# I milked her...now what?



## goatsinmississippi (Jun 19, 2013)

Hello! If my title doesn't give it away, I'm a newbie to the herd  My partner and I just got two Alpine nannies (one is a first freshener and got milked for the first time today). So, the first time I milked her was this morning. She hadn't been emptied or anything since sometime yesterday; she was nursing a few kids from her herd. So, the goal for the morning was to get her used to the milking process (remind me to tell you that story later) and I didn't bother trying to collect any of it. Tonight, however, I got about a quart. My partner and his friend brought it inside and tasted it (too brave for me). It looked really thick--I mean THICK--and then we just stuck it in the freezer. What's one to do with the milk to make it drinkable? Yes, I know some of the braver bunch opt to drink it raw, but I'm too much of a wuss for it. I started looking at pasteurization and filtering, and I don't know the difference between the two! My ultimate goal is to have milk I can cook with and that my friends will want (no, not selling it), make butter, cheese, and soaps. I'll be doing everything from home, and would rather not purchase any fancy equipment. I have a gas stove and an eager mind. Okay, I'm ready to be learned!


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## Texaslass (May 15, 2013)

Welcome to the forum!First of all, please do not be turned off by raw milk. A lot of people have wrong notions about it tasting horrible and so on- its not true! 
Raw milk, if treated properly, is wonderful tasting, as well as much better for you than pasteurized milk. Pastuerizing kills good and bad bacteria, but if you bring your milk in quickly after you milk-dont leave it sitting out tin the barn while you finish chores-strain it well, and stick it in the freezer till its cold, it's fine! It's fresh, healthy, great tasting- and less work than pasteurizing!


Second, if you doe has freshened VERY recently, the milk may be thick because it still has colostrum in it, which is very thick and yellow and sticky. Generally be a week there is no more colostrum in the milk, so if its been longer than that, it could be mastitis from not being milked soon enough. If her bag got too full for too long, it could've brought on mastitis.
Does her udder feel hot or hard? I'll save the rest of my thoughts until we know more.


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## mjs500doo (Nov 24, 2012)

Only thing I feel like I need to add here is please go slow with your introduction to raw milk. There are a lot of good bacteria in milk and if your body hasn't seen them before, it may get mad at the milk. What I mean is, if you've never drank raw milk before, take a sip or a spoonful. Gradually work your way in, more and more every day. Get your body accustomed to it. The *crap* that is in the store isn't even milk in my book. I was raised on raw milk. Cows, sheep, goat, and was also breast fed. 

You won't know what you could be missing if you don't try it!


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## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

How long has it been since she had the kids? The thickness could be caused by colostrum still in the system. It takes about 2 weeks for it to get out of their system. (That is what I've learned) My goats milk has never been thick, so I'm guessing colostrum, but as someone else pointed out it could be mastitis, although I have been very fortunate not to have dealt with that, so hopefully someone with experience can help you.

I just strain my milk with a coffee filter, and then chill it. Getting it into the house and straining it and getting it chilled ASAP is crucial... That is why I make sure milking is last, so within a 5 minute period I'm already straining it. (Hopefully that will still work with more then 1 to milk I don't pasteurize it because that is heating the milk to kill all the good and bad bacteria. To be honest once my system got used to it, I haven't been "sick" as in a cold etc.. Rare for me to be sure

Welcome to TGS!!


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

When did she last kid? If you have been drinking the fat free milk, fresh milk can look thick.

Filtering is when you first bring the milk in and pour it through a filter. You would do this whether you drink it raw or pasteurize. Pasteurize is heat treating the milk to kill the bacteria. As others have said, it kills the good and the bad bacteria. 

I drink mine raw so can't help you with heat treating on the stove. You have to decide what is right for you. If you feel you need to pasteurize, then do it.


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## hallsthirdacrefarm (Mar 30, 2011)

I stovetop pasteurize as I have a very young child who has regular tummy troubles. Here's what I do...I bring all my milk straight in, filter it through a milk filter (small one) from Caprine supply ...looks like a funnel with a disposeable pad in it... and put it right in the fridge. Once I have a gallon or more I get out two stainless pots, one that nests in side the other and make a double boiler (by putting a couple inches of water inside the bottom pot that sits on the stove). I then put my thermometor, stir spoon, anything else I will be using if I make cheese and any jars I will store the milk in into the inner pot, add an inch of water and cover with a lid. I bring this to a boil. The idea is to sterilize everything you use because if you are making cheese...it WILL mold later if you don't. Once the equipment is steamed for a few minutes I turn down the heat and use canning tongs to lay it on a clean towel or baking rack and dump the water out of the inner pot. I then pour my milk into the inner pot and start at medium heat, stirring regularly. The goal is to bring the milk to 165 degrees fairly quickly without scalding it. I fill the sink with ice and a little water. Once the milk hits 165 I hold it there for 30 seconds, then turn off the stove. I set the pot in the sink with ice in it to cool it down. If you are making yogurt or cheese, the instruction will tell you what temp. the milk needs to be before you add your cultures. Otherwise, for drinking milk, you really want to bring the temp. of the milk down FAST to preserve the taste and as many proteins as possible. Just putting it in the fridge will take hours to cool. I have set the whole pot in the chest freezer when I've had to run once it's cooled below 120. Yes you kill good bacteria, but if you are making cheese or cultured milk products, you will reculture the milk with good bacteria. You will damage the proteins some but not nearly as much as ultra pasteurized milk. It's a choice. I occasionally enjoy a glass of raw milk myself...but everyone has to decide on their own. This is still WAY better than store bought...and it works.


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## OwnedByTheGoats (Mar 7, 2013)

That might have been colostrum. Colostrum is very thick.


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## nchen7 (Feb 25, 2013)

we use our milk raw. straining is when you run the milk through a filter. pasteurizing is the process of heating up milk to kill of good and bad bacteria. yesterday after milking my girl, my bf and i drank the milk warm. so good!


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## Texaslass (May 15, 2013)

Maybe you could post some pics of your new goats soon.  Are they French Alpine or American?


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## OakHollowRanch (Jun 6, 2013)

I personally drink it raw and love it, but some of my family members still believe the worst will happen if it isn't pasteurized. For all milk, I immediately rush it into the house and put it into the freezer. For raw milk, I place a disposable coffee filter into a sanitized funnel and let it drain into the jar. I then label the mason jar, seal it up, and put it into the fridge. For pasteurized milk, I filter it the same way, but right into a large pot. I turn the burner on and wait until it feels pretty warm. I then stick in the candy thermometer and stir constantly until it reaches 165F. I then take it off the heat and allow it to cool. Once cool, I transfer it to mason jars, label them, and stick them into the fridge. That's how we do it.  I should not though, I do not ever drink any milk raw that got a foot too close or in it, or sat out too long. Make sure you have good milking procedures too. Good luck!


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## sbaker (Nov 11, 2012)

I have pasteurized before, and pretty much did it exactly like hallsthirdacrefarm. Only I set the pot in ice water and stir it to chill even faster, then cool it the rest of the way in the freezer. The milk is going to be thicker than any "white water" that you buy in the store, but it shouldn't be extremely thick. I had my issues with drinking raw also, kinda was a little freaked out about the idea. I started reading all of the pros and cons and decided that for the allergy history my family has, raw would be better. But, YOU have to be comfortable with your decision on how to drink it. Either way, goats milk is awesome! And welcome to the group!


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## goatsinmississippi (Jun 19, 2013)

I will try and take some pictures today. Between them, chickens, ducks, three dogs, a parrot, husband, graduate school, and running a business (mind you, I've also been dubbed house husband in charge of all the daily household chores lol) life it never at a standstill. I will go out and get a kitchen thermometer today so I can start pasteurizing. For now, that's going to be my best bet. I'm lactose in tolerant, so I doubt I'll be drinking a lot of the milk. The goats are more for hobby and making products from the milk. 

So far I've only put the milk through a couple of coffee filters into a clean mason jar. Unfortunately, I've taken my time getting it cooled down. After I milk I put them back in the enclosure, thrown them some tree branches, clean the milk stand and the station, and bring the milk in to the fridge. I don't have an automatic ice maker, so having an ice bath immediately ready is somewhat unfeasible. Any other suggestions? 

Oh, about the thick milk. Turns out it was foamy lol  We had a guest over that was helping us build the barn, and I was too focused on cleaning up after dinner so I could finish up the rest of my housework and I didn't get a GOOD look at the milk. They put some on a spoon, and it looked really thick. Otherwise, her milk has been a perfect consistency, and she's slowly getting used to the milk stand. Getting her on it and giving her food she likes is proving to be a bit of a challenge, but I believe in tough love, so if she's stubborn getting on the stand, she gets a helping hand


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## sbaker (Nov 11, 2012)

I don't have an ice maker either, I just make my own ice in ice trays. And, goats milk is so different than cows milk, that many lactose intolerant people can actually drink it, even though they can't drink "regular" milk.


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## Texaslass (May 15, 2013)

We just put our milk in the freezer in jars; after about 2 hours its quite cold, and we move it to the frig. Works for us, and the milk tastes great!


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## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

I'm actually lactose intolerant and I can drink goats milk no problem. My nephew in law can too. Just an FYI


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## goatsinmississippi (Jun 19, 2013)

Well, what we've been doing for the milk is just putting it through a couple of coffee filters or a handkerchief to get out the hair and stuff. It goes straight to the fridge after that. We put it in a 2 gallon container to separate the cream. We have a jar for coffee milk, and have a few for cheese making. Is my filtering process okay? So far we haven't pasteurized and the milk tastes just fine.


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## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

goatsinmississippi said:


> Well, what we've been doing for the milk is just putting it through a couple of coffee filters or a handkerchief to get out the hair and stuff. It goes straight to the fridge after that. We put it in a 2 gallon container to separate the cream. We have a jar for coffee milk, and have a few for cheese making. Is my filtering process okay? So far we haven't pasteurized and the milk tastes just fine.


I just use the coffee filters, never had a problem. I also have the quick milk filters to that once I get more than a quart I will use that and then the coffee filters as well. I just like to know it's all clean. I also just put mine in the fridge. Once I start milking my other two girls, I will put some in the freezer so I can have some milk in the off season


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## luvmyherd (Apr 9, 2011)

Since I read all this I will add my :2cents:. We drink our milk raw and use it raw for cheese, ice cream (luckily, I have a cream separator) butter, yogurt etc. The only time my milk becomes pasturized is when I make pudding or sauces.
I strain it while milking by covering pail with a diaper; (no, they have never been used as diapersLOL) I just wanted 100% cotton filters. I do sanitize them between uses and fold them double. Then I clip on a half moon cover.
I pour the milk into mason jars and try to get it into the 'fridge in a reasonable amount of time. I used an ice bath once and really could not tell a difference in the tase. My girls give really sweet, tasty milk and I enjoy it warm (straight out of the goat) or cold.
Welcome to TGS and to the wonderful world of goats. My kids and now grandkids drink it raw by the gallon and nobody has ever gotten sick.


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