The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Goats => Topic started by: Sbom on May 29, 2016, 12:20:05 pm
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Any ideas how to get rid of the nasty after taste in our milk?
At the minute the lambs are having it but soon we'll be wanting to use it and I can't get rid of the after taste.
I gave her a multi vit drench I have for the sheep two days ago and it's still goaty..
Do you think I jab of combivit would help? Or something else?
Thanks
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What about feed? I was told that goats milk tastes goaty either due to hygiene, I am not saying yours is bad at all I am sure it is very good this is just what I was told, or due to type of feed during milking or feed they get as supplementary. http://www.culturesforhealth.com/learn/general/tips-troubleshooting-better-tasting-goat-milk/ (http://www.culturesforhealth.com/learn/general/tips-troubleshooting-better-tasting-goat-milk/)
Here is something which may be useful :)
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Cobalt deficiency can leave a goaty taste, as can general imbalance in diet.
Might be worth checking what you are feeding with a vet or nutritionist.
Also worth checking her for subclinical mastitis as bacteria in the milk don't always show heat, lumps or pain but can make the milk taste off.
Blood samples can check for deficiencies or you can bolus with something like the cosecure boluses that provide cobalt, copper and selenium.
Are you feeding them minerals or licks alongside their feed?
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Goat's milk shouldn't have a goaty taste. Possible reasons - hygiene, rough handling of milk, something the goats eaten, vit/min deficency for example being low in cobalt can result in goaty taste.( milking goats need 4 times the amount of cobalt that sheep need.) Lot's of brassicas cause milk taint while carrots produce sweet milk.
Check is there small clots like cottage cheese in the milk -starting of sub clinical mastitis, Be extra clean by using udder wipe, teat dip and cetrimide udder cream can all help. Is your drench a copper/cobalt drench used, It might be worth contacting your vet to blood test for deficiency's or if early mastitis is starting.
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She has beef nuts, sugar beet shreds and a handful of Alpha A. Red rockie lick in pen and access to acres of grazing. Defo no mastitis.
Milk is filtered and goes straight into back of fridge or freezer to chill. It's very and creamy, just has an after kick...
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Most likely cobalt deficiency then, the rest sounds great, but there is no added minerals, so either would be best to get your vet to test for deficiencies and/or add in goat minerals such as caprivite or premium goat balancer, and/or cosecure bolus.
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Thanks, will look at getting a supplement :thumbsup:
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Ordered some Caprivite so :fc: it works
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She has beef nuts, sugar beet shreds and a handful of Alpha A. Red rockie lick in pen and access to acres of grazing. Defo no mastitis.
Milk is filtered and goes straight into back of fridge or freezer to chill. It's very and creamy, just has an after kick...
I used to find that fast chilling of milk was essential. If for some reason it was delayed then the milk did taste "goaty". I had Anglo Nubians and normally the milk had no after taste at all.
I notice you mention putting milk in the fridge or freezer to chill. The fastest way to chill is by cold running water. I used to put my stainless steel milking bucket into a sink of cold water and chill it that way even before filtering.
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Was wondering a similar thing about one of my goats. She is a first time kidder and her milk is just not very nice. She gets fed the same as all the others including caprivite although I jul be a little more religious about giving it. Her milk has an almost metallic taste. In no way the nice creamy taste the others give. Bless her she milks gallons as well as feeding her own kid but at the moment I am using all her milk to feed the cades. Would be lovely if I could find a way of making her milk drink able.
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Ordered some Caprivite so :fc: it works
It works well for my girls although they do have a mineral lick as well.
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Been meaning to order some caprivite, thanks for the reminder ?
Have a good sniff at milk containers, i thought I was washing mine well till I stuck my nose in, i used to chill milk by putting it straight in freezer, but was concerned at effect of warm stuff going in freezer, i now have some of these blue freezer blocks you put in cool boxes, stand the milk container in bucket of cold water and put the freezer blocks in the water, works well.
I also remember reading of someone putting freezer blocks in bottom of milking bucket, would have to sterilised though?
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Been meaning to order some caprivite, thanks for the reminder ?
Have a good sniff at milk containers, i thought I was washing mine well till I stuck my nose in, i used to chill milk by putting it straight in freezer, but was concerned at effect of warm stuff going in freezer, i now have some of these blue freezer blocks you put in cool boxes, stand the milk container in bucket of cold water and put the freezer blocks in the water, works well.
I also remember reading of someone putting freezer blocks in bottom of milking bucket, would have to sterilised though?
another tip would be to hypochlorite spray them before use and rinse em out and wipe them with kitchen roll to kill off any bacteria left in after washing. Never put it in with the spray still in or wiped but not rinsed as this can seperate milk during freezing resulting in very bitty milk. I hope you can get this problem away. Could the goats be cycling at all and would this effect it?
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The other goat I milked always had delicious milk so pretty sure it's a deficiency in this one. Will have another taste test tomorrow which will be day 4 of Caprivite.
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I think it's more likely to be something with the goat than the treatment of the milk.
I milk into a stainless steel bucket, strain through muslin into plastic bottles, put in the fridge, wash bucket, cloth, funnel and bottles in really hot soapy water, rinse and drain dry.
After milking I leave the bucket of milk on the side in the feed shed while I finish feeding the rest of the goats, bottle lambs and pigs maybe 15 minutes.
No faffing with cooling extra fast, disinfecting etc etc and the milk is always really lovely
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Just to update you.... Milk now back to its yummy self. Three scoops of Caprivite a day and it's taken about three weeks.
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Just to update you.... Milk now back to its yummy self. Three scoops of Caprivite a day and it's taken about three weeks.
Three scoops of Caprivite - I am impressed! My goats just go yuck... and throw their foodbowl around...
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She's a greedy madam and will eat pretty much anything she's given....and quite a lot she's not given ::)
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Mine really like caprivite! They would eat it loose from my hand!
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I don't use caprivite - what's the usual dose supposed to be.
Sounds like she was really short on something. Glad you've found the answer and are back to lovely milk.
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It's usually one spoonful (spoon provided) but can be doubled for a goat giving a lot of milk. Glad it sorted the problem.
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I'm glad that its sorted now. Never been a goat milk fan myself, but tasted a friends goat milk product and was very impressed :thumbsup: