Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Milk for private consumption does not need to be pasteurized. If you sell goat's milk or an ed-
ible product made from your milk such as yogurt, butter, or cheese for human consumption,
you will need to pasteurize by law. If you run a large-scale operation, your milk will need to
be transported to a local plant for processing that includes pasteurization within hours of your
animals being milked. Infectious agents in milk are killed when hard cheeses are ripened for a
long time, but these agents are not killed in fresh cheeses.
Dairy farmers who know their own sanitation practices and the condition of their animals feel
confident their milk is quite safe for their families to drink, as long as it is consumed while
fresh (within a few days of milking). Enjoying raw milk is one of the benefits of dairy goat
farming, but be aware of the danger, so you can avoid potential milk-borne illnesses. Pasteur-
ization keeps milk tasting fresh by destroying bacteria that proliferate and alter its flavor. Goat
milk contains a unique enzyme called caproic acid that gives the milk a “goaty” flavor as it
ages, usually after two or three days. If you choose to use your milk raw, both for safety and
for the best quality and flavor, keep it chilled, and drink it fresh.
When you transport milk, keep it in an airtight container that can be kept cool at all times,
either by immersing it in ice water or by transporting it in a refrigerated vehicle. No sunlight
from windows should fall on the container. If you are running a Grade A dairy, your local pro-
cessing plant may provide safe transport of your milk to its facilities.
Off-flavors in goat's milk
There are many reasons why your milk may have an unpleasant taste. The majority of those
causes can be controlled if you are aware of them.
Causes of off-flavors in goat's milk
FLAVOR
CAUSE
Milking in a smelly barn
Not moving fresh milk from the barn quickly enough
Doe living continuously in a poorly ventilated barn even if she is milked in a place where
air is fresh
Barny
The goat was consuming strong weeds before milking.
The goat was consuming strong feed before milking.
Bitter/
soapy
