# saanens milk taste



## christie (May 10, 2008)

HI all,
I am an owner of nubian doe and I am interested in buying a saanen doe. I have inquired about a saanen doe for sale and when I asked her owmer how her milk tasted she replied that Saanens were bred to make cheese and have a goaty taste to their milk for that purpose. And that she would not use her milk as table milk.
Now I love my nubies milk , creamy... no diferent then the taste of cows milk! I want to keep that going.
I have heard that alpines and toggs were goaty tasting too!
I like the idea that Saanaens give more milk and are quieter in genral then my loud mouth nubians. But the taste of the milk is very important to me. I have no interest in making cheese { as of yet}
Let me say that I know nutrition and health are very important factors to. What you put in you get out. So maybe if I had her she wouldn't taste so bad?
Should I not look into any other saaanens or just stick w/ the nubi girls?
Christie


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## Jyllie63 (Dec 30, 2004)

Christie...I am milking my saanen this year along with my nubian (7/8 anyway). My DH thought the saanen milk was just a bit better tasting...very creamy. I don't like milk so I can't give an opinion on that, but we do use it for cereal and cooking and I've not found any bad taste at all.


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

I would say that the person who said that didn't know what she was talking about.

Saanens are the dairy goat for large production, in the same way Holsteins are the high yielding dairy cow.

Lots of folks are drinking Saanen milk quite happily.:clap:


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## saanengirl (Apr 7, 2009)

I agree that she didn't know what she was talking about, and she probably doesn't handle her milk properly. My Saanens give wonderful milk with no goaty flavor (unless you allow it to go bad). Pretty much if Saanen milk has a goaty flavor it is the owner's fault, not the goat.


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## wintrrwolf (Sep 29, 2009)

I am milking my Saanen right now and the milk tastes just fine. Only problem is I have milk coming out of my ears, she is nursing twin boys and I get at least 2 quarts from only milking once a day from one side!! I was raised that we only had milk with breakfast cereal so gonna have to relearn that, now I can have milk anytime I want  My daughters both say its good!


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## IndyGardenGal (Apr 5, 2009)

I should be able to comment on Saanen milk after this weekend! I've always heard great things about Saanen milk.


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## Heritagefarm (Feb 21, 2010)

Alice In TX/MO said:


> I would say that the person who said that didn't know what she was talking about.
> 
> Saanens are the dairy goat for large production, in the same way Holsteins are the high yielding dairy cow.
> 
> Lots of folks are drinking Saanen milk quite happily.:clap:


Except that saanans don't require massive quantities of grain and meds to produce that milk...


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## Cheryl aka JM (Aug 7, 2007)

when I first got my Saanen/Nubian cross last year her milk was off flavored. Someone told me or I read somewhere that Saanen milk was off because it was used for chease....I'd almost swear I read it in one of the dairy goat books I borrowed. But after we copper bolused her it was great. And this year it took about 4 weeks fresh to get all the colostrum taste out but now her milk is FANTASTIC. 

Maybe its just SOME Saanen goats, or ones that need more minerals...copper? If I were you I'd be sure to ask to taste her milk first, and ask about what she feeds and if the doe has been bolused or not.


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## 4piecesof8 (Apr 7, 2010)

:hrm: My Saanen's milk is not goaty! what ever that means. I milk a Nubian and my Saanen. We just did a blind taste test last week. Both girls give wonderful milk, the nubian's was just a tad bit sweeter to us. What I am really looking forward to are the Snubian does that were born here this spring when they freshen next year. I hope I get the best of both worlds.


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## Pony (Jan 6, 2003)

wintrrwolf said:


> I am milking my Saanen right now and the milk tastes just fine. Only problem is I have milk coming out of my ears, she is nursing twin boys and I get at least 2 quarts from only milking once a day from one side!! I was raised that we only had milk with breakfast cereal so gonna have to relearn that, now I can have milk anytime I want  My daughters both say its good!


Have you considered freezing the milk (unless you plan to milk her through)?

I put milk in quart sized freezer bags, lay them flat on a cookie sheet, freeze, and then stack them up. 

Good to have on hand for when the goat is dried off for the last part of pregnancy.

You can also heat process milk in mason jars. I don't have the particulars at hand, but Jackie Clay wrote a couple or three articles on the procedure in BHM.


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## Heritagefarm (Feb 21, 2010)

^
How can you heat process something in glass? Or are you double-broilering it?


