# Fresh milk tastes sour not goaty or tainted



## Milk_Maid_5 (Feb 19, 2013)

Contessa my Sable 1 yr old doe has sour tasting milk. She only milks 4 cups a day. She came from a milk share dairy. When I bought her her previous owner said that she had a copper deficiency thus the reason she looked brown rather than black. When I brought her home, 4 weeks ago today, I bought a mineral block (looks like packed sawdust) I thought that would take care of it. Her milk is slightly sour and still hasn't improved. My other doe who I milked last year freshened with 2 does a week ago today. She's producing a ton and is engorged so I've been taking a quart from each teat each night. I tasted her milk on Saturday and it tastes sour also. I figured it was because she had just freshened or was engorged. She had wonderful tasting milk last year. I feed straight alfalfa and give Stock and Stable grain 3 cups each milking morning and night. I wormed all my girls 2 weeks ago also thinking that might be the problem. 

I've read all the threads but they have a list of 15 things (try this if that doesn't work then this and so on) I was curious if anyone had a few suggestions.


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## canyontrailgoats (Jan 4, 2014)

Goats can't get enough minerals from the block, you'll need a loose mix with high Copper. If the loose minerals don't help you'll have to copper bolus them.

Have you tested for mastitis?


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## Terra Mia (Dec 21, 2011)

If both does have it it might be the mineral block. I would remove it for a few days and see how they do. Copper Bolusing or a MultiMin shot would help to improve the deficiency quicker. A lose mineral (Like sweetlix (SP?)) is a better choice than the mineral blocks. I use Both a loose Mineral and Redmond Salt and keep it next to their water to encourage them to drink more water. I had one doe that had issues with alfalfa pellets. It would make her Milk salty tasting. I had tested for mastitis so i know it wasn't that. Finally figured out by taking away certain additions to her grain that it was the alfalfa pellets..and I had bought a brand different than my usual.


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## Milk_Maid_5 (Feb 19, 2013)

So start with loose minerals with high copper? Then if that doesn't work try a copper bolusing. Does that sound right? Is this something I can pick up at my local Tractor Supply or Big R or should I go to a vet supply? I went to Big R and my local vet supply and they only had copper for cows since I didn't know if that would work I didn't buy it. It was just loose Copper I think. 

Would copper for calves work? If so how much?


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## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

I would copper bolus if it were me. I have to copper bolus 4 times a year even with good minerals... It's supposed to be 2gms per 22 lbs, so if you can measure out a calf one and put it in a capsule and get her to swallow it whole then go for it. I give all mine 4gms. I'm kind a thinking if she is supposed to be black but isn't, then yeah, copper bolusing is your best vet. Manna pro minerals, Cargill right now onyx which is a cattle mineral but works well for goats are good minerals...


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Mineral block won't do anything for you. You need a good loose goat or cattle mineral.

Cut off the tip end of a 3cc or 6cc syringe. Pour the copper into the syringe at 1cc per 60 lbs. Top off with Probios to hold the copper in. Put in back of mouth and push the plunger. Yes. Copper for cows.


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## InTheCrookedPinesFarm (Mar 20, 2014)

Where do you get copper blous? I've never heard of it and I can relate to this. The block didn't really help with her coat. Her milk is okay but not as good as it used to be.



In the Crooked Pines Farm
Sent from my iPod touch


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## InTheCrookedPinesFarm (Mar 20, 2014)

Lol *bolus dumb spell check!


In the Crooked Pines Farm
Sent from my iPod touch


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## HappyCaliGoats (Mar 19, 2014)

LittleLouAnnFarm said:


> Where do you get copper blous? I've never heard of it and I can relate to this. The block didn't really help with her coat. Her milk is okay but not as good as it used to be.
> 
> In the Crooked Pines Farm
> Sent from my iPod touch


I got my copper bolus on eBay. They sell goat sizes. Also definitely the loose minerals. I use the manna pro and have had spectacular results with a doeling I got that was brownish reddish but supposed to be black. She is almost completely black and shiny now! 












these first pix are when I first got her. You can't really see the extent of how red she was but you can totally tell how dull the coat was. Now she looks like this..






you can still see a little red/ brown on her back legs, but she looks so much better! 

Newbie to Nubian dairy goats! 2 nubian does, 1 Nubian buck, 2 Pygmy does, 1 Pygmy/ Nigerian wether, 1 boer doe, and 1 alpine/ guernsey wether! Plus the rest of the farm pets which would take the whole page to list 

Sent from my iPad using Goat Forum


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## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

You sure can tell the difference in the color... Wow!!!!! Amazing! Good job. I had a Nubian/Lamancha that turned red, and I had a new goat within a month... ;-)


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## InTheCrookedPinesFarm (Mar 20, 2014)

Wow! I'll just pick up a good loose mineral.

Btw, try giving your goat baking soda. 
It helped improve my goats milk.
Make sure she has access to it all the time. My doe likes it. 

But her coat! I just hope the minerals and bolus works! 


In the Crooked Pines Farm
Sent from my iPod touch


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## HappyCaliGoats (Mar 19, 2014)

LittleLouAnnFarm said:


> Wow! I'll just pick up a good loose mineral.
> 
> Btw, try giving your goat baking soda.
> It helped improve my goats milk.
> ...





janeen128 said:


> You sure can tell the difference in the color... Wow!!!!! Amazing! Good job. I had a Nubian/Lamancha that turned red, and I had a new goat within a month... ;-)


Thanx! I think that is the first positive feedback I have gotten from that pic! Everyone else is too focused on how I can't position her right yet lol! Btw I also gave her copper bolus and I did get the manna pro minerals at tsc (I think that question was asked)

Newbie to Nubian dairy goats! 2 nubian does, 1 Nubian buck, 2 Pygmy does, 1 Pygmy/ Nigerian wether, 1 boer doe, and 1 alpine/ guernsey wether! Plus the rest of the farm pets which would take the whole page to list 

Sent from my iPad using Goat Forum


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