what breed(s) have the least-goaty milk?

[patandchickens]

Hi all,

I am starting to really REALLY want some kind of milking critter for hobby cheesemaking. Since a cow just seems like way too much work and expense (at least at this particular point in my life), and milking sheep seem too hard to find and it's not clear to me whether they can be hand-milked anyhow, I am thinking about goats. (I really loooove goaties in a 'pet' sense anyhow, have been waiting til kids get to 4H age on the theory that'll justify our getting a few... LOL)

The thing is, I really do not care for the goat's milk I've tasted in the past, or goats-milk ice cream. I need to hit the stores and buy a variety of goats-milk cheeses to learn more, but I have had some goats-milk cheeses that were not strongly goaty and that I DID like.

So if a person were looking for a couple goats to milk for hobby cheesemaking (i.e. quantity is not a big concern), what is the "least goaty tasting" breed? Does it still make good cheese?

Thanks for any info,

Pat

 

[ksalvagno]

Nubians and Nigerian Dwarfs have the highest percentage of butterfat which would probably be good for cheese. Also have a sweeter tasting milk. I do have an Alpine that I'm milking and her milk tastes like cow milk to me. It is my understanding that a huge part of the "goaty" taste is in how the milk is handled, how quickly you get it out of the barn, how clean everything is, how well rinsed your equipment is, how fast you cool it down, what your goats eat,etc. Also makes a difference if it is pasteurized or raw. I am drinking my goat milk raw.

 

[Roll farms]

If it tastes "goatey" then it's not clean, whether it's the milk itself or the cheese, ice cream, etc.

And store-bought goat milk is nothing like fresh-from-the-goat milk....sort of like store bought eggs vs. fresh eggs, or fresh pork vs. meat counter pork.

Cleanliness is the best route to GOOD milk. That and a good diet.
Dirty cow milk would taste funky, too.
Wash the udder, use glass and stainless containers when possible, strain it, and cool it fast.

I think Nub and Boer milk tastes the best, other breeds taste 'watered down' (like skim milk) to me, since the butterfat is lower.
I wouldn't want to milk Nigis by hand, but that's just me....lots of folks do and are fine w/ it. I'm used to girls w/ big old tah-tahs.

Now you need to decide what breed you like, personality and looks-wise, and get that kind.

 

[michickenwrangler]

LaManchas have fairly high butterfat compared with Toggs, Saanens and Alpines and are sweeter and quieter than Nubians and Nigerians.

 

[aggieterpkatie]

I've read that Oberhasli milk tastes the closest to cow milk. I know I love the taste of my ober's milk.

 

[lupinfarm]

And if you end up getting Nigi's, there is a woman in Campbellville that breeds registered Nigerian Dwarfs....

 

[dkluzier]

My saanen/nubian cross doe has thinner milk (lower milkfat) than my nubian/pygmy cross doe. The saanen is easier to milk since she has larger teats. She has a better disposition for putting up with being on the milking stand. As far as taste, I don't notice a goaty taste or wild taste to either of them. I prefer their milk to cow's myself.

 

[SDGsoap&dairy]

LaManchas have fairly high butterfat compared with Toggs, Saanens and Alpines and are sweeter and quieter than Nubians and Nigerians.

I have an incredibly sweet nubian- just LOVES to have her head and cheeks stroked and she was dam raised. I also have a couple Nigis that "trance out" when they're getting scratched on the sides. And, when you stop scratching, into the lap they want to go! Noisy? Ok, yeah, a little. But there's no argument about them being sweet.

 

[freemotion]

I snatched the xmas trees away from my Alpine doe last winter so her milk wouldn't get strong tasting. This past winter, I said "what the heck" and let her have all the xmas trees she wanted...I ended up dragging almost 50 unsold trees home. I noticed no change in the taste.

Could be that I am a cretin, though....

I found a quart of milk WAAAAY back in the fridge that was marked January 20...and last night I made cream of mushroom soup with some of it and had hot chocolate this morning with some more. This was the first time I tasted milk that was "goaty." It was not quite two months old, so I'm not sure why it was goaty. Maybe it was the xmas trees.....

 

[michickenwrangler]

I snatched the xmas trees away from my Alpine doe last winter so her milk wouldn't get strong tasting. This past winter, I said "what the heck" and let her have all the xmas trees she wanted...I ended up dragging almost 50 unsold trees home. I noticed no change in the taste.

Could be that I am a cretin, though....

I found a quart of milk WAAAAY back in the fridge that was marked January 20...and last night I made cream of mushroom soup with some of it and had hot chocolate this morning with some more. This was the first time I tasted milk that was "goaty." It was not quite two months old, so I'm not sure why it was goaty. Maybe it was the xmas trees.....

We live in a cedar swamp and the deer around here regularly eat pine needles and cedar needles. Though we don't drink their milk (too hard to get them on the milking stand ) their flesh tastes like turpentine from all the pine/cedar resin/sap in their diet.

Darn DNR deer baiting ban!