# RAW or PASTURIZED



## NavaBoerFarm (Dec 15, 2012)

Hey everyone, 
I've been doing a lot of research on the whole raw vs pasteurized milk debate and my conclusion is just like my conclusion about every other food. If you grew it yourself its as safe as you know it to be. 
So I guess my question is do you drink your goats milk raw or pasteurized and what is your opinion on raw milk and the dangers the FDA/CDC warns against with raw milk?


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

We do pasteurized because my husband has an auto immune disease and I don't want to chance anything until my goats are tested for cae,cl and johnes.
I feel if you are healthy, raw milk is great but if you have a weakened immune system, it could be really bad potentially....so we err on the side of caution.
I think even if you do pasteurize it is still better for you than store bought milk, and much fresher!

ETA: They also warn against eating under cooked eggs....I like over easy


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## NavaBoerFarm (Dec 15, 2012)

NyGoatMom said:


> I think even if you do pasteurize it is still better for you than store bought milk, and much fresher!


Very true. And not to mention clean!


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

Exactly, and no added sugar....

We will go to raw pending tests.....I know a guy that buys duck eggs from me also buys raw cow's milk from a local farm...he says they've been positive for lysteria 2 times in the last few years....scary thought,huh? He says he drank the milk anyway, and never got sick


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## NavaBoerFarm (Dec 15, 2012)

Oh wow. see if I had to drink raw milk from another farm I'd rather drink pasteurized.(which I do now anyways) but with my goat milk (the little I get. From my 1/2 lamancha) I drink raw. And I plan to get more dairy goats and drink that milk raw too. And of course ill be sure to keep everything nice and clean.


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

I think it's funny that some people drink pasteurized milk from the store, then buy probiotics...lol....if only everyone could have a few goats!


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

I go raw, when you pasteurize, you kill so many good things along with the bad. I have a small herd that is disease tested, our milk is carefully handled. Personally though I have nothing against pasteurization whatsoever -- I wouldn't drink raw from any animal but my own.


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## NavaBoerFarm (Dec 15, 2012)

NyGoatMom said:


> if only everyone could have a few goats!


If only, if only.


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## NavaBoerFarm (Dec 15, 2012)

ThreeHavens said:


> Personally though I have nothing against pasteurization whatsoever -- I wouldn't drink raw from any animal but my own.


I agree nothing against it. Can't be any worse than drinking a coke lol. And I also would not trust anyone else handling my raw milk


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

Right! Listeria, NO THANKS. It's sad, the real issues with raw milk arose with overcrowding and factory farming. Take good care of your animals, they will take good care of you. 

But I DO understand why those who pasteurize their own milk would do so! I'm just explaining why I wouldn't drink raw milk from another farm.  I've enjoyed our milk ... it has eased my health as well. It's better than an aspirin when I'm in pain. Powerful stuff, and since my goats get herbs, it's medicinal as well.


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## NavaBoerFarm (Dec 15, 2012)

ThreeHavens said:


> Right! Listeria, NO THANKS. It's sad, the real issues with raw milk arose with overcrowding and factory farming. Take good care of your animals, they will take good care of you.


Exactly! I believe pasteurization is the dairy industries way of covering up bad practices! Yet they blame it on the milk when in reality the blame should be set on them.

I remember working at a dairy for a few months as a teen and what a mess and to top it off I never once saw an inspector. Gross. 
But what other choice do common folk have but to trust those that provide us our milk.
I for the most part also drink store bought milk but only because sometimes there is no other alternative.


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## Parttimepotter (Jul 3, 2013)

We do raw. I have found it to have a lot of health benefits. My husband has a lot of allergies and stomach issues. A week of drinking raw milk fixes 90% his problems!


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

I drink store bought when I have to, but I buy it from a certified humane source ... the factory farming ticks me big time. Humane may be more expensive but if I can afford it, I would much rather support the places that do it right. I can't imagine my precious goats being treated that way -- why should I allow the animals whom are gifting me their milk to be treated that way either, even if I have never seen their faces?


