Bad Tasting Goat Milk?

[mylilchix]

I was talking to a friend the other day who is raising lamanchas. She wants to get rid of them because no one in her family will drink their milk. Everyone says it has a very goaty flavor. She's tried switching their feed, and she's moved her bucks to another area. Nothing has helped! What could be causing the milk to taste funny?

Thanks, Sonja

 

[helmstead]

Could be the bloodlines, could be environmental (weeds in hay or browse), could be not getting it cooled fast enough.

Could also just be in their heads.

 

[mylilchix]

Thank you, I didn't think of those reasons! It could be in their heads. I have a daughter who won't drink raw cows milk because she thinks it tastes funny, but she'l drink organic whole milk. Go figure!!

Sonja

 

[Roll farms]

Could also be how she handles it...dirty milk tastes dirty, even after it's been filtered / pasteurized.

Clean udders and utensils are very important for the milk to taste good.

 

[freemotion]

Yup, who is milking? Her or the children? How clean are they keeping everything? Etc.... If something gets into the milk besides a clean hair (I wipe down the belly after I wash the udder) or a bit of hay, then it goes to the dogs or chickens. All milking utensils go through the dishwasher, and I handwash and bleach my filter each time I use it. Milk is used up pretty quickly, but it takes a LOOOOOONG time for milk to get pleasantly (good for baking) sour in my fridge.

I bet there is a simple solution to the problem, something she is overlooking.

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

we liked our lamancha's milk best! never had a problem and no off taste.

 

[Roll farms]

And like Kate said, what's in the feed matters....Wild mustard and wild onion will make some FUNKY tasting milk. Too much mollasses (sp?) in the feed can make it very strong, too.

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

here's another thought... are they drinking it raw or heating it??

i didnt like goats milk in my coffee - when it was heated it tasted a little goaty to me.... but i didnt notice it in cooking.

if she has kids, and she pasteurizes it, would the heating make it taste goaty?

we made sure we had really nice hay - but we never had problems with bad weeds making it taste funny. i even tried to get it to taste off ...but it didnt work for me.

and maybe some people just dont like it??

 

[foxywench]

my other question would be how long have the males been "removed" and how far away are they?
im told their odor can carry...