That Goaty Taste!
Solving the problem of bad tasting milk
Every one that milks goats has at some time had milk that tasted, well, goaty. Have you ever wondered why your milk tasted that way? Well, in this article I will strive to answer your questions about goaty milk.
What Causes, and How to prevent the “Goaty” Taste
Very old milk will almost always taste goaty, but if your milk is new, then it could be your equipment.
Always keep your equipment very clean, and this can go a long way to avoiding off-tasting milk.
But sometimes no mater how clean your equipment is, you can still have off-tasting milk.
Check what your doe is eating, things like wild onions, garlic, silage, and honeysuckle may give an off-taste to your milk; avoid such feeds 2-4 hours before milking.
Another thing that may affect the taste of your milk is how quickly you cool your milk after milking. The temperature should be under 45 degrees in the first hour.
If nothing else works your goat could be B12 deficient, or it could be the breed of goat you have.
Nubians are known to have very good milk where as toggenburgs have a reputation for having stronger tasting milk. In some rare cases, it could just be your individual goat.
What to do with Goaty Milk
If you do have goaty milk, and you are wondering what you can do with it, here are some that you can us it.
Cooking is a way that you can use milk that is not too goaty, but, lotions, crafts, and soap, these are just a few ways to use goaty milk, but it is always better to start with not goaty milk.