Raising Goats for Milk
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If you’re looking for a new hobby that’s fun as well as delicious and nutritious, consider raising goats for milk! Not only are there many benefits of goat milk itself, but you’ll find there are numerous other perks involved in raising these friendly critters who are just full of joy and personality.
Of course, all goats, like other mammals, will produce milk once they’ve had babies. But if you’re raising goats specifically for milk production, you’ll want to consider a dairy goat breed. The amount of milk a dairy goat will produce will depend on the breed as well as individual genetics. Nigerian Dwarfs and other miniature breeds will typically have lower yields, from 1-3 quarts per day, while full-sized breeds can produce a gallon or more per day.
Benefits of goat milk
Why goat milk? There are numerous benefits to this increasingly popular dairy product.
Health and nutrition
Milk, like any other food item, is best when fresh. And when you have a dairy animal in your own back yard, you’ll have access to the very freshest milk possible. But beyond freshness, there is also the joy of knowing that your milk comes from animals that have been humanely treated and loved. Plus, you’ll know their health status including any medications they’ve been exposed to and you can hold back any milk that shouldn’t be consumed.
Goat milk is also an excellent source of protein, calcium, potassium, phosphorous, magnesium and vitamin A. And compared to cow milk, goat milk contains lower concentrations of individual saturated fatty acids which are associated with increased cardiovascular disease. Goat milk can also help reduce cholesterol levels in people who have high blood cholesterol.
Digestibility
Beyond nutrition itself, the digestibility of goat milk may be reason enough to consider raising goats for milk. Unlike cow milk, goat milk contains no A1 protein which can be very hard for some people to digest. Many folks who think they are lactose intolerant might actually just be intolerant of the A1 protein or have a milk allergy. Switching to goat milk may alleviate the digestive discomfort associated with drinking cow milk. While goat milk does contain a little less lactose than cow milk, it’s really the lack of A1 protein that might make the difference in digestibility. In addition, the fat molecules in goat milk are much smaller than those of cow milk, making it quicker to digest. By spending less time in the digestive tract, any milk sensitivities a person has may be minimized.
Great for recipes
Even if you’re not a milk drinker, raising goats for milk with give you the perfect raw ingredient for making yogurt, cheese, and ice cream as well as using it in any recipe that calls for milk. Whether you plan to use the milk raw or pasteurize it yourself is up to you and your knowledge and comfort level with raw milk, but either way the farm fresh goodness will shine through.
Good for skin, too
If you don’t want to put your goat milk in your body, how about putting it on your body? Goat milk is a popular ingredient in homemade soaps and lotions because of all the benefits to your skin that come with it, such as:
- Goat milk contains capric-caprylic triglyceride, a highly effective moisturizer.
- It also contains a high content of alpha-hydroxy acids which helps cleanse and soften skin.
- The pH level of goat milk is close to that of our own skin, making it gentle and skin loving.
- Goat milk has a fat molecule content that reduces skin inflammation.
- It also has a high level of vitamins D, C, B1, B6, B12 and E, that feed the skin and are absorbed into the body.
- Goat milk is effective for treating acne because of its anti-bacterial properties.
OK, now that you’re hopefully convinced that raising goats for milk would be a great idea, here are some additional perks to consider:
- Goats are super friendly and very enjoyable as pets, as long as they’re not bucks (intact males) who do not make great pets. Hand raising or bottle feeding the babies will make them even gentler and easier to handle.
- Goats can help children learn responsibility by caring for their own animal, especially through programs like 4-H and FFA.
- Goats can help you with your weed eating and fertilizing needs – provided you have a good fence to keep them out of your flower and vegetable gardens!
- Goats are trendy and popular and might be able to help you bring in some extra cash by using them for goat yoga, goat hikes, or goat visits & farm tours.
- Depending on the regulations where you live, you might also be able to bring in some extra income selling your excess goat milk and/or goat meat.
Before you take the plunge, though, be sure you know what you’re getting into. There are many things to consider before raising goats for milk such as zoning, fencing and housing issues as well as the daily upkeep and veterinary care involved. But with a little planning and knowledge, it’s well worth the effort!
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