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## christie (May 10, 2008)

Well I looked at A togg today and asked for a sampl of her milk.... And it was slightly goaty. I know w/ time in the fridge it would only get stronger. She had Saanens there too and said they all taste the same. Though admits she keeps milk together in the same pail. So I don't think she knows. Hopefully I can visit this SAanen Saturday And try some of her milk!
The toggs milk was definety different then the nubies!

"Goaty" glavor is the flavor of goat cheese..imo... Not that strong but hints of it.. Though I am sure it could get strong!!


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## wintrrwolf (Sep 29, 2009)

"I put milk in quart sized freezer bags, lay them flat on a cookie sheet, freeze, and then stack them up"
Ah HA! That is so simple good idea Pony! Thanks.
I don't need to copper bolus my goats but I do have 3 styles of minerals out for them so they have a choice of what they want. I _think_ as long as everything is in balance and they are on good forage, you get good milk  But of course this is my first time milking.


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

My goat cheese does not take like store bought goat cheese. The cheddar tastes like cheddar!

I use the chevre (soft cheese) in place of cream cheese and sour cream in recipes.

Fresh goat milk, cooled quickly, from does with good nutrition, milked with sanitary methods, will not taste goaty.


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## Wolf Flower (Dec 21, 2005)

christie said:


> she replied that Saanens were bred to make cheese and have a goaty taste to their milk for that purpose.


I've heard that about Toggs, but not Saanens. My Saanen has great milk, no goaty taste at all.


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## Heritagefarm (Feb 21, 2010)

'Goat' flavor is created when the milk is not chilled fast enough. It doesn't usually have anything to do with the goat.


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## robinthegeek (Nov 18, 2004)

I'm really sensitive to the goaty flavor, I find it disgusting.

My Togg's milk will get goaty if I don't keep everything very clean, but it tastes just fine if I do everything right.

Now today at work I bought a salad with goat cheese in it, and it was so goaty I couldn't eat it. 

I make chevre and it isn't goaty at all when it's fresh.


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## christie (May 10, 2008)

Now I expect chevre cheese to have that goaty flavor! Though I never had it fresh. But to me thats what goat cheese is suppose to taste like.
The togg milk definetly had a taste too it...


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## Heritagefarm (Feb 21, 2010)

Goat milk isn't SUPPOSED to have 'goat' flavor...


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## saanengirl (Apr 7, 2009)

The "goaty" flavor is a result of lipolysis--fat globule breakdown. Goat milk contains more short chain fatty acids than cow milk, particularly caprylic and caproic acids which are the ones that produce the "goaty" flavor. When those are released as free fatty acids by breakdown of the fat, you get a "goaty" flavor.


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## cathleenc (Aug 16, 2007)

Togg milk can taste stronger with perfect nutrition and perfect hygiene! Strong is not neccessarily bad.


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## luv2farm (Feb 15, 2008)

Cheryl aka JM said:


> when I first got my Saanen/Nubian cross last year her milk was off flavored. Someone told me or I read somewhere that Saanen milk was off because it was used for chease....I'd almost swear I read it in one of the dairy goat books I borrowed. But after we copper bolused her it was great. *And this year it took about 4 weeks fresh to get all the colostrum taste out but now her milk is FANTASTIC. *


What does the "colostrum taste" taste like? I have a 2nd freshener that kidded 2 weeks ago and her milk has a bitter taste to it. SHe had great milk last year, but I got her after she had kidded and was in milk for about 3 months. So, I missed those initial days of milking, so I have nothing to compare to. Maybe I'm just to anxious.....may need to wait a few more days.


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## shiandpete.1 (Aug 13, 2008)

Oh Christi, if you were closer I would make you make fresh goat cheese. It doesn't taste like a goat, it is so delicate, mildly sweet, with a wonderful creamy texture. Telling you about it is making my mouth water!


christie said:


> Now I expect chevre cheese to have that goaty flavor! Though I never had it fresh. But to me thats what goat cheese is suppose to taste like.
> The togg milk definetly had a taste too it...


Some blood lines of Toggenburgs were bred for cheese making, and their milk is a bit different, but still shouldn't be goat tasting.


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## christie (May 10, 2008)

mAybe thats where I am getting hung up... I am noticing a difference and calling it goaty tasting. The togg had a flavoring that wasn't that pleasent, though she did kid 3 or 4 weeks prior so that may have been it.
Christie


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## Cheryl aka JM (Aug 7, 2007)

luv2farm said:


> What does the "colostrum taste" taste like? I have a 2nd freshener that kidded 2 weeks ago and her milk has a bitter taste to it. SHe had great milk last year, but I got her after she had kidded and was in milk for about 3 months. So, I missed those initial days of milking, so I have nothing to compare to. Maybe I'm just to anxious.....may need to wait a few more days.