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## NavaBoerFarm (Dec 15, 2012)

Parttimepotter said:


> We do raw. I have found it to have a lot of health benefits. My husband has a lot of allergies and stomach issues. A week of drinking raw milk fixes 90% his problems!


Sometimes it's hard to believe what is said over all types of media but its hard to argue with results. I'm glad you have found positive things about raw milk it calms my worries about what FDA/CDC says.

I'm sure raw milk can be dangerous when handled in an industrialized manner. But when done right I'm sure it is full of health benefits. I haven't experienced anything like this myself because of the small amounts i drink but I can say for sure that it is extremely yummy.


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## NavaBoerFarm (Dec 15, 2012)

@threehavens I wish I could find good milk near my home but in order to find anything like that id have to drive 60+ miles


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

Sorry about that.  We go to the grocery store and there are smaller cartons, I think one is Horizon Farms, that is certified humane with pastured cows.


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## .:Linz:. (Aug 25, 2011)

We do raw. We get our milk tested every month and so far, so good. We're super careful about sanitation and proper handling.  

I would drink raw milk from some other sources, provided I could visit the farm and see how things are handled there. But it's definitely something you need to use common sense about! But honestly, I'd go buy raw milk from the guy down the road who has a permit to sell it sooner than I'd buy organic, grass-fed, pasteurized from the store.


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## NavaBoerFarm (Dec 15, 2012)

ThreeHavens said:


> Sorry about that.  We go to the grocery store and there are smaller cartons, I think one is Horizon Farms, that is certified humane with pastured cows.


Next time I go to Safeway ill look to see what they have that's only like 40 miles from where I live lol


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## NavaBoerFarm (Dec 15, 2012)

.:Linz:. said:


> We do raw. We get our milk tested every month and so far, so good. We're super careful about sanitation and proper handling.
> 
> I would drink raw milk from some other sources, provided I could visit the farm and see how things are handled there. But it's definitely something you need to use common sense about! But honestly, I'd go buy raw milk from the guy down the road who has a permit to sell it sooner than I'd buy organic, grass-fed, pasteurized from the store.


Good to hear that you also drink raw this makes me more confident about it being safe. After taking all precautions of course.

What do you test your milk for?


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

Another great thing about raw milk -- it's antibacterial. It's just ... way too many benefits for me to remember and post on here XDD SO GOOD.


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## OakHollowRanch (Jun 6, 2013)

My sister and I drink it raw every day with no ill affects. I love all the health benefits and knowing that it came from my own beloved goat. However, my dad only drinks it pasteurized and my mom refuses to drink it. No matter what I try, she flat out refuses. She even drinks her coffee black now, just so she won't have to get near that stuff. We even take her to milk with us and show her the entire sanitation, milking, freezing, filtering, and pasteurizing process. I cannot figure it out. :roll:


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## .:Linz:. (Aug 25, 2011)

NavaBoerFarm said:


> Good to hear that you also drink raw this makes me more confident about it being safe. After taking all precautions of course.
> 
> What do you test your milk for?


We test for somatic cell count, coliforms, and standard plate count (bacteria). We also get our water tested 2x a year for E. coli.


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## xymenah (Jul 1, 2011)

I just don't like the taste of pasteurized. Or the texture for that matter. If it tasted the same I wouldn't care which it was.



OakHollowRanch said:


> My sister and I drink it raw every day with no ill affects. I love all the health benefits and knowing that it came from my own beloved goat. However, my dad only drinks it pasteurized and my mom refuses to drink it. No matter what I try, she flat out refuses. She even drinks her coffee black now, just so she won't have to get near that stuff. We even take her to milk with us and show her the entire sanitation, milking, freezing, filtering, and pasteurizing process. I cannot figure it out. :roll:


Same here my mom will not touch it. My brother will drink it but he stares at it quite a bit and inspects it after every sip like its going to change or something. He's 26! lol


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## christinajh (Jan 24, 2013)

I drink ours raw and most of my cheese recipes are raw cheese. I also use raw milk for kefir. I love it!


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## aceofspades (Dec 26, 2012)

NyGoatMom said:


> I think it's funny that some people drink pasteurized milk from the store, then buy probiotics...lol....if only everyone could have a few goats!


