# Newbie question about cow vs. goat milk



## Autumngrey (Jun 28, 2007)

Rookie here. Totally green to this style of living....

Hi. I have never had milk straight from a cow. Always have had it homoginized (sp) from the grocery store. I am looking to change my way of living and am planning now. So, with that said, a few questions:

1. Can anyone describe the taste difference between fresh cow milk and homoganized grocery store bought milk?

2. Can anyone describe the taste difference between grocery store milk to GOAT milk?

3. Can anyone describe the taste difference between fresh cow milk verses fresh goat milk?

Please and thank you in advance. 

Also, can I assume that one can make cheese and butter from goats milk?

I don't know of any places in southern AZ where I can even find fresh from the animal milk, so I don't know that I'd be able to try anything out right now.

(I really want to do this and learn how to make butter and cheese)

I'm sure I am leaving something out.....

thanks


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## BlueHeronFarm (Feb 9, 2007)

I have goats - and the flavor of the milk can vary depending on breed and what they eat, but I find no "goat" flavor in our Nubians' milk. The major difference you'll notice is how rich it is - unless you are already drinking whole milk. Even then - I think whole goats milk is incredibly rich. More butterfat than in cows milk. Butterfat content varies by breed, too.

You can make cheese and butter, but goats milk is naturaloly homogenized, so I think butter requires a bit more work than it does with cow's milk - I've never bothered. ...but the cheese is divine.


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## jerzeygurl (Jan 21, 2005)

each animals milk can have its own flavor

as well as each breed

conditions of barn and pail and storage will affect it as well


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## ozark_jewels (Oct 7, 2005)

I can't begin to describe the difference between fresh raw milk and the store bought stuff. I find the storebought stuff tasteless and chalky. :shrug: 
I prefer cows milk, but fresh goats milk is great too if its been properly chilled. Goat or cow, the fresh is much better than the storebought. 
Goats milk is harder to make butter from for the simple reason that its a little harder to collect the cream, but its still possible.
If you want lots of cream to make butter, and you will use a good bit of milk, a Jersey cow is the way to go. If you don't care that much about butter and you don't need as much milk, get a couple Nubian dairy goats. And of course if space is a problem, its easier to keep a couple goats in less space than it is to keep a cow.


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## Autumngrey (Jun 28, 2007)

Thanks for the replies....I had no idea that barn and pail storage and container could impact the flavor of milk. Nor the different breeds of cows/goats that can produce differnt flavors. I figured feed would impact the flavor.....

How come goat's milk is naturally homoginized?

help?


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## jerzeygurl (Jan 21, 2005)

cows cream naturally separates and rises because the fat globules are larger than a goats which do not readily rise because they are smaller.


homogination breaks down the cow fat globs smaller which causes them not to rise as well.


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## ChickenMom (Sep 27, 2005)

I don't know where you are in Arizona but this link will take you to some information about getting raw milk:

http://www.realmilk.com/where1.html#az

It should come up on the Arizona page.

Lorrie


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## Guest (Jul 11, 2007)

Autumngrey said:


> 1. Can anyone describe the taste difference between fresh cow milk and homoganized grocery store bought milk?


 I agree with the others about the different tastes in goat's milk re: diet etc. 

Now, as for the difference in fresh cow's milk and grocery store milk:

Have you ever heard old timers refer to milk as "sweet milk" (as opposed to buttermuilk)? There's a good reason for that. Fresh milk is very sweet and creamy. Some people describe it as tasting like melted vanilla ice cream, but I wouldn't describe it that way, it's not quite THAT sweet. But it is sweet, and it's hard to stop drinking it. I have a cup with every meal, which adds nutrition and fullness to the meal.

Children who won't hardly touch store milk will drink down fresh milk and beg for more. There is an absolute world of difference in the taste.

Milk sold in the grocery store is not *just* homogenized. It is centrifuged so that it is separated out into fat, solids, and liquids. It is then reblended in precise proportions so that all the milk coming from that processing plant will be uniform. Nutrients are destroyed and flavor is altered, giving it a cooked taste. To help give extra body and flavor to the altered milk, powdered milk (often from China and other 3rd world countries), is added back to the milk, and this powdered milk frequently has flavor enhancers added.

Try some "real" milk and you'll never again want that cooked white liquid stuff that they call "milk".


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

I haven't had *raw* cow's milk in years, so the memory is too dim and misty to count. 

Now that we have a dairy goat, I don't use grocery store cow milk at all. Grocery store cow milk is watery and doesn't seem to have a milk character now that I know what the real thing is.

Grocery store *goat* milk is just nasty. It tastes like there's a buck in the milkhouse.

Our Alpine doe doesn't smell like the stereotype goat-smell. Her milk isn't goaty, either. It is just good rich milk.

We don't do cream and butter from our goat milk, but a small amount of cream does rise to the top of the quart glass jars we keep it in after a couple of days. We just shake the jar, and the cream mixes back in.


