Nigerian Dwarf Goat milk in itself is extremely delicious.Yet, sometimes people give goat milk (in general) a bad rap saying it has a stronger flavor, it smells or tastes goaty, etc.I can’t count the number of times I have challenged people to taste our goat milk, after literally refusing due to a previous bad experience, and every time it is the same reaction, “wow, that’s really good!It tastes just like cow milk”. My response is always the same, “it tastes better than cows milk! To top it off there are many wonderful products that you can make with goat milk in addition to simply drinking it.You can make ice cream, butter, whipped cream, yogurt, cheeses of all kinds (fresh and aged), sour cream, cottage cheese, soap, shampoo, and the list goes on.Many of these products require “separating”, that is, separating the rich, luscious cream from the milk.
Separating Goat Milk
Separating Is not as easy as simply letting the milk set in the refrigerator allowing the cream to rise to the top (like we used to do when I was a child back on the dairy cow farm) And then simply skimmed it off to use.If you try that technique with goat milk, you will be a bit disappointed.Goat milk, unlike cow milk, does not easily separate – one of the wonders of goat milk.Look a the label of store bought cow milk some time.It will always say “hom*ogenized” which means the milk has gone through a process in which the fat molecules are emulsified and the cream will not separate.Goat milk is naturally hom*ogenized.
There are two methods of separating.You can allow the cream to naturally separate by placing it in the refrigerator for 3-7 days (if you have that much patience) and then skim it off or you can purchase a cream separator and complete the entire process in about 10 minutes.If you are like me, you want to use the cream now so waiting for days doesn’t work. The best and easiest method is to purchase a table top separator and mechanically separate the cream from the milk.Table top separators are perfect for smaller scale dairy goat owners.They are very common in Europe and Asia where small scale farmers separate smaller quantities for their own use.
Thisis the electric separator we use. The milk receiver (the aluminum bowl on top) has a capacity of about two gallons. Milk is separated into cream and skim milk by centrifugal force as it passes through the spinning drum directly below the receiver bowl.
The separated skim milk and cream are caught in separate containers placed under the two discharge spouts. The whole process from beginning to end takes about 10 minutes. It is as easy as that!
Our milk yields about 2 cups of cream per 1.5 gallons of fresh milk.The first time we separated, I was astonished, after setting the cream in the refrigerator over night and turning the jar upside down, the cream was so thick and rich that it simply did not pour!But it made fabulous butter, whipped cream, and ice creams. Goat milk is so high in butterfat, that this is typical and makes especially wonderful products because of it.For cream in my coffee, I use the fresh whole milk.
If there is a downside to using a separator, it would be cleaning it after you are though using it.The separating drum contains 12 conical shaped aluminum disks (see photo).These need to be removed and washed each time it is used.Disassembly, washing, and reassembly is straight forward and takes an additional 15 minutes, but it’s worth it every second!
Now, in addition to drinking all that wonderful goat milk, you can make all those other products with your very own fresh cream.
It will always say “hom*ogenized” which means the milk has gone through a process in which the fat molecules are emulsified and the cream will not separate.
To maintain milk production and good health, goats should be fed a diet balanced for energy, protein, minerals, and vitamins based on requirements defined by the National Research Council. To reduce costs, forages such as hay, silage, and pasture should constitute most of the daily diet.
If you see a bunch of rice-like curds that won't stick together, this means that the cheese is not curdling properly. It is often caused by low-quality milk. However, if you are using fresh raw milk with sufficient calcium, the reason might be due to improper temperatures.
You can thaw the goat's milk the same way you thaw your raw meat – fridge will take 24-48 hours and at room temperature will take 6-8 hours. After thawing the goat's milk, refrigerate. Once thawed it's good for 14 days in the fridge.
Goat's milk can be easily frozen and has little fat separation throughout the process just like cow's milk. Goat's milk may be frozen for two to six months and should be consumed within three to four days of defrosting.
Primal Goat Milk should be stored in the freezer until ready to use, and can be thawed in the refrigerator. Once thawed, it will stay fresh for 10 days under refrigeration. It can also be portioned and refrozen, if you like.
Butter made from goat milk is every bit as good as the same spread made from cow's milk. “As good as”, please note. . . not “just like”. For one thing, goat butter has a lower melting point than other cow butter . . . possibly because the milk from which it comes contains a higher proportion of unsaturated fatty acids.
Primal Goat Milk is not pasteurized or hom*ogenized like the cow milk you may be familiar with. Because it is raw, it will separate into nutrient layers as it sits thawed. Fat layer will be on top, followed by a liquid layer, and the added supplements will sit at the bottom.
Put milk in a double boiler or in jars in a pasteurizer or canner and heat to 165 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 seconds. Cool the milk as quickly as possible, but make sure not to put the hot jars in cold water or they will break. Store the milk in the refrigerator.
The Saanen (Figure 1) is widely recognized as the world's best developed and highest milk-producing breed. It has been called and compared among goat breeds to the Holstein Friesian dairy cattle breed, because of their high level of daily milk yield and relatively low level of milk fat content.
Poor nutrition during late gestation and early lactation significantly affects milk yield through the entire lactation. Forage in the form of high-quality pasture, browse, and/or hay is a staple of what to feed goats to increase milk production.
Lactating goats need a very high quality diet. You could be feeding her all the meal and hay you want, but if they are low quality (high fiber, low protein and energy content) she will lose weight and stop producing milk.
If the milk has not curdled sufficiently enough for your recipe, you can let it stand longer or return it to the stove and heat it for a longer period of time.
Abnormal secretion in the form of clots, flakes, or watery milk is the clinical sign most consistently observed. Depending upon severity and the causative agent, acute mastitis cases may have significant systemic involvement characterized by fever, depression, and weakness. In its most severe form it can be fatal.
If a goat has an asymmetrical udder, this may mean that one side is either swollen or has reduced milk production – both signs of mastitis in that half. Milk from a doe with mastitis may be watery, red/pink, clotted, or have flakes.
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Introduction: My name is Roderick King, I am a cute, splendid, excited, perfect, gentle, funny, vivacious person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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