I also find that comical. 
We've been drinking our milk raw for years and are healthier than ever.


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## milkmaid (Sep 15, 2010)

I pasteurize because my dad wants me to.  Just curious, has anyone here ever known someone who got sick from drinking raw milk?
On the subject of eggs, I like mine rare. I just love when that melted gold runs over my tongue...UMMMMMM! I did get sick from an egg once, but it was my fault. It was a cracked one and I didn't know how long it had been cracked. I thought, "Oh well, I've eaten less than perfect food before and it's never hurt me." (I have a tough stomach, LOL.) I felt like a rotten egg for two days.


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## enchantedgoats (Jun 2, 2013)

We drink it raw. I think the pastuerization gives it an awful taste. Our goats are healthy and we check every milking for mastitis just in case. If any of you have tasted store bought pastuerized goat milk it tastes gross. The raw tastes sweet and so fresh


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

milkmaid said:


> I pasteurize because my dad wants me to.  Just curious, has anyone here ever known someone who got sick from drinking raw milk?
> On the subject of eggs, I like mine rare. I just love when that melted gold runs over my tongue...UMMMMMM! I did get sick from an egg once, but it was my fault. It was a cracked one and I didn't know how long it had been cracked. I thought, "Oh well, I've eaten less than perfect food before and it's never hurt me." (I have a tough stomach, LOL.) I felt like a rotten egg for two days.


I haven't known anyone who has gotten sick from raw milk, though I'm sure many have. You have to have healthy animals and milking practices.

My health actually is the best it's even been on raw milk. I can tell, because when we dry them up, my allergies and pain come back. On raw milk I have more energy, less allergies, and less gut pain.


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

enchantedgoats said:


> We drink it raw. I think the pastuerization gives it an awful taste. Our goats are healthy and we check every milking for mastitis just in case. If any of you have tasted store bought pastuerized goat milk it tastes gross. The raw tastes sweet and so fresh


I pasteurize mine and it tastes great! (now that i fixed my does problem and copper bolused)Maybe it's just store bought that tastes bad?


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

OH don't get me started on the store bought XDD EWWWW.


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## NavaBoerFarm (Dec 15, 2012)

I bought store bought pasteurized goat milk before. It is really really goatie tasting lol but it's not too bad


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## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

I drink mine raw, and actually I feel much better I love it too. Every time my almost 3 year old great nephew comes in the door he asks for vitamin C and goats milk


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## animalgirl12 (Dec 12, 2012)

We drink I raw because it taste soooo much better but what you do I chill it right after milking.


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## lovinglife (Jun 6, 2013)

We drink all ours raw, same with yogurt, buttermilk and cheese. Goat milk, what an awesome product to have an abundance of! So glad I have a few acres and some nice goats.


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## NavaBoerFarm (Dec 15, 2012)

Wow I'm happy to see so many people drink raw milk. There are so many people out there that make it seem like a real health hazard lol.


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## backyardFarming (Jun 13, 2013)

My goats are healthy, loved, spoiled, and pampered.. and part of our family, but I still filter and pasturize our milk. I do have my own thoughts on this matter... but I think what is great is that people here on this forum have made the decision to drink their own goats milk.
No matter whether raw or pasturized, you are still making a healthy choice!


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## NavaBoerFarm (Dec 15, 2012)

backyardFarming said:


> My goats are healthy, loved, spoiled, and pampered.. and part of our family, but I still filter and pasturize our milk. I do have my own thoughts on this matter... but I think what is great is that people here on this forum have made the decision to drink their own goats milk.
> No matter whether raw or pasturized, you are still making a healthy choice!


That is absolutely right! Raw or pasteurized it is still better than that regular jug at the store.


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

backyardFarming said:


> My goats are healthy, loved, spoiled, and pampered.. and part of our family, but I still filter and pasturize our milk. I do have my own thoughts on this matter... but I think what is great is that people here on this forum have made the decision to drink their own goats milk.
> No matter whether raw or pasturized, you are still making a healthy choice!


:thumb: I think it's wonderful to see so many people drinking milk from their own animals too, pasteurized or not!


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## lovinglife (Jun 6, 2013)

We raised our own beef, big gardens with lots of freezing and canning in the summer, chickens for eggs, and goats for milk cheese and soon I hope butter. Trying to stay out of the grocery store where everything is processed and destroyed.


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## katie (Dec 3, 2012)

NyGoatMom said:


> Exactly, and no added sugar....
> 
> We will go to raw pending tests.....I know a guy that buys duck eggs from me also buys raw cow's milk from a local farm...he says they've been positive for lysteria 2 times in the last few years....scary thought,huh? He says he drank the milk anyway, and never got sick


 most states it's illegal to sell raw milk. I do not think it wise to drink or buy the milk from someone with positive milk of some sickness. YOu never know what you're risking. I like raw milk best but I think that if you do pasturize keep it at the lowest possible temperature. there will still be some health value. Personally I think that pasturizing unless it is needed is a waist of time.
I wouldn't mind drinking someone's milk as long as I trusted those people. I just think that raw is better for you.


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## quinngrasmid (Jul 29, 2013)

I sell goat shares that is raw goat milk me and my family have ben drinking raw goat milk for ten years and haven't had a problem


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## NavaBoerFarm (Dec 15, 2012)

quinngrasmid said:


> I sell goat shares that is raw goat milk me and my family have ben drinking raw goat milk for ten years and haven't had a problem


awesome! Do you ever test your milk?


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## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

NavaBoerFarm said:


> awesome! Do you ever test your milk?


How do you test your milk? Do you send it to the same lab as blood samples... Curious


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## AmyBoogie (May 20, 2013)

We stopped drinking store bought milk well over a year ago. My husband makes soy milk... which while I like it in cereal, it is lacking as other foods. And honestly it's just not good on a hot summer day in an iced coffee. BTW, homemade soymilk is super different than store bought. I'm not entirely sure what they do to store bought stuff but now that I have natural, I am very wary of the boxed.

It's really nice to have goat milk as well now. The summer iced coffee is back! hahaha. We use it raw for cheese, yogurt, ice cream, straight drinking, etc. My dad wouldn't drink it because it wasn't pasteurized (yes he likes antibacterial everything too) and he's the one with lactose intolerance (and comes down with a cold more often). Eventually though we've gotten him to eat the cheese. He'll use the milk someday I bet. Or we'll cave and heat treat it for him. 

Our animals are tested and we test for Mastitis with a strip cup before milking each time. We bleach all equipment just before use. We follow proper practice for clean milk. I wouldn't offer it to my kids, myself or anyone else if I didn't.


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

^^Would he know if you put it in a milk jug? Lol....he'd be mad if he didn't I bet!


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## AmyBoogie (May 20, 2013)

I go over my Dad's head about a lot of things but not the things he'd get really mad about. 

Here's another example of his issues. He has the water filtered that comes into his house. Serious huge wonderful filters. But insists on buying bottled water anyway and will only use that for drinking. I will fill his coffee maker with the tap water because essentially its the same filters the bottled water companies use. heh. If he knew I used tap water in his coffee maker, I'd get a lecture again (I'm 40). 

I couldn't switcharoo his milk. He'd lose his noodle Besides, he'd know. Goat milk tastes better than that crazy weird over processed Lactaid. I feel confident he'll come around on his own.


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## aceofspades (Dec 26, 2012)

I did a switch on my room mate she said that goats milk was slimy and Taste funny she refused to drink it. 
And she wound go threw a gallon of store bough milk in 3 days. So I mixed a gallon 1/2 and 1/2 the next gallon was 3/4 goat 1/4 bought and the 3rd gallon was straight goats milk. Then gallon 4 was store bought she said it tasted bad and accused me of switching it. 
That's when I told her that it taste bad because I didn't switch it. 
she was mad but now she hates store bought milk. 
It's sad I have to do this to her all the time she's grew up eating fast food and processed food her family never cooked. 
Living with me had been a culture shock. 
She never had fresh veggies every thing came from a can. Yuck


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## Jason_L (Jan 11, 2013)

We just started milking our goats. Where do you get your milk tested? We live in Maryland.


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