Toggenburgs milk tasting bitter!

cathleenc · #21 05/11/09, 10:12 PM

I made some great goat cheese from the togg milk that was less than delicious to drink! Particularly aged hard cheeses - the romanos that I made last summer are as good as anything I can buy in the store (not putting my cheese against champion sheeses - but better than average normal store cheese).

The milk was fine to use - like in coffee or on cereal - but not to drink straight. We tried every cleaning/sanitizing/mastitis testing - nothing but a return to colder weather made a difference. She was a sweet doe and I miss her daily but heck, with only keeping 2 does for family use what sense did it make to keep one that made the kids cringe at the thought of drinking goat milk?

we also made tons of yogurt/yogurt smoothies/yogurt popsicles/goat milk ice cream/pudding/...... all of it was great. Just not a simple chilled glass of milk.

southerngurl · #22 05/11/09, 10:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Citychick

What kind of grain ration would you suggest? I feed Kent pelleted goat ration and a small amount of the sweet feed. Hay free choice and a small amount of alfalfa hay. Free choice minerals are always available. I will offer the baking soda in the morning. As for pedigree I sent for her papers and I am still waiting. Thanks

Personally, I would up the alfalfa, and s-l-o-w-l-y switch to whole oats (and you'll probably be able to feed less grain with oats than the pellets), with maybe some BOSS.

goatiegirls · #23 05/12/09, 09:04 AM

Look and see if your calf starter is medicated - maybe with decox? A lot of them are and medicated grain should not be fed to lactating animals.

Definitely need to up the alfalfa - if not hay then with alfalfa pellets.

Citychick · #24 05/12/09, 12:31 PM

The feed is not medicated. I will up the alfalfa and try some oats. Also trying a fecal to see if she has worms still.

hoofinitnorth · #25 05/12/09, 01:44 PM

How fresh is she? Perhaps you are tasting colostrum?

countrykidz · #26 05/14/09, 02:32 PM

Could your doe possibly be needing copper? I have heard that the milk will get a bad taste when the goat needs copper. Toggenburgs do seem to leave a stronger goat taste to the milk, but if it was suitable last year, and not this year, has to be something else other than the breed.

shiandpete.1 · #27 05/14/09, 04:37 PM

I hope your milk is tasting better. I switched Carla to a lactating goat ration and it has done wonders. Her milk is sooooo yummy. I can't wait till babies are weaned so I can use it for more things.

doulanobles · #28 05/14/09, 08:59 PM

I'm having the same issue...was hoping for some new info

I feed alfalfa pellets, whole oats/barley and BOSS and she's on pasture. She's a nubian alpine mix. She's 3 weeks fresh and still a weird bitter tangy aftertaste...Sigh.