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## Autumngrey (Jun 28, 2007)

Ladycat, THANK YOU. That is exactly the type of reply I was wanting about flavor and taste. Everyone else, thank you as well.


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## kesoaps (Dec 18, 2004)

Well, I just have to jump in and promote sheep's milk  It tastes sweeter than goat milk, similar to cows milk, so for those who don't like the flavor of goat they often find sheep's milk a nice alternative. Along with the flavor, sheep's milk is also naturally homogonized. Better yet, the solids in sheep milk are double that of cow or goat, meaning better for cheese making.

Ewe got sheep milk??? (Still waiting for my little sheepie icon here at HT...)


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## Guest (Jul 14, 2007)

kesoaps said:


> Well, I just have to jump in and promote sheep's milk  It tastes sweeter than goat milk, similar to cows milk, so for those who don't like the flavor of goat they often find sheep's milk a nice alternative. Along with the flavor, sheep's milk is also naturally homogonized. Better yet, the solids in sheep milk are double that of cow or goat, meaning better for cheese making.
> 
> Ewe got sheep milk??? (Still waiting for my little sheepie icon here at HT...)


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## Spinner (Jul 19, 2003)

To me the milk from my dairy goat tastes the same as the milk from my Holstein cow. The biggest difference I seen was that I can feed a goat for a week on the amount the cow ate in a day. I sold the cow. 

I have a Saanen and her milk tastes wonderful. I won't drink store bought milk after drinking fresh milk. Now the store milk tastes bad. I didn't realize how bad it was until I tasted real milk. For me it's like comparing powdered milk to store milk, the powdered milk tastes bad. Same thing with comparing real milk to store milk, the store milk tastes bad. 

You can see pics and read about most of the breeds available today at the Breeds of Goats site.

I am keeping my Saanen pair, but also have Nigerian Dwarf goats now. It's amazing how much milk a Nigerian will give, and the butterfat is 6 to 10% so it should be easier to make butter. They are excellent mothers often having 4 or even 5 kids. To me they are a great duel purpose goat.


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## Patty0315 (Feb 1, 2004)

I raise saanens also we do have a lonely alpine in the mix. Handle correctly , fed correctly and kept healthy it does not taste like goat. Goat milk is best if used within 5 days to me anyways. I like the cheese and have never made butter.

I have had people try my milk and argue that I was tricking them that it was really cow milk. I have a new friend that is used to Togg milk and almost died trying Saanen milk it was so good.

Key is try the milk before you buy the breed.


Patty


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## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

One thing I know for sure about the difference, when my younger brother was 2-4 years old he was SO allergic to the store milk that he had ulcers all through his mouth/throat/etc... BUT when we went to my uncles farm, he would scarf down the raw/fresh milk with no ill effects... 
Now, fast forward many many years, my DS #3 was having similar ill effects from store milk at about the same age. I aquired some raw/fresh milk and put him on that, and he had NO problems with the raw milk, I pretty much didnt buy store milk after that.
My professional mom opion is this: that store stuff is NOT good for you!!!!
my kids now have fresh raw goats milk, mainly because our land will not support a cow. We have lots of acreage, but no grass, mostly brush/weeds.
The goats love it tho.
So, be sure you look into the pasture/feed issue as well. I would love to have a Jersey cow, I love to make butter, but can't do it on my land, so I buy butter and use my milk for cheese/milk/yogurt etc..


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## dezeeuwgoats (Jan 12, 2006)

There are several options available to you in Southern Arizona....I pm'ed you! Check out realmilk.com

Sincerely;
Niki


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## XCricketX (Jun 7, 2006)

I have made butter out of my goat's milk. Only difference is that it is a lighter color (white/transparant). It does take some doing... I'm not sure of the butter making difference between cow and goat as I've only made goat's butter so far.
There is no cheese like goat's cheese!!!!!! I have tried sheep cheese as well... which is pretty good too.

My children both have been diagnosed with Autism, which is why we went with goat milk. We have reactions to the "Casein" in cow's milk... and it will not go away with "raw" cow's milk, although the reactions are less. Something about the store bought is JUST PLAIN BAD!

Goat's milk is easier to digest for anyone with the "leaky gut syndrome", and I've also heard of a local person here with esophagus cancer, that has really benefited from the goat's milk.

I have 1 Alpine/Nubian goat, and 1 Alpine/Saanen goat that is milking. The Alpine/Nubian has a slightly richer milk, but both of them have great tasting milk. There is NO "goaty" taste... I think the "goaty" taste that you hear about is from "pasteurized" goat's milk from the store. 
My goat's eat a LOT of brush on our land. I do supplement with mineral crumble and a goat feed, but it's not much compared to the brush they eat. They often snub my feed if they have brush to still clear! LOL!!!

To me... store bought cow's milk just tastes watery, our raw goat's milk is... well I wouldn't say creamier, although it IS creamier, but not so much that you feel like you are drinking a milkshake or anything. It is just a whole lot nicer! It makes you feel human!!

Hope that helps!

Cricket


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