stuff with their milk yet?


I Have made two batches of cheese. The girls were surprisingly tolerant of me milking them. I was amazed myself


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## Honey21 (Jan 26, 2014)




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## Honey21 (Jan 26, 2014)

My husband is loving the cheese. I made the second batch different experimenting with flavors.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Looks good!


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Yummy.


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## Iluvlilly! (Apr 6, 2019)

Looks delicious!!:goodjob:


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## Honey21 (Jan 26, 2014)

Does anybody else have experience with cheese making? Any recipes I can steal?:haha:


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## GodsGarden (Feb 6, 2015)

I think https://curd-nerd.com/ is a great site for recipes. I enjoy making the Halloumi one. It isn't hard and tastes really good. I make sure to salt it well at the end and then store the 'moons' in a glass half gallon jar in the fridge. Keeps for around a month that way. (I'm not good at brining, lol) But it is really tasty and I just slice it up and fry it in a pan. Yum.

And for Chevre I make the cheese right after I strain the milk from milking--so the milk is still warm and not chilling first. It always seemed to come out best that way. A yummy way that I like to eat it is with honey, dried fruits, and nuts. You can put it on a cracker or bread. I'm making myself hungry now.


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## Honey21 (Jan 26, 2014)

Moons is a new word? Meaning?


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## GodsGarden (Feb 6, 2015)

Oh, lol, sorry, guess I should have explained that. It is the shape of the finished cheese. You basically have a circle of 1/3 inch-ish thick and you fold it in half. Thus, in my mind, creating a moon.


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## spidy1 (Jan 9, 2014)

Every breed has it's own milk flavor, I personally wont drink Nubian or ND, Alpine is borderline, LaMancha is good, Boer is THE BEST!!!! My milk goat was a LaMancha Boer cross, her milk was GOLDEN!!!!! I didnt make cheese or yogurt, just drink it raw or cook with it, I LOVED it!!!! pic of Letty 1/2 LaMancha 1/2 Boer... she produced over 1 gal a day her 3rd freshening...


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## Iluvlilly! (Apr 6, 2019)

Letty is so beautiful!!!:inlove:


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## spidy1 (Jan 9, 2014)

Boer has the highest milk fat of all goat breeds, that is what make it so sweet


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## Honey21 (Jan 26, 2014)

Well lol my goats are All Boer crosses


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## Davi (Apr 9, 2019)

As a tip, we've found that the faster you can get the milk cooled, the better the milk tastes. We have some ice packs we put in the bottom of the milk pail, but freezing the pail works too if its metal (though the does might not like if the cold pail touches them) I forget why this helps, but I know the longer you let it stay warm, the more goat taste it'll have


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## Honey21 (Jan 26, 2014)

That is good to know


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