# Trouble with milk taste :(



## upsidedown (Feb 17, 2013)

Ok. I am new to milking but I believe I am using good milking practice. I wash my stainless steel milking bucket in the dishwasher. I take hot soapy water wash her udder and under belly and legs. Strip out each udder....everything looks good in the cup. Start milking, weight milk, put her away, go up to the house and strain the milk in to a glass jar that I put in the freezer the night before to be cold for this process. The milk from today Wednesday taste goaty. The milk from Thursday thru Saturday taste just like milk is suppose to taste.

She is dam raising 2 bucklings so I milk her in the am only. She is fed a sweet feed 4 pounds a day,alphalfa and grass hay, free choice of mineral and baking soda. She was not in the best condition when I got her, low quality feed and hay from what we saw. I have wormed her also. Coat is full of dandruff and am planning on peeling her as soon as warm weather gets here.

Any suggestions would be appreciated. I really hate pouring milk down the drain . That is how bad it taste when it is 3 days old..I would think it would be good longer.

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## milkmaid (Sep 15, 2010)

Copper deficiency can cause off-tasting milk (personal experience). Do they have rough coats? The mineral may not have enough copper. You might need to copper bolus.
Also, I believe with Toggs, which have stronger-tasting milk anyway, you can make their milk taste normal with...um...is it certain B vitamin supplements??


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## upsidedown (Feb 17, 2013)

Oh I forgot to add she is a 2nd freshener...alpine

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## mjs500doo (Nov 24, 2012)

Molasses can also show through in milk too. Kinda different taste. I feed clean grains with a little honey instead of molasses in their feed.


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## Di (Jan 29, 2008)

My Lucy Alpine also had "funny" tasting milk, then we noticed her reaching over the fence to eat Hubby's arborvitae trees along the fence line. She has been moved to the other pasture, so hopefully, if I ever get her bred again, that will solve the problem. 

I'll tell you, though, her milk was not near as "rich" tasting as the Nigerian's milk. When I mixed them it was fine. My does won't be kidding for 3 weeks or so. :GAAH:


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## mjs500doo (Nov 24, 2012)

An old lady told me she gives her goats a shovel full of pine needles from her pine line and loves the taste of her milk. Forgot about that. I don't really know if I want piney milk? Lol


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## TVFarm (Mar 25, 2013)

We have toggs and had the same problem last year. Gave everyone copper bolus and milk went back to normal. Figured it out by accident. Our milk tastes like cows milk.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

Pine needles help balance the PH in the milk and gives it a cleaner taste...no pine taste: ) I wouldn't give a shovel full...only a handful per feeding for a day or two. Goats milk has a enzyme in it that begins to multiply the second it hits the air and begins this "bucky flavor"...the sooner you strain and cool the better your milk will taste...we milk strain and pour into quart size jars in the barn, and put in freezer for 1-2 hours....this has improved our milks flavor 100%. When weather gets hot we will have an ice water bucket ready to sit the jars in for an even faster cool. This is of course once any other issues are resolved such as copper needs..


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## mjs500doo (Nov 24, 2012)

happybleats said:


> Pine needles help balance the PH in the milk and gives it a cleaner taste...no pine taste: ) I wouldn't give a shovel full...only a handful per feeding for a day or two. Goats milk has a enzyme in it that begins to multiply the second it hits the air and begins this "bucky flavor"...the sooner you strain and cool the better your milk will taste...we milk strain and pour into quart size jars in the barn, and put in freezer for 1-2 hours....this has improved our milks flavor 100%. When weather gets hot we will have an ice water bucket ready to sit the jars in for an even faster cool. This is of course once any other issues are resolved such as copper needs..


I'm glad someone else knew a little something with pine. Forgot to mention she's milking 18 does.


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## upsidedown (Feb 17, 2013)

Is there a test that I should do? She acts just fine...she has twins on her and they act fine. I don't want to neglect her if she is coming down with something. I am feeling really dumb these days 

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## mjs500doo (Nov 24, 2012)

upsidedown said:


> Is there a test that I should do? She acts just fine...she has twins on her and they act fine. I don't want to neglect her if she is coming down with something. I am feeling really dumb these days
> 
> Sent from my iPad using GoatSpot


Run down to your farm supply store or give the vet a call. Pick up a CMT test. (California mastitis test).


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## upsidedown (Feb 17, 2013)

Well I couldn't get a CMT...had to order copper bolous (?sp). None of the vets in this area carried those things. I bolused Bambi, wormed her and the milk is tasting really good now. In fact she is looking good finally. Thanks for the support and suggestions. I was really frustrated.

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## Devin (Feb 6, 2011)

you are doing great, don't get frustrated! goat milk does break down more easily and won't stay good tasting as long as cows milk. This is not a bad thing. Just make sure you are using your milk within a couple days and if not freeze it for cooking etc . . . To make it stay yummy longer make sure it is cold fast! I will be putting a freezy in my bucket while milking this year to get it cold before I even get it in the house. Last year I ice bathed, and that worked well, too


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