It seems some people are more sensitive to the colostrum taste than others. To me it does taste kind of bitter~ under the tongue bitter~ it's hard to describe. Most people tell me they can't taste it anymore after a week or so~ but our Saanen/Nubian cross was 4 weeks fresh before I stopped getting that bitter bite from her milk~ and it was another week before the rest of my family declared it edible for fresh milk consumption. My Nubian freshened 3 weeks ago last Monday and I can still taste it in her milk too. It makes great cheese and yogurt at this point~ but to us it still has the "kind of bitter under the tongue" taste we don't like in our fresh milk.

I'm seriously considering giving the Nubian another copper bolus to see if that clears it up faster. I'm thinking maybe she didn't get a good enough dose when she was bolused 2 months ago.


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## chick41 (Jul 12, 2009)

Our milk this year also tastes funny, unlike last year. One of you mentioned copper boluses, suggesting lack of nutrient to be a possible cause. I feed what I considered to be a balanced,prepared ration, does anyone have experience with this not being good enough??

I hope I'm not going off topic, we are discussing taste. Does anyone know whether a bucks presence will throw the taste off. I'm concerned about it because its the only thing we've changed from last year??


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

If you aren't offering a high copper mineral or bolusing with copper, then the copper intake is most likely too low. Most of us who have had dairy goats very long have learned the hard way about this.

Long article about copper deficiency:
http://www.saanendoah.com/copper1.html

Chart on downsizing copper boluses for goats:
http://saanendoah.com/cubolusdosechart.html

If your milking sanitation is good enough, the buck should not have an effect, especially at this time of year, as he's not in rut.


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## GBov (May 4, 2008)

My mum swore blind that all goats milk and cheese and yoguart tastes goaty to her so was thrilled to have her here when I had a fresh gallon of goats milk from a little farm a bit north of us. A mixed bag of goats and mmmmmmm the milk is fantastic!

She agreed! 

In fact, she loved it so much we got an extra gallon just for her!

Gods, I WANT GOATS!!!!!!


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## Cliff (Jun 30, 2007)

christie said:


> mAybe thats where I am getting hung up... I am noticing a difference and calling it goaty tasting. The togg had a flavoring that wasn't that pleasent, though she did kid 3 or 4 weeks prior so that may have been it.
> Christie


Goaty tasting means you get a goaty aftertaste. It is an individual thing but some breeds do have more individuals with goaty milk. 
We're milking a half kiko mutt right now whose milk is tolerable. My sister has our best goat - 3/4 nubian 1/4 kiko - whose milk is very sweet and rich with no aftertaste ever.
If I had the choice I would stick with nubians but that's just a personal preference. I feel you have a better chance of having really good milk with nubians. Still test the milk of any prospect though.
I've only had the milk of one saanan, to me she had a slight goaty aftertaste with the most perfect of milking/cooling habits. But I am very very sensitive to that taste, other family members didn't taste it as much.


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## eam (Jun 5, 2002)

We have a Togg and think her milk tastes just like cow milk, except richer. Like drinking whole milk with extra creaminess. Nothing goaty at all. But, I will say, if I keep it more than a week or so, and especially after heating it, it has a different (some would probably call it goaty) flavor. But, fresh, there's nothing better. 

I'm thinking of adding a Saanen and would want to try the milk first, especially after the comments I've read here!

Elizabeth


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## wintrrwolf (Sep 29, 2009)

eam said:


> I'm thinking of adding a Saanen and would want to try the milk first, especially after the comments I've read here!
> 
> Elizabeth


You should do then what pygmybabies did find a Saanen owner that has one in milk and ask to watch how they milk. Then you know how they do it from start to finish and then you get a taste of the milk. Mind you dont ask to many questions cause I think I forgot to put the udder balm on and something else since I was busy talking  

Since handling and such plays a part in taste you know what you do and can get a chance to see what someone else does.


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## deb_77 (May 21, 2010)

Cheryl aka JM said:


> when I first got my Saanen/Nubian cross last year her milk was off flavored. Someone told me or I read somewhere that Saanen milk was off because it was used for chease....I'd almost swear I read it in one of the dairy goat books I borrowed. But after we copper bolused her it was great. And this year it took about 4 weeks fresh to get all the colostrum taste out but now her milk is FANTASTIC.
> 
> Maybe its just SOME Saanen goats, or ones that need more minerals...copper? If I were you I'd be sure to ask to taste her milk first, and ask about what she feeds and if the doe has been bolused or not.


