Which products from which animals? (Dairy)

[Myshalla]

Hello,
About a year ago when we first started putting together our little farm I was reading through a website about different diary producing animals. I was not smart enough to bookmark that website and have been searching for it ever since. There was one piece of information that stuck with me and I want to find it again before my memory loses it. The info went something like this:
Goat milk is best for yoghurt, ?? and ??
Sheep milk is best for cheese, ?? and ??
Cows milk is best for butter, ?? and ??

or something to that effect. I hope that someone here can help me out.
Many Thanks
Myshalla

 

[Baymule]

Welcome to the forum, we are glad to have you here. What you are referring to is an old saying pertaining to milking animals.

Cow's milk for butter
Sheep's milk for cheese
Goat's milk to drink

It doesn't mean that literally. Many people here keep goats and they make butter, cheese, yogurt, kiefer, and they drink it! There are a few that milk their sheep and they use it in coffee, over cereal, and they drink it. Others keep cows and likewise, do all of the above with the milk. It all boils down to a personal preference of what you like.

Tell us a little about your farm!

 

[Alaskan]

I think goats are the best dairy animals.

Sheep produce less and have tiny teats (so = hand cramp or using a machine that needs to be washed )

Cows are big, eat lots, and produce a crazy amount for a short period of time (at least I have never heard of a cow producing for 2 years straight.)

Goats can have perfect sized, easy to milk teats (but yeah, look before you buy), can produce a just right amount for a family, and a well bred goat can easily milk for a solid year, maybe 3 before needing to be rebred. Genetics are everything of course, lots of dud goats out there too...

However I think perfection can be reached more easily with a goat....

Unless you want your lawn mowed, and are happy with a small amount of milk that needs to be milked with your fingertips.... then get a sheep.

 

[River Buffaloes]

Such a wonderful thread. I wish more people shared their opinions and experience. There's a lot of potential for learning if we are more active on this forum.

 

[Kusanar]

Cows are big, eat lots, and produce a crazy amount for a short period of time (at least I have never heard of a cow producing for 2 years straight.)

In commercial dairies, the cows are milked from a day or 2 after birth until 2 months (I believe) before they give birth again. Apparently cow gestation is 9 months roughly (per google) so that would be 7 months milking, then 2 months off, then another 7 months of milking.