# Milk and illnesses (need a pep talk)



## RedLotusNigerians (Dec 13, 2011)

Okay. I ALWAYS do this to myself every season when the kids are weaned and I'm collecting milk. I've been consuming the milk raw from my girls for only about 1, maybe 2 years now (I previous heat-treated it on the stove-top). And at the start of each milking season I need a 'pep talk' to assure myself that I am not, in fact, going to keel over from it  It's mainly the listeriosis that I worry about. 

Everyone is healthy. UTD on shots, no worms. The only thing that never fails to happen during the winter is they occasionally get winter lice, and I try to treat it with DE instead of a chemical method. I'm told they're pretty common for everyone. I'm very OCD about keeping the milking equipment (aka. my 2 qt. Pyrex measuring cup) as clean as freaking possible before collecting, along with anything else the milk will touch. Udders get a quick swipe with udder wash before and after milking. I still freak out a little when a spec of dust or something falls on the foam seemingly out of no where. And when I'm done, the milk goes straight to the fridge, for I have yet to figure out a way to get it cooler faster with my small setup. I'd like to figure out a better way of getting it cooled as fast as possible (more on that below).

So with listeriosis, does the goat have to be infected with it in order for it to be in the milk? How common is it? 

I could also use some input here -- I think my palate continues to be spoiled/tricked into commercial dairy products. I use whole cow milk or the vitamin D stuff when my girls are dry (typically anything I freeze ends up going to a bottle kid). And I do know that if milk isn't cooled off fast enough it can have an off flavor. My fridge tends to freeze things on accident it stays so cold, but my milk still has a very, very mild 'goat' flavor to it. Am I not cooling it down fast enough, or is it something that all natural goat milk carries? Granted, I have an extremely picky palate, too...

Anyway... Off I go now


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

First off..its always good to be cautious  I am not positive but I would think the milk would only be tainted IF the goat indeed had listeriosis..and if she did have it you would know....We have had dairy goats for 7+ years..have always drank our milk raw. And if anything are healthy because of it..we have Five children still at home and one grand child who visits a lot and all drink this milk..If your girls are healthy and your milking habits clean I can see no reason to worry. : ) enjoy and as for cooling..From what I read...Grade B is the best you can do with out a machine to milk directly into a cooling vat..you get grade B by being very clean..straining ASAP after milking..and putting your milk into a small quart size or smaller jar into a ice n water bath to cool faster...Grade C is putting the jar in the freezer..after straining..which is how we always have done it..this year we want grade B..: ) so we will do a ice water bath...Good Luck and enjoy the fruits of your labor and the Goats gift : ) If you still experience off flavor..try added pine needles..not a lot..maybe a handful or so from a clean tree...this will settle the PH in your milk : )


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

I'll tell you what, I have some health issues, and NOTHING has been better or more soothing for me than the raw milk. It has made a huge difference for me


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## RedLotusNigerians (Dec 13, 2011)

Big relieved sigh! 

It's probably silly to still need a pep talk after so long, but I feel so much better now  I have never heard of pine needles to settle the pH in milk before! Would I add them directly to the milk or feed it to my girls? 

I'm trying to think of how to go about getting an ice bath out to my milking area easily.... Maybe one of those foam coolers with ice and water, and maybe a little alcohol to keep it from freezing at night? HMMM....


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## goatiegirl (Jan 7, 2013)

Great question and great answers!! I have been wondering about this myself...


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

ok wish I had this saved somehwere -- maybe now I will so I dont have to keep typing it up each time the question comes up.

I to am very picky about milk taste. So In my efforts I learned how to cool it asap which highly effects the milk taste.

I milk into a small container or bucket. I then dump into a larger bucket which I have an icepack in. The icepack is inside a ziplock bag for easy cleaning and for hygiene reasons (some ice packs have stickers on them or other writing that comes off when wet etc). 

The ice pack cools the milk immediately its awesome. I milk into the smaller container so as to not loose the precious milk if the doe decides to be a bad girl. 

I then use the filter disks and funnel system - like the one from Hoeggars - and it filters out EVERYTHING. Ive tried other filtration methods which were not as effective. 

The milk goes straight into the fridge to stay cold.


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

ok couldnt find the strainer on hoeggars but I did at caprine supply http://www.caprinesupply.com/stainless-steel-mini-strainer.html


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## ptgoats45 (Nov 28, 2011)

I've been drinking raw milk for several years too and never had a problem. I think the does have to be in extremely icky conditions and ill themselves for it to be in the milk. If you really want to you can see if there is any place in your state the milk can be sent to for testing.

I wash my does udders with a chlorhexidine solution first, dry the udder then milk into a smaller pail. I dump it into my bigger pail, milk the next goat and so on. Milk goes from the bigger pail into the jug and into the fridge. I must be the worst person on cooling milk right away, but have never had a problem with the taste. Since I don't sell milk, I don't strain it at the moment. Washing the udders gets all the dirt and hair off so there isn't anything in the milk. Occasionally a little piece of alfalfa, but I just pick it out and move on.


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## mjgh06 (Sep 4, 2012)

Health wise I believe raw goat's milk to be the absolute best. A little rant on why I feel that way - as a baby I was allergic to everything including soy - Projectile vomiting and other issue. Mom got me started on raw goat's milk and it saved me.

Down the road - I was diagnosed with SLE at 13 and it was very bad - hospital for two years, two stokes by the time I was 17. I went back on raw goat's milk and changed my diet. My lupus went into remission and though the docs all said I wouldn't couldn't live past 20, I am still alive at 41 and healthy!

During pregnancy, my docs said because of my previous health issues I wouldn't carry to full term or I would die during delivery. Again went back to raw goat's milk and diet. I have had two healthy babies with no complications for me or them.
That's when I got into keeping my own goats and having fresh raw milk all the time. I don't think I would be around if it wasn't for my goat's milk.....end of rant.

As for getting it cooled fast enough, I agree with the ice bath, I then put it straight into the freezer for about 15 mins before the refrigerator.


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## kristinatucker (Jan 3, 2012)

We wash the udder and milk into either a mason jar or a stainless steal cup. We milk our nubian with a milk machine and our nigerians by hand. We have a frig in our milking room now and need to actually get it going so we can put stuff right in the freezer in between goats but currently we just milk and then take it in the house, strain it, and put into jars in the frig. We dont mix milk thats already cold, it gets its own fresh jar and we drink in order. been working well for us but I do like the ice cooler idea for cooling right away.


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## Devin (Feb 6, 2011)

I definately second the ice bath, I like the ice pack in a baggie, but I also strain into my milk jars and ice bath them after milking. getting it cold fast is the key. Just putting it into the fridge doesn't get it cold fast enough. 

The interesting note for me is that after having fresh goats milk daily, milk from the store tasted very tainted to me for a couple months! I have finally gotten used to it again, but I can't wait for my girl to give us some milk again!!!


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

On the pine needles..just handful or so in their feeder...they will gobble it up..: )


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## thomcarol (Feb 3, 2012)

You also have to remember back 200 years ago they didn't have/use bleach or special teat cleaners or strainers or ice baths and they didn't die from harmful bacteria in milk


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