Do you have any pictures of your Snubians?

I've been browsing and reading around for a while
and I was stuck on either Saanens or Nubians...., and since I couldn't
make up my mind on either breed, I figured I would start looking for a

SaanenXNubian cross. I know Saanens produce lots of milk, and
that Nubians have a good butterfat percentage that makes their
milk very creamy. 

Would you say you have the best of both worlds with your
Snubians?

Is the milk sweet? Creamy? I'm dying to know!!!!


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## Cheryl aka JM (Aug 7, 2007)

I looked but I don't have any recent pics of her. I do have a couple from when I first got her last year~ don't judge her on these pics though. She was really wormy and underweight in this pic~ she is the white one with brown spots. The brown one~ we don't know what her breeding is but she looks like a nubian only smaller.

















Yes~ now that her nutrition is good her milk is very sweet and creamy. Very yummy! I don't know where your located but if your close to north Alabama I'll gladly pour you a glass if you come by!


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## 4piecesof8 (Apr 7, 2010)

http://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs351.snc3/29152_124761524208194_100000230407365_244188_6881689_n.jpg

I hope this comes out. It's a picture of our first Snubian doe. Our buck is a Saanen and our doe is Nubian. I cant wait to breed her to a Kiko and see how she milks!!


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## deb_77 (May 21, 2010)

Cheryl aka JM said:


> I looked but I don't have any recent pics of her. I do have a couple from when I first got her last year~ don't judge her on these pics though. She was really wormy and underweight in this pic~ she is the white one with brown spots. The brown one~ we don't know what her breeding is but she looks like a nubian only smaller.
> 
> 
> Yes~ now that her nutrition is good her milk is very sweet and creamy. Very yummy! I don't know where your located but if your close to north Alabama I'll gladly pour you a glass if you come by!


Thanks so much...

But unfortunately
I'm in SoCal, so thats a no go...

But I would love to have glass. 

Maybe if I go out on the road with my mom (truck driver)
I can stop by. lol.


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## ozark_jewels (Oct 7, 2005)

eam said:


> I'm thinking of adding a Saanen and would want to try the milk first, especially after the comments I've read here!
> 
> Elizabeth


I reccomend this with any goat, not because of breed, but because every goats milk varies a bit just because they are individuals.


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## copperpennykids (Sep 6, 2004)

Makes sense to try ANY goats' milk prior to purchase.

With that said - Our Saanens milk always tastes good! ALWAYS. For 10 years that is a lot of good tasting milk. 

Saanens traditionally have excellent milk. Closest to tasting like cows' milk, only sweeter and with no milky aftertaste/film in your mouth like with cow's milk.

Also - good management, feed, and care when handling milk will affect the quality of the milk. Quality in = Quality out.


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## deb_77 (May 21, 2010)

copperpennykids said:


> Makes sense to try ANY goats' milk prior to purchase.
> 
> With that said - Our Saanens milk always tastes good! ALWAYS. For 10 years that is a lot of good tasting milk.
> 
> ...


Thank you for this review of your saanen's milk!

Very descriptive. :bow:


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## Kye022984 (Apr 23, 2010)

deb_77 said:


> Do you have any pictures of your Snubians?
> 
> I've been browsing and reading around for a while
> and I was stuck on either Saanens or Nubians...., and since I couldn't
> ...


I am in So Cal too and I just purchased my first Saneen/Nubian cross and she will be here with us in June. I am also getting a full bred Saneen whom we are going to breed to a Nubian buck, hopefully. Anyway, the lady I am purchasing her from said as a first freshener she milked a gallon a day of Nubian-type creamy milk. She said it was the best of both worlds and that's exactly how she described it. Hope this helps you out a little. I also think she has one more she is waiting to sell.


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## Goatfan27 (Feb 19, 2016)

How do you use a copper bolus? I think one of my goats need it.


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## lovinglife (Jul 31, 2013)

Thank goodness my goat cheese has NO goaty flavor! ICK! With the exception of maybe Toggs, I think goats milk should be the best milk you ever had! If it isn't I would suspect either a lack of good minerals or mastitis and or bad milking and milk handling practices. I have had Alpine, Nubian, Saanen and Guernsey goat milk, all wonderful.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

Well, I had ONE Toggenburg when I first started raising goats. That Togg was about 2 yrs old, gave nearly two...yes 2...gallons of milk daily for a 10-month lactation and it was the *best tasting milk ever...not at all "goaty".* (I learned the bad milk Toggs are known for came from a buck living in Wisconsin; so avoid that lineage and the milk is great.)


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