# What to do with Old Milk?



## mcd311 (Feb 16, 2013)

There is about 3-4 gallons of 4 week old raw goats milk in my extra fridge...what should/could I do with it?

I was saving the first milk off our doe this spring in an extra fridge. I got doing stuff and never got back to it.

None of it smells bad or looks bad, no clumps...THICK layer of cream.
It was the first milkings right after colostrum, she had only one kid so I started milking her right away.


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## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

I would make cheese with it. The acid kind using ACC or lemon juice and then you can herb it heavily if it has a sour taste at all

Carmen, Oleo Acres LLC, NW Ks


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## Esther88 (Nov 11, 2012)

Not to steal the thread but how long does raw milk stay "good" if it is kept refrigerated? I notice about the 3-4 day mark the milk from my Ober starts to taste more and more "goaty." It is the same with my friend's Nubian so I'm assuming this is normal. If it's in there for more than 5 days or so I just make cheese with it but would like to know how long it is safe to use.


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## Chesawmomma (Sep 28, 2009)

I give old goat milk to my dogs and give some to a friend who has chickens. Cheese is a good idea too.


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

Or soap.
Esther ours lasts a good 9 days. A friend with Oberhasli dairy lasts that long too.


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## christinajh (Jan 24, 2013)

Cleanliness has a lot to do with how long it will last, but I always feed my older milk to the chickens. I'll be raising a pig this year, so it will get any excess milk


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

How cold your refrigerator is will also make a difference.


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

Yes a righteously cold fridge! Many many years ago ours always had water at the bottom & the milk was awful after only a few days.
And I was very careful about getting it chilled right away & into glass jars.


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## Hobbyfarmer (Sep 7, 2011)

Compost pile, chickens, or pigs. We're not doing pigs this year so most the surplus will be headed to the compost pile. 4 weeks sounds a bit old to do much of anything. Although we had a similar situation a few years ago. Where our entire fridge was taken over by milk. Some of it was probably about 4 weeks old. I skimmed the cream and made butter. Tasted fine. But for drinking it or cheese I usually don't go past a week. Since there's always more on the way and that's what I want to be drinking.


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## mcd311 (Feb 16, 2013)

I guess to be on the safe side I better hand it over to the chickens or my neighbors hogs!!
I'm not short on milk by any means, so it isn't a big loss.
Though that layer of cream is calling my name!!!! It's in a gallon mason jar and has about a three inch cream line :-D
It would make a bunch of butter!
We keep that fridge as cold as it will go, and nothing else is in it currently, that may be why it has lasted so long.
Thank you for the feedback!


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces (Apr 7, 2013)

You can also freeze and use later


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## canyontrailgoats (Jan 4, 2014)

Pour it in your garden soil for fertilizer.


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## cmcclung (Sep 18, 2013)

So my Obers and Alpines milk will last a little better than a week, but I cant believe it's still good after 4 weeks. Even with a cold fridge.


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces (Apr 7, 2013)

Mine stays good about 2 weeks or so, if it's raw, and it's not being opened a lot.
Say you filter it into a jug, and just leave it in the fridge, it should stay good fairly long. I think I keep my fridge at 35°? I'll have to look...


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

mcd311 said:


> There is about 3-4 gallons of 4 week old raw goats milk in my extra fridge...what should/could I do with it?


Here is an interesting read about improving soil with raw goats milk.

http://www.localharvest.org/blog/18714/entry/raw_goat_s_milk_great


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

Let it finish clabbering and make some of the best pastries you ever ate. Use it in place of sour cream in the recipes. 
Raw milk doesn't go rancid unless it's full of bacteria.


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