# Goat Colostrum



## CountryGirl14 (Jan 29, 2013)

My Nubian goat just had a kid, and I was wondering how long I need to wait untill I drink the milk? I got Petunia FOR milking and I finally have milk in her and can't wait to start drinking her milk! That sounds silly, but I am lactose intollerant and Goat Milk tastes SO good anyways! I've heard that goats have colostrum for anywhere from 4 days to 4 weeks! what is and isn't true? Thanks!


----------



## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

First you want to be sure that her kids are getting enough. Especially the colostrum. I would give it about 2 weeks and then see how the milk tastes.


----------



## gafarmgirl (Jan 2, 2013)

I agree with the first commit . And you can tell when it's just pure milk. If you are bottle feeding try to save the colostrum that you aren't feeding them I try to save at least 1 jar incase a animal needs it or one of the baby's . Just a note


----------



## gafarmgirl (Jan 2, 2013)

Should of said you freeze the jar it keeps for ever! For got that little part lol


----------



## kristinatucker (Jan 3, 2012)

We usually wait 24 hours and then milk off about 8 ounces to put in the freezer for emergencies with other goats and then only milk off to relieve pressure for the doe. We start drinking it at about 2 weeks. You can tell it will get less and less yellow and turn white.


----------



## CountryGirl14 (Jan 29, 2013)

ok thanks!


----------



## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

Fromwhat I was told Colostrum taste real yuckie..so you might want to wait at least a few weeks...I know its so hard...lol...but you can do it : ) also on the freezing..best ever colostrum freezer bags are human breast milk bags...freeze in small amounts so you have just what you need when you need it...we always take a bit from each new mom and let me tell you we have needed it!! the baggies allow you to write on them which goat donated and the date : ) I used baby food jars one year and many broke : ( wasted god right there lol..


----------



## mjs500doo (Nov 24, 2012)

Here the first 3 milkings are strictly feed or freeze. Baby gets their daily amount, the rest frozen at the end of the day. Jars labeled "____(name)____ 1st 2nd or 3rd milking". 

Colostrum is rich, creamy, and packed with a nutritional and energetic punch. Some people like the taste, some don't. I personally like cow colostrum more than goats. There's no reason you can't be tasting her milk while you are milking her to see when her flavor is "right" for you. In my experience 5-9 days usually the transition milk has kicked in enough where my other half will drink some. He's not much for the richness.


----------



## mjgh06 (Sep 4, 2012)

I'm going jump in here with a question - If my doe only had one baby, how do I milk her out so she's not overly full but still know there's enough left for baby. Do I just milk her out on the side the baby normally is not using? Or milk a little from each side?


----------



## crocee (Jul 25, 2008)

mjgh06 said:


> I'm going jump in here with a question - If my doe only had one baby, how do I milk her out so she's not overly full but still know there's enough left for baby. Do I just milk her out on the side the baby normally is not using? Or milk a little from each side?


I would milk her out and bag it. You never know when you might need it later. The more you and the baby take, the more she will make. The baby will get enough.


----------



## ptgoats45 (Nov 28, 2011)

If she is overly full, milk both sides all the way out. She will hold back milk for the baby. If the kid is favoring one side, milk the side the kid likes all the way and leave some milk in the other side, that way when the kid goes to suck, there won't be as much in the side she likes and the kid will latch on to the other side to get more. If the kid is only sucking one side, milk the side the kid really likes all the way and milk the other side part way, get some teat tape and teat tape the side the kid likes so she can't suck on it, that should help teach the kid that it can get milk from the other side.

I usually start drinking the milk at about 5 days post kidding, if it still tastes bad, I will wait a few more days. I have only had one doe that I had to wait two weeks. Colostrum is not bad for, it just tastes funny and has a slight laxative effect.


----------



## JaneS (Sep 20, 2013)

My neighbor's goat just had kids but the babies didn't make it :-(
She is giving me the colostrum because I have a health challenge. I can only take a little at a time so if I freeze it how long will it keep the benefits? And, being that it is raw, is it safe? They don't have a dairy, they just keep 2 goats for milk for their family. Thanks!


----------



## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

At 6 months it still retains all of it's values. I would freeze it in ice cube trays and then pop it into a freezer bag. That way you can just take out one cube at a time. 
If your neighbor has clean healthy goats and takes care with his process of milking, the colostrum should be safe for you. If you would drink milk from his goats, the colostrum is no different.


----------



## enchantedgoats (Jun 2, 2013)

after the first 24 hours the kid will not get much more protection from the colostrum. after that i would milk some from both sides and freeze it. after another 24 hours you can milk her out completely, dont worry she'll hold back enough for the kid. the older the doe the sooner the milk will be fit to drink. are you going to bottle feed the baby after that? you will get more milk for longer if you do.


----------



## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

My kinder only took a week for the colostrum to clear out. I saw on a thread on here that once you milk and it starts to foam, then you can drink it. I thought it was odd, but gave it a try, after I think it was 6 days, it began to foam, so I tried it and it was delicious


----------



## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

My girls here are started with milking at 2-3 days after delivery, engorged udders cause back pressure telling them not to produce as much....I take what the kids don't  Freeze the first week for use with multiples needing supplemented.


----------

