# Breed butterfat questions.



## Retiredokjusttired (Jun 26, 2016)

Hello,
I am beginning to look into making cheese and soap with milk from my girls. I have a mixed herd. I have been checking things out on google and would like real life experiences to measure it against.
I am concerned about butterfat. I have a gene mutation and my diet has to stay clean, strict and low fat and animal products are favorable in raw organic forms only. YAY goats for that. So, butterfat. I have a Togg....this is my first milking experience and I actually think hers as well. She is around 4 years old, maybe 5 and doing well with milking. I have been drinking her milk daily about 2 cups per day. Is there a way to have her milk tested to find out her butterfat? Is there a way to remove some of the fat from the milk? 

I have a Boer buck I am wanting to cross on her and daughter and came a across a study that said Boer milk is a higher butter fat content. Is this true. They documented 4%-9% in the study. Wondering if the buck will add to the butter fat and I can use that for soap? 

What is the ideal butterfat for cheese making? 

Which breed produces the lowest butterfat? I have a doe that is going to be bred for the first time and I believe she has Saneen in her but is crossed with ? Meat it looks like but I really have no idea. 

I do have 2 PB togs. one ND/oberhasli cross..or she may be purebred ND, I need to measure her. She gave birth to twin girls and the buck was a PB oberhasli. 1 pygmy/ND cross and another ND. 
I have a lot of crosses and am wondering who to use for what. I think if I could just test there butterfat content that is the route I need to go.

Thank you in advance!


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## spidy1 (Jan 9, 2014)

I dont know about lowest butter fat but Boers produce the highest of all goat breeds, I love the flavor so I breed Lamancha/Boers for the butter fat, I dont make soap or cheese so I cant help you there, but if you cant have the butter fat I wouldn't breed her to the Boer


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## Retiredokjusttired (Jun 26, 2016)

Thank you Spidy1. That at least confirms that. I had been thinking of selling him since I was try to go for more dairy now. I received my diagnoses just a few weeks ago and having the goats already was a God send. I had wanted him to add more meat to my cross bred meat girls. Since all of this new news for me has happened I have switched my goat projects to dairy/milk...who knew he would be a winner for that too.


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## CrazyDogLady (Aug 9, 2014)

Saanens have the lowest butterfat. Nigerians have the highest, at the end of a lactation they can be upwards of 10 - 12%. I'm doing DHI and butterfat is one of the components. You might be able to Google DHI labs and ask the one closest how much they'd charge you to test your does.


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## Retiredokjusttired (Jun 26, 2016)

Thank you Kristen. We live in an area that there are several Dairy farms (cattle). Hopefully there is a lab close and it's an affordable thing to do. If there is I will update this thread. 

I had read the Toggs where close to butterfat of the Saneen but maybe a percent or so higher. You or anyone know if that info is true or not?


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## IHEARTGOATS (Jun 14, 2016)

Dairy One in Ithaca, NY can test your milk.


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## Southern Dreams ND Goats (Apr 11, 2021)

spidy1 said:


> I dont know about lowest butter fat but Boers produce the highest of all goat breeds, I love the flavor so I breed Lamancha/Boers for the butter fat, I dont make soap or cheese so I cant help you there, but if you cant have the butter fat I wouldn't breed her to the Boer


Nigerian Dwarf goats actually produce the highest butterfat out of all dairy goats 